Ex-Husband's Regret

Harper.

I get out of bed feeling like I've been run over by a track. I didn't get a stitch of sleep yesterday. You could tell by how sluggish and slow I was this morning.

Looking at my phone, I see that it's a little past five in the morning. I know that I won't be able to go back to sleep so I just get up. Gabriel had told me that he had a gym, so I put on some leggings and a sport bra and then leave my room.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

I had a long day ahead of me. Today is Monday, and it'll be Lilly's first day at school. I wanted to be the one to take her. She seemed a bit nervous when she went to sleep, but she tried downplaying it.

The only thing that gave her comfort was knowing that Noah would be with her. She had told me that Noah had promised to introduce her to all his friends. It was so sweet and kind of him. It was clear that he was raised right, and given how kind Ava was towards me, I didn't expect anything else.

I walk through the still dark hallways trying to maneuver my way to the gym. I remember Gabriel telling me it was on the top floor so that's where I head.

On my way, I pass by Gabriel's room and for a moment I stop. Don't look at me like that. I have no freaking idea why I stopped. There was just something that pulled me to a stop. There was no light and sound so he was probably still asleep.

I literally have to force myself to move. The last thing I wanted was him waking and finding me outside his door standing there like a creep.

Within minutes, I find the locked doors. The lights were on, but I don't think anything about it. I realized that he sometimes works out at night, so maybe he forgot to switch them of yesterday.

I open the door and step inside. I freeze in my trucks. Gabriel was definitely not asleep.

Instead, he was t-shirtless on the treadmill. I swear I could see sweat dripping down his chest and, fuck did it do things to me.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop staring at his wide chest or the muscles that rippled underneath his skin. My eyes were fixated on him. Drinking him up like they were thirsty.

"You done staring? Or should I flex my muscles and give you more of the show" his arrogant filled tone, pulls me back to the present.

It's then I realize that he was no longer running on the damn thing. Shit. He'd stopped and he'd caught me staring him like a damn perv.

"I wasn't staring" I mutter, stepping further into the room.

My cheeks were probably red from embarrassment.

"Could've fooled me" he says with a tinge of amusement.

I sneak a peek before finding a corner to start my workout. I've haven't seen Gabriel since he dropped us after we spent the day with his family.

I wanted to ask him where he was going. Who he was going with. I wanted to remind him that we both agreed that there would be no cheating. I wanted to so much, but I stopped myself.

I'm ashamed to say that the whole night I was on edge. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about where he was, what he was doing or more specifically, who he was doing. My mood didn't improve when I woke up the next day, and he still wasn't home. I didn't see him the whole day and went to sleep without laying my eyes on him.

Here he was now though, and I don't even know what to act or react. Should I ask? But then that will just come off as me being insecure.

Fuck it. I'll just ask. The need for answers was driving me insane.

"Where have you been? I've haven't seen you since Saturday" I say, trying to sound nonchalant.

I move around, pretending that I was looking at the weights, trying to decide which one I wanted to use.

"Why don't you just ask what you really want to ask without beating around the bush, Harper" his voice drawls near my ear, making me jump.

I hadn't even heard him move. Was he a fucking ghost?

"Did you cheat?" I ask, pushing the nervousness down.

I take in a sharp breath before turning around. I gasp when I realize just how close he was.

My eyes travel from his chest to his eyes. There was something in them that I couldn't fully grasp.

I start stepping backwards when I realize it was a storm I was seeing behind those gray eyes.

He starts following me. "No I didn't cheat, Harper."

I swallow hard. "Good, because if you had, I swear-"

He doesn't let me finish my sentence. "What would you have done, Harper?"

All too late do I realize that he'd cornered me with nowhere else to go.

"I am a man of my word, and I'm not going to breach the contract," he says before adding. "Though, you must realize how this is fucking hard for me given I haven't had pussy for months, so I'm not against taking what you are offering."

"I'm not offering anything!" I snap, trying to push against him, but he doesn't budge.

"Is that so" he whispers as he leans in. "Then what's with the tight ass leggings and barely there sports bra?"

I don't answer him. I couldn't. Not when he was looking like he was starving.

He shocks me when he raises his

hand from his side and places them on me. It then travels from my hip to

my exposed belly. The soft caresse

sends shivers down my back. His mouth moves over the pulsing vein in my neck, and I can't stop the shocked gasp that slips from my mouth.

I clench my hand and close my eyes to stop my moan when his other hand slips into my sports bra and grabs my breast. The hand that was on my hips moves to grab my ass. He pushes me against him, rubbing me against his front.

He was hard. So fucking hard. I could feel him through my thin leggings. If my eyes weren't already closed, they would have rolled to the back of my head.

I try to stifle the desire, but it's been so long. So fucking long.

"I bet you want me" his voice is sexy and hoarse.

I shake my head vehemently in denial.

"How I about I prove you wrong" he purrs in my ear.

I'm confused at first, but then I realize what he is planning when the hand on my breast disappears and seconds later, I feel it around the waistband of my leggings.

He dips his hand, but before he can get inside my panties, I muster all my strength and push him away.

He's taken by surprise and I use that chance to escape.

"Coward" his mocking voice calls after me, with his laughter ringing in the room.

I don't stop.

Let him call me whatever the hell he wants, but I wasn't about to let him see just how wet I was for him.