He lifts a brow. “E-commerce, huh?”
“It's a solid business model,” I tell him with a nod.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, amazing return on investment. Everybody thinks that Bitcoin is the future. But it's really much simpler than that. The used panty trade is a highly underserved industry."
He pulls a pillow over his face and roars with laughter. My heart tightens seeing him this way. He's come so far from the sulky, silent guy he was when he turned up in Copper Heights. I like thinking that being around me has had something to do with the change.
When Leo’s laughter fades away and he yanks the pillow from his face, he smiles at me. That one simple act still has the effect of weakening my knees. He sits up with his feet touching the floor and his hands gripping the edge of the mattress on either side of him. "You're something special, Reese. I can't imagine what life would have been like if I hadn't met you.” His voice is soft and full of affection. “I'm falling in..."
My heart kick-kicks against my ribs as his words fade away. All he does is smile tenderly.
He reaches for his T-shirt hanging on the wooden bed head. "Let me walk you out."
I shoo him away with my hand as I move to the door. “Stay in bed. Sleep. You don’t need to walk me to my house tonight.”
He grunts. “The hell I don’t.” A smirk rides his lips. “You aren’t even wearing panties.”
I laugh. “Really, you don’t.”
Stubborn as ever, he pulls on some sweats. “Okay, I don’t have to. I choose to.”
My heart soars like a dolphin jumping out of water. I try to play it cool. “Fine. I’m not gonna argue with you.”
I pull open the bedroom door, tiptoeing toward the stairs and Leo is right behind me. Just like every night. Except that tonight, Brenton’s door swings open right at that moment.
Oh no!
The little boy blinks and rubs sleep from his eyes. I freeze and so does Leo. Brent watches me suspiciously. "Reese?”
“Hey, Brent,” I squeak out.
His eyes move to his father and then back to me. “Did you sleep in my daddy's bedroom last night?"
"I...uh, I." I glance at Leo for help.
"Daddy, why did Reese sleep in your bedroom?" The tone of betrayal in his voice is jarring. He looks like he's on the verge of tears.
Guilt crawls all the way up from my toes. This isn’t good.
Leo steps out from behind me and kneels in front of a confused Brent. The father puts his hands on the little boy’s shoulders and takes a deep breath. "Remember that night when you were really sad and scared and you wanted me to stay in your room and give you cuddles?” Leo’s voice is steady but patient and kind.
Brenton nods despite the apprehension on his face.
Leo goes on. “Well, daddy is really sad some nights. He needs cuddles, too."
The boy’s bottom lip quivers when he asks, “My mommy isn’t coming back, is she?”
Leo’s head falls to his chest for a long moment, then he looks at his son and answers honestly. “No, she isn’t, buddy. I’m sorry but I’m all you’ve got.” He pulls Brent in for a hug that nearly swallows the little boy whole. Brent squeezes with all his might.
My heart breaks as I watch them. I’ve never met this Mara-woman, but I hate her with every fiber of my being. How could a person be so selfish? I wrap my arms around myself, to hold my shit together and keep from crying.
Brenton looks up at me with wet eyes. He releases his father and walks over to me. He wraps his arms around my legs and his body shakes as he sobs. Leo and I share a look in the shadowy hallway.
Then, I stoop to the floor and wrap myself around him. A moment later, Leo’s arms encapsulate Brent and me, and the three of us collapse into a long, tight embrace.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Leo
Reese throws her head back and roars with laughter. “Please slow down! Please slow down!” Brent is holding onto the wire mesh, shrieking his head off as I propel the shopping cart across the wet parking lot. I run a little faster to gain some more traction, then I lean my weight on the handle bar, taking my feet off the ground. Reese buries her face in her hands. “Please! Slow down!”
People stare. Some disapprovingly. Others are amused. I don’t care because the two most important people in my world are in this shopping cart as I charge toward Walmart’s automatic doors.
I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun, the last time I felt this alive. I haven’t had a cigarette in a week. I haven’t needed one. My kid is happy. And the pretty girl next door is happy. With me. I feel like the luckiest bastard for miles.
The crowd thickens right outside of the entrance and I’m forced to slow my roll. Breathless, I brush rainwater from my face and push the cart off to the side. I scoop Reese out and set her on her feet. She grabs her soaked hair into her fist and ties it up with an elastic as I roll the cart through the door, looking for the kids’ clothing section.
Reese goes around, grabbing preppy little button down shirts and khakis and kid-sized boat shoes. Poor Brent. She herds him off to the changing room.
A few minutes later, my son saunters out coolly wearing a pale pink oxford shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, an aqua blue dotted tie and navy blue corduroys cinched at the waist by a thin red belt. He stops in front of me, slips on a pair of aviator shades and shoves a hand in his pocket, striking a pose like a Calvin Klein model. I pound my knee with my fist, laughing riotously.
“You like this one, daddy?” he asks, grinning from ear to ear. Reese stands just over his shoulder, absolutely beaming with excitement.
I’m glad to report that my son has the swagger to pull off such an outfit but it’s not exactly the look I had in mind for pre-school on Monday.
“Well, as soon as you get your invitation to the yacht club, we’ll come back and grab this trendy ensemble but for the time being, you’re dressing for the playground so I think we’d better tone it down.”
We look around again, searching for sneakers, T-shirts and shorts. Stuff that he can actually move around in and get dirty. We’re joking and laughing. Having fun. Brent races around the childrens’ department. People stare but I don’t give a fuck. I am the father of that kid who’s streaking through the aisles of Walmart. And I don’t give a fuck.
Because my kid’s finally got new clothes that fit him. And a daddy who’s falling in love.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Reese
Brenton’s eyes follow my finger as it trails across the screen of my laptop. “Add a half cup of milk. Cream the mixture on low speed until smooth.”
“Add a half cup of milk. Cream the mixture on low speed until smooth,” he echoes as he grabs the milk in the measuring cup sitting on the counter beside him.
I’m actually trying to kill two birds with one stone—teaching Brent to bake and to read all at once.
#BabysitterGoals
I tap him on the tip of the nose. “You are just the cutest thing,” I say with a laugh as he pours the liquid into the batter. He grins right back at me.
Today is Leo’s birthday and had it not been for a talkative, little snitch strapped into my backseat on the way home from preschool, I’d never have known. His daddy specifically ordered Brent not to tell me that it was his birthday. But actually, I think it was just a ruse to get me to bake for him because we both know that keeping secrets isn’t Brent’s strong suit.
It worked. And now, Brent and I are racing against the clock to whip up a cake before Leo gets home from work.
“Can I try?” he asks motioning to the mixer in my hand.
“Sure.” I help him climb onto a stool to reach the counter. One tiny hand holds the mixing bowl firmly on the counter. His other hand grips the mixer. My hands cover his to make sure he doesn’t lose control of the equipment. “What’s next?” I ask my little helper.
His eyes travel back to the computer. “Add the…” he hesitates as he sounds out the word, “…egg
s one…at a…time!” Proud eyes connect with mine as he looks up at me, awaiting my approval.
“Great job, Brent! You read that all on your own!”
“I did! I read it all on my own!”
“So proud of you!” I lean down and plant a kiss in his hair.
Right then, the back door slides open and Leo sticks his head inside. “What are you so proud of?”
My heart skips a half dozen beats at the sight of him. Flushed cheeks, disheveled hair, stubbly chin with a smudge of sawdust. His big frame fills the doorway as he toes off his work boots.
This is nice. It feels right. Having him come home after work and find me in the kitchen, baking with Brenton. It feels like a family. I know that we aren’t one. But it feels like it. Sometimes, I close my eyes and pretend that that’s what we are.
“I just read the recipe all by myself,” the child says excitedly.
“Yep, he did,” I confirm.
“Good job, buddy!” Leo gives Brent’s shoulder little shake and smiles at him. Then, he looks at me. “So, is there any reason in particular that you two are baking today?”
Brenton looks up at his dad. “It’s your birthday, silly.”
Leo’s big palm covers his mouth and he pretends to be shocked. “It is my birthday. I completely forgot!”
“Yeah, right,” I mutter under my breath and Leo just laughs.
“Daddy, you better help if you want to get any cake when it’s done,” Brenton advises sagely.
Leo’s expression goes solemn. “You know what? You’re right.”
He comes up behind me and his hard body presses against my back. He extends his arms and envelopes both me and Brent in his embrace. He kisses his lips to the ridge of my cheekbone.
I love him…
The sudden thought causes me to jolt and I lose my grip on the mixing bowl. It spins on the counter like a top before crashing to the floor. The blades of the mixer continue to spin, pelting cake batter all over. There’s cake batter on every surface of the kitchen.
The three of us freeze and look at each other. And we burst out laughing.
I yank the cord out of the wall and the mixing paddle eventually stops spinning but the mess has already been made. Brenton hops up onto the counter. He’s scooping batter from the countertop and licking it off of his fingers.
I want to tell him to stop but Leo has me pinned to the counter and he’s licking batter off of my face. I’m screaming, trying to squirm out of his arms because it tickles. It’s hopeless. I’m a captive.
Brenton finds the whole thing pretty damn amusing. He slaps a spatula of cake batter to my cheek so his daddy has even more to lick off. He’s giggling so hard.
“I’m gonna get you back, Brenton!” My threats fall on deaf ears. He just continues enjoying his batter. I spin around, doing my best to fight but it’s useless. Eventually, I just give up.
The laughter carries on, filling the house, filling my heart. Yeah, this is definitely what a family feels like.
After a long while, Leo’s laughter fades. His expression becomes grave, concerned, maybe even a little bit afraid.
Searching his face, I cup his cheek. “What is it?”
“You make me happy.” His anxiety seems to deepen when he admits it.
“Is that a bad thing?” I caress his shoulders, trying to get him to relax.
I see the guilt in his eyes. “I just never thought I’d be happy again.”
Brenton pipes in. “It’s good to be happy, daddy.” The little boy looks at me. “I’m happy, too. We’re all happy together.”
A smile stretches Leo’s mouth despite his hesitation. I put a kiss on Brenton’s forehead. Then, standing on my toes, I lean closer to Leo and seal my lips over his.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Leo
I hold the ceramic plate under the spray of water, letting the soapy suds slide off. Our eyes connect when I hand it over to her. Her dark irises sparkle and her lips rise easily into a smile.
She accepts the plate from my hands and wipes a dry towel across the surface. She can't stop grinning as she settles the dish into the cabinet.
I'm not sure that doing the dishes together is on the list of activities that fuck friends engage in but I'll tell ya—watching Theresa Hartley’s shapely thighs as she stands on her tiptoes to put the plate in the cabinet? That's an aphrodisiac, my friends.
And if I were honest—which apparently, I'm not—I'd admit that this thing is starting to feel less like a convenient arrangement between sexually excitable members of the adult population and more like…a family.
It's presumptuous as fuck for me to even think this because Reese and I haven't had a conversation about it. Still, I see it playing out in every way. We have dinner at the kitchen table every evening. We cozy up on the couch and watch TV. We sleep under the same roof most nights. Hell—we even go to Walmart together and nothing says family like going to Walmart together.
I hand her the casserole dish that I just finished scrubbing and then clean out the sink. I watch as she steps over to the cabinet and rises onto her toes but before she can put the dish in its place, I slide my arms around her waist and my erection grinds against her back. An obscene little noise escapes her mouth.
Taking the dish from her hand, I set it in its designated spot and now my hand is on her waist, inching beneath the cotton blend of her blouse. Her fingers grip the edge of the countertop. "Leo..." Her voice vibrates through me as my lips sweep across that sensitive spot behind her ear.
I lift her hair off of her neck and move it over her shoulder so I can have unrestricted access. She shivers as I kiss her neck and fondle her breasts.
"Bend over," I growl as I press against the small of her back.
She glances over her shoulder with hesitant eyes. "Are you sure Brenton’s asleep?"
"He's asleep," I assure her, my confidence is fueled by nothing but blinding horniness.
She lowers herself over the cold laminate counter and moans deep in her chest. My whole body tingles at the sound. I lift her skirt, bunching it at her waist and tear her panties to the side. When I sweep my fingers through her folds, she mutters a string of curse words under her breath.
Smiling, I drop to my knees, my palms smoothing down her thighs. She shivers. I’m so fucking hard right now, tripping on the power I have over her body. Still I know I’m not in control because she has the power over my heart. The way I feel with her goes far beyond sexual. I feel safe. I know I can trust her. If I gave her my heart, I know she’d protect it.
My thoughts torture me as I eat her pussy. I don’t want to face the fact that I’m the one with my walls up, I’m the one who’s holding back.
I lick her harder, roughly dragging my tongue through her folds. She squirms and whines as she jerks her ass in my face. I show no mercy for her agony. I just escalate my intimate attack on her sensitive flesh.
She stifles her scream in a kitchen towel when she comes. Then, I lean her over the counter and brush the head of my naked cock through her folds.
I want her like this. Wet and raw. I don't want a sheet of latex separating us. I want her completely. I love her. I can finally admit it to myself. I love Reese.
I'm still scared and I still don't deserve her but I love her.
She reaches back and takes hold of my cock. Her pussy lips spread open as she impales herself with the tip. My breathing hitches when her slick warmth swallows me up. I drop my head to her shoulder and groan. She works her hips, slowly taking me in and out. Teasing my with that hot, tight cunt. It's not long before I'm losing control, pounding her until my brain feels like it’s stuffed with cotton and my bones turn to mush. Until we both crack under the crushing power of our orgasm and my come fires into her sweet cunt.
She’s bent over, chest heaving, and I’m right behind her, pressed against her as she struggles to catch her breath. Our hands lie on the edge of the counter, fingers intertwined.
I want to tell her that I love her.
It’s crazy. I know. I'm a reckless fool but my heart is all in this. I want her. This thing between us, I want it to be real. I want it out in the open. I feel it so strongly in my heart that it threatens to split my chest in half.
Twisting her body beneath me, she manages to turn around. I feel dizzy from the scorching intensity in her eyes. There’s something churning in her mind. I can almost see it. She reaches up and brings the pads of her fingers to my face. When she sucks her lower lip into her mouth, I know it’s so she won’t blurt it out.
I press my finger to the space right above her chin to free her lip from the prison of her teeth. The flesh pops free and I grin. "What is it you want to say, Reese?"
Her eyes go fluttery at the fact that I know her so well. I lower my face to hers and search the depths of her eyes. Shit—I know exactly what she wants to say. She’s feeling the same things I do. My heart roars, anxious to hear her say it.
Running her hands down the planes of my chest, she pulls in a breath. "Leo, I love—"
A loud, heavy crash is followed by a stomach-churning tumble. It causes us both to jump. Reese's eyes bulge as panic floods my head and we stare at each other for the tense moment of silence that ensues.
And then, Brenton's agonizing wail gushes through the house.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Leo
I’m sitting right next to Brenton’s bed, holding his free hand. He watches in fascination as the nurse sets the cast on his broken arm. I can’t believe he’s smiling right now. I may be sitting here calmly, but on the inside I’m freaking the hell out.
The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series Page 17