The Only One for Me

by Bridget Anderson

She laughed. “Not quite. Why don’t you try something like this.” Corra leaned over and grabbed him by the collar. “Let’s see what your cake tastes like.”

  The moment her mouth met his, warmth flooded his body and the desire to take her became an overpowering need. He wanted her closer. While the taste of chocolate and wine lingered on her tongue, he also detected a longing as urgent as his own. She wanted him.

  Corra was pulled into Chris’s lap after he opened his legs and turned his chair around. The foreplay they had been engaged in for the last couple of weeks had been enough for her. Chris moaned as they parted lips long enough for her to catch her breath and him to brand her neck with his hot moist lips.

  She bit down on her bottom lip as a loud moan escaped. Her heartbeat raced like she was running the Kentucky Oaks herself. Chris worked his way back up to her lips and captured her mouth. She wrapped an arm around his neck as his hand began to caress different parts of her body.

  Her body craved this man. A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine when he cupped her breast in his hand. Her eyes fluttered behind their lids and light-headedness took over. Before she passed out, she broke the hold Chris had on her mouth and threw her head back. She needed air.

  “Oh, God. You don’t know how long it’s been since a man held me in his arms like this,” she said.

  Corra looked into Chris’s eyes and could see what was on his mind. It was on her mind too. No kids. A nice quiet house all to themselves. Did she dare?

  Hell yes!

  She picked up her glass of wine and stood up. Her eyes locked on his.

  A slow smile formed on Chris’s lips. He stood, grabbed his wine and took her hand. “Follow me.”

  She followed him upstairs to the master bedroom where neither of them could wait to get out of their clothes. Chris set the glasses on his dresser. He unbuttoned his shirt while she pulled her top over her head.

  Any body image issues Corra may have had before tonight were completely forgotten. She stripped before Chris and her excitement grew as he did the same. Once they were completely naked, standing before each other in their birthday suits, Chris closed the distance between them and engulfed Corra in his arms. His rock-hard body was still that of a football player. His firm arms held her against him while the effects of his erection pressed against her stomach.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and walked backward with him until they were against the bed. As he showered her with kisses he lowered her onto the bed. Corra couldn’t believe what was happening, yet she was present and fully aware of it. Her mind was saying “wait a minute,” but her body wasn’t waiting for anything.

  Chris rolled over onto his back and Corra wasted no time straddling him. They stopped kissing long enough for him to make a request.

  “Spend the night with me?” he asked, between pants.

  She hesitated, then shook her head. “I can’t.”

  “Why not? Rollin and Tayler will keep the kids. Tonight is our night. I want you with me all night.”

  Corra lowered her forehead to Chris’s chest. Only God knew how much she wanted this man. He raked his hands through her hair, pulling it back as it fell on his stomach.

  “I’ve waited a long time for you. And I want to take my time, and love you right.”

  She sat up and looked down into his beautiful face. He was always well groomed and his olive complexion glistened with perspiration. But, it was the little freckles around his nose and cheeks that turned her on tonight. From her vantage point he was the irresistible, sexy and cocky football player she used to dream about.

  With one arm he reached over for the phone on the nightstand, without moving her. He handed her the phone. “Call Rollin. Tell him I’ll bring you back in the morning.”

  She took the phone. “I’ll call Tayler.”

  After the phone call, Chris pulled Corra down until they were chest to chest. He wrapped his arms around her and cupped her derriere in both hands, repositioning her right where he wanted her to be. She was his tonight.

  He took his time and caressed, kissed and lavished every part of her body with attention. For the next couple of hours he studied her like he needed to pass an exam. He wanted to find her spot. What turned her on? What turned her off? What drove her absolutely crazy? And what made her cry.

  She shivered when he kissed the scar from her broken leg. He pulled a condom from its box in his nightstand drawer. Although he told Corra they had all night, he couldn’t wait any longer. His body trembled as he leaned over her. Her lips were parted, and her eyes soft and hungry with desire told him she needed him. She wrapped her legs around his body.

  “Make love to me, Chris,” she whispered.

  He quenched his thirst for her all night long.

  Chapter 15

  After spending Friday night and Saturday morning with Chris, Corra was all smiles at Jamie’s baseball game on Sunday afternoon. She wanted to invite Chris to the game, but he had plans with his father. She missed him already. As she watched the kids run the bases, she could feel Chris’s mouth on her breasts and his hands exploring her body. He touched and caressed her in ways that reignited passion she’d suppressed for so long.

  Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Tayler calling her name until she waved her hand in front of Corra’s face.

  “Earth to Corra. Are you in there? Or, are you still with Chris?”

  Corra shook her head. “I’m sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. I’ve got so much going on.”

  “Umm-hum, sure you do. Where’s your man this afternoon?”

  Corra smiled at how nice that sounded. Where was her man? “With his father. He said he’ll try to make it next Sunday.”

  “So how do the kids like him?”

  “They think he’s the greatest. Jamie’s in love with his car.”

  Tayler laughed. “That boy loves cars almost as much as baseball. He keeps asking if he can drive my car.”

  A man walking alongside the baseball field caught Corra’s attention. Just inside the fence, Rollin threw Jamie a few pitches, helping him warm up. Something they did every Sunday. Jamie was all suited up in his blue-and-white uniform and baseball cap. Corra stood up as the man walked around the fence and she realized who it was. Eric.

  “What is it?” Tayler asked, as she stood next to Corra shielding her eyes from the sun.

  “What the hell is he doing here?” Corra had not invited Eric to the game.

  “Who is he?” Tayler asked.

  “It’s Eric.”

  “Eric, as in the kids’ father?”

  “Yes,”

  “He’s back from California? When did that happen?”

  Corra picked up her purse. She did not want Eric on the field with Jamie. “I’ll be right back.”

  She left Tayler in the stands and headed for the field. By the time she reached them, Rollin and Eric had shook hands and Eric was showing Jamie how to hold his mitt and undoubtedly giving him some baseball tips.

  Rollin caught Corra’s eyes before she walked up and frowned. He didn’t like Eric either.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked Eric.

  “There you go, buddy, you’ve got it.” He’d taken over playing catch from Rollin. “I’m giving my son a few pointers. You don’t mind, do you, Rollin?”

  Rollin shook his head. “Not at all. You plan on sticking around for the game?”

  Jamie chimed in. “Yeah, Daddy, you gonna stay and watch me play?”

  Eric walked over and fussed with Jamie’s cap. “I most certainly am. Let’s get a little more practice in before the game. Come on.”

  Corra and Rollin rejoined Tayler in the stands.

  “Why didn’t you tell me he was back?” Rollin asked.

  Corra shrugged. “I don’t know.”

 
; “Does Chris know?”

  She shook her head. “Not that I know of. I know he doesn’t like him, but Eric’s their father so he’s always going to be a part of their lives.”

  “I hope Eric’s not setting them up for a letdown. And if I was you I’d tell Chris.”

  As the captain called his team in to get ready to start the game, Eric found his way to the stands. Corra thought he was about to bring his trifling self up there with them, but he stopped short and sat next to a man she now recognized as his old buddy, Dickie. The guy she banned from coming to the house when the kids were small. He was trouble on two legs.

  Corra couldn’t even enjoy the game. Every time Jamie was up to bat Eric stood up clapping and acting like the proud father. Rollin was the reason for Jamie’s baseball skills, not Eric. She tried to ignore him and keep her focus on Jamie and Katie who sat at the end of the bench with one of her little friends. She smiled as they laughed and talked like two old women. Katie had an old, gentle soul.

  Sometime before the last inning Eric left. Corra hadn’t seen him leave, but when the game was over he was nowhere around.

  * * *

  After dinner with the family Corra returned home to laundry and preparing the kids for the week. Then, Sharon stopped by and they sat around the kitchen table talking.

  “You should have seen him sitting there like he was so into the game. If anything he was more of a distraction to Jamie. Poor fella looked as if he was struggling.”

  “What did Eric say to you?”

  “Nothing. Only that he’d come to watch Jamie play. I didn’t have anything else to say to him. I just wish he’d had the decency to let me know when he’s going to show up. We need to establish some boundaries.”

  “You still haven’t told Chris?”

  Corra lowered her forehead into the palm of her hand. “Not yet. I could have kicked myself for not telling Rollin. He was blindsided when Eric approached them.”

  “Rollin’s such an understanding man. Besides, playing daddy is good practice for when he and Tayler have children of their own.”

  Corra laughed. “And he should be ready with as much practice as he’s had over the years. I can’t wait until they give me a little niece or nephew.”

  The doorbell rang, and before Corra could make it to the front door Jamie and Katie came charging down the stairs screaming, “Daddy’s here, Daddy’s here.”

  What the hell! Corra looked back at Sharon. “See what I mean?” She turned around and dared the kids to open the door until she got there. When she opened the door Eric grinned at her like he was a young man again who’d come by to pick her up. Only this time she wasn’t excited to see him.

  “Hey Corra, I thought I’d stop by to see the kids since I’m off this evening.”

  So he has a job! “Eric, you need to start calling to set things up. How do you know I don’t have plans this evening?”

  They’d waited behind her long enough. Jamie peeked around Corra. “Daddy, did you see all of my game today?”

  Eric squatted down. “I certainly did. My ride had to leave at the very end, but I saw you out there doing your thing. I’m proud of you.”

  Unable to contain them any longer, Corra stepped aside while Jamie and Katie held the door open for Eric to enter.

  He looked up at Corra. “Mind if I come in for a few minutes?”

  She shook her head.

  Eric waved back out the door at someone parked in front of her house, and the car pulled off. Corra hoped whoever it was had planned on coming back. She wasn’t going to take him home.

  “That’s Dickie, you remember him, don’t you?” Eric asked.

  With disgust, Corra nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  Eric shook his head. “He’s visiting a friend in the area, so all I have to do is call him when I’m ready. He’ll swing back by and pick me up.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief as they walked up into the living room. “And how long will that be?”

  Jamie grabbed Eric’s hand. “Come on, Daddy, let me show you what the coach gave us after the game.”

  “I want to see,” Katie said from the other side of Eric, holding his hand.

  “Hi, Eric.” Sharon stood in the entrance to the kitchen.

  He raised his chin. “I see some things never change. You two still best friends?”

  “That’s right. Corra’s my girl. I’ve always got her back.”

  “I’ll remember that.” Eric headed upstairs with his kids.

  Corra joined Sharon at the kitchen table.

  “I think he’s about to become a permanent fixture over here,” Sharon said.

  “Oh, no he’s not. I’ll be sure to see to that.”

  Sharon left an hour later, and Corra was downstairs in the family room folding clothes and watching TV when Eric walked in.

  “Where are my kids?” she asked, shaking one of Katie’s blouses.

  “In their rooms. I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

  “Yeah, I need to talk to you too.”

  “Look, is it okay if I come get the kids this week and take them to the park? There’s only so much we can do here.”

  Corra snapped the next top in the air. “No, it won’t be okay. I’m sorry but you haven’t been around long enough for me to trust my kids with you.”

  He sat down on the corner of the couch. “What do you think I’m going to do, kidnap my own kids? I barely have a place to lay my own head.”

  She folded the shirt and placed it on top of the stack next to her. “I haven’t seen you in over two years. And I have sole custody so right now I’m more comfortable if you visit them here at the house.”

  His jaw tightened, but Corra didn’t care. She wasn’t ready to let him go off with her kids. She didn’t know where Eric lived, where he worked or if he had a dime to his name.

  “Okay, I understand. We’ll play in the backyard then.” He stood up and walked over to look at pictures on the bookshelf. “I didn’t realize how much I missed them. Katie’s so sweet, I could hold her and never let go. I don’t want her to grow up. And Jamie...” Eric shook his head and picked up another picture of Jamie with his baseball team. “He’s a remarkable kid. Both of them are.” He set the pictures down and turned around to face Corra. “They aren’t mad at me. Neither one of them. They keep asking me about my work and why did I have to go away to work.”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s where I told them you were. Out of town on a job.”

  “How long was I supposed to be there?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t know. I knew one day I’d have to tell them the truth, but for now that sufficed. They cried every now and then, but they understood you would be coming back.”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For not teaching them to hate me after everything I did.”

  Corra continued her folding. “You didn’t try to hurt them, only me. I didn’t see a reason to punish them for that.”

  Eric moved from the couch to a chair across the room. “Corra, I’m gonna make it up to you, I promise. Then maybe one day we can talk about joint custody. I want to spend more time with them.”

  Corra laughed. “Don’t make any promises you can’t keep.”

  “I’m working now, pretty soon I’ll have my own place and a car. I’ll be able to help you out some. I know it’s not easy raising two kids alone.”

  “My family helps.”

  “Yeah, well they’re my responsibility, not your family’s.”

  Corra stood with her back ramrod straight. That’s the first time she’d heard Eric talk about taking responsibility for anything. He was the guy who walked out on his responsibilities. “That’s the most grown-up thing I’ve heard you say, ever.”

  “Look, I’m g
onna call Dickie and get out of here in a few minutes. I’ll be upstairs with the kids until he comes.”

  “Tell them I said to get ready to take a bath. As soon as you leave I’m coming up.”

  “Okay.”

  Eric went back upstairs and Corra finished the laundry. Several minutes later, she heard a car horn blow outside. Eric’s ride. Dickie probably didn’t see anything wrong with sitting out there blowing the horn, but she hated it. She walked to the front door and Eric came down the stairs as she opened the door.

  Shockingly, the kids weren’t running behind him.

  “They’re getting ready for their baths, I told them you’d be right up.”

  Corra nodded. How come kids listened more when a man told them what to do than when a woman did? If she’d told them that they would have ignored her and come running down the stairs with Eric.

  “Tell your buddy not to sit out in front of my house and blow the horn, please.”

  “I’m sorry. You know Dickie. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s cool. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do it again.”

  She opened the front door and Eric let himself out onto the front porch. Corra started to step out, but her heart stopped when Chris’s silver Cadillac pulled up behind Dickie’s car. She had to remember to breathe.

  Chapter 16

  Chris stepped out of the car, and Corra went weak in the knees. He had a new sexy swag about himself as he walked around the car with his head held high. Her body tingled and craved to be touched by him again.

  Eric turned around following her gaze. “Who’s this, your new boyfriend?” he asked.

  For a moment, she’d forgotten Eric was standing there, until Chris slowed his stride and narrowed his eyes before stepping up onto the porch.

  Eric’s mouth momentarily fell open. “Ain’t this a bitch,” he mumbled, before turning back to Corra. “So is this your new man?”

  “Eric Hayden, haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Chris said, holding out his hand.

  Eric’s eyebrow rose as he stared Chris down, but didn’t accept his hand. “Christopher Williams. I thought you moved to New York or somewhere up north.”