by Romi Hart
It apparently affected Dex, too, and she was surprised to feel his erection prodding at her again so soon. She pulled out of the kiss, staring at him in amazement, and a boyish grin crossed his lips. “Darlin’, you’re gorgeous, and I can’t get enough of you. If you’ve never been with a guy who can get it up again that fast, you’ve been with a bunch of flesh that’s a waste of space. How could anyone not want more of you right away?”
She felt the same about him but didn’t know how to express it. So instead, she grabbed his hand and started pulling. “Well, then, I guess we better head to the bedroom because I don’t think I can stay on my feet much longer.” It felt bold, even brazen, and Krys liked it.
But even more than that, she liked that it was shaping up to be a long, blissful night.
Chapter 5
A rapping noise broke through the fog of sleep, and Krys blinked awake, her head pounding with each short click. She frowned. Why would anyone be knocking on her door so early in the morning? Squinting at the clock on the bedside table, she gasped. It was after eleven, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so late.
It took a moment to remember how she could have managed to stay in bed so long, but then the night came flooding back. The party, the freedom of adulthood without the responsibility of a child. And the bodily sensations. They coursed through her again in rapid succession, but the incessant knocking brought her back to reality.
She jumped out of bed, startling at the groan behind her.
Dex.
She’d nearly forgotten he’d spent the night, despite the feel of a warm body next to her through the night being so foreign. Blushing as she thought about the way he’d touched and tasted her, the way he’d looked at her, she quickly donned her robe and padded quickly to the living room.
She opened the door and forced a smile at Stella, who stood there with Amy on one side with her backpack and her daughter, Renee, on the other. “Good morning, Stella. I’m so sorry. I had a long night and overslept.”
Stella gave her a genuine smile in return. “Don’t worry about it. I do it every time Renee stays the night somewhere. If you want, I can take Amy with us. We’re just going to the store and then to Renee’s piano lesson.”
"No, that's alright." Krys held out her hand to her daughter, who took it and drew her into a hug. "Thank you so much, Stella. I'll return the favor anytime."
An odd look came over Stella’s face, and her eyes focused somewhere over Krys’ shoulder. Turning, she felt her entire body flush as Dex wandered into the room, his hair mussed and his chest bare, only a towel slung low around his waist covering him. He looked amazing, but she knew instantly from Stella’s reaction how shocking – and perhaps inappropriate – it was.
He smiled at them and came forward, holding out his hand. “I’m Dex. Nice to meet you.”
“Dex, this is Stella, and her daughter, Renee,” Krys introduced, mumbling and flustered.
Stella shook his hand but pulled her daughter close against her side. “Same to you. Listen, Krys, it’s no problem. Let me know if you need some time to yourself again. Have a good weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday.” Quickly, she turned and hustled Renee down the hall toward the elevator.
Krys shut the door and groaned, mortified. And how was she going to explain this to Amy? “Did you have a good time?” she asked the girl, hoping to avoid the conversation till she had her wits about her.
“Excellent,” Amy said, practically bouncing up and down. “Can I go make a sandwich? We had eggs and sausage for breakfast, so I didn’t really eat.” Amy wasn’t a big fan of either.
Relieved at the distraction, Krys nodded, and the girl darted toward the kitchen. As soon as she was out of earshot, she hissed at Dex, “Couldn’t you have waited to come out?”
He smirked. “Are you embarrassed by me?”
“No, but the situation is a bit out of the ordinary. I’d rather not have other mothers seeing a man parading around my house in just a towel in front of my daughter. It’s not exactly appropriate.”
Dex frowned. “Wait, are you telling me you haven’t had a man over with her here before?”
Krys winced. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have, and her mortification grew exponentially. “Not that my private life is any of your business, but no, I haven’t. I don’t need her asking questions or getting the wrong idea.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “And what is this ‘wrong idea’ you want to avoid?”
“That it’s alright to sleep around.” She shook her head and glanced toward the kitchen, assuring Amy was still occupied. “Listen, Dex, I really enjoyed last night, but I intended to be up and alone when Amy came home. It’s not like this thing between us is any sort of relationship. We had sex, and it was great.
Narrowing his eyes, he assessed her and stepped closer. “So, just like that, you’re going to kick me out and put me out of your mind. I don’t buy it.” He took another step closer, so she could smell that amazing scent of his and feel his body heat radiating toward her. “Your body said otherwise last night. I think you’ve got a lot left in you, and I want to bleed it out of you. Admit it, Krys. We’re good together.”
"I agree," she conceded, the space between her legs warm and moist as she thought back to how deeply he'd been buried there. Her heart pounded, fast and hard, and she swallowed down the urge to kiss him and lock them both back in her bedroom for the next hour. "But the point is, I have responsibilities. I have a daughter, and she comes first. I don't have time for a drawn-out fling, and I doubt there's anything else you want out of this."
Dex scoffed. “Is that what you think of me? Boy, I knew the guys had it out for me, calling me a playboy and a womanizer. But I didn’t think Jordan could get to you so fast and spread that nasty shit.” Krys tilted her head, confused, and Dex sighed. “I like you, Krys. I don’t do ‘flings’ or one-nighters. When I came home with you last night, I had every intention of seeing through an opportunity for something more. And I’m not so shallow to let a kid get in the way of that. Are you?”
What was he saying? Krys had never been great at communicating with men, always felt they spoke two different languages. So, she didn't dare try to interpret what Dex said without a full, honest, basic.
“A date.” His eyes sparked, and this time, it wasn’t the ravenous look of arousal. “I want to spend more time with you, get to know you. I think we might be a good fit, and I don’t just mean in bed. Don’t take it lightly, Krys. I don’t feel this comfortable with a lot of women. I put on a good show, flirt with the big dogs. But I rarely follow through. You’re a special case, and I think there could be something worth pursuing here.”
Well, that was blatant enough. And Krys had no idea how to respond. Part of her was exuberant. A man was truly interested in her and not afraid to say it out loud. But another part was hesitant and cautious. She could easily get hurt. And she had to think about Amy, too. She couldn’t bring just any man into her daughter’s life. Dex seemed like a great guy, on the surface, but how did he really feel about children? About a single mother? About responsibility?
And with that thought, Krys realized she was getting ahead of herself. If she really thought this through, it wouldn’t hurt to go out with Dex a couple of times. Dating could be casual, just getting to know each other. She wasn’t committing to a trip down the aisle. And when it came to balancing her motherhood with a chance at romance, she didn’t have the same problem here she had in Australia. Jordan and Kylie would be thrilled to spend a little more time with Amy. They would gladly take her for a couple of evenings, and that would open the door to getting back out in the field and trying Dex on for size.
She would just have to keep Dex and Amy separate until she knew Dex wasn’t going anywhere.
Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice and spoke at a volume barely audible. “I like you, too, Dex, but I have to tread lightly. I’m sure you can understand. So, if you want to explore whatever there might be h
ere, I’ll agree to a date. And we’ll take it from there. But today, you should leave.”
With a look of triumph, he held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll take it.” He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll go get dressed and be on my way. Just give me your phone number so we can schedule a date. Preferably sooner than later.”
Krys nodded vigorously, excitement making her forget her wariness. She’d spent years feeling guilty for wanting more, and she was done with that. She could provide Amy everything she needed and still manage an attempt at personal fulfillment outside of motherhood. The best part was, she hadn’t emotionally invested in Dex, and if things went south, she could easily walk away without any damage.
She waited while he dressed and gathered his things, and when he came out of the bedroom looking almost as clean pressed as he had the night before, she gave him her phone number and saw him out with one last, short kiss. Then, she headed into the kitchen to find her daughter devouring a sandwich bigger than her own head, the mess on the counter painful to look at.
“Did Dex spend the night?”
Krys nearly winced at the question. “We had a sleepover, too, sweetheart.” It was the best she could do. She wasn’t going to lie to her daughter; that would look guiltier than anything.
Amy rolled her eyes. “Come on, Mom. I know what adults do when they spend the night.” Krys’ jaw dropped, and Amy giggled. “I’m eight years old, not five.” Well, there was a smart mouth. “I know they do things that make babies, things children can’t do. Am I going to have a little brother or sister soon?”
If Krys thought she had been embarrassed earlier, she hadn’t known the meaning of the word. She wanted to dive into a corner and pull a blanket over her head at the implication of Amy’s question, even though – or maybe especially because – it was valid and spot on. Instead, she swallowed her pride and shook her head. “No, love. Just because adults do things that can make a baby doesn’t mean they make one every time.”
Amy frowned and seemed to consider the words. “Then why do it? I mean, that’s like if I take out all this stuff to make a sandwich and then never make it.”
Krys burst out laughing. So young and innocent. “Well, you know how a chef cooks for other people because they enjoy it, but they don’t always eat their own food? Sometimes, adults enjoy doing certain things together, and it doesn’t matter if they get anything out of it.”
“Adults are silly.” It was a definitive statement, and then Amy dove back into the massive sandwich.
Relieved the conversation had been so quick and easy, Krys ruffled her hair and walked out of the kitchen. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to shower, and then we’ll go do something fun.”
“Okay.”
And that was it. Crisis avoided, Krys thought as she ran the water in the shower and waited for it to warm up. As she stepped under the hot spray, she sighed, the tender spots on her body from last night’s escapade igniting and sparking her arousal all over again. She probably would have taken care of the growing ache between her legs herself, but she had to consider that Amy waited just around the corner for her and could walk into the bathroom at any time. Besides, she didn’t want to put off the day any longer. She’d already slept far too late and wasted hours.
Today, she was going to take Amy to Times Square and just enjoy the sights and smells of New York. After all, this city was magic, and everyone needed to take the time out to remember that once in a while. And she would make sure that every moment spent with Amy was quality time. She never wanted to regret a moment away from her daughter because she didn’t make the most of their time together.
Chapter 6
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Krys couldn’t seem to convince herself that she wasn’t encroaching on Kylie’s time with Jordan, or on their lifestyle, by leaving Amy with them. The week had gone by, and she’d talked to Dex a couple of times on the phone, with him insisting they go out Friday night. She could have found a sitter for a few hours, but she didn’t know if she trusted herself to send him home at the end of the night, so she’d called for backup. Kylie had convinced Jordan it was her idea to keep Amy overnight and most of the day Saturday, for which Krys was grateful. She didn’t want to deal with whatever it was he had against Dex.
And Kylie seemed genuinely pleased. “Of course we don’t! In fact, we’re going to get our nails done this evening, and we’re going out for coffee and hot chocolate for breakfast. I’m super excited, and all I ask in return is that you give me all the luscious details.” Kylie elbowed her as they walked out of the office together.
“I appreciate it.” Krys purposely ignored the request, knowing that Kylie had a way of getting under her skin. The woman could make anyone squirm. She was good at reading people, and that might come in handy, Krys realized. “You know, I’d really like to hear what you think about Dex. I don’t understand why Jordan has such a problem with him. Do you?”
Kylie shrugged. “I know a lot of the guys on the team have had their fair share of love ‘em and leave ‘em moments. They like to play the field, and one or two of them have different women in every city they visit. And I know Dex has a reputation, but to be honest, I’ve never seen real validity in it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, even Marcus had his shining moments, being seen in public with a different woman on his arm every other day. Turns out, it was all for show, but it still looked bad. Dex doesn’t get that sort of media attention, and I don’t think he’s brought a bunch of different dates to team events. And since I’ve been around, I haven’t seen him with anyone, steady or otherwise. Jordan has a rougher past with women than he does, as far as I can tell.”
Krys nodded. “So, you think it’s just a misunderstanding. Or maybe he’s just concerned with me bringing anyone at all into Amy’s life.”
“That could be true. But Krys, you can’t make all your decisions based on what Jordan thinks. In fact, you can’t rest your romantic life on what your daughter needs. I mean, that should be a factor, but it can’t be the only factor.” Kylie sounded truly concerned.
With a sigh, Krys told her, “You know, the only thing Jordan and I ever argued about was that he feels I have an unnatural attachment to motherhood. He thinks it’s unhealthy for me to worry so much about Amy and that I should let go a little. But I keep telling him how precious every day is, how terrifying it was for me to almost lose her. What if I made a decision that took away her happiness, and then she relapsed? I want to make sure she lives every minute as happy as possible.”
Kylie shook her head. "But you're missing the point here. That's a wonderful sentiment. At the same time, what good does it do to make her happy if you're not? If, heaven forbid, something like that did happen to her, and you looked back, you don't want to think, ‘that was terribly hard, and I wish I'd been happy while she was still here.'" Kylie stopped walking and faced her. "I'm not judging, and I'm not trying to be harsh. But you deserve to enjoy your time with her, and you can't do that if you're unknowingly building up resentment."
As much as it made Krys’ stomach churn, she had to admit Kylie had a point. She’d even worried about that from time to time herself. “I can’t guarantee that this thing with Dex is going to change my world, you know.”
Kylie chuckled. “It might. But that’s not the point, either. You had to break down those barriers sometime, and you were never going to do that without a push. Dex is, if nothing else, that push.”
“I guess you’re right.” She took a deep breath and turned the corner toward the subway entrance while Kylie continued on toward the afternoon program where she would pick up Amy. “Wish me luck, then. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”
“Of course. Call me if you need anything!” She waved and turned the other corner, leaving Krys with her thoughts as she descended toward the train. She had to get home, shower, change, and do her hair and makeup before Dex showed up, and she had precious little time. Thankfully,
the train was on time and running smoothly, and she was home in twenty minutes.
She had no idea what to expect. She hadn’t been on a date in so long she couldn’t remember how they worked, and she didn’t know Dex well enough to guess where he might take her or what they might do. It made picking an outfit difficult. Should she dress up? Go casual? Wear heels to accent the shape of her legs or boots for a hike through the park? Grunting in frustration, she flipped through the clothes in her closet and finally settled on a pair of designer jeans she never wore with a nice, fitted blouse that showed just a little cleavage.
That didn’t help with shoes, and she left that till last, doing her makeup and hair first. She had just put the finishing touches on her lips when she heard the knock, and she frowned. She didn’t like that she wasn’t ready yet. Then again, it would give her a chance to ask Dex what his plans included so she could pick the right shoes.
Why was she fretting so much? She rolled her eyes at her own reflection before going to answer, reminding herself this was supposed to be fun and freeing rather than intimidating. As she opened the door, she smiled, and her shoulders sagged with relief. Dex had put himself together nicely but casually, with a green button down, jeans that showed off his soccer player legs, and a pair of dress shoes. He’d slicked back his hair, but it was already falling roguishly out of place, and he had shaved but left the start of a goatee that suited him well.
“Come in,” Krys told him, suddenly a bit breathless. “I just need to put on my shoes, and I’ll be ready to go.”
His expression questioned the merit of it, as if he would rather take off what clothes they wore and hop in bed. But he nodded shortly and said, “I’m not in a hurry. We’ve got all night.” She heard the insinuation and knew without a doubt she’d made the right decision in sending Amy to stay with Jordan and Kylie. She definitely wouldn’t be able to turn Dex down tonight, even if she wanted to. He had a solidly arousing effect on her that she couldn’t douse.