“Oh, well, just wrap your arms and legs around your partner and face him. Whatever works for you.”

“Thanks.” Myla turns toward me and says, “Lean against the pool wall.”

“Myla, seriously, we don’t—”

“It might be good for us,” she says, her eyes meeting mine. “Who knows, maybe we’ll find some mutual ground.”

Or I might get hard as shit with my fine-as-hell, soon-to-be ex-wife straddling me.

Before I can say anything, she slips her arms around my neck, presses her body to mine, and wraps her legs around my waist.

Fuck.

Me.

“This okay?” she asks softly.

No.

Not even a little.

Because I miss you. Because I fucked up, and I want nothing more than to keep you like this, in my arms, and never let go.

“Yeah, I think so,” I answer through a tight throat.

“Once everyone is comfortable,” Mel says, “I’d like you to tell your partner three things you appreciate about them.”

What is this class?

I’m all for growth in relationships, but I’m having a really hard time understanding how Huxley Cane is in this class. Sure, I could possibly see JP doing this, but Huxley? I don’t think he understands what emotion is. Crazy what love can do to you.

“Do you want to go first?” Myla asks. “Or do you want me to go first?”

“We don’t have to. She can’t hear us from here.”

Myla’s expression falls, and it surprises me.

Wait . . . did she want to do this?

“Yeah, she probably can’t. We can probably just float like this until it’s over.” She glances away, and I feel like I did something wrong.

Hell, I know I did something wrong. This is a moment where I could offer her that change. I can show her a part of me that might have been lost in the past few months.

“Hey,” I say while trying to gain her eyes. “Did you want to do the exercise?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Myla, don’t lie to me.”

She sighs heavily. “I don’t know, Ryot. It just seemed like something we could at least say to each other. Three things we appreciate? I told you I want to move on, and moving on by saying something nice rather than mean all the time might be better.”

I don’t even have to think about it to know that she’s right, so I say, “Okay, then let’s do this. You go first.”

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I say as I move my hands to her lower back, holding her closer.

“Okay. Well, three things I appreciate about you would be that you have always, from the day we first met, been patient with me. I think it takes a lot of strength, especially in your heart to be patient with someone like me, and you’ve exemplified that often.” Her finger rubs against my neck. “Even with the batteries.”

I chuckle. “So we’re no longer in denial about that?”

She shakes her head. “No, it might be healthy to come clean.” Continuing, she adds, “I also appreciate your humor. You’ve always understood me in that way. Never judged me.”