by Melissa Kate
The young child looked thoughtful, mentally patting himself on the back.
“But you be sure to tell Nate that when you see him ok?”
Noah nodded excitedly. He continued to tell Brielle about his project presentation during the rest of the drive home. When they arrived, Brielle got busy preparing their meal for the night. Just before she could call Noah for dinner, the phone rang.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hey, Brielle.”
“Nate?” The sound of his voice had her relaxing muscles she hadn’t realized were tense. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m great, and you.”
“I’m fine.” It was like they were two strangers exchanging pleasantries. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the Madrid airport. Just thought I’d check in on Noah before I boarded.”
“Oh. Yeah sure, just a sec.”
She called for Noah and gave him the receiver.
“Hello? Oh hi, Mr. Wolfe!” “Yeah I’m great, my race track was a huge hit, my teacher wants to meet you.” “When are you coming back?” “Oh boy! Can we fly a kite? I’ve never done that before.” “That will be great! Ok, bye Nate.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Brielle called when she heard the receiver click back in place.
She was oddly disappointed that Nate hadn’t wanted to speak to her. She chastised herself for the thought – they were in no sort of relationship and she had no right expecting anything from him. Then why did it annoy her that Miss Lincoln, Noah’s teacher had wanted to meet Nate. She was a young, attractive woman and the thought of the two of them together in a closed classroom irritated her. She was in no position to feel possessive over Noah’s father. It was the sexual frustration talking, it had to be.
Noah chattered happily through dinner, distracting Brielle from her own thoughts.
“Noah?”
“Yes, Momma?”
“You know that you don’t have to call your dad Nate or Mr. Wolfe.”
Noah gave her an odd look, like he was conflicted.
“When you are ready,” she explained, “you can call him ‘dad’ when you feel comfortable.”
“Won’t he mind?”
“No sweetheart, I don’t think he would mind. That’s his role in your life.”
“Ok, Momma,” he said quietly, before finishing up his macaroni and cheese.
The next evening Nate got off the plane in Florida feeling exhausted. The trip was long and the team was in a foul mood because they hadn’t even placed in the top five. They had dropped two places overall since Nate’s accident. Luca was feeling the pressure as the lead driver now and the secondary driver, Martin, was just not cutting it as Nate and Luca had as a duo. As a result, the usually laid back and carefree Luca was now pissed off and grumpy. He hadn’t muttered so much as two words to anyone since they had boarded the plane. Nate knew when to leave him alone and this was one of those moments. He needed to work through his own feelings about the sport before he articulated anything to anyone else.
Nate’s shoulder was killing him. The plane ride had him stiff and awkward and his muscles pulling in agony. He tried to roll the kinks out but the pain was running down his nerves. His shoulder was still strapped in place so he was limited in his movements. He got into a taxi and knew that he would have to use the jets in his shower to ease the pain tonight.
He instead found himself outside Brielle’s one-story. He hadn’t even realized what address he had given the driver. It was late and he really shouldn’t be here but he wanted to see Noah. And as much as he was trying to kid himself, he wanted to see Brielle, too.
“Keep the meter running,” he instructed the cab driver before he got out and walked up to her door.
He knocked and waited while Brielle came to the door.
“Hey,” she said in unfeigned surprise. “What are you doing here?”
He took in her short silky gown, starting at her slender neck, revealing a trail of creamy pale skin. “I came to see Noah.”
Something flashed in her azure eyes and then she silently stood aside and let him in.
“I know it’s late,” he continued. “I just found myself here. Is Noah awake?”
“You’re in luck, he just got tucked in.”
Nate made his way to the child’s room, aware of Brielle following a distance behind him.
He knocked lightly and then opened the door to walk in.
“Momma?” Noah asked groggily.
Nate put on the side light and sat on the bed beside the small boy. “No buddy, it’s me.”
“Hi, Nate,” he rolled around to face Nate. “Is it morning already? I feel like I’ve only been asleep for five seconds.”
Nate smiled. “It’s still night-time buddy. I’m sorry to wake you. I came straight from the airport. I just wanted to say goodnight.”
The young child smiled up at Nate, almost as though appreciating the gesture. “Are you going to come by tomorrow?”
“I don’t know, Buddy. Maybe on Saturday ok?”
Noah nodded and without so much as a second thought, fell back to sleep.
Nate lifted the duvet to cover his small shoulders and took a minute to appreciate his son. So many moments missed but he was slowly earning his time with Noah. He turned off the light and left the room. He found Brielle in the doorway and he was careful to keep a safe distance from her. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for a happily-ever-after scene with her just because they had a child together, and the feelings he experienced around her scared him. Some physical and emotional distance was in order.
“That’s awfully nice, what you did.” She commented as she walked him to the door.
“This parenting thing makes you do things without thinking.”
“You look tired.” She looked at him, as though looking right through him. “And in pain.” She touched his injured shoulder and he nearly winced in pain. “Let me massage it out.”
“No,” he said quickly. “I have to get home, I have a cab waiting.”
“Oh.” She looked like he’d hurt her.
Dammit.
“I’d like to take Noah for the weekend. I have a beach house and I’d like to take him fishing.”
“Nate, I don’t think it’s a great idea. I know you mean well but Noah has never left home without me before.”
Before he could stop himself he said, “Then you come too. It’s a big house with enough rooms. I promised him I’d teach him how to fly a kite and the beach house will give us the privacy we need.”
Brielle was quiet for a while before she nodded, ok.
“Great, I will pick you up on Saturday morning.”
With that said, he turned and walked to the waiting taxi cab.
CHAPTER 13
WHEN SATURDAY ROLLED AROUND BRIELLE was apprehensive. She was packed and ready to go but she was seriously doubting whether it was a good idea to go at all. Nate had been acting hot and cold. During her recent encounters with him, he appeared to be so aloof. Whenever he called, he barely engaged her in any pleasantries before he asked for Noah with whom he chatted merrily.
She knew she shouldn’t feel offended, considering he was Noah’s father first before anything to her. They had shared a sexual encounter six years ago and had had no emotional ties to each other since then.
When he arrived, he came to the door and Brielle had to look twice to appreciate his beauty. He was decked out in dark jeans and a t-shirt with his aviators on the bridge of his nose. The man looked like he should be on a modeling runway. Looks this good should be illegal. His hair had that soft, mussed-up look and Brielle was tempted to lean forward and brush her fingers through it.
“Hey,” he greeted. “You guys ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
He picked up her luggage as she turned back into the house to call for No
ah.
“I’m here!!” he shouted as he hurtled out in his beach shorts with snorkel gear attached to his head.
Nate looked amused.
“Noah, what is this now?”
“I’m ready for the beach, Momma.”
“Snorkel? Honey you can’t even swim.”
“How is that possible?” Nate asked incredulously. “How can he not know how to swim?”
“We never got around to it,” she stated defensively. “I will teach him soon enough.” She turned back to her over-zealous child. “Noah, pack your toys and put on a shirt please.”
He left the room and came back dressed for their trip.
Brielle locked up behind her and stared at the gleaming Land Rover ahead of her. The SUV looked big and intimidating. Not to mention fancy and expensive. She had never been in anything fancier than a family car before and as she slipped into the passenger seat, she sunk into luxury. She closed her eyes to appreciate it for a moment, seeing as she would probably never make enough money to afford a class act like this.
She turned toward Nate as he slipped into the driver’s seat. “Are you ok to drive?” gesturing to his arm, which two days ago had been wrapped in a sling.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Feeling better each day.”
He turned around to face Noah. “You ok there buddy? Strapped in and ready to go?”
“Are we there yet?” Noah asked playfully.
“I take that as a yes.”
He started the engine and the large vehicle purred to life. Brielle found herself settling in for the hour-long drive.
When they arrived at the beach house, Brielle was pleased to see that it was not an overstated mansion as she had pictured it in her head. Instead it was a nice, two-level home, with a spectacular view of the ocean.
She helped Nate unload the trunk, much to his argument, and got herself and Noah settled in.
They trotted downstairs and to her surprise found Emma and Luca in the living area.
“Hey,” she exclaimed. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Nate invited us for the day,” Emma explained, looking slightly embarrassed. Brielle feared he had invited them to babysit her and she suddenly felt like a third wheel between her son and his father.
“Is the boat ready?” Nate asked Luca, who nodded in acknowledgement.
Brielle looked to Nate. This was his weekend and she didn’t know what he had planned for Noah.
“Boat?” she asked.
“Yeah, we are going to cruise around in my boat.”
“Oh ok. Go get your sunblock and hat, Noah, and then we can go.”
Half an hour later, Brielle found herself walking onto a yacht. She had been expecting a dingy little speedboat but this was a statement of grandeur. A small family could live on this yacht. How much money did racing actually allow you to make?
The architecture was grand and expensive looking and Brielle wondered what it must be like to live like this. She had certainly never been exposed to such luxury. It was such a contrast to the simplicity of the beach house.
Nate and Luca had taken Noah to the upper deck of the boat where they were teaching him how to steer. Her heart burst with happiness, knowing that he now had a father present to teach him all the things that she could not.
She and Emma stripped down to their bikinis, slathered each other in suntan lotion and draped themselves on the sun deck of the yacht, away from the action of the men.
“So, you and Luca, huh?” Brielle began
“What do you mean?”
“Meeting his friends on day trips, lavish boats. This is getting serious for something that started not more than two weeks ago.”
“In my defense, I was only invited here because of you so that doesn’t count and the boat gets thrown in with the same.” Emma adjusted her bikini top and lifted her chin to the warm sun. “But it feels… nice. He came home the other night all angry and miffed about something and oh my god, he gave me the best orgasm of my life.”
Brielle giggled as she adjusted her sunglasses on her face. “Lucky you.”
“Maybe it will be ‘lucky you’ this weekend,” she commented with a wink.
“I doubt it. He’s been so distant of late. Not the usual lascivious man I had pegged him as. I guess he just wants me for my son.”
“Oh you poor, sex-deprived little girl.”
Brielle smiled. “Doesn’t this feel like those first few days in Brazil?”
“Yeah, you and me in sexy bikinis, sipping on fruity alcoholic beverages. The only thing missing are those cute cabana boys.”
“Oh, I could use one of those these days.”
“We should go out Bree. We have become our work and we should do a girl’s night.”
“Easier said than done, Em. I have a child to consider; I can’t leave him with just anyone and go off traipsing around like a twenty-year-old.
“No of course not. He has Nate now though and surely he can handle Noah for one night so you can go out and live vicariously through the twenty-year-olds.
“That’s not a bad idea; I will give it some thought.” Brielle smiled, feeling so relaxed. “Hey, that’s if you can even tear yourself away from your sex God over there.”
Emma sighed in pleasure. “I know.”
Nate was content. They had cut the yacht’s motors and were drifting peacefully in the middle of the ocean. He looked into the distance and could see the outline of land ahead but from their location, the only sounds they could hear were the water lapping against the side of the large boat and the gulls overhead, squawking at the escaping fish. He was at ease.
Noah sat on his lap in the fishing chair as he taught the small child how to cast a line.
“Hold your thumb on this line, Noah,” he showed him, indicating the portion of the rod.
The child mimicked as he was shown.
“Good. Release the drag on the reel and then lean it over your shoulder and then propel the line forward.”
Noah gently threw the line over his shoulder and then propelled it forward as Nate had shown him.
“Now release your thumb, son!”
Noah repeated the request as the line swung deftly into the water below. The sinker hit the surface and landed with a neat “plop”.
“Great job, kiddo.”
Noah beamed up at Nate, soaking in the praise.
“Looks like you’re going to catch our supper tonight.”
“Oh boy!”
“Catch anything yet?” Luca asked, coming out from the inside cabin.
“Not yet but Noah cast a brilliant line.”
Luca bent over the rail and mock-inspected Noah’s casting. He nodded his head in appreciation. “Not bad.”
The men shared more banter before Nate felt a tug on the line. “Looks like you got a bite kiddo. Don’t tug on it now, just reel him in slowly and carefully.”
Noah did as he was instructed but even Noah could feel that the fish was strongly battling the hook.
“Wow, that’s a big bugger!” Luca exclaimed over the front railing. “He’s splashing all over the place. Come on, Noah, you can do it.”
The next few minutes passed in a frenzy as Noah tried to reel in the fish. Seeing his son struggle, Nate reached in to help him but he could feel the pull the fish had on the line. The pull strained against his still recovering shoulder and the pain shot down to his elbow. He ignored it as he released some of the line to allow them some room and then very slowly they reeled in the fish. When they both pulled him out of the water, the large fish flopped about on the deck.
Noah laughed in giddy excitement. “Oh wow! Look Dad, I caught my first fish!!”
Nate’s heart burst with emotion. Noah called him dad. He never thought such a simple word could have such an effect on him but damn if the whole scenario had hi
m a little misty-eyed. Dammit. The shoulder pain forgotten, he took in the moment with his boy.
The fish flopped and twisted and its movements became slower and slower as it became lifeless.
“What fish is it?” Noah asked, hopping around his catch.
Nate studied the now dead fish. He unhooked the metal from its mouth and took in its medium-sized red scales and sloped body. It had small sharp teeth and was quite long—almost twenty inches in length. He picked it up and handled its weight. Almost twenty pounds maybe.
“Looks like you have yourself a red snapper, Noah. Great job! That’s a brilliant catch!”
Noah’s green eyes sparkled with excitement and pride.
“Let’s get a photo boys,” Luca called.
“Get the fish Noah.”
Noah picked it up by the tail, battling with its weight as the fish suddenly wriggled in one last attempt to get life back into its body. The boy yelped and dropped the fish and the two older men laughed at him.
“Here,” Nate offered, picking up the fish by the tail. He bent down beside Noah so Luca could capture the photo. Nate looked across at his son and took in the boyish exhilaration that he exuded, happy that he could put that look on his face. Just before Luca could click the camera, Noah faked a pose as if biting into the fish and Nate threw his head back, laughing.
It was a good afternoon, a good afternoon indeed.
“Can we go show my mom?” Noah asked Nate.
“Sure thing bud.”
They climbed the stairs to the upper deck and Nate found the two women sharing a few giggles as they sunbathed in their bikinis. He took one look at Brielle’s nearly naked body and just about dropped the large fish. Even after having their child, her body was smoking hot. She had her one leg up, bent at the knee and he was somehow back to thinking of those photographs that were hidden at the back of the album that Noah had shown him. Her legs looked toned and sexy and led to the curve of her sex that he had no doubt would be sweet to the taste. Her belly was flat and as he looked up to her chest, he saw the two perfect mounds that were her breasts. So deliciously full and creamy. In fact, they looked fuller than they had six years ago and he thought that he had read somewhere that motherhood did that to a woman’s breasts. Her expression was relaxed and happy as she shared secrets with her dark-haired friend.