by Tia Siren
“Shh,” he whispered into my ear, his hand gently stroking my face.
I whimpered as the tingling sensation left me in a state of semi-arousal and complete satisfaction. My body didn’t know what it needed. I drifted off to sleep in his arms, never wanting to move.
Chapter Thirty-One
Tyler
I felt hot breath washing over my chest even before I was fully awake. I opened my eyes, looked down, and smiled. It was Emily’s body draped across me. One of her soft hands was on my rib cage, her mouth open against my chest as she slept, her long hair hanging over my arm. I loved waking up with this woman. I turned my head to see what time it was and realized I had a little more time before I had to leave the warm bed with the hot woman in it.
I ran my fingers over her arm and thought about the many wicked ways I wanted to wake her up. I could already feel myself growing hard. I smiled in the dim light of the room, thinking about a quickie before work.
The thought vanished when the door to the room was thrown open.
“Mom?” Tommy’s voice called out, and Emily was instantly awake.
“Oh shit,” she whispered, moving away from me. “I’m right here,” she called out, her voice still rough from sleep.
“Dad?” Tommy said as he walked closer to the bed, staring at me, then Emily.
I turned to look at Emily. “Oops,” I muttered.
She slid up the bed a little, propping her head up on the pillows. “What’s up? Are you hungry?” she asked, rubbing a hand over her eyes.
Tommy walked to her side of the bed and climbed up. Emily held the sheet firmly over her chest as he climbed over her and put himself right between us. There was a huge grin on his face as he looked from me to her.
“Hi,” I said, grinning back at him.
“Are you guys married now?” he asked, and Emily groaned.
I laughed and ignored the question. I had no idea how to answer it. The kid was three, but I knew he was smart; I just didn’t know how smart. I was leaving this one up to his mother to answer.
“No, we’re not,” she finally said.
Tommy laid his head on Emily’s pillow, content to stare up at the ceiling with the two of us. The kid had us at a serious disadvantage. We couldn’t very well get out of bed in our birthday suits. I didn’t know a lot about kids, but I knew that would incite a line of questioning I wasn’t prepared to deal with.
“Why don’t you go pack your things while I get ready. We’re going to be going home in a little bit,” Emily said.
Tommy hesitated but finally crawled over me, nearly assuring he’d be my only child with one well-placed knee before he jumped down.
“Close the door, please,” I said.
Tommy closed the door and I burst into laughter.
“Great,” she mumbled. “Now he’s going to be bugging me about that all day.”
I sat up, threw the sheet off, and pulled on my underwear.
“Come home with me,” I blurted out.
“What?” she nearly shouted as she walked naked to the door where I had stripped her last night.
“Come home with me. Stay with me.”
She shook her head. “No. I have a home, and now that Leo is effectively scared away, I’m going back.”
I walked to her, grabbed her upper arms, and forced her to look at me. “I want you in my life.”
She shook her head. “I already told you, I’m not that kind of person. Last night was nice, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. You have your life and I have mine. We’ll work something out with Tommy.”
The woman dressed with lightning speed and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there in my briefs. She was going to make me crazy with her hot and cold attitude. I was pretty sure I was the one being used.
By the time I made my way into the living room, they were ready to go. I didn’t bother trying to talk to her again about our future.
“Alex will take you home,” I mumbled.
“What about you?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“I’ll take a cab to my house so I can shower, and then Alex can take me to work.”
“Okay,” she replied a little too quickly.
We left the hotel going separate directions. By the time I made it to work, I was in yet another shitty mood, which seemed impossible after the night I’d had.
Landon strolled into my office, took one look at me, and flopped onto the couch. “Now what happened?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Nothing.”
He chuckled. “You’re pouting. That woman is jerking you around.”
I glared at him. “No, she isn’t.”
He stared back at me until I finally caved in. “Yes, she is.”
He nodded his head. “What’d she do now?” he asked, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other like a practiced therapist.
“It isn’t what she does or doesn’t do. I mean, we get along great, the sex is off the charts, and then two seconds later she hates me and is convinced I’m fucking around with a horde of other women!” I said, my frustration making me a little crazy.
“You’ve told her you’re not?”
I nodded my head in the affirmative.
“And you’re not?” he clarified.
“I’m not. I went out on a couple dates, as you know, but it was for the show. It wasn’t serious. I explained that to her.”
Landon leaned forward. “It’s time to shit or get off the pot. Grow a pair and tell her she’s either in or out. There are a million women who would be willing to take her place in your life.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, I’m sure that’ll convince her.”
He shook his head. “I’m serious. You need to lay it on the line. Quit letting her jerk you around. Give her an ultimatum. Either she wants you or she doesn’t. I think she’s using you for your hot body,” he said with a wink.
I digested his advice and realized he had a good point. I had somehow given her all the power. That wasn’t like me. Emily was a strong woman who needed a strong man. I had been a bit of a pushover. It was time to stand my ground and prove to her I was the man for her.
“I will. Thank you. Now, go away. I’ve got shit to do,” I told him, smiling as I said it.
“I’ll send you the bill for my services,” he said, laughing as he walked out the door.
The rest of the day I mulled over what I would say to Emily. I wanted her to understand I was not a man to be toyed with, but I didn’t want to come off as arrogant and demanding. It was a fine line, and I had a feeling no matter which tactic I took, it was going to piss her off.
I didn’t bother calling to warn her I was on my way. I showed up at the door, taking her by surprise.
“We need to talk,” I said, pushing my way into the house.
“It’s after eight. Isn’t it a bit late?”
I shook my head. “No. This can’t wait. Is Tommy in bed?”
She nodded her head, eyeing me as if I were a dangerous animal. I was in many ways, but I wouldn’t be ripping her clothes off tonight—unless she asked, of course.
“Good. Sit,” I ordered, pointing to one of the chairs at the table.
At first, it looked like she would defy me, but then, to my surprise, she sat down.
I sat in another chair. “I don’t know how else to say this, so I’m just going to come right out with it.”
“Say what?” she asked, her shoulders stiff and her hands flat on the table, as if she were bracing herself for some major blow.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.” I said the words on a long breath, feeling as if I’d just removed a heavy burden from my shoulders.
She blinked and stared at me. “What?”
“I want to take care of you and Tommy. I want us to be together, as a family.”
The expression on her face would have been funny as hell if it weren’t such a serious moment and I hadn’t just put my heart out there for her to stomp on.
“Tyler, I—” She
stopped talking.
I reached out and put one hand over hers. “Give me the opportunity to prove I’m worth taking a chance on. I know you have this idea about me, but it’s wrong. I want you. You’re the only woman in my life.”
She was shaking her head, and the knot in my stomach grew painful.
“Tyler, I can’t,” she whispered.
“Why? I know you feel something for me, too.”
Her eyes were filled with pain and confusion. “I can’t. I don’t trust you. I know you’ll hurt me.”
I shook my head. “No, Emily, I won’t. I mean, not intentionally. I’ll probably screw up, but I would never intentionally hurt you.”
She smiled. “And that’s why I can’t be with you. It’s your nature. You always have so many women falling at your feet—women who are prettier than me and more your type. I don’t want you to be with me because I’m the mother of your child.”
“It wouldn’t be like that.”
“Tyler, you’re still dating other women, trying to find someone who is compatible with you and your lifestyle. I don’t blame you for that. We had a one-night stand that resulted in a child. I don’t expect a commitment from you.”
I took a deep breath, trying my best to maintain my composure. The woman was pissing me off. When I said something, I meant it. I had never told another woman I was falling in love with her.
“Look, I need to know if you want to give this a try. I’ll give you a couple days to make up your mind. I’ve told you, several times, about the dates. I’m telling you that it’s you I want and only you. Friday night, I’ll send my car to pick you up. We’ll go out and celebrate the start of our new relationship. If you’re not in that car, I’ll know you chose otherwise and I won’t bug you again. We’ll work something out with Tommy, but I’ll leave you alone.”
She looked down at our hands stacked on the table. I pulled mine away, giving her the space she claimed to need.
“Tyler, I’m not trying to be difficult, and I appreciate the gesture, but we are so different.”
I held up my hand. “Look, I said what I had to say. I don’t want to hear the same arguments again. If I see you on Friday, great. If I don’t, please don’t apologize. It is what it is. I won’t grovel. I’ve done enough of that already,” I said, standing up and looking down at her.
“I—”
“Think about what I said. I’m very serious. It’s up to you now.”
I turned and walked out the door, leaving her sitting at her kitchen table, looking as if I had just dropped a steaming pile of dog shit in her lap. It was a bit of an ego-killer to be rejected so many times. I wouldn’t let it get me down. It would sting a bit, but I’d get over it.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Emily
I had been dreading this day since Tyler had walked out on Wednesday. I was terrified of the man, but I wanted him so badly, which made the terror that much more real. The gauntlet had been thrown down, and the man was serious about the ultimatum. I knew that in my very core. I had been waffling on a decision, afraid to take a leap of faith, but more afraid to let him slip away.
I hadn’t bothered to ask Sarah to watch Tommy—yet. I was afraid to commit to the date and then get cold feet. If I asked her to babysit, that would make it all very real. It was still early in the morning. I needed to call work and see if I was on the schedule today. When I had called yesterday, the manager had been out and the new waitress I’d spoken with hadn’t seen my name on the schedule.
I got up, made some coffee, and made the call I had been dreading.
“Hi. This is Emily. I’m checking my schedule for the week,” I said, doing my best to sound pleasant.
My manager laughed before bursting into a coughing fit. Served her right. That was what you got when you smoked a pack a day for thirty years.
She cleared her throat. “You’re not on the schedule.”
“I’m ready to return to work. My family emergency has been resolved.”
“I don’t care. You don’t work here anymore. You can have twenty family emergencies.”
“Seriously? You’re firing me? I’m the best damn waitress you have,” I spat out.
“Your last check will be mailed to you,” she said and hung up the phone.
I stared at the phone in my hand. I was shocked, but I had been expecting it in some ways.
“Shit,” I mumbled, instantly thinking about the rent and the electric bill that was due next week.
My meager savings would be just enough to cover me for the month. I needed to find a job and quick. Finding a job that could schedule me around daycare hours was not easy, especially with my limited experience. I hated waitressing, but it was the only thing I really knew how to do.
I made another cup of coffee, checked on Tommy, and then grabbed my laptop to begin my job search. I didn’t have time to wallow. I needed a job, and I needed it immediately.
Tommy walked into the kitchen, so I momentarily stopped my job search while I got him breakfast. Every time I looked at him, I thought about Tyler. I needed to make a decision. My heart and brain were at war and I felt as if I were being torn in two.
I spent the next couple hours cleaning house, calling about posted jobs, and basically doing anything but thinking about the clock winding down to seven, the time when Tyler would send his driver to pick me up.
On a whim, I made a decision. “Hey, buddy, do you want to hang out with Aunt Sarah tonight?”
He shrugged his little shoulders. “Okay.”
I had made my decision. It felt a little like I was taking the left fork in the road, one that led into a dark forest, much like the one in Tyler’s painting. It was scary, and I had no idea what I would find, but I needed to take a chance.
Now I needed to call and ask Sarah. I had no idea what I would do if she already had plans. It was shitty of me to wait until the last minute, and I hoped she would forgive me. I headed for my bedroom to start digging through my closet.
“Mom!” Tommy shouted from the living room. “Your phone is ringing!”
I headed out in search of the elusive phone, trying to remember where I’d left it. I could hear it but couldn’t see it. Finally, I found it under one of my worn throw pillows on the couch.
“Hello?” I answered, a little out of breath.
A woman on the other end of the phone started to talk. The more she talked, the more my world tilted sideways and my vision blurred.
“Okay,” I croaked out. “I’ll be there.”
I hung up, taking a few seconds to compose myself. Then, it was a flurry of activity.
“Tommy, find your shoes, now!” I said, racing into his bedroom to grab his backpack. I frantically stuffed books and toys into the thing before running into the kitchen and randomly tossing in snacks.
“Am I going to daycare?” Tommy asked, holding his shoes and watching me race around the house, putting on my own shoes and grabbing my purse.
“No. We’re going to the hospital. Aunt Sarah got hurt.” I croaked out the words, hating that I had to say them.
He sat down on the ground, and with fumbling fingers, I managed to get his shoes on and tied before racing out the door with his backpack and my purse thrown over my arm. By the time I got to the hospital, I had managed to gain control of my emotions, the shock subsiding a bit. My hands were shaking as I walked into the emergency room, giving the woman at the front desk my name and Sarah’s name.
She looked at Tommy and grimaced.
“He’s fine,” I hissed, wanting information about her condition.
She nodded. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re here.”
“I want to see her.”
The look on her face made my blood run cold.
“Have a seat, and I’ll let the doctor know you’re here.”
I paced while Tommy sat in one of the blue chairs, staring at the other people in the large waiting area.
“Miss Preston?” a male voice said.
I spun around to
see a middle-aged man wearing a white coat over green scrubs. I grabbed Tommy’s hand. “That’s me.”
He nodded, looked at Tommy, then back at me. I was about sick of the judgmental looks. It wasn’t like I’d had time to drop him off at daycare.
“We’ll go in here so we can talk,” he said, pushing a button on the wall, making the double doors slide open. I followed him into a small room with a table. When he shut the door, I knew it was bad.
I sat down.
“Your friend was in a serious car accident. She was hit on the driver’s side, and the impact was quite severe. She’s in a coma for the time being, but stable. We’re running a battery of tests, looking for bleeding in the brain and any internal injuries.”
I nodded my head, unable to speak.
“Does she have family?”
I nodded again. “Her mom.”
“It would be a good idea to call her. You were listed as her emergency contact, but we need a family member to make medical decisions. It’s very likely Sarah will need surgery. We’ll need consent.”
“Okay,” I said, my voice harsh. “Can I see her?”
He looked at Tommy. “Let me see if I can have someone sit with your son.”
“Thank you.”
He got up and left the room, returning a few minutes later with an older woman who identified herself as a volunteer. She promised to keep a close eye on Tommy and took him to the family room.
Thanking her, I followed the doctor to a room with a sliding glass door at the end of the hall. He stopped before entering the room.
“I need you to prepare yourself. She is badly injured. She’s on a respirator and there is a lot of swelling and bruising.
“Okay,” I murmured, mentally preparing myself.
The moment we walked through the door and the curtain was opened, a sound escaped my throat that I had never heard before. I stared at my best friend in the whole world, barely recognizing her. There was a nurse on both sides of her bed, adjusting her battered body and adding bags to an IV pole.