“I seriously won’t be long.” I walk down the sidewalk towards my car with him at my side and PJ running ahead of us. Hitting the button for my trunk it pops open, and he places the boxes inside while I get PJ into the back.

With the sharpie in my mouth, I hook PJ’s leash into his seat, then step back to slam the door, bumping into a solid wall. Turning, I look up at Dayton, and he takes the marker from between my lips.

“You don’t want me to go with you?”

“It’s not that. I just want this done without any drama, big guy.”

“Right.” He mutters, looking unhappy.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” I lean up and kiss him, then scoot under his arm, open my door, and fall into my seat.

Looking down at me his eyes drag from my cleavage to the top of my thighs. Earlier at my doctor’s appointment he made a comment about loving the mid-thigh babydoll dress with a tight bodice and flowy skirt I wore today, but I get the feeling that he doesn’t like it very much anymore.

Squatting down inside my open door he bites down on the lid of the sharpie and pulls out the pen with a pop.

“What are you doing?” I whisper when he slowly lifts the hem of my dress, exposing more of my thighs.

Ignoring my question, he scribbles the word mine in black marker on my upper thigh, it’s small but there in permanent ink and I stare at it in disbelief with my breath caught in the back of my throat. After sliding his thumb over it, like he’s checking that it won’t come off he puts the cap back on the pen and pulls back down the bottom of my dress.

“He’s not going to see that,” I tell him softly.

“No, but you and I will both know it’s there.” He hands me the marker, then wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me forward. I wouldn’t say the kiss is punishing, but it does feel like he’s trying to make a point, and between the mine in permanent marker on my thigh and the kiss he hits the mark. He’s letting me go on my own to see my ex-husband, but I still belong to him. When he lets go and pulls away, it takes a second to get my breath back and my eyes open.

“Message when you get there and then when you are on your way back to me.” His thumb smooths along my jaw as I scrape my teeth over my bottom lip.

“Okay,” I whisper, and he touches his lips to mine once more before he stands and closes my door.