“Keira, I know what’s going to happen. I’ve been through it before with my ex, but I want and need the two most important people in my life around me every day. I’m tired worrying if Kathy is feeding my son three meals a day and keeping his clothes clean. I have enough money from working at CCD to take care of all of us.”
“Wait a minute,” Keira cut in. “I have a good job. I don’t need you to think I want you to ‘take care’ of me.”
“Honey, I know your independence and love it with everything in my heart, but humor me a little and let me take care of you a tiny bit…please,” Jim whispered. Wrapping his hand around her wrist, he tugged her closer to his body. “I like the idea you might have to lean on me a tiny bit.”
“Oh, I’m not sure I can give my Miss Independent card back. The other girls in the club might disown me.” Keira laughed loving how good she felt when Jim teased her like this.
“I won’t tell them if you don’t.”
“I might need more of a persuasion than what you’re giving me. I mean, it took me a very long time to get my membership.”
“Daddy, will you buy me a hot dog?” Trevor yelled breaking into the cocoon Jim and Keira had built for themselves.
“I can’t get into this now, but after we drop off Trevor at Kathy’s house I have a few techniques that might make you only use the card part-time,” he growled by Keira’s ear.
“Promises…promises.”
“Daddy!”
Jim gave Keira’s ass a quick tap and then quickly stepped back. “Let’s go. Trevor is acting like I haven’t fed him all day,” he joked.
“He’s a growing boy and he wants a hot dog, so let’s buy him a hot dog.”
“Will you give me what I need later?”
“Only if you’re a good boy for the rest of the day, I’ll think about it.”
“Do more than think,” Jim said before he grabbed her hand and took her in the direction of Trevor and the hot dog vendor.
Chapter Forty-Four
A week later Keira sat in the backyard next to True, Jenisha and Charisma laughing at Jim as he played with Hayward’s and Clinton’s kids in the backyard. He loved kids so much. It made her wonder how he would be with their kids if their relationship got that far.
“Are you really going to sit there like you didn’t walk into the get-together holding hands with Jim?” Charisma asked. “When did the two of you start dating…forget that. When did the two of you start doing the mattress dance? I’ve never seen Jim so relaxed and happy in my life. He’s usually nice enough and that’s about it.”
As much as she hated it Keira stopped looking at Jim and focused her attention on Charisma and the other women grinning at her with a knowing sparkle in their eyes. “We are in the getting to know you stage,” she answered.
“If the getting to know you stage in anything like I experienced with Clinton you will be married before you know it and a baby on the way before your first anniversary,” Jenisha laughed.
“I think Dave didn’t even take as long as Hayward or Clinton,” Charisma said. “Everyone knows that he kissed me the first night we met.”
“I never heard a complaint from you,” Jenisha said.
“Look at my gorgeous hunky husband. Who would complain about being kissed by him?”
“All of you are jumping the boat here,” Keira said. “Jim and I are only having fun. Sure I’m falling in love with him, but I haven’t thought about marriage. He has enough going on with Kathy and this new custody battle. She isn’t pleased at all that Jim wants full custody. I swear that woman is worse than Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest.”
“Kathy is a piece of work,” Charisma agreed. “Dave told me once she tried to kiss him while she was still married to Jim. What kind of woman does that?”
Keira mouth fell open and she quickly snapped it closed. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah and a while back she was flirting with Dante at his own club right in front of Jim but they were divorced by then. I’m surprised she gave Dante any attention at all because he’s way older than the men she usually dates.”
“I did see her once when I was leaving Dr. Gearan’s office walking down the street with some guy young enough to be her son,” Keira said.
“Oh, how are the doctor’s visits going? Will you be cleared to fly again soon?”
“Charisma, Dr. Gearan is thrilled with my success. I only have to see him three more times and I’m crossing my fingers he will sign the papers I need to fly again.”
“I’ve seen Dr. Gearan and he’s very attractive,” True said. “I know Hayward would have a problem with me seeing him with all those hidden jealousy issues of his. What does Jim say about it?”
“Jim hasn’t said anything because he’s never been introduced to my doctor and if he did have a problem I wouldn’t stop seeing him. Dr. Gearan is my doctor and friend. Nothing is going on between the two of us. Dante is my friend too and Jim doesn’t have any trouble with that.”
All three women’s eyes connected with each other and then they stared at Keira for a minute or two. “You’re friends with Dante? Lord…you can’t tell Jim. Dante is smoking hot! I know I’ve been married the longest here, but I even take a second glance at him when he walks into the room. If sex could be turned into a man and walk the earth it would be Dante,” True said.
Laughing, Keira couldn’t believe True just said that. It was just too damn funny! “Dante doesn’t come across to me like that. Now, I know those green eyes of his are hypnotic, but I’m totally into moody ass Jim Russell. He can be a pain in my ass most of the time; however, I love the feeling I get when he’s around me.”
“What about one of you?” Keira asked Charisma and Jenisha. “Would one of you trade in your husband for Dante?”
“I might if Dave didn’t take out the trash when I asked him to,” Charisma joked.
“No, I already have one arrogant and overly protective green-eyed man. I don’t need another one in my life,” Jenisha replied. “However, the woman who lands Dante is going to be very lucky because he is one good-looking man.”
“Speaking of a good-looking man, Keira’s is headed this away,” True said seconds before a kiss was planted at the back of Keira’s neck.
“Hey baby,” Jim whispered against her skin. “I missed you. Are you ready to go? I forgot that I need to show you something at Choppers.”
Keira noticed the knowing grins on the women’s faces in front of her. Jim was ruining the speech she just gave them. She wasn’t going to be able to deny anything they tossed her way now.
“Can what you have to show me wait a little longer?” she asked.
“Keira, why don’t you go ahead and leave?” Jenisha said. “I know when Clinton has to show me something it usually can’t wait that long.”
Keira’s face grew warm as her girlfriends broke out into laughter around her. God, they were embarrassing her and loving every second of it, but if the roles were reversed she would be doing the same thing to them. So she couldn’t be too mad at them.
“Okay, I’m ready to go,” Keira said standing up excited about what Jim’s little surprise might turn out to be. The last time she got swept away by Jim they ended up having sex in his front yard.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Charisma yelled at her as Jim placed his hand in the middle of her back and escorted her out the backyard.
“I think your girlfriends love the fact we are together and that they could tease you about it,” Jim said as he opened the car door for her and waited while she got inside.
“Yeah, I can say that they do.”
He slammed the door shut, ran around the front and got inside. Before driving off he leaned across the seat and gave Keira a quick kiss on the mouth.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Keira replied surprised by the declaration, but enjoying it all the same.
“That’s really good to know,” Jim said and then drove off to the surprise he had waiting for
her.
* * * *
“What do you think?” Jim asked as he closed the door. “It’s not completely done yet, but I wanted to show you how far it’s come along. I think it’s going to look pretty good once everything is in its place. It’s not the same place I bought from your father all of those months ago.”
“Sweetheart, this place looks amazing.” Keira walked around Choppers taking in how the new shelves on the wall, stainless steel sinks, new floors and desk in the far corner enhanced the wall color she’d help paint with Jim.
“Choppers will be the hottest motorcycle shop in town. Do you know where you want to set up the display for the clothes? Have you thought about what you are going to put on that far wall yet? I see that it’s still bare.”
“I have a couple of items running through my head, but I haven’t committed to anything yet. I want it to be perfect because I don’t want to paint over any design I might grow to hate later,” Jim said as he walked closer to her pulling her into his arms.
“Are you going to show it to me before it goes up on the wall?” Keira asked circling her arms around his neck.
Sliding his hand under her ass, he lifted Keira up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. “No, I want you to be as surprised as everyone else when I reveal it at the grand opening.” He walked over to the desk and sat Keira on top of it. “Now, you might be able to persuade me into giving you some kind of hint.”
“I don’t know if I have that kind of ability,” she replied easing her hands up the back of his shirt. Keira ran her nails down his back making his cock leap to life with the flirty touch.
“I think you have more power over me than you will ever know,” Jim said before he lifted Keira’s shirt and pulled it over her head tossing it somewhere behind them on the floor. Long, calloused fingers suddenly made quick work of her bra and added to her shirt somewhere on the floor.
“I swear you have the most beautiful breasts in the world. I know that I’ll never get tired of seeing these. They are so big, brown and creamy…so mouth-watering.”
His words were blunt and honest…words that made her feel and know how much Jim loved her body.
“Are you going to show me how much you love them?”
Taking a nipple between his forefinger and thumb, he worked it until the nipple became pebble hard and a low moan eased between her lips.
“Hmmmm…that feels so wonderful.” Keira arched her back pressing her breasts more into Jim’s touch.
“Sweetheart, you are so responsive.” Lowering his head he took the raised nipple into his mouth and gave it a slow heated lick with his tongue.
Jim lifted his head and was about to suck Keira’s other nipple when the ringing of his phone stopped him. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against a smooth brown shoulder and slowly counted to ten. He had to answer this call. The only person who called him this time of day was Trevor.
“Baby, I have to get this. It’s Trevor.” He reached over and grabbed Keira’s clothes off the floor and handed them to her before answering the call.
“Trevor, what’s wrong?”
“Dad, I’m at the mall with mom. Can you come and pick me up? I’ll be outside waiting for you. I told mom I was calling you and she didn’t care,” Trevor said.
“Son, this is your week to spend with your mother. Are you sure that she doesn’t care that you want to spend it with me instead?” Jim didn’t want to agree to get Trevor and then have him act out when Keira was over at his house. She was as much a part of his life as his son was.
“Dad, she really doesn’t care. Will you come to get me?” His son asked again.
“Yes, I’ll be right there. Make sure that you stay inside the mall at the area around the arcade games.”
“I promise,” Trevor said. “I’ll be there waiting for you. “
“You better.” Jim hung up the phone then slid it back into the front pocket of his blue jeans. “Do you care if I drop you off at my house first before I go and pick up Trevor? He’s having problems with Kathy.”
“No…I don’t mind at all,” Keira answered. “Let’s hit the road. I can fix my famous chicken pot pie for dinner.”
“If you keep this up you’re going to make me fatter than a Thanksgiving turkey.” Jim grinned.
“I thought I heard the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.”
“Keira, you already have my heart so you don’t need to do anything else to gain any more of my love.”
Joy bubbled in her laughter as Keira shook her head at Jim. He presented her with relentless enjoyment with his sweet talking way. Who knew a big bad biker was such a hidden romantic? “Come on silver tongue…let’s go and pick up Trevor.”
“Maybe after Trevor is asleep tonight maybe I can find other ways to keep you entertained with my silver tongue,” he suggested in a low, sensual voice.
“Maybe…maybe not,” Keira teased as she moved towards the exit sign. “You won’t know until after Trevor has a visit from the sand man.”
Chapter Forty-Five
I’m trying my best to get along with Trevor, but he’s making it so hard for me. Jim left Trevor with her while he went to the store to get milk for Trevor’s supper. Ever since Jim had walked out the door his son hadn’t been listening to a word she told him.
“Trevor, do you want to put that video game down and help me with supper?” Keira asked as she spread the pre-made pie crust into the pie pan. Seconds tickled by, but Trevor didn’t raise his head from the video game. In fact, Trevor pulled his baseball cap even further down on his head like he was doing his best to block out the sound of her voice.
That was it, her mind thought. Trevor isn’t going to ignore me like I’m not even here.
Keira flung the dishrag on the island and marched over to Trevor. She snatched the baseball cap off his forehead and pitched it on the table. She was surprised he could even see out of it as far down over his eyes as it was.
“Hey! Give that back to me!” Trevor yelled reaching for the black cap. “I need that.”
“Not until we have a talk.”
Trevor turned sideways in his chair forcing her to talk to one side of his face. “I don’t want to say anything to you. It’s not like we’re ever going to be friends or anything. My dad will go back to my mom. He’s just mad at her right now.”
Whoa! Did Jim know that Trevor still thought there might be a reconciliation between him and his mother? God, she was clueless what to do about this. Taking a deep breath, Keira moved around the table and stared down into Trevor’s face when something by the side of his eye caught her attention.
“What is this?” Keira touched the side of his cheek and moved his face so she could get a better look. A dark bruise was forming at the side of Trevor’s eye like someone had either slapped or punched him.
Anger she’d never experienced before swelled in the middle of her chest making her blood pump faster through her veins. Who in the hell hit Trevor? There was no way in hell that Jim had seen this because he would have hit the roof by now.
“Who hit you?” she asked, touching the side of his face.
“Nobody,” Trevor yelled as he jerked his head away from her.
“Sweetheart, you can tell me. I promise that your father won’t be mad at you.”
Trevor snatched his baseball cap off the table and placed it back on his head fixing it so it covered most of his face. “You better not tell my dad about this or you’ll wish you hadn’t. I hate you! I wish you’d never come into my dad’s life.”
Keira shook off Trevor’s outburst. She was more concerned if Jim was going to send his son back into an abusive situation. She had to tell Jim about this. She wasn’t about to keep it a secret.
“Trevor, we can tell your dad together and he will protect you from whoever hit you.” She reached to touch his face again, but Trevor slapped her hand away.
“Don’t touch me!” he screamed.
“What is going on here?” Jim demanded as he cam
e into the kitchen carrying Trevor’s back pack and a grocery bag. “Why are you yelling at Keira?”
“Jim, you need to…” Keira tried to tell Jim about Trevor’s face, but didn’t get the chance because of his son.
“I hate being here! I want to go back to my mom’s.” Trevor threw his video game down on the table and raced from the room back outside.
Jim stared after Trevor in utter shock before he glanced over at her. “What did I walk in on? Why is he acting like this?” he asked placing the backpack and grocery bag on the table. “Trevor is usually so calm.”
Right at the moment, Keira decided it might be for the best if she didn’t tell Jim about the bruise while Trevor was so distraught. She would pull him to the side and tell him about it later when Trevor wasn’t around.
“He’s mad because I asked him to help me with supper,” she lied hoping she was making the right decision.
“Trevor knows better than to act like that. I haven’t raised him that away.” Jim sighed running his fingers through his hair. “I have to get him away from Kathy. I have another appointment with my lawyer this week and I’m going to tell him to speed up the court hearing.”
“I think you’re right about wanting to get full custody.”
“Thanks for your support, sweetheart,” Jim said. “You don’t know how much it means to me. I came in here to tell you something, but hearing Trevor hollering at you almost made me forget. While I was outside Clinton called me and invited us over for a barbeque. Are you interested in going? I know you were going to cook, but under the circumstances I thought going over there might be a better idea.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Keira said. “Why don’t you go outside and check on Trevor while I get the kitchen cleaned up. Talk to him. Maybe you can pull out of him why he’s so mad all of the sudden.”
The Men of CCD: Help Wanted Page 17