by Harlow Layne
Wrapping my arms around her middle, I lean down and speak quietly enough for only her to hear. The only problem is, once her ass is pressed into my hips, I have a hard time keeping my dick from trying to stand at attention. I think about what she told me earlier about what she went through, and it instantly deflates. “Hey, do you mind if I take Beck for a walk and talk to him about where you’ll be sleeping from now on?”
She turns in my arms and scans my face for a moment before answering. “Yeah, sure, okay. I think it would be good coming from you.”
It makes me happy that she trusts me with her son since I know how important he is to her.
“And later, I’ll talk to your dad about Bradley.”
Her face tightens for a moment, but I know it’s not from me wanting to tell her dad. She’s been dreading telling him everything that went down, and I think it would be best coming from me. If she saw how I think he’s going to react, it would hurt her.
Reaching up on her toes, she kisses my cheek. “Thank you. Maybe later I can repay you.”
“I’m not doing it for you to owe me, but if later you want to show me how nice your lips can wrap around my cock, I wouldn’t oppose.”
“Max,” she scolds and looks around the room to find that her parents have moved to the living room. They’re by the window, pointing at something.
My body shakes with silent laughter and I hug her to me. “I wouldn’t have said that with them in the room. What kind of brute do you take me for?”
“One who can’t control himself.” She laughs into my chest.
She’s right. It’s hard for me to control myself around her when others are around, but I’ve managed so far.
“What are you going to do while I take Beck out?” I kiss her red, pouty lips.
“I think I’m going to lay down and try to take a nap.” I’m close to asking her if she’s okay when she answers for me. “I’m tired, but also a little nauseous.”
“Go do what you need to do to feel better. Do you want some crackers and some ginger ale? I can bring some up to you before I go.”
After the first time she felt sick, I asked my mom what to do, and she sent me a list of things that might help Delilah when she isn’t feeling her best. There’s even some essential oil roller stick thing to help fight the nausea. It helps mostly, but I can see the tension in her eyes letting me know she’s feeling worse than she’s letting on.
“Um… I… that would actually be nice. I’m not sure if I can eat any crackers, but maybe the ginger ale will help settle me. I’ll also use that fancy diffuser you got me and make that anti-nausea concoction.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be up in a few minutes.” I kiss her forehead and then watch as she takes the stairs slowly.
“Is she okay?” Lexie asks the moment her daughter is out of view.
“She’s tired and feeling a little sick. I’m going to bring up some stuff to hopefully make her feel better,” I answer, still looking up the stairs. “I’m going to take Beck for a walk after that and see how he’s feeling about living here.”
“Hmm,” she hums. “I think there’s more to it than that.” The humor in her voice isn’t lost on me. I turn and smile down at her. She’s a little thing, just like her daughter. They look so much alike except for the hair color.
“I told Delilah I want her to be in my bed from now on, and she’s worried about what Beck will think, so I thought I’d feel him out. See if he has any questions about his new living arrangement.”
Lexie places her hand on my arm and gives it a pat. “I think that’s smart. Make him feel involved. I know he doesn’t act like it, but he’s been through a lot. Delilah is his whole world, and while I don’t know how much he saw or knows, he senses it.”
“He’s such a good kid it’s sometimes easy to forget what he’s been through.”
“It is, but the good thing is he bounces back quickly. You talking to him and including him will go a long way. He adored you before he even met you, and now… I don’t think you’ll have anything to worry about with him.”
With a quirked brow, I ask. “And do I need to worry about you and Ryder?”
“Not from me, but maybe don’t announce to my husband you’re taking his daughter to bed,” she giggles. “While he’s open to just about everything, there’s only so much you want to know.”
“Got ya. I didn’t plan on it. I know Delilah’s worried though.”
“She doesn’t need to be, and we’ll be out of your hair soon enough. I’m going to look at flights while she’s laying down and you’re out with Beck.”
“Are you leaving so soon?” I know Delilah will miss them when they’re gone.
“Yes, but we’ll be back.” Lexie grins. “I have a job I need to do, and we need to buy some furniture for the house we want here.”
“Did you put in an offer already?”
“We did, and the realtor thought they’d be very receptive to our price, so we’ll see.” She shrugs. “Now that my daughter isn’t in the room, tell me the truth. Do you care if we’re just down the road, even if it is for only parts of the year?”
“As long as you call or knock when you come by, I don’t think we’ll have a problem.” I smirk. “Really though, I don’t mind. I know it will make both of them very happy to have you closer.”
It isn’t like we’ll be able to have sex any time we want to. I won’t be taking Delilah on the kitchen counter while Beck’s awake. Now while he’s asleep or at school is an entirely different situation altogether.
She pats my chest. “You’re a good man, Max Black. Now, go take my daughter what she needs.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I chuckle.
“And don’t call me ma’am.” She walks away and speaks over her shoulder. “It makes me feel old.”
I don’t know how anyone would take Lexie for old. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’s Delilah’s sister. I can’t wait to meet Ava and see how she adds to their dynamic.
Even though Delilah didn’t think she could eat any more, I still pull out a sleeve of Saltine’s for her to nibble on and a bottle of ginger ale. When I walk to her room, I’m shocked to not find her there. I keep walking down the hall to my room where I find her with her back turned to the door, and the comforter pulled up over her shoulders. While I’d been busy downstairs, she’d moved the diffuser I’d ordered for her into my bedroom, or I guess I should say our bedroom, and placed it on the nightstand. There are four little bottles of oil sitting by it. The room smells of citrus and peppermint. At first, when my mom suggested it I thought it would smell bad, but it’s actually quite inviting.
I set down the crackers and her drink before I lean over and see she’s already fallen asleep. Placing a kiss on her cheek, I close the door to the bedroom and then head for Beck’s room. He’s sitting on his bed with his baseball glove on his hand, throwing a ball into it.
“Hey, buddy. I thought I’d stop by and see if you want to go for a walk in the woods.” I’m not sure if he’ll take me up on my offer after getting bit by the dog out there. We’ve been hesitant to see, and with Lexie and Ryder showing up, they’ve been an excellent distraction from everything that happened that night.
He looks out his window and then back to me with worried eyes. “Is that dog going to be out there?”
“Nope, he’s gone. If there’s anything else out there that wants to hurt you though, it will have to get through me. So, what do you say we go outside and explore a little?”
He jumps off the bed and starts to put on his tennis shoes. “And maybe afterward we can play catch?” he asks, his entire face lighting up with hope at the question.
I ruffle his hair. His love for the sport is so refreshing compared to what I’ve become accustomed to over the years. By the end of my career, I was all about trying to make it through a game without thoroughly trashing my shoulder. Coaching the kids is bringing my love for baseball back to simpler times. “You read my mind, little dude. I’m glad I’ve g
ot someone here to keep me in shape now that I’m not playing.”
“Do you miss it?” he asks, looking up to me with curious eyes.
“I don’t because I’ve got you and the team here, but maybe as time passes, I’ll miss it.”
He nods as if he understands exactly what I’m feeling.
Ryder and Lexie are nowhere to be seen downstairs when we step off the stairs, so we head out the back door. It doesn’t take us long before we walk under the canopy of trees and follow the slightly worn path I’ve made from my outings since I moved in.
I hand Beck his water and ask. “Do you like it here?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “What’s not to like? I’ve never lived anywhere with so many trees.”
“I like the trees too. It’s one of the main reasons I bought the house.” I’m not sure how to word what I want to ask him. I don’t want to cause him any undue worry, so I give it my best shot. “How would you feel about living here permanently?”
He turns to me with his brows scrunched together. “I thought I already was.”
“You are,” I’m quick to say. “But I don’t know how you feel about living with me.”
“I don’t want to leave. The man we used to live with wasn’t nice to me when Mama wasn’t around, and you’re always nice to me. You like to play catch and you’re teaching me about baseball.”
The way he speaks is more mature than his seven years of life.
“Did your mom know he wasn’t nice to you?” I ask, my temper flaring at the thought of anyone being mean to this boy.
“No,” he hangs his head. “He… he said he’d hurt Mama if I told her, but he ended up hurting her, and I didn’t say a word.”
I stop dead in my tracks and bend until I’m eye to eye with him. Placing my hands on his shoulders, I clear the anger from my voice. “What Bradley did to your mom wasn’t your fault. I know you didn’t say anything and so does he, but Bradley is a very bad man.”
One I’ll all too happily end if he comes near either one of them ever again.
Tears well up in his eyes, making them even bluer. “Why did he hurt Mama?”
I can’t tell him the truth, so I go with what I can say. “Because he’s a bad man and didn’t know what he had when he had it. I don’t want you to think it was because of you because it wasn’t, okay?”
“Okay,” he answers but sounds unsure.
“You know I really like you and your mom. That’s why I brought you to my house to live. You’re a smart kid, and I want to talk to you man to man. How would you feel if I was your mom’s boyfriend?”
He purses his lips and looks to the sky, making me think he’s about to say he doesn’t like the idea. I hadn’t thought about what I’d say or do if he actually didn’t approve of us being together.
He finally looks down and when his eyes hit mine, I suck in a breath at the little man I see standing before me. “I know you’ll treat her right.”
“I promise I will.”
I stand and start walking again. Beck runs to catch up to me. I’m quiet as I try to figure out how to talk to him about his mom sleeping in my bedroom now. I’m not sure how much he understands about boys and girls, and I realize I’m not as prepared for this talk as I thought. Maybe I should have waited for Delilah.
Beck points to birds and a few squirrels and rabbits he sees as we walk. When we come up to the end of the path I’ve made, I stop and look around us. We’re about a mile from the house that you can’t see through the thick trees.
“How would you feel if your mom and I shared a bedroom together and turned the one where she’s been sleeping into a playroom for you? We can put in a TV and maybe a game system, a ping pong table, or whatever you like.”
Closing my eyes, I groan. I can’t believe I pretty much just bribed the kid so his mom can sleep with me each night. That’s how desperate I am to have her in my bed every night. Delilah is not going to be happy with me once she learns what just spilled out of my mouth. I don’t even know how she feels about video games.
He turns his big blue eyes to me and asks so innocently. “Does she want to sleep with you?”
“Yeah, buddy, I think she does, and I want to sleep with her too. She’s a great cuddler.”
He nods in agreement. “Only if she wants to. Can we go play catch now?”
“Sure, buddy.”
Now I just have to make sure I don’t piss off the woman I want in my bed by bribing her son.
15
Delilah
I stand by Max’s truck and watch as he talks angrily to one of December’s cousins or nephews. I’m not sure which. There are so many in her family it’s hard to keep up with all of them. I haven’t even met half of them.
Whoever this guy is, he was waiting for Max when practice got over to speak to him. The second Max dismissed the boys, he went straight to Max and they’ve been talking ever since.
“Hey,” December waves as she leaves school. “What’s going on with Max and Cobi?”
I take my eyes off the two men to look at her. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
“If I had to guess, it has something to do with you. Max wouldn’t tell me what kind of trouble you’re in. He said it was for my safety, but I know he’s been worried about you and Beck.” December smiles, looking off at Max and then at me again. “You know, I knew Max would be like his daddy when he found the right woman; he’d fall hard. I was worried there for a little bit he’d given up and was going to be a playboy for the rest of his life.” A grin spreads across her face. “That was until he saw you for the first time. I knew right then and there, you are his one.”
“Gareth was the same way?” It would help me feel more settled if I knew it’s common among the Black men.
“Oh, yes, I didn’t see him coming, but we fell hard and fast. Don’t be like my sisters and fight it. It’s so much easier if you don’t, and in the end, you’ll wish you had given in earlier.”
Leaning in, I speak quietly even though there’s no one around to hear us. “Even if there was a possibility of him getting hurt?” It feels like I’ve stepped into a dream after being alone for so long, and I don’t want to lose this new family I’ve come upon.
“You can’t think like that. He knows what he’s getting into, and he knows how and what to do in order to protect all of you. Now, smile and wave so he won’t worry.”
When I look over, I see both men looking over at us. Cobi is frowning while I can’t read the expression on Max’s face.
“I should probably see what has him looking like that. Thank you for talking to me. I’m sure it probably doesn’t seem like it, but it helps to know why Max is so gung-ho.”
She pats my arm and gives a wave to the kids. “Happy to help. If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you on Saturday at the game.”
“See you soon.” I wave goodbye and then walk to where the kids are playing around. “Beck, I’m going to talk to your coach, and then we’ll be leaving, okay?”
Beckham’s forehead puckers. “Sure, Mom.”
I’m ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure everyone knows there’s something going on with Max and me since we’ve been showing up to every practice and game with him since the night he picked us up outside the shelter, but I don’t want to be the talk of the town, so I play it off.
Needing to see what’s going on, I make my way over to Max. Long gone is the upset face, and now they’re both laughing. I step up to them and the one December said was Cobi shakes his head at me.
“Delilah, I want to introduce you to Cobi. Cobi, this beautiful woman here is Delilah.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” we both say at the same time while laughing.
Still laughing, Cobi says to me. “You’re fooling no one with that… whatever that was.” He slaps Max on the shoulder. “It’s getting late, so I should get home to Hadley.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.” Max gives Cobi a serious look. “Keep me updated.”
“You’ll know as soo
n as I know anything. Don’t worry, man. We’ve got you.” Cobi turns to me. “It’s nice to put a face to the name.”
“Likewise.” I smile back.
The moment Cobi’s out of hearing distance, I turn on him. “What was that about? It looked serious.”
Max’s lips turn into a thin line. “It is, but let’s discuss it at home after Beckgoes to bed.”
That only makes me worry more.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, wanting anything that will help settle my nerves.
Putting his arm around my shoulders, Max hugs me to him. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Panic swells in my belly, and claws up my throat, rendering me unable to talk. I can barely move my feet in the direction Max is leading me. He doesn’t seem to notice how my entire body is shaking. Or at least that’s what I think until he stops about ten feet away from the boys and turns to me. His hands go to my shoulders as he bends at the knees until we’re eye to eye.
“Relax. Everything’s going to be fine. Your and Beck are safe, but if you keep shaking like that Beck’s going to sense something’s wrong, and then he’s going to get upset. You don’t want that, do you?”
Of course, I don’t. I’d never want Beck to feel the same way I do right now. Instead of answering, I shake my head.
“Alright then. Let’s get Beck and pick up some Chinese.” Leaning in, he kisses my forehead.
I nod, knowing what I have to do, but ask, “Did they find me?”
“Not yet.” Max’s jaw ticks.
Not yet. Meaning they will. Even now, Max knows it’s going to happen one day.
Standing to his full height, Max takes my hand in his and takes two steps before he stops and turns back to me. It’s the first time he’s held my hand in public if you don’t count the park where no one was around, and it breaks through the panic and makes me feel giddy.
“Are you ashamed to be seen with me in public?”
“What?” I swear my jaw must have hit the ground at his question. “Of course, not. What would make you think that?”