The Wives of Beverly Row 6: Lust Has a New Address by Abby Weeks Read Free Book Online Page A

She watched Hank pull away from the curb and drive off into the traffic. She knew that everything in her life would be different from this moment onward. She’d finally made her decision, she’d taken action, and she’d done what she needed to do to end her relationship with a man who loved her very dearly. She prayed she’d made the right decision.
    And then, Matt’s truck pulled up and parked in the very spot Hank’s car had been. Immediately, as soon as she saw the truck, before Matt had even stepped out of it, she knew she’d made the right decision. Matt was the true love of her life, and no matter how much Hank loved her, no matter how kind and understanding he was, she owed it to herself to be with the man she truly loved.
    When Matt got out of the truck she ran around to meet him at the door. He held out his arms and she leapt toward him, hugging him intensely. He lifted her up into the air and held her so tight, with so much love, that all she cared about was spending the rest of her life in those strong, protective arms.
    “I love you, Matt Harkness,” she whispered in his ear.
    “I love you, too,” he whispered back to her.

VIII
    A RIEL RUSHED AFTER GABE AS soon as the meeting was over.
    “We need to talk,” she said.
    “What is it?”
    She looked at him. She had been meaning to discuss the painting but instead she brought up the night before.
    “Well,” she said, “how did you like it?”
    Gabe shrugged. He seemed a little shy. “It was something ,” he said.
    “Did you like it?”
    “Sure,” he said.
    She felt tenderness for him. Despite all they’d been through he was still probably the best friend she’d ever had in her life.
    “I liked feeling you inside me again,” she said.
    “Really?”
    “Yes,” she said and smiled.
    “I liked it too,” Gabe said.
    “Did you like the other stuff?” she said, mischievously.
    “Ariel!” he said, “could we not talk about that?”
    “Sure,” she said but the look she gave him was playful.
    “I mean, not ever,” he said.
    She smiled at him. Then she nodded. “We’ll lock it up in a secret vault,” she said.
    “Thank you.”
    She took a step toward him. “Do you still think about our marriage sometimes?” she said.
    “Ariel, you know I do. I think about it every day. It’s all I think about.”
    “What do you think about it?”
    “I think how stupid I was. How foolish. I regret ruining what we had. I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. You are the love of my life. Even if we never sleep together again, as long as we live, and I go on to marry someone else and spend thirty years with her, you’ll always be the one true love of my life.”
    She reached out and touched his hand.
    “Maybe…” she said, and then she stopped herself. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She didn’t want to start something and then regret it.
    “Maybe what?” he said.
    She looked into his eyes. “Nothing.”
    “What is it?”
    “It’s nothing.”
    “Tell me.”
    She sighed. She might as well. What did she have to lose? “Maybe we should be open to giving things another try,” she said uncertainly.
    Gabe almost lost his balance he was so surprised at her words. “Really?” he said.
    “I’m not saying we should get back together or anything,” she said. “I don’t want to move in with you.”
    “No,” Gabe agreed. “Of course not.”
    “But maybe we could go on a date or something.”
    “Oh God, Ariel. I would love that. I swear I won’t let you down this time.”
    “Well, let’s not get carried away,” she said. “It’s just a date.”
    “I know,” Gabe said, obviously thrilled. “I know. Just a date. Thank you so much!”
    She hadn’t been expecting this, she hadn’t known she still had feelings for Gabe. She’d thought she wanted something completely new. But having spent so much time with him during the past few months, and in particular having had sex with him the night before, even if it