Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  Alex nods, bends down to scoop the water up, and then dumps it on Tiny. This goes on for a while before I start using the hose. Once the dog is wet enough, I strip out of my t-shirt, toss it aside, and grab the shampoo. When I turn around, I find Alex pulling his shirt off too. He holds both of his arms up like he’s flexing his muscles.

  “Let’s get him washed up, tough guy.”

  Alex is bobbing his head to the music in his booster seat in the back seat of my truck. I had such a good time hanging out with him today; he’s only four, but so smart and really funny. Ripley’s always been like that, so naturally her kid would be the same.

  After scrubbing Tiny and letting Alex spray him off, the kid and I were both soaked, but he was smiling so big I couldn’t help but return it. His clothes were sopping wet, so my grandma got him changed out of them and threw a t-shirt on over his head—it swallowed him whole, of course—so she could throw his stuff in the dryer.

  While that was going on, she made us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Alex sat on the counter, his legs swinging back and forth while he munched happily. I’m not sure if it’s possible to fall in love this quickly, but I swear I’ve fallen in love with this kid.

  My grandma watched him with a bright smile on her face and asked, “Alex do you go to preschool?”

  “Yep! Miss Sarah helps me learn my ABCs.” He started singing the alphabet song and did a little head bob while he did it.

  “That’s very good honey. How’s that sandwich?”

  “It’s yummy.”

  Once Alex’s clothes dried, my grandma helped him dress, and they joined me, my granddad, and a now dry Tiny. We took the dog for a walk and when we got back, it was time to head toward Ripley’s to get her for dinner. I’m still surprised Jonah invited me, but then again, he is full of surprises.

  We reach Ripley’s place and I pull up in front of the house then watch Ripley step out a moment later. She smiles as she makes her way to my truck, but she doesn’t go to the passenger door; she goes to Alex’s behind me and pulls it open. “Hi Monkey.” She leans in and kisses Alex’s face, and the look on his little face when he sees his mom makes me melt.

  “Mommy I had so much fun. I gabe Tiny a bath.”

  “You did, how fun! Were you a good boy today? Did you learn lots?” I smile as I continue to watch their interaction. Ripley finally climbs in and then surprises me when she leans toward me and kisses me quickly before buckling her seatbelt.

  “How was your day?” I ask as I start driving down the road.

  “It was good but busy. Our office manager bought us lunch today since we all pretty much worked through it. Was he okay today? He can get a little wound up sometimes.”

  I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. “He was great. We had a good time. My grandma was trying to spoil him.”

  Ripley gives me Jonah’s address when we’re a few blocks away, and I’m a little surprised he lives in quiet, middle-class neighborhood; in high school he lived in a huge house in a really nice neighborhood. I pull into the driveway of a nice-looking ranch-style home that’s landscaped with bright fragrant flowers and well-maintained shrubbery. I climb out and move to grab Alex out of the back seat.

  The boy bolts for the door, hollering for his uncle. I help Ripley down and we make our way to the front door, holding hands as we walk. She doesn’t even knock, just walks right in. Jonah’s got Alex over his shoulder and comes to greet us. “Hey guys. Rip, I think this belongs to you.” He tickles Alex’s side.

  I don’t know why, but when Rip gives Jonah an innocent kiss on the cheek, I want to punch him and get her away from him. Instead, I hold out my hand. “Thanks for inviting me.” Ripley heads to the kitchen with Jessica, leaving me alone with Jonah.

  He shakes my hand and says, “You bet. Do you want something to drink? I’ve got water, regular soda, diet soda, or juice. I don’t really drink that much so we don’t keep it in the house.” He grabs us both waters and gives me a quick tour. Their home isn’t stuffy or pretentious; it’s actually very homey and comfortable looking.

  They’ve got three bedrooms: the master, one Alex uses when he sleeps over, and one that’s Jonah’s office. “What is it that you do?” I ask him, assuming he’s some lawyer or business type.

  “I’m a sports blogger, podcast host, and freelance sports reporter for the paper.” That’s when I notice the pictures on the wall of Jonah with several famous athletes. I walk to a picture that catches my attention—it’s an eight by ten of Ripley with the biggest smile on her face, standing in front of Aaron Rodgers. She is a diehard Packers fan and so was her dad. I went to a few games with them, but I am a Bears fan.

  Jonah steps up next to me. “That was her birthday two years ago. She thought going to the game with me was her present, but I had the opportunity to talk to Aaron so I brought her with me. I told him it was her birthday so when I brought her in, they brought her a jersey he signed for her and she was so excited. Every Sunday the Packers play you’ll see her wearing it, and she’s never washed it, just so you know. She just sprays it with Febreze.”

  “In high school she’d wear my jersey on Thursdays before a game. She said it was to rub her good luck all over it.”

  “I remember that. I’ve never met someone who can be such a girly girl but also a tomboy. Jessica tolerates sports, but Rip knows players, positions, and statistics better than some guys I know. My fans love it when she’s on my podcast. We spend most of the time arguing, but they all love it.” He leads me downstairs into the finished basement.

  Huge comfy-looking recliners sit in front of a giant flat screen. “Jessica and I spend a lot of time down here when Alex stays over. He loves doing movie nights.” Why is Jonah nervous? The guy has been talking my ear off since we got here, and it’s not a bad thing, especially since I’m beginning to like the guy, but it does make me wonder if he thinks I’m going to hurt him or something.

  We turn toward the stairs as Alex comes running down them. “Uncle Jonah! Can we watch a movie?”

  “Not right now. I’ve got to start cooking the meat. How was school today?” The three of us make our way back upstairs.

  “It was good. I got to gib Tiny a bath, have peanut butter jelly sandwich, and then Brock took me for a walk.” Jonah looks at me.

  “I asked if I could have Alex for the afternoon. He helped give my dog a bath.”

  We find the girls gabbing and laughing while putting together side dishes. Jonah grabs the tray of burgers and signals for me to follow him with a jerk of his head. Alex stays inside with his mom.

  “I want to apologize,” Jonah says, and my eyes fly to meet his.

  “For what?”

  He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “For everything. I was a dick to you in school, and I openly hit on Ripley. I talked a lot of shit. I’ll never forgive myself for that night. I was drunk and had taken some pills, and the asshole in me was in full effect.” He rubs a hand across the top of his head. “I’ll never forget the feel of her body as she went unconscious and fell into mine. I will never forget the look on your face after it happened. You looked devastated, and I caused that.”

  “Man, it was a long time ago. There are no hard feelings, I promise.” I don’t want to talk about that night anymore.

  “She was in such bad shape after you left. She was drowning, and I did my best to try to keep her head above water. I tried to take all her pain from her, knowing I deserved it, but she held on to it so tight.”

  I hold up my hand and he stops talking. “Listen, it was a long time ago. Clearly you’re not that guy anymore, and the fact that you’re still looking out for Rip means a lot, but don’t let that guilt eat you alive. You think I don’t feel it? You think I don’t feel it every moment I spend with her because eventually I’m going home and need to make some decisions about my life? I know I broke her when I left, but I was so fucking convinced I was going to become my dad, I just had to do something, anything to protect her.” Jonah hangs his head a
nd I step in close. “If the three of us could rewind time and do that night over again I’m sure we would, but had it not gone down like it did, she wouldn’t have Alex, and he’s a great fucking kid.” Jonah looks at me and I don’t miss the way his face pales. “Why won’t she tell me about the dad?”

  “I told you, it’s her story, and dude, it’s not easy to hear. Maybe she doesn’t think you’re ready to handle it.” My stomach sinks because the only reason I can think of is that it’s not a pretty story. I don’t want that for my Ripley. I don’t want that for Alex.

  “I told you Brock, she’s a fighter; I just wish I could convince her to go back to school. She should be teaching, not working in an office.”

  “Doesn’t your fiancée work there?”

  “Yeah, but she’s a nurse, and there are a lot more benefits to working in an office setting for her.”

  Ripley always wanted to be a teacher, said she wanted to teach kindergarten because it was important to start them off right. I push away the guilt that hits me, because I’m the reason she didn’t finish school.

  As I stand there thinking, he throws the burgers on, and then the girls and Alex join us a few minutes later.

  18

  RIPLEY

  My eyes flutter open as the sun shines through my bedroom window. I feel Brock’s body snuggled up behind me, his arm around my waist, holding me tight to his body.

  Last night after dinner, we hung out for a little while longer. We eventually got up to leave, and Jonah and Jessica asked to keep Alex for the night because Jonah was going to be watching Alex the next day anyway. I hated for Brock to think it was common for me to dump my child on other people, but he answered for me and said that was great.

  When we went to leave, Jonah grabbed me and pulled me aside. “You need some alone time with Brock. Plus, Alex and I have shit to do tomorrow and we have to get a move on early.” I could only shake my head and then wrap my arms around him.

  “I love you,” I muttered against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

  After we said our goodbyes, we made our way toward my place. I wasn’t sure if Brock was planning on sleeping over, but I kind of hoped he was.

  He pulled into my driveway behind my car and then came around to help me down. Before I even closed the door, he had me pressed up against the side of his truck, his mouth on mine, his tongue in my mouth, causing me to moan. From chest to groin, there wasn’t any room between us. His erection dug into my stomach and made me wet.

  Brock finally pulled away, and we walked up to my door hand in hand. I handed him the keys and stepped past him when he opened the door. Clasping my hands in front of me, I watched with nervous anticipation as he locked the door and then stalked toward me. My feet carried me backward until I bumped into the recliner, but he caught me before I fell. With his hands on my ass, he lifted me and carried me up the stairs right into my bedroom.

  He set me down next to my bed then slowly peeled off my light blue shrug and slipped my straps down my shoulders until my dress slid down my body, leaving me in nothing but shiny green hip-hugger panties. Brock’s hands reached out and his thumbs dragged across my nipples. My mouth opened and a quiet moan slipped out as he played with them until I pressed my thighs together to alleviate the ache I felt.

  I couldn’t stand it anymore. I reached out, slipping my hands under his t-shirt, touching his warm muscular stomach. It gave me a little thrill to feel his swift intake of breath and the way his abs rippled. I lifted my hands until I slipped his t-shirt up and off of him; he had a beautiful body when we were teenagers, but now he had the type of body you’d see on the cover of a romance novel—all tight, compact muscles that made me want to weep with joy and appreciation.

  I took two steps toward him and kissed him right on his breastbone, then my lips moved to one nipple, licking and sucking it before moving to the other. My lips again moved, but this time to the puckered scar on his shoulder. I looked down and saw his erection straining against his jeans in what seemed to be a painful way.

  My hands gripped his hips and ever so slowly, I sank to my knees right in front of him. I unbuttoned his jeans and his erection sprang free. Not hesitating, I wrapped my fingers around his thick length, wrapped my lips around the head, and sucked him in deep. His fingers slid into my hair, gripping it almost painfully, and I moaned around him.

  I moved my head back until just the head was in my mouth and swirled my tongue around the fat tip, savoring the salty flavor of him. “Fuck baby, you like sucking my cock, don’t you?”

  My answer was my mouth engulfing him and sucking him to the back of my throat. Too soon he had his hands under my armpits and I was sailing through the air until I hit my mattress. The sound of fabric ripping was my only warning before Brock buried his face between my legs. At the first pass of his tongue, my back arched up off the bed and I cried out.

  I played with my nipples while he licked and sucked at me. My body writhed and bucked as he worked me over and over, and when he stuck a finger inside me, hitting that spot inside that made my toes curl, I exploded. Crying out, I grabbed him by the head, grinding against his face and not even caring if I was smothering him.

  When he finally kissed his way up my body, I pulled his mouth to mine, loving the way our flavors mixed. As we kissed, I could hear the drawer open and then the crinkling sound of a condom wrapper being opened. I felt him reach between us and then the head of his cock was at my entrance. He pulled away from my mouth and looked deeply into my eyes as he entered me.

  I wrapped my legs around his thighs as he began to move. Tears filled my eyes as he leaned down and whispered against my lips. “You are so beautiful, and sinking into you is like sinking into heaven.”

  I wound my arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight as he begins to move. Just as we got our rhythm, he stopped, and then I was up with my back against the headboard and him on his knees before he impaled me again. I found purchase on the headboard with one arm, and the other wound around his shoulder.

  The ache between my legs grew until I felt like I was going to combust. “Please baby, I need to come.”

  He reached between us and began to rub my clit then hit me with digging strokes. Finally, it came. My head flew back and hit the wall as I moaned, long and loud. Again I felt myself being moved. This time he was on his back and I was astride him. “Take me there baby.” That’s exactly what I did. I began to move back and forth, up and down, the aftershocks of my orgasm still pulsing through me.

  He thrust up into me, hitting a spot that was bordering on painful, but a good pain. His movements became erratic and he flipped us again, pounding deep between my legs, and then staying planted deep as he finished.

  “Let me get rid of this.” He pulled out, kissed me, and then disappeared across the hall.

  When he came back, Brock covered us with my blankets and pulled me into his arms. My lips touched his pec and I inhaled his woodsy scent. His breathing sounded like it was evening out, like he was falling asleep.

  I took a deep breath. “Brock?”

  “Hmm?” he asked sleepily.

  “I just want to say I’ve had so much fun with you. I know when you leave it’s going to break my heart, but I’m glad I’ll have these memories if you don’t come home.” His arms tightened around me and his lips touched my forehead. “I love you, Brock.”

  “I love you too.”

  I really wanted him to tell me not to worry, to say he would be coming home, but instead he just gave me a squeeze.

  Now, ever so slowly, I roll over in bed until I’m facing Brock. In sleep, he looks like the boy I fell in love with. I reach out and stroke his cheek, and his eyes flutter open as he gives me a sleepy smile and says, “Morning.” His voice is rough with sleep.

  I wrap my arm around him and pull myself toward him until we’re chest to chest. With my nose buried in his neck, I feel his arm wrap tighter around me. If I could burrow inside him right now I would; I can’t seem to get close enough to him. �
��I don’t want to get up,” I whisper against his neck. I have to work today, and honestly don’t want to. “Can you stay for a little bit?”

  “Don’t you have to work?”

  I pull back and look at him. Does he not want to spend time with me? “I do, but I thought maybe I could call in and say I’ve got a headache and will be in late. I just thought we could spend a little time together.”

  He wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me toward him. “Make that call. I’m going to use the bathroom. I’ll meet you back here.”

  Brock kisses my lips before climbing out of bed, and I watch with lots of appreciation as he walks his fine naked ass out of my room. I throw on his shirt and run downstairs, sending a quick text to my boss to tell her I’ve got a headache, am going to take some ibuprofen then lie back down, and will check in later. She responds immediately and says that’s fine.

  As I walk back upstairs, I can’t help but feel a little guilty, but after I use the bathroom and brush my teeth, I head back into my bedroom and the guilt is gone when I find Brock lying in my bed. “Lose the shirt baby.” I pull it off and then climb into bed with him. “Do you ever get to sleep in?”

  “Not really. When Jonah or my mom keeps Alex all night, I usually still wake up early in the morning.”

  He turns me so my back is toward him and snug against his front. “Let’s sleep a bit more, then I’ll feed you and then fuck you.” Brock kisses my shoulder and I nod. It doesn’t take long before my eyes drift shut.

  I turn off my Kindle, set it on my nightstand, and turn off my lamp. Earlier today, after taking a nap, Brock did everything he promised. First we drank coffee and ate French toast covered in lots of butter, powdered sugar, and syrup. My favorite part was when we showered together afterward; it was a lot of fun, especially because he got real creative.

  When he left, he said he was going to spend some time with his mom and didn’t know if we’d see each other later. It sucked, but I understood. After all, she was the reason he came home. When I walked him to the door, he kissed me thoroughly and left me in a daze on my doorstep.