Read Stripped Down for Free Online

us—“never should have happened. Honestly, I’m not even sure how it did. I can’t remember. I want nothing except for it to go away.”
    “I know. I believe you. I’m...sorry. It’s a reflex to assume the worst of women.”
    “Yeah, you call that a reflex—I call that being an ass.”
    “You’re probably more right than I am.”
    I tugged the ring off my finger and rested it on the counter next to him. “I sure as hell didn’t buy that, so here. Will you tell me tonight what you need me to do to end this?”
    “You’re not going to wait until my lawyer calls?”
    “No. I have to get my daughter. My dad has an appointment at lunchtime. I don’t have time to talk to you until work tonight.” I pushed a loose hair I’d obviously missed back behind my ear and grabbed my things. “Assuming I still have a job,” I added, my back to him.
    “Cassie.”
    I heard the shuffle of his sweats as he moved, and then I felt his hand touch my upper back as his bare torso appeared in front of me. I forced myself to look away from the tightly packed muscle that decorated his stomach and met his eyes.
    Indigo blue blazed at me. “I’m not firing you for a mutual mistake. You still have your job, and I’m still going to look at getting you more shifts like I promised.”
    A lump formed in my throat, and worry I hadn’t even realized had settled in my heart swiftly disappeared. “Thank you.”
    “How are you getting home? Is your car at the club?”
    I opened my mouth then licked my lips before I could speak. “I don’t have a car,” I admitted. My cheeks lightly flushed with embarrassment.
    This house was probably worth more than a million dollars, yet there I was in clearance jeans, admitting I didn’t have a car.
    This marriage had to end quickly, one way or another.
    We were worlds apart.
    “Let me get a shirt and some shoes and I’ll take you home. What about your daughter?”
    “I can get a cab.”
    “Cassie, babe, let me take you home.” His gaze didn’t falter as he repeated his offer—or his demand. They sounded the same to me. “What about your daughter?”
    “I don’t live far from my parents’. CiCi and I usually walk.”
    “If you’re sure...”
    “I’m sure.” I looked down. “But, if you insist, I won’t turn down a ride home. I don’t even know where I am.”
    Beckett tilted my chin up and smiled. “Give me two minutes. You’re not gonna be sick again, are you?”
    I shook my head, attempting a return at the smile, and he turned away. I felt sick, but not the oh-my-god-I’m-gonna-be-sick kinda sick. I was just nauseated, and that was more down to the fact that I had to wait close to twelve hours to find out how to fix this mess we were in.
    Please be as simple as an annulment. Please, please, please.
     

     
    “Mommy!” CiCi screamed almost the moment I walked through the door of my parents’ house. She flung herself at me and wrapped her arms around my legs.
    “Hey, baby girl!” I bent down and lifted her up.
    She squeezed me tight, wrapping her legs around my waist. One day, we’d do this and we’d both fall over.
    “How are you? Have you been good?”
    She leaned back and looked at me with her big, brown eyes. Her blond hair shook as she nodded. “Uh-huh. Grandpa’s asleep, so we made him cookies,” she answered in a conspiratorial whisper. “And don’t tell Nanny, but I ated one.”
    Her grin was so innocently sweet that I couldn’t help but give it right back. “Really? You wanna show me?”
    She nodded. “In the kitchen.” She wriggled down and grabbed my hand.
    I met Mom’s eyes as CiCi dragged me into the kitchen and caught her eye roll.
    “Here,” CiCi whispered. “You see? They’re super yummy.”
    “Do you think Nanny will notice if we steal one each?” I whispered, bending down.
    She looked around and, obviously seeing that the coast was clear, shook her head. Then she grabbed two of the chocolate chip cookies off the cooling rack. She handed