by K. C. Crowne
“Shoot. Maybe I should make it official and take a vow of chastity.”
“Most experiences,” she’d countered. “Not all of them. Sometimes you meet an amazing man and there’s emotional chemistry and romantic chemistry along with everything else and it’s just perfect. That doesn’t happen often, though.”
“That’s even more dire. You’re saying that I have to wade through a ton of bad sex to find someone who I click with in and out of bed? And even if that happens, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be together?”
She’d shrugged. “That’s life, I guess. Maybe if you felt that connection before sex happened you could be sure. That would be my advice, anyway – only sleep with a guy if there’s something there. Otherwise, you might throw away your virginity and make one of the worst mistakes of your life.”
“Hey, you alright over there?”
Hayden’s words snapped me back into the moment. I shook my head and saw that he was back, a pair of wine glasses in his hands.
“Yeah,” I said. “Just got lost in a daydream.”
He flashed me a smirk before opening the microwave and taking out the food. “Looks like someone didn’t fill her end of the bargain.”
“Oh, shoot,” I said, getting up. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, setting the plates down on the kitchen bar, the scent of Chinese food wafting toward me. “You and I both got thrown into the deep end with the girls.”
“Still,” I said as I reached for the wine. “No excuse to zone out like that.”
“You’ll feel better once you get some food in you. Eat up.”
The orange chicken practically called out to me. I took a bite, the sweet and savory flavor filling my mouth and making me let out an “mmm” of pure delight. He raised eyebrows at me before taking a bite of his own.
We ate in silence. And not the bad kind of silence – the pleasant, companionable sort of silence, the kind you can only have with someone you’re truly comfortable with. Before too long, we’d polished off our food and wine.
“So,” I said as we took the last few bites of our dinners. “We’re going to have to do this every night, huh?”
“Nope. Saturday and Sunday we’ll be doing it the whole day.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“You know, part of me wishes I would’ve told Ryan and Carly that I was absolutely the wrong man for the job.”
“Same, honestly. And why didn’t you?”
He shrugged. “I love a challenge, I guess. Not to mention I’m crazy about those girls.”
Hayden popped the last bit of eggroll into his mouth.
“Can’t go wrong with Chinese,” he said, placing his hands on his belly and leaning back in his seat. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” I said. “But you’d better believe I’m doing the dishes.”
He laughed. “I won’t argue with you on that front. But let me at least help you clear the table.”
Hayden didn’t give me a chance to tell him no. He sprang out of his seat and took all the plates off the bar top, leaving only the one I happened to have in my hands. I carried that over to the sink and set it down, Hayden standing next to me after setting down all the dishes he’d carried.
He turned quickly, facing me, and almost bumping into me. But before we could collide, he grabbed my wrist.
The feeling of his skin against mine was enough to make my eyes go wide. I stared into those gorgeous, ice-blue eyes as we stood inches apart, my chest rising and falling and my heart thudding in my rib cage.
His hand didn’t move.
More than that, I didn’t want it to.
Finally gaining the presence of mind I needed to break the moment, I slipped my wrist from his hand and turned, tucking my hair behind my ear as I cleared my throat.
“Uh, I’ll let you finish up in here. If you need me, I’m going to take the guest bedroom on the third floor, the one all the way down at the end of the hall. Might check out the study too, while I’m at it. Oh, and I didn’t know which room you wanted, but I put your bags in the guest room on the second floor, first door on the right.”
With one last glance, he grabbed his wine and left the kitchen.
I did my best to wrap my head around what the hell had just happened. As I washed the dishes, I knew that if he’d moved in to kiss me like he had back at the wedding, I would’ve gone along with it.
What else would I have gone along with?
The conversation I’d had with Willow played in my mind again as I finished cleaning up and poured myself another glass of wine. Once that was in hand, I took a sip and slowly made my way up to the second floor where the nursery was located. I checked in on the twins, who were still sleeping soundly. Their monitor was on, and Hayden and I had installed the aps that would let us check in on them from our phones. They looked set for the night.
I went back into the hallway and, for a moment, debated heading up to the study to see Hayden.
But it didn’t take much pondering to know that would be a bad, bad idea. I imagined us finishing our wine together, then maybe having one more. And God only knew where that would take us.
I sighed, feeling a touch overwhelmed by it all. I slipped my phone out of my pocket – almost eight. I had a seven a.m. Zumba class the next day, which meant I ought to get a good night’s sleep. So, I decided to take a quick bath, finish my wine, and get into bed at a sensible hour.
I stepped into the bedroom where Hayden had put my bags. Sure enough, they’d been neatly placed on the bed, one of the lamps left on for me. The room was small but cozy, with bay windows that looked out over the expanse of the backyard all the way to the mountains.
It was peaceful. There were no honking horns or car alarms going off. Just me and silence.
After slipping out of my clothes, I went into the bathroom and turned on the water in the tub. Once it was nice and hot, I removed my bra and panties and slid slowly into the bath, letting out an ahhh of total relief as the water soothed my aching muscles.
My wine was nearby, and my phone had the monitor app open. If the girls woke up, I’d know it right away. Everything was taken care of for the moment, so I gave myself permission to relax.
Of course, the instant I let my mind wander my thoughts turned to Hayden.
I sighed, frustrated with myself.
Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take care of things. I wasn’t going to be sleeping with him, of course. However, there was no doubt about the sexual tension between us. Maybe if it all happened mentally, that would remove some of the tension.
It was worth a shot, and more than that, I’d been so turned on from him touching me in the kitchen that I could hardly think straight.
So, I closed my eyes, let my hand slip under the waterline. Soon it was between my legs, my fingertips making slow circles around my clit.
The pleasure was instant. I put together a quick scenario in my head, one where him touching me at the sink had turned into something much, much more.
We stared into one another’s eyes, and then we kissed. The kiss lingered, his taste flooding over my lips and my pussy soaking through my panties as he placed his hand on the small of my back. He brought me close to him, letting me feel his hardness through his jeans like he’d done back at the wedding.
The sensation of his solid, stiff cock against my leg pushed me to another level of total arousal, muffled moans sounding from my lips as I ground against him. His free hand went to the button of my jeans, and he deftly opened it, his fingers sliding down to the waistband of my panties, inching under them, and sending tingles through my body as he slipped his finger between my wet lips.
I imagined him touching me in the fantasy as I touched myself in the real world. I threw one of my legs over the side of the tub, water dripping down my toes as I moved in and out of myself. Just thinking about Hayden was enough to bring the orgasm I craved closer and closer by
the second.
Back in the fantasy, we’d moved far beyond touching. I was on the kitchen bar, my legs wrapped around his hips as his cock plunged into me again and again. I’d never had a man inside of me, never even had a vibrator inside of me. I had no idea what it would feel like to have his manhood driving into me, watching his cock vanish between my legs.
I was so, so close to coming. And as I brought myself to orgasm, I imagined what Hayden would look like as he came. What would it feel like to have his cock explode inside of me, to feel his cum fill me up?
The orgasm faded, and I let all my limbs drape over the edges of the tub.
A smile formed on my face.
I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d made matters worse, if I’d whetted an appetite for something that only one man could give me.
Chapter 14
HAYDEN
I awoke that next morning to a sound I’d never awoken to ever before in my life.
The cry of a baby.
Two, to be precise.
I rolled over, stretching out in bed as I rubbed my eyes and glanced over at the phone. I’d left it propped up and plugged in, so I had an all-night view of the girls from the nanny cam. Sure enough, the twins were up, both wailing their little hearts out.
I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and put my feet on the cool, wood floor. The sun was coming up over the mountains outside, filling the room with golden, morning light. I grabbed the phone and checked the time – a little after 5:30 a.m.
Perfect timing. I’d set my alarm for 6:00. And since I’d hit the sack early the night before, I felt nice and rested. But I couldn’t let the girls cry for too long. They were going to need a change and a feeding, and their cries gave my actions a sense of urgency.
I slept naked, and since I wasn’t into the idea of traumatizing the twins, I grabbed a pair of athletic shorts from my bag and threw them on, hurrying out of the bedroom and down the hall. As I made my way to the stairs, I tried to remember what Ryan and Carly had told me about what to do when the girls cried – it had all been in the email Carly had sent.
If the girls are crying, it’s almost always because they’re hungry or need a change. Check the diaper first, and if that’s all good, then get them a little snack. They tend to get a bit fussy before mealtime, so if they’re really acting up, don’t be afraid to give them their meals a little earlier.
It was all coming back to me, and I was pleased as hell my photographic memory had come through yet again. Of course, I’d never had to change a kid’s dirty diaper before. But there was a first time for everything, right?
I hurried downstairs, making my way to the nursery. But when I drew close, I saw that the door was already open. Not only that, but the crying had stopped. The only sound to be heard was singing.
I stopped in place and listened.
“You know I’m a dreamer, but my heart’s of gold. I had to run away high, so I wouldn’t come home low…”
The words were really familiar. It was a song I’d heard before, but one I couldn’t quite place. I stepped closer to the nursery and continued to listen.
“Just when things went right, it doesn’t mean they were always wrong. Just take this song, and you’ll never feel left all alone.”
I peered into the nursery. Grace was there, holding Rose in her arms, the child’s head tucked into her shoulder, smiling peacefully. Lily was in her crib standing up, her hands gripping the rail as she smiled. The whole scene was bathed in the golden light that streamed in through the windows, making it feel like it was something out of a dream.
“Take me to your heart, feel me in your bones. Just one more night, and I’m coming off this long and winding road…”
It hit me.
Motley Crue.
Grace was singing Motley fucking Crue.
I knew that song, and the lyrics came back to me just as Grace hit the chorus. A big, stupid grin on my face, I started singing along with her as I entered the nursery.
“I’m on my way, I’m on my way…”
She turned to face me, surprise in her gorgeous eyes. But when she realized that not only was it me, but that I was singing the song with her, she smiled and went right back to it.
“Home sweet home…” We sang together as I scooped Lily out of her crib, Lily laughing as I held her close.
“Tonight, tonight, I’m on my way…home sweet home…”
When we finished the chorus, both girls smiling and happy, Grace and I shared a look that showed that neither of us knew quite what to make of what had just happened.
“You know,” I said, breaking the silence. “When I think of songs to sing to a kid, I tend to think of Brahms’s Lullaby, that sort of thing. Got to say my mind doesn’t go right to Vince Neil.”
She grinned. “Big words for the man who knew all the lyrics. That was impressive, Hayden. I’m wondering if you’re in the wrong line of work. Maybe your calling is really being in a Crue cover band.”
That got a laugh out of me. “Hey, of all the culture the yanks have forced down the rest of the world’s throat, not all of it’s bad. Crue…they’re different.”
“See? Glad you didn’t try to pretend you were better than the occasional 80s power ballad.”
“I’d never do something as galling as that.”
Grace chuckled as she carried Rose over to one of the two changing tables, gently setting the little girl down and getting her out of her sleeping clothes.
“Two of them means two dirty diapers,” she said. “But there’s two of us.” Grace nodded toward the changing table, and I got the hint right away.
“Hear you loud and clear,” I said as I carried Lily over to the other changing table. I gently set her down and began opening her pajamas, Lily gazing up at me with eyes that were so much like Ryan’s it was almost scary.
“Now,” Grace said. “You remember the rule for changing baby girls’ diapers? You have to wipe —”
“Front to back,” I said. “Don’t worry – I did all my homework.”
Together, we changed the girls’ diapers and got them dressed in some clean clothes.
“Alright,” Grace said once Rose was over her shoulder. “Let’s get these girls something to eat.”
“You want to do breakfast after that?” I asked.
“Yeah, but it’ll have to be fast. My first class is at seven, so I need to be out the door soon. We can get the girls fed, have a bite, and then are you cool with hanging out with them until Nancy gets here? She should be showing up around eight.”
“Yep. Don’t need to get to the office until nine, so that’s perfect timing.”
“Nice,” she said with a smile. “Sounds like we’re kicking butt at this whole babysitting thing.”
“Be careful not to speak too soon.”
Together we headed downstairs, getting the girls in their highchairs once we were back in the kitchen.
“You handle coffee duties, and I’ll see what the girls are having for breakfast,” she said.
“Perfect.”
I grabbed the French press and looked through the coffee selection, eventually choosing a French roast. French roast, French press – it was always nice to have a theme.
But right as I began to fill the press, I heard a “huh” from Grace.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“What happened to the food list on the counter?”
“The food list?”
“Yeah, that piece of paper that was right here on the kitchen bar. It was a list of what the girls usually eat for every meal.”
I turned, confused. “There was a list on the counter? I didn’t know about that.”
“Nancy pointed it out to me. You didn’t hear her when she was talking about it?”
“Things were a little chaotic last night if you don’t remember. And no, I didn’t hear her talking about it.”
Grace sighed, running her hand through her thick hair. It didn’t take a psychology Ph.D. to know I’d done something dumb.
“Do we need it?” I asked, trying for damage control.
“Of course, we need it,” she said. “That was the list of food to get if we run out. Without it, we’re totally flying blind. What if we need to stock up and we end up picking out things the girls hate or can’t have? Can you imagine being here with two screaming kiddos who won’t eat their dinners?”
She had a point, but I could sense that — more than anything — she was worried about screwing up on her first real day of looking after the girls.
And the worst part was that it was my mistake. I’d carelessly tossed the list out. I glanced over Grace’s shoulder as she stood at the kitchen bar and could tell by the excited movements and eager expressions on the girls’ faces that they were more than ready for breakfast.
“It’s not a problem,” I said as I stepped over to the cupboard where the kids’ food was stored. “If we need the list, I’m sure we can just call Ryan and Carly and have them let us know what to get.”
“But then we’d be bothering them on their honeymoon, not to mention looking like we don’t know what we’re doing. How are they supposed to relax if their kids are with two people who can’t even look over a list?”
“Here’s the thing,” I said. “If we need to make that call, I’ll do it and I’ll let them know that I was the one who lost the list.”
She pursed her lips. “It’s not about me not wanting to get in trouble or something…”
“I know. But I like to own my screw-ups. They don’t happen often…” I flashed her a joking smirk, “But when they do, they’re all mine.”
She matched my smirk with one of her own despite her growing irritation.
“But the real solution is this —” I opened the cupboard door, revealing the stacks of food and sweeping my hand over them as if I were a game show host displaying a car the contestant might win. Then I slipped my phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture.
The relief was instant on her face as she realized what I was doing.
“Now we’ve got the list in picture form.”
“Genius,” she said. “Sorry I got all up your butt about it.”