“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 37
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 could be so easy. I could just lean forward, say the words into her hair so quietly she’d doubt she even heard them. I just want to get it off my chest.
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 f
or the tense moment of silence that ensues.
And then, Brenton’s agonizing wail gushes through the house.
Chapter 38
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.
He got hurt on my watch. I was busy in the kitchen, fooling around with his babysitter, and he got hurt.
That’s plain negligence. I should have been paying attention to him but I allowed myself to get distracted. I let my son down and he ended up in the hospital because of it.
How am I any better than Mara?
This poor kid. His mother abandoned him and now his dad’s got his head so far up the neighbor’s pussy that he can’t take care of him.
The nurse’s attention falls on me. “Hey—don’t beat yourself up, Mr. Montgomery,” she tells me, “Kids get hurt all the time. This isn’t your fault.”
Except, it is.
I should have made sure that he was tucked in bed but I didn’t. He was in his room, in the dark, looking for a bedtime story to read to himself. He couldn’t reach the switch, so he tried to stand on his backpack and he went crashing to the floor and broke his arm. If it isn’t my fault then who’s is it?
I peek past the blinds, into the hallway. Reese sits there on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. She’s been waiting with us the whole time. She should go home. She can’t stay. Because right now, my guilt won’t cut me some slack. And every time I look at her, my love for her floods my mind and it reminds me of how badly I let down my son.
Rising from my chair, I pad out the door. She’s on her feet the moment she sees me. “Is he okay? Does he need a CAT scan? Are they gonna keep him overnight?”
I don’t have answers to her questions. All I have is sadness. When I came to this town, I promised myself that I would focus on building a life for my kid. I got sidetracked and fell in love with this beautiful woman. But it doesn’t matter how much I want her. She’s a distraction nonetheless and I can’t allow myself to be distracted anymore.
“You should go home,” I tell her.
Shaking her head frantically, she sits back in her chair. “No, I can wait. I don’t mind.”
“Reese. Go home.” I hate the harsh grate of my tone but I need her to understand that the game we’ve been playing is over. I can’t play anymore.
She gives me a long look and understanding washes over her. “Leo, what are you doing?” she whispers, her voice wavering. “Why are you doing this?” She stands in front of me, looking up into my face with a quivering lip. “Why are you doing this?”
I don’t have a choice. Brent needs my undivided attention at this stage in his life.
I hear footsteps and when I look over my shoulder, I see the nurse stepping out of the room. “I’ve got to get back in there.” I tell Reese.
“Leo…” I hear the plea in her voice.
I keep a hard expression despite the waver in my words. “Goodbye, Reese.” I ball my hands into fists to keep from touching her and I turn back into the room.
Chapter 39
Reese
I pound my fist into Leo’s front door and I’m seeing red. I’m so pissed off. Pissed off and frustrated. And I’m not gonna let him just get away with this.
The door swings open and I stumble back, his virile masculine beauty knocking the wind out of me. For a second, I forget to be mad at him. All I feel is love, hot and pulsing in the air between us, begging to be embraced and explored. Then, it morphs back into rage. Red-hot rage.
While all this plays out in my head, he stares down at me with a blank face, like I’m a stranger, some girl scout who showed up at this door to sell chocolate-covered almonds or something. Fuck this guy!
“I went to pick up Brenton from school today,” I say angrily, “They told me that someone else had already taken him.” Ending our romantic situation is one thing. Cutting me out of Brenton’s life is another thing completely. It’s cruel.
Leo scrubs his hand down the side of his face. “Yeah, that old lady down the street—Mrs. Pinnchecko—she’ll be watching him from now on.” He says it so matter-of-factly, like he doesn’t realize he’s crushing my heart in his hand.
I fold my arms tightly over my chest like a suit of armor. “And why’s that?”
His voice is flat and lifeless. “I think that’s what’s best for everyone.”
He stands there with his white shirt unbuttoned and his jeans low on his hips and his feet bare. His hair is all messed up and he smells like liquor. There’s a cigarette tucked behind his ear.
I love him but I want to punch him in the throat. I want to yell at him. Instead, my shaky voice comes out as a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
“It’s just—it’s easier this way…”
Is he even hearing himself right now? “Easier for who?” I question. “Easier for Brenton? Because he and I were getting along just fine. And as for you, you’re happier when I’m around. We both know that.”
He doesn’t answer. He just stares off into the distance, peering emotionlessly over my shoulder.
“Leo, talk to me!” I demand, stomping my heel.
“I won’t lie, Reese—I care about you. So much. But I’m supposed to be focused on Brenton right now. And I’ve been distracted. Running around like a carefree bachelor when I should have been focused on becoming a better dad—”
I cut him off. “What happened to Brent was an accident. He was standing on his backpack to turn on the light and he fell. That’s not my fault and it’s not yours. Kids get hurt all the time.” He remains unmoved by my logic. “Admit it, Leo. We work. You and me and Brent together, we work.”
His eyes go wild. He looks terrified of what I’m saying. He knows that I’m right. “Stop it, Reese.”
“Fuck your self pity, Leo. what we have is real. We make each other better. We make each other happy. Why are you so afraid of that? Why won’t you let me be there for the both of you? I don’t give up on the people I care about…I don’t want to give up on you and Brent.”
His voice snaps. “I don’t need saving Reese. Me and Brent—we don’t need saving.” Each syllable feels like a punch to the stomach. He reads the pain on my face and his eyes soften a touch. “Look, things were getting too intense, too complicated. The distance is what’s best for all of us.”
He reaches out to cradle my chin but I slink away. “Fuck. You.” I mutter as I back down the stairs. “Fuck. You.” I turn around and march along the walkway. I give him one last bitter look before I flounce into my house. I barely make it to the couch before collapsing under the weight of my pain.
This is a hard lesson for me. Sometimes loving someone isn’t enough. Some people just don’t want to be loved and they don’t want to be saved and it’s incredibly arrogant—and naive—of me to think that my love will be the thing to show them otherwise. I was just another stupid girl who thought that I could fix a broken man, that my love could be the glue to put his broken pieces back together.
And now I’m the one who’s broken. Looks like I’m gonna have to figure out how to fix me.
Chapter 40
Reese
Just stepping into the room makes my stomach churn.
Every single Las Vegas bachelor party stereotype exists within the walls of this 2000 square-foot penthouse suite. From the tacky condom-balloons taped to the walls to the multi-colored bras hanging like streamers from the ceiling to the loud rock and roll music blaring through the room. Of course, let’s not forget the drunken adult males who mysteriously morphed into douchey fratboys the minute they rolled unto the Vegas Strip and the shameless ‘dancers’ who apparently bought their outfits on sale in the toy department at JC Penney’s.
I get a sinking feeling in my stomach as Nova drags me through the room, elbowing idiots out of the way. From what Sophia has told
us, the invitees of this rather classy event are mainly guys that Josh went to college with. The rest are fellows from around Copper Heights.
My disgust swells further when I spot my brother in the middle of it all, slouching in a chair with his head back while a nearly naked stripper does the bunny wiggle in his lap.
I barely avoid getting my eye jabbed out when a huge silicone dildo goes flying past my head. Thankfully, I was shielded when the identified flying object got stuck in Nova’s bushy hair instead. And I’ll tell you, she’s not happy. She gives the offender a piece of her mind, flipping him off as we march over to Charlie and his companion. Nova gives him a hard poke in the shoulder. “Hey, you!” she shouts roughly, her voice clashing with the noise of the music. “We need a word with you!”
The purple-haired girl humping my brother’s leg squints up at us and giggles. “Is this your bride-to-be?” She grinds harder, obviously taking joy in the idea of being a homewrecker.
My best friend glares. “No, you vile bitch—I’m not this degenerate’s bride-to-be!”
“Hey!” the stripper shouts, jumping to her feet so fast that the contents of her plastic champagne glass slosh over the side, covering the toe of Nova’s shoe.
Charlie cranes his neck in Nova’s direction but his body stays stiff in place. “Hey, watch your mouth there, firecracker. I’m not exactly in a position to protect your ass tonight.” He wiggles his arms and that’s when I notice that they’re handcuffed to his chair.
I throw my head back and groan. “You are such an idiot, Charles!”
His attention snaps in my direction and he’s only now realizing that I’m standing here. “What the hell, Reese? Why are you two crashing our party?”
I ignore his line of questioning smack him in the back of the head. This is my one shot at revenge against him for all the times he’s poked fun at me—he’s half-drunk and chained to a chair—and by god, I’m going to take advantage.
He’s even more pissed now. “What the ever-living-fuck are you two doing here?!” he shrieks, fighting against his restraints.
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