I glanced at my phone and saw that it was time to leave. Blaire and Evan’s apartment wasn’t far from mine at all, but I got in my black BMW M8 convertible and drove over instead of walking. I didn’t want to show up looking like a sweaty hog. I handed my keys to the valet and walked inside the lobby of the apartment building. Fuck, I’d never been this nervous before.

I was giving my name and identification to the man at the desk when Evan Cavanaugh walked out of the elevator. He nodded to me and said, “Francis, please put Mr. Broxton on our approved list of visitors.” He stuck out his hand and said, “Axel, good to see you again.” I shook his hand amicably, and we spoke comfortably for a couple of minutes before he said he had to go to work, slapping me encouragingly on the shoulder before he left.

I really wanted to hate Evan Cavanaugh for marrying the woman I loved, but he made it kinda difficult. He was just so accepting and genuine, and I actually kinda liked the dude. It helped to know that he hadn’t been banging my woman.

I got my driver’s license back from Francis, and he directed me to the elevator. I was surprised they lived in a penthouse apartment; apparently, Cavanaugh did all right for himself. I steeled myself before knocking on the door, and Blaire opened it seconds later.

How had she gotten more beautiful in the past hour and a half? A pretty blush spread over her cheeks when she saw me, and she raised up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “Hey, Ax.”

“Hello, gorgeous,” I said, pulling her to me by the waist and giving her a soft kiss on the lips. Then remembering Carrie, I pushed Blaire away from me and muttered, “Sorry!”

My eyes darted anxiously around the room, but Blaire laughed. “It’s okay. She’s upstairs.”

“Hmmmm. In that case, let me start over. Hello, gorgeous.” This time I pulled her roughly against me and kissed her deeply, one of my hands running up her back to fist in her hair. “You got the shot?” I asked after our lips parted. She nodded, giving me a sexy little smile that made me go in for another kiss.

Pulling back and sliding her hands in tiny circles over my chest in a nervous gesture, she asked, “You ready for this?”

“I think so,” I said, sucking in a deep breath through my nose and blowing it out through my mouth.

“It will be fine,” she said, for both of our sakes, I think. She led me to a fluffy, red armchair, and I sat on the edge of it like I was in the principal’s office while Blaire went to the bottom of the stairs. “Care, can you come down here for a minute?”