The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 57

"...Not exactly."

It just felt strange.

Though she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Cupping the back of her neck, Maloney crashed his lips down on hers.

The kiss was deep, consuming, and relentlessly slow.

Breathless, Nora tried to push him away, but he caught her wrists, pinning them effortlessly. She kicked her feet softly against his thigh in protest.

"Stop teasing me," he growled against her mouth.

Her eyes went wide. "How am I teasing you?"

"And stop pouting," he added.

"...I'm not pouting!"

Her voice, dazed from the kiss, came out soft and breathy.

The sound sent a jolt straight to Maloney's core. "Let's just stay in today," he murmured.

For the past two years, their weekends together had been perfectly civil.

Out of bed, they minded their own business. In bed, it was routine and detached.

Nothing like this hungry tension.

"Okay," Nora ducked her head. "I get it."

"What do you want to do?" Maloney pulled back just an inch. "Go for a swim? Take a walk? Watch a movie?"

Maybe it was because his hand was suggestively stroking her waist.

But Nora felt an undeniable double meaning, as if he were asking if she wanted him by the pool, in the gardens, or on the theater room sofa.

Her brain short-circuited. Blushing furiously, she stammered, "I want to go to the bedroom."

"And what are we going to do in there?" he challenged softly.

Nora clamped her mouth shut.

She was half-convinced he was messing with her on purpose.

But Maloney wasn't the type to joke around.

He had always been stoic, serious, and painfully restrained.

This sudden personality shift was jarring.

And it had happened practically overnight.

While she was distracted, his hand slid dangerously lower.

Snapping back to reality, Nora grabbed his forearm.

Besides, experience proved that keeping her thoroughly distracted kept her from overthinking things.

They didn't leave the bedroom until past five.

Wrapped up in the duvet, Nora lay on her stomach, ordering Maloney to grab her phone.

She texted Jasmine: *How are things?*

Jasmine replied instantly: *Fine. My sister just had some chest pain, so they took her in for tests.*

Nora: *What about you? Are you okay?*

The typing bubble danced on the screen.

Two minutes later, Jasmine sent: *I'm fine.*

They chatted for a bit before moving to the group chat with Cassidy.

They recounted the morning's car crash drama.

Cassidy immediately fired off: *He has a death wish. I'm going to rip him a new one.*

Jasmine, Yates, and Cassidy had all gone to the same schools growing up.

Cassidy knew exactly how to push Yates's buttons.

*I don't get it. Valery feels sick, and Yates finds out before her own sister does? Did he install cameras in her hospital room?*