Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  Emerson: Ouch.

  Levi: Why are you up so early?

  Emerson: Excited for a first date tonight. And I’m finishing cleaning my apartment.

  Levi: Lucky girl.

  Emerson: That’s how I feel too.

  “Daddy! I made a mess!”

  Fuck.

  Unplugging my phone, I go racing downstairs to see what my spirited four-year-old has gotten into. Hopefully nothing that will make my hair fall out so early in the day.

  Stepping into the kitchen, I see her standing on a chair in front of the counter. A bag of flour is on top of her head, and the entire area is covered in white powder, including my sweet girl.

  Bursting into loud laughter, I unlock my phone to take a picture, Lily giggling the whole time.

  “Oh, baby, what did you do?”

  “I tried to help make pancakes but it falled on me. Daddy, there was so much!”

  “I can see that. Let’s get you cleaned up, and then how about we go to Nana’s for pancakes?”

  “Aw, yeah! Nana!” Jumping from the chair, she rushes out of the room, the bag of flour laying behind, and I know she just left the biggest mess on her way to her bedroom.

  Shaking my head, I grab the broom from the closet and start cleaning. This is going to be the longest day in the world.

  Pulling into my parents’ driveway forty-five minutes later, I see my brother’s SUV there as well. Putting my truck into Park, I turn around to look at Lily.

  “Looks like Uncle Cade is here, baby girl.”

  “Yay!”

  Climbing from the truck, I help her out, watching her go tearing to the front door. It opens and my mom steps onto the front porch, waving at me before being attacked by my daughter and picking her up with a smile. Shaking my head, I grab her overnight bag from the back seat, making sure I don’t forget her bunny, and follow behind her.

  Kissing my mom on the cheek, I step into the house, Lily shrieking when she finds my brother in the kitchen with Dad. Making my way into the kitchen, I see them sitting at the kitchen table with a half-full pot of coffee in the center. Dropping Lily’s bag, I make a beeline for the pot, snatching a mug on the way.

  “Rough morning, bro?” Cade jokes, bouncing Lily on his lap.

  “You have no idea, man. I need caffeine stat.” Pouring myself a cup, I sit across from them, blowing on the hot liquid.

  “Mom told us about the flour catastrophe of 2017,” my brother laughs.

  I flip him off and Lily shouts at me, and we all erupt into laughter.

  “Lily, come with Nana. I have a new toy for you to play with today.” Mom pulls Lily from Cade’s lap and takes her out to the backyard.

  “What are you doing here, anyway?” I ask Cade, finally taking a sip of the sweetest-tasting heaven in the entire world.

  “Dad asked me to help him fix the shower in the upstairs bathroom.”

  “Fuck that,” I groan.

  “Well, we can’t all have a hot-ass girl waiting for us later today.”

  Laughing, I take another sip of coffee. “Pretty sure no girls are waiting for you ever, man.”

  Running his hand over his face, he laughs at me. “Yeah, pretty sure that shit went out the window the first time I fucked my college boyfriend.”

  “Well, all right then. I’m gonna go check on my daughter now,” I mumble, not wanting to hear anything about my brother’s sex life.

  “Oh, she’s fine. We bought her a sandbox. Tell us about this girl, son.” Dad pours himself another cup of coffee and stares at me.

  “What do you want to know? I told you about Emmy weeks ago.”

  “Well yeah, you told us you met a pretty nurse the night you brought Lily to the hospital, and that you went to her see her a week or so later. Where does a date fit in with that?”

  “Somewhere after she came to visit me at work, and I spend every single spare moment of my days talking to her. We took Lily to the aquarium the other day.”

  Dad looks shocked to hear that.

  “What?” I ask, pouring myself some more coffee.

  “I’m just surprised. I didn’t realize you had Lily around her.”

  “She adores Lily. My daughter is four, and Emmy’s the only woman I’ve ever had her around since Dana left. Why are you making a thing of this?”

  “Levi,” Dad sighs, getting up from his chair and coming to stand next to me. “I’m not making a thing out of it. I just want to know about her. You clearly like this girl.”

  “I’m kind of crazy about her, Dad. I know it’s way too soon, but I am.”

  “You know what I think about that. I loved your momma long before she was even my girlfriend. I’m happy for you, son.”

  “Thanks.”

  He claps me on the shoulder and then heads out of the room, Cade following behind him.

  Left alone, I pull my phone from my pocket and see another message waiting for me.

  Emerson: Where are we going tonight? Trying to decide on an outfit.

  Levi: Dress comfortable. I’m cooking. Bring pajamas too.

  Emerson: Awfully sure of yourself, bucko.

  Levi: Don’t pretend you don’t want me too, baby.

  Emerson: We’ll see about that.

  Chuckling, I stuff my phone back into my pocket and head out to the backyard.

  Stepping from the shower into the steam-filled bathroom, I wrap a towel around my waist and stride into my bedroom, using another towel to briskly dry my hair. I’ve just pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and my favorite jeans when I smell something funny. Grabbing a random T-shirt from my dresser, I pull it on as I race down the stairs.

  Son of a bitch.

  The smoke alarm starts going off as soon as I reach my kitchen. Rushing over to the oven, I yank the door open only for a stream of black smoke to pour out. I grab the oven mitts and pull the ruined meatloaf out of the oven. Slamming it onto the counter, I wave a dish towel in front of the smoke detector to silence the piercing sound. When it quiets, I open the back door, trying to get the smell out of the house.

  I’m opening the window over the sink when the doorbell rings.

  “Motherfucker,” I growl. Rushing to the front door, I pull it open and my mood only grows worse. Emmy is standing on the front porch in tight jeans and a simple white T-shirt, a cute pair of sandals on her feet.

  “Fuck!” I shout, and her eyes grow wide. I usher her inside, barely speaking a single word to her. “Shit, shit, shit,” I mumble, unaware that she’s behind me until I hear her start giggling.

  “Oh my gosh. Do you need help?” She tosses her stuff onto the couch and rushes into the kitchen.

  “Oh, I think it’s long past help. I murdered our dinner.” Rubbing my hand over the back of my neck, I slowly follow her and am shocked to find her laughing next to the stove.

  “Murdered it? Levi, this looks like you murdered it twice and then threw it into a woodstove. What the hell were you trying to make?”

  “Meatloaf.” I yank the fridge open and pull out a couple of waters, offering her one. She takes it and I sit on the stool at the island. “Fuck. Well, I’ve completely ruined dinner, so now what would you like to do?”

  Emmy takes a sip of water and then sets the bottle down, coming to stand between my legs. I rest my hands on her slim waist, hers on my shoulders.

  “Hey, Levi? Can I tell you something?”

  “What, Em?”

  “I’ve been looking forward to our date since you first asked me out. I think it’s sweet that you wanted to cook for me, but I’m fine with going to grab burgers or something, as long as you don’t send me home now.”

  Brushing her long hair off her shoulders, I lean forward to kiss her neck, smiling against her warm skin when I feel her body shiver.

  “Trust me, Em. You’re not going anywhere tonight.”

  “Good,” she whispers, leaning down to kiss me. Banding my arms around her waist, I pull her tight against me, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, feeling her soft skin against
mine.

  “Let’s go grab some food,” she says, standing up straight. Emmy steps back and I kiss her cheek, moving around her to run upstairs. Going to my room, I pull on a pair of socks and stuff my feet into my boots, then throw on some cologne and grab my gray beanie from the dresser, putting it on as I head back downstairs.

  I find Emmy in the living room, looking at the photos I have on the mantel. Coming to stand next to her, I drape my arm over her shoulders.

  “Is that your brother?” she asks, pointing to a photo of Caden and me outside of Marveled Misfits Ink.

  “Yeah, that was the day we opened. And this one right here is the day my life changed.” I point to the large photo in the center from the day Lily was born. I’m holding my little six-pound baby girl, placing a gentle kiss to her tiny face.

  “It’s a beautiful photo, Levi. She’s lucky to have you.”

  “I’m the lucky one,” I say, kissing the top of her head.

  “You ready?” she asks.

  “Let’s roll, baby.”

  Grabbing my keys from the hall table and shoving my wallet into my front pocket, I hold the front door open for her. Shutting it behind us, I follow Em to help her into my truck, then jog around the hood and hop in. She looks tiny sitting next to me. I mean, my truck is huge, but I never thought she’d look so little.

  “What?” She raises a brow, the side of her mouth quirked up in a grin.

  “Nothing. Just thinking about how good you look riding shotgun.”

  Emmy blushes and looks out the window, and I can’t help the shit-eating grin on my face, which never leaves as I drive us the ten minutes to a local dive. When I park the truck, she unbuckles and leans over the console to kiss me. Pulling away, she grins at me.

  “What was that for?”

  “Thank you for the best first date ever.”

  “You realize we’re only ten minutes into it, right?”

  Emmy laughs and hops out of the truck. “So what? I’m having fun. Isn’t that the point?”

  “This is true.” Grabbing her hand, I lead us into the restaurant and we get a booth at the back. Settling in, I order us Cokes and we both decide on cheeseburgers and fries. The waitress takes the menus from us and we find ourselves alone.

  “How was your day, Em?” I reach across the table for her hands and she blushes again.

  “It was good. I finished my packing, so now I’m living out of a suitcase until Monday. The idiots in the apartment above me kept me up half the night fighting. Pretty sure he smashed a few things too. Ridiculous.”

  “Jesus, I’m glad you’re moving.”

  “That makes two of us. So, what’d you and Lily do?”

  While we wait for our food, I tell her about our day, laughing when she sees the photo I took of Lily in the midst of the flour disaster.

  “Would it be okay if we video-chat her tonight?”

  My heart fills with her question and I nod, unable to form the right words. Her genuine interest in my daughter is something I can’t ignore; if anything, it makes my feelings for her stronger.

  Our food arrives and we’re both quiet as we dig in. It’s definitely better than the platter of charcoal I had ready for us. As we work toward finishing our food, the waitress comes by and drops the check, which I make sure to grab quickly. I refuse to let Emmy even think about paying. Taking a sip of my drink, I find her staring at me with a look I can’t figure out.

  “What’s up, Em?”

  “Nothing, just thinking about something my mom said to me yesterday.”

  “Oh yeah? Care to share?”

  “Not yet.” Emmy winks at me and pops her last fry into her mouth.

  “Ready to get going, babe?” I ask, finishing my drink.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  Leaving a couple twenties with the check, I guide her from the restaurant. When we make it to my truck, I pin her against the tailgate, kissing her gently while my arms cage her in.

  “I really like you, Emerson Reese,” I whisper against her soft lips.

  “I really like you too, Levi Jackson. Thank you for dinner.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Gently kissing her forehead, I step back so she can get into the truck. After shutting her door, I get in and look over at her.

  “Ready?” I ask, and her eyes close for a moment. Opening them, she trains them on me and bites her bottom lip.

  “Yeah, I think I am.”

  I know she means more than the drive back to my place, and I grin as I take us home.

  Home. I like the sound of that.

  8

  EMERSON

  The drive back to Levi’s is silent. He’s holding my hand in his lap, his thumb slowly brushing the back, and my nerves begin to kick in. Looking over at him, my heart races. I know that at some point tonight we’re going to be making love. Levi is beautiful, inside and out. He’s gorgeous, and he’s so strong, I can’t imagine disappointing him. I’ve had sex, and I know what to do—I’m not an idiot—but I’m anxious.

  I’m suddenly self-conscious. I don’t have a toned stomach, like I’m sure he does. I don’t work out daily, just run a couple days a week. I don’t compare to him even the slightest.

  Fuck, maybe this isn’t a good idea.

  When we arrive at his house ten minutes later, I’m completely ready to bail. When he kills the engine, I grab my purse and hop down, avoiding his stare.

  “Em?”

  I stride up to his front door, and he comes up behind me to unlock it. His cologne washes over me and I close my eyes. He pushes the door open and we step inside, and I start thinking of ways to get out of this. Tears are brimming in my eyes and before I can think of an idea or a good lie, Levi is pulling on my arm to turn me to face him.

  “Hey, what’s this? Emmy, baby, talk to me.” Levi’s eyes are filled with concern and his rough hands grip my face, forcing me to look at him.

  “Nothing, I’m fine. Just tired. Can we take a rain check?”

  “Please, Emmy. What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, it’s me. I’m sorry, I’m acting like an idiot.”

  Levi smiles at me and leans down to pick me up, my legs going around his waist. He carries me over to the couch and sits down with me still in his lap. Gently brushing a stray tear off my cheek, he covers it with a kiss.

  “Talk to me,” he whispers. “I’m never gonna pressure you into something you aren’t ready for, but I need you to always be honest with me. What’s wrong?”

  Taking a deep breath, I lean back to meet his eyes.

  “You’re perfect, Levi. Amazing father, gorgeous, smart, funny. You’re in amazing shape, you own a business. And then there’s me. Plain old Emerson. I’m nothing special. I pale in comparison to you, Levi. I just want to be worthy of you.”

  “Oh, Em. Jesus, baby, you are. You’re worthy of far beyond what I’ll ever be able to give you. Your beauty is so much more than your looks. You have no idea how special you are. You’re fucking beautiful, and every time I see you, you take my breath away. Your heart is bigger than anybody’s I know. The way you care about my daughter… Em, you have no idea the power you hold over me.”

  Levi is holding my gaze and I can’t look away. I know he’s a man of truth and would never lie to me, so I know that’s how he really feels. This man, in a matter of seconds, made me feel more wanted and beautiful than I ever have before.

  No going back now.

  “Okay,” I whisper, leaning forward to kiss him.

  One of his hands cradles the back of my head as he deepens the kiss, sweeping his tongue into my mouth. His touch is quickly setting my skin on fire, and in a matter of minutes my hips start grinding against his. He groans into my mouth and tears his lips from mine.

  “Do you want to take this upstairs?” he asks, eyes on mine.

  “Yes, I do,” I confess.

  No further words are needed as he sweeps me into his arms and throws me over his shoulder. Laughing, I try to wriggle my way o
ff him, but he just swats me on the ass and chuckles, continuing his way upstairs. By the time we reach his bedroom, I can’t stop laughing, and he tosses me onto his bed. Climbing up next to me, he rests his elbows by my shoulders and lowers himself on top of me.

  Opening my legs, I make space for his hips to settle with mine and moan quietly when his erection presses against me. His weight pushes me into the mattress, and I’m completely gone. Wrapping my legs tightly around his waist, I use it as leverage to rock my hips against his. He groans into my mouth and pulls back, staring down at me with hooded eyes.

  “Emmy.”

  Reaching up, I pull the beanie off his head and toss it across the room, running my fingers through his hair. Levi lowers his mouth to my neck, one hand pushing my shirt up. He rises to his knees, straddling my legs, and with my help pulls my shirt over my head. My chest heaves up and down as I struggle to catch my breath. His hands move to the front of my bra, unclasping it in seconds and pushing it away, baring my breasts to him.

  “Fucking perfect,” he growls, dropping his head to one of my nipples and taking it into his mouth. My back arches against his ministrations, and I clasp the back of his head. Shamelessly, I grind myself against one of his legs, needing the friction, the ache between my legs becoming unbearable.

  “Levi,” I gasp, free hand fisting the blankets below me. He doesn’t answer me but sits back up, undoing the button on my jeans. Before I can react, he’s yanking my pants down, leaving me lying there in just my lace panties, clearly soaked in my arousal. He loops his fingers under the band and pulls them off me.

  “Fuck,” he groans, running a hand down my body, stopping just short of where I need him most. Something about being completely naked in front of him while he’s still fully clothed has heightened my arousal, and I spread myself for him, needing him to do something.

  Anything.

  “Yeah, that’s it, baby. Show me that sexy body. What do you need?”

  “You,” I mumble, eyes falling closed when he grips my knees, pushing my legs open even wider. “I just need you.”