Fool Me Once

by Ash, Nikki

  “What do you even know about this guy, Blakely? How can you like someone you barely know?”

  “That’s part of getting to know someone. Part of dating.”

  Brenton stays silent for a long moment and then says, “So where does that leave us?”

  “Same place we were before he showed up—friends… at least I hope so. Who I choose to date shouldn’t affect our friendship.” When he doesn’t say anything, I push, “You aren’t seriously going to let the fact I’m dating come between our friendship, are you?” I step toward him. “You’re one of my best friends and Zane loves you. I’ve never allowed any of the girls you’ve taken out to affect our friendship.”

  “They didn’t mean anything to me,” Brenton says. “You’re the only woman I care about.”

  “And I care about you too. I don’t want what’s happening between Keegan and me to ruin our friendship.” I sniffle once, hating that I’m hurting Brenton. I never wanted this to happen. He’s one of the best people I know. “Please tell me you aren’t about to throw away years of friendship over this.”

  “I like you,” he admits, and my heart sinks. “I’ve liked you for years.”

  “I didn’t know.” I hadn’t the slightest clue, and I feel so stupid. “I can’t help how I feel. I’m sorry.” And then it hits me… “Do you not want to be friends with me anymore?” I can’t imagine Brenton not being in my life, but if it’s too hard on him, or hurts him, then I’ll understand.

  He shakes his head and sighs. “I’m not going anywhere. If all I can have with you is friendship, then I’ll take it.”

  I throw my arms around his neck for a hug. “Thank you.”

  Blakely

  “You’ve been quiet the last few days.” Keegan pulls me into his lap and I go willingly, my thighs straddling his. He presses his strong lips to mine then sucks on my lower lip, nipping it lightly before he releases it. “Everything okay?”

  I lay my head down on his shoulder and listen to his heartbeat. I love being this close to Keegan. It’s only been a short time since we found each other again, so you would think it would be awkward between us, getting to know one another, but it’s not. The last week we’ve somehow fallen into a comfortable relationship like we’ve known each other forever. He came to Zane’s show with me at his daycare, and everyone welcomed him. Apparently Zane has been talking nonstop about his daddy. Every night he comes over with dinner and plays with Zane, and after we put him to bed we talk and get to know each other. But I’ve noticed that we mostly talk about me and Zane. I love that Keegan wants to soak up every memory I have because he feels like he missed out on so much, but at the same time what Brenton said keeps prickling in the back of my head. “What do you know about this guy?”

  “We’ve never been to your place,” I blurt out, and Keegan’s arms stiffen around me.

  “I live with Kolton. There isn’t a lot of room there, and he’s home more than your sister is, so that’s less privacy. Plus, all of Zane’s stuff is here.”

  That makes sense, I think to myself.

  “How do you afford the apartment?” He goes to school and doesn’t work.

  “I have some money saved, and Kolton and I share the bills.”

  I nod against his shoulder. Makes sense…

  “What do you want to do for a living?”

  “Something in criminology,” he says after a second of silence. Then he lifts my chin so we’re looking into each other’s eyes. “What’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing.” I shake my head. “I guess I’m just overthinking things.”

  “With us?”

  “Maybe.”

  His brows furl together. “What are you overthinking?”

  “I really like you, but I feel like I don’t know you,” I admit.

  “I think it just takes time.” He kisses my forehead. “Every conversation, every time we hang out, we learn more about each other. Just last night I learned that when I kiss you right”—he plants an open-mouthed kiss to just above my collarbone and I wiggle in his lap—“here, you get all squirmy.” His lips land on the same spot again, but this time they linger there, suckling and licking the area, and my body ignites.

  “Keegan.” I moan as if I want him to stop, yet I tilt my head to the side more to give him better access. My center grinds down on the bulge between his legs, and he groans.

  “We have to stop,” he says, but his tone doesn’t convey he wants to stop at all.

  “Or we can take this to my bedroom.”

  His lips still against my flesh for a brief moment before he lifts and carries me to my room. On the way, we both peek in and see Zane is sleeping soundly, snuggled up with his stuffed animal of choice.

  “We created that,” Keegan whispers in awe, and my heart riots in my chest.

  With his elbow, Keegan closes my door and then walks us over to my bed, laying me down in the middle. He climbs up my body and dips his head down to kiss me. “However far you want this to go is up to you,” he murmurs against my lips.

  “I think we’ve already crossed that threshold.” I giggle. “Hence the little boy sleeping in his bedroom.”

  Keegan chuckles. “That was four years ago, JB.”

  I laugh at the shortened nickname he started using after I told him I was scared his parents would think I’m a bad person.

  “We’re getting to know each other all over again, and if you want to take things slow, I’m okay with that.”

  When I nod, our lips brush against each other. My hands roam across his shoulders and down his biceps and forearms. “Do you work out?”

  “Every morning at five a.m.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

  My hands find the front of Keegan, and I lift his shirt, exposing a couple of his abs and a happy trail that leads to The Promised Land. The last four years have been damn good to Keegan. He sits up so he can pull his shirt off and I find some new ink along his chest. I kiss his pectoral muscles, and he groans. “I like your new ink.” I plant a soft kiss to each of his perfectly rounded nipples.

  Keegan smirks, not making a move. He really is leaving how far we go up to me. Wrapping my legs around his torso and my arms around his neck, I lie back down, taking him with me. His hands fall on either side of my head against my pillow, and I pull him to me for a hard kiss. My center grinds against him. “I want you,” I beg. “All of you.”

  “You’re just horny,” he jokes, sliding one hand down my side and landing on my hip.

  I can’t argue with him, because he’s right, I am horny. It’s been too damn long. My hips buck against his erection again and he says, “I’ll take care of you.”

  Starting at my neck, he kisses his way down—only stopping to remove each article of clothing I have on—ending at the apex of my thighs. Once he has me completely naked, he starts back from the top again, this time taking his time, sucking on my pert nipples, licking the center of my belly button, and finally kissing the hood of my pussy. He spreads my legs and then lips apart and does exactly what he said he would do—he takes care of me. With every stroke and lick, he works me up until I’m trembling with pleasure. As my lips part and his name gets called, his hand covers my mouth. Even through my orgasm, I can feel him laughing against me.

  When the aftershocks from my orgasm simmer down, Keegan climbs up my body, and without even bothering to wipe myself from his lips, he crashes his lips down on mine, his tongue delving into my mouth and swirling around. The taste of me on him is an aphrodisiac, and I find myself reaching down and palming his dick through his pants. Then I’m unbuttoning and unzipping and yanking them, along with his boxers, down his muscular thighs. Keegan helps me by lifting slightly so I can get them past his knees, and then he kicks them off completely.

  I stroke his dick, root to tip, while we continue to kiss, our tongues moving frantically against each other. My thumb glides along his silky crown and I can feel his pre-cum dripping out. I use it to help jack him off. I want him inside me, but I’m not ready yet. Kee
gan was right. We might’ve been together before, but this is all new, and knowing we now have the possibility of lasting has me wanting to take things slowly, make sure what we’re creating is strong and sturdy and will last through any storm.

  I squeeze his shaft, pumping slow yet hard, and his dick swells. He releases a heady groan and then his dick pulsates. He comes, the hot seed landing on both of our stomachs. I stroke him a few more times, until he softens under my touch, and then I release him.

  His arms collapse, his elbows hitting my pillow and his face nuzzling my hair. “That was without a doubt the best thing I’ve felt in years. I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like when I’m back inside you again.”

  “I promise you won’t have to imagine for long,” I say through a giggle.

  Keegan lifts his head and eyes me seriously. “I’ll continue to imagine for however long it takes for you to be ready.”

  After we both use the bathroom to clean up, I get dressed in a long-sleeved pajama shirt and shorts, and Keegan puts back on his boxers and jeans, leaving his shirt off. We find our way back to my bed, and I turn the TV on, leaving it on the first channel I find, just to fill the silence. Keegan wraps his arms around me tight, kissing the top of my forehead and running his fingers through my hair. I don’t think either of us is ready for him to go home yet.

  “Spend the night,” I utter, and his eyes go wide.

  He glances down at me. “What about Zane? I know you were concerned…”

  “You’re his father. I’ve never had a man spend the night here before. He’ll be ecstatic to wake up to you being here.” As I say the words, my heart picks up speed—both out of excitement and fear. If we don’t work out, how will I explain to Zane that his daddy won’t be spending the night in the future? But then again, isn’t that what happens when two people divorce? It’s not ideal, but it doesn’t stop people from getting together. If it did, nobody would try. Keegan was right. I can’t think about the what-ifs. I need to live in the right now. And right now, I’m slowly falling in love with Keegan and want to sleep next to him—wake up next to him. Have breakfast with him and our son as a family. There are a million ways this can go wrong. I could be making the stupidest decision of my life. But what if it all goes right?

  Keegan’s lips curl into a gorgeous grin. “I’d love that,” he admits, pulling us both down onto my pillows so we can snuggle closer. His arm encircles my waist, then he glides his hand down to my ass, squeezing my cheek and leaving it there. I laugh as my head finds a comfortable spot in the crook of his shoulder, and my hand finds its place on his hard chest. Closing my eyes, I think about how I could lie like this, in this position with Keegan, for the rest of my life. Maybe we’re rushing things. I don’t know. But right now, with my body wrapped up in his, I feel like where we are is exactly where we belong.

  Keegan

  “Mommy, my throat hurts.” A tiny hand smacks my back. “You’re not my mommy…” Silence and then, “Daddy!”

  I chuckle and roll over to face Zane, who is standing next to the bed in his adorable SpongeBob pajamas and holding his Build-a-Bear I bought him. This must be the side of the bed Blakely sleeps on.

  “Can I sleep with you?” he asks, his face taking on a sad little puppy dog look with his eyes widening and his bottom lip jutting out slightly. I’m not sure what Blakely allows, but she isn’t awake, and as I stare at his adorably sad face, I know I don’t stand a chance against this look. I can only hope he doesn’t hit me with it when he wants something I can’t give him.

  “Sure, bud.” I pull him over me and lay him between Blakely and me, moving closer to the edge so there’s room for him. Sometime in the middle of the night, she rolled over and out of my arms. Her perfect round ass pushed against my crotch, and it took everything in me to simply hold her and not get lost in her.

  Zane snuggles into my side, squishing the bear between us. He named it Bear and brings the thing everywhere he goes—except to school because Blakely told him he’s too young to go.

  As he stares up at me, I remember what he said when he walked in here. “Does your throat still hurt?”

  “It itches,” he says through a yawn, his eyes already falling closed.

  I watch him and Blakely sleep for a few minutes, wondering what I did for karma to be on my side and be given this second chance. A minute later and Blakely might not have run into my brother. A second earlier and I might not have seen her from across the quad. But as fate would have it, we did see each other.

  She was hesitant at first, and I couldn’t fault her for that. She was only trying to put our son first. But then she came around, giving me us a chance, and like the sparkler she is, she’s lit up every dark place in my life. For the last four years, I’ve been going through the motions, but now I’m ready to start living. And it’s all because of her and our son.

  My cell phone dings, and I snatch it up so it doesn’t wake either of them. I had turned off my alarm earlier. I’m not sure what time Blakely and Zane wake up, but it’s seven in the morning and they’re both still sleeping.

  I read the text from my dad, and my stomach drops. We got the information.

  And with that one text, I can already feel the storm brewing. I look over at my son and the woman I want to spend my life with, and I say a silent prayer that what we’re building is enough to weather the storm that is on the horizon.

  “Zane, sweetie, you have to wake up.”

  I open my eyes and find Blakely dressed and standing over the bed with a frown on her face as she tries to wake up our son.

  “I don’t wanna,” he whines. “My throat is itchy.”

  Blakely sighs and her eyes momentarily close.

  “He woke up earlier and said that,” I tell her. “Then he asked to sleep with us.”

  “He gets allergies around this time. The pollen in the air messes with him, especially at night.” She puts her hand to his forehead. “It could be the beginning of a cold, but he doesn’t have a fever.”

  “Well, good morning,” Sierra says, stepping into the room with a wide knowing smile on her face. “So, we’ve reached the sleepover step. Niicceee. When can we expect a proposal?”

  “Hush it,” Blakely groans, but I can hear the laughter in her voice.

  I sit up, forgetting I’m shirtless, and Sierra smirks. “I have one question: does your twin brother look exactly like you?”

  I laugh, and Blakely groans again.

  “What?” Sierra throws her hands up. “I might not be able to date him, but I can still fantasize about him. And judging by what your man is sporting over there, there’s plenty to fantasize about.”

  “Why can’t you date my brother?” I ask.

  “Because he’s family.” Sierra gives me a duh look.

  “It’s hardly incest. I can’t speak for Blakely, but if you want to date Kolton, have at it. The guy can use a little fun in his life.”

  “I agree,” Blakely says. “I already told you I don’t care who you date.”

  Sierra’s face lights up, but she quickly tampers it down. “Maybe.” She shrugs. “I was just coming to say goodbye to the little guy, but it looks like he’s still asleep.” She glances at her phone. “You’re running late this morning.”

  “I know,” Blakely says. “Wait! You’re going to work? Didn’t you work late last night?”

  “I have three interviews to do today.”

  “Shit,” Blakely curses under her breath.

  “What’s wrong?” Sierra asks.

  “Zane is refusing to wake up. He woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat. Probably just allergies, but you know how cranky he is when he doesn’t get a full night of sleep.”

  “Do you need me to watch him?” I ask, and both women look at me.

  “Don’t you have class?” Blakely asks.

  “So do you,” I point out.

  “Well, yeah, but I’m his mom.”

  I know her answer isn’t meant as a dig, but it still doesn’t
sit right with me. Not wanting to wake up Zane, I climb out of the bed and throw my shirt on. The three of us walk out of the room and into the living room.

  “I’m Zane’s dad.”

  “No, I know…” she says, trying to backpedal.

  “Which means if he’s not feeling well, and someone has to stay home, I can do it too. Sierra has to work, and you told me last night you have a test.”

  “I know, you’re right. Are you sure you don’t mind watching him?” Her top teeth worry her bottom lip. “It would only be until a little after noon.”

  “Let’s get something straight,” I say, stepping toward her. I pull her fleshy lip out from her teeth before she breaks the skin. “I wouldn’t be watching him. He’s my son. You don’t watch him, do you? You take care of him. I’ve missed three years of taking care of him. I’m here now and I want to be a part of his life, part of parenting him. If we had been together when he was born, this wouldn’t even be an issue. I’d be just as much of his parent as you are.”

  Sierra is the first to speak. “And… swoon.” She winks. “I’ve got to get to work.” She kisses Blakely’s cheek and whispers, “He’s right, you know,” and then with her purse slung over her shoulder, exits the apartment.

  “So, what do you say?” I ask, once it’s just the two of us. “It’s only for a few hours, and you won’t be far away. If I have any problems, I promise to call.”

  “Okay.” She steps into my space and gives me a kiss. “Thank you. I didn’t mean anything by what I said. I’m just used to it only being Sierra and me and occasionally Brenton.” At his name, I still.

  “He watches Zane?”

  “Only once in a while,” she says, backing away and grabbing her backpack. She heads into the kitchen and I follow her, wanting to find out what once in a while means, but before I can ask, she hands me a small green and white bottle. “This is for Zane’s allergies. When he wakes up, after he’s eaten breakfast, give him one. I will reassess him when I get home. Don’t let him talk you into a million snacks. He can have as much fruit as he wants, but only one snack between meals, and no matter what he says, ice cream is not allowed for breakfast or lunch.” She smirks. “Thank you.”