Stay with Me

“Now you’re just trying to get back in my pants.”

I giggle when he slaps my wet ass, then turns me away from him so he can wash my back.

“You’re not wearing any pants,” he reminds me. “So, I’m already kind of in them.”

“True.” He lets the puff fall to the tile and grips my hips, pulling me to him.

“Bend over and grab that bench, baby.”

I look over my shoulder with a raised brow. The humor has left his hazel eyes, replaced by pure, unadulterated lust.

“It wasn’t a question,” he says, and I bite my lip, complying. He’s quickly inside me again, but it’s not light and fun this time. It’s hard and fast and over quickly, with both of us quivering and panting. He spins me back into his arms and hugs me close.

“The bossiness is sexy,” I inform him, catching my breath. “But if you think you’ll get away with it outside of the bedroom, you can think again.”

He smirks. “I love you, Amelia. You make me laugh more than I have in years.” He reaches for the puff and lathers it up again, then gets back to work. “What are your plans today?”

“Work.” I sigh as he grazes my shoulders. It feels fantastic. “You?”

“I’ll be working downtown all day,” he says. “So I won’t see you until later tonight.”

“Okay.” He rinses me off, and I take the puff from him, returning the favor. “I’d better get you all clean now.”

“Yes, you did make a mess, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yeah, and I’ll do it again later.”

“Good girl.”

It’s several hours later when the doorbell rings. A postal carrier has me sign for a letter.

It’s from my attorney. Vinnie has finally been served, and we have a mediation date. My heart speeds up as I skim down the letter.

I have to be in mediation in ten days.

Ten days!

I immediately reach for my phone and call Pam.

“Hi, Pam, I just got your letter.”

“Do you have any issues with getting here in time for the meeting?” she asks.

“No, I’ll absolutely be there. But is there a way for us not to have to be in the same room? Like, can the mediator just go back and forth between two conference rooms so I don’t have to be near him?”

“Sure, we can do that. There will be an extra charge for the second conference room.”

Of course, there will be. I roll my eyes, not even wanting to think about the tens of thousands I’ve already paid Pam in legal fees.

“That’s fine, I’d rather not have to see him.”

“I understand. We’ll meet here in my office. Vinnie and his lawyer will be here as well, in a different room, and a mediator will be here to hopefully get this all settled.”

“If we can come to an agreement on that day, how long will it be until the divorce is final?”

“Fourteen days,” she says, and I immediately break out into a happy dance. “Let me know if you need anything, but otherwise, I’ll see you in ten days.”

“Thanks, Pam.”

I hang up and do a little shimmy. This will be perfect. Maybe Wyatt can fly down with me, and we can work on packing up my condo and get my car, then drive back to Seattle. Road trips are fun, and we’d have a great time. He may not be able to take time off of work, but I hope he can.

God, I’m just so excited. By this time next month, I’ll finally be rid of Vinnie forever and I can move on with my life. It’s about damn time.

I’m still holding my phone, and it starts to ring in my hand, startling me.

“Hi, Stasia. What’s up?”

“I need your help,” she says. “It’s not an emergency, but I had two orders come in for this weekend. I committed to both and then realized that I only have two hands. Can you come help me bake the cakes while I decorate? I know it’s last minute, but I could use your hands.”

“I have excellent hands,” I agree and laugh when she snorts on the other end. “I can totally help. I’ll bring food, too.”

“You’re seriously bailing me out,” she says. “See you soon?”

“Yep, I’ll be there within the hour.”

I hang up and immediately text Wyatt.

Hey, I gotta go help my sister. I’ve been roped into cake duty. Probably won’t be home until late.

I run upstairs to change clothes, and as I’m climbing into Jules’ car to head to Bellevue, Wyatt replies.

Have fun. Love you.

I grin and reply with a love you too and head toward Anastasia’s shop. Life’s damn good. I’m ridiculously in love, and all of the legal shit is about to be over.

It just doesn’t get better than this.

“Holy fuck, we baked a lot of cake today.” We’re sitting in Anastasia’s apartment, drinking a bottle of wine, stuffed full of takeout pizza.

“So much cake,” I agree and take another sip of wine. I don’t drink often, so it’s already going to my head. “You should bring on some help, especially if you’re getting this much work. You can’t do it all yourself.”

“I know, and I’m looking around. I wasn’t expecting to have to expand so soon.” She grins and leans over to clink her glass to mine. “Here’s to successful businesses, for both of us.”

“We fucking kick ass,” I reply with a nod. “Of course, I learned it all from you.”

“You’ve had too much to drink already,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“No, I haven’t. You have such a strong work ethic, Stasia. You always have. And I admit that I’ve just always wanted to make you proud of me. So I work hard, like you. Because I do.”

My nose itches. Maybe I have had a little much to drink.

“See? Too much to drink.”

“Doesn’t make it any less true.” I shrug a shoulder. “Are you doing okay? With the new business and moving back here and all of it?”

“I’m happy,” she says with a nod. “It’s good to be home.”

“I know.” I clear my throat. “I’m moving home, too.”

“What? When?”

“In a few weeks.” I smile and tell her about going back down for mediation and packing up my things while I’m there. “I’m so excited. I want to be close to you guys.”

“What does Wyatt think?”

“He’s excited. Relieved, I think.”

“I get it,” she says with a nod. “Things are serious there.”

“Yeah.” I scratch my nose again. “He’s so hot, sis. Like, steaming hot.”

“He’s definitely hot.” She laughs. “I think I’m a little tipsy, too.”

“We haven’t done this in years.” I giggle and pour more wine into our glasses. “It’s okay that you think Wyatt’s hot. Because he is.”

“Vinnie wasn’t hot,” she says with a scowl. “I guess someone might think he is, but he’s such a douchetard that he’s not.”

“Agreed.” We clink glasses again. “I miss Wyatt. I’m going to text him.”

“Good idea. Make him send you pictures.”

I nod and open my phone.

Hey, bbe. Luv u. Send me a dick pic, k?

I giggle and set my phone aside. “I totally just asked him for a dick pic.”