by Shelly Jones
“Come on, it can’t be that bad?”
I let out a giggle “I’ll do it again, if you get your balls waxed.”
“Umm, yeah I don’t think so.” His face is pale just thinking about it. “I do love it though Em, very smooth.” He kisses me.
“Just hold me so we can go to sleep.” I say rolling over to my side and wrapping his arm around me. He gets close to me and grabs one of my breasts and holds on to it and that’s how we fail asleep.
The entire weekend was spent pretty much naked. Xander’s parents had Harlie up north to visit his extended family. We didn’t go out anywhere, just stayed in the house enjoying each other.
“I really wish you would just move in. I hate you not being here.” He says to me while we’re cooking dinner.
“Trust me Xander, I’ve been thinking about it, a lot!” I smile at him,
“Really? I know it seems soon, but I don’t care. I just want you here.”
“I know you do, and I do too. We’ll see what happens. I hate not being able to sleep when I’m not with you.”
“Well then, see, you have to move in. It’s not good that you’re not sleeping and when you go back to work you’re going to need your sleep.” He leans down and kisses me.
He has a valid point. This not sleeping is no good for anyone, especially my students.
“We will see, Xander. We will just let it happen. Ok?”
He smacks me on my ass in a playful way, “Ok, but I have a feeling you’ll be living here before the month is over.” He winks and walks away.
Harlie came home and the three of us went to the park, went to the mall to do some shopping, then came home and made dinner. Well, Harlie and I made dinner while Xander sat in the living room watching ESPN or something.
Harlie and I made lasagna, garlic bread and tossed salad. “Did I do good?” She asks me.
“Umm, yeah you did! You did great, Kiddo!” I tell her and kiss her on the top of the head.
Harlie tells Daddy that dinner is ready and we sit at the table and eat dinner. Xander’s eating like he’s never eaten before. Hasn’t anyone ever cooked for him? I wonder. “You like?” I ask
“I love! You girls did awesome.” He winks and both of us.
Harlie and I look at each other and smile.
I wonder if this is what life would be like, living here with them. I know it won’t always be perfect, but with days like this, it makes me want to say ‘Yes, let’s do it right now.’
The next two weeks went by and they were absolutely miserable. I got the ok to go back to work on March 11th and I couldn’t be happier. The only thing I hated was, I missed Xander, and Harlie.
Mel and Scott are having a baby, getting married and he’s moving in. Which makes me miss Xander even more. Sitting at the dining room table looking over everything I need to get myself ready to start school on Monday thinking to myself, Five more days and my life gets back to normal.
“Hey, what’s up?” Mel comes walking in.
“Nothing, just going over everything before school.”
“You’re so fucking miserable. Why the hell don’t you just move in with him?” Mel just cuts to the chase.
I laugh, “That obvious?”
“Yeah, it is. What are you worried about?”
“I think it’s too soon. Don’t you?”
“No, I don’t. If you’re worried about your parents, they’ll get over it. You know you have the support of all your friends and family here.”
She’s right. I know she is. I want to live with him, God do I ever want to do this.
I let out a sigh and close my laptop, “You’re right. I should just do this!” I say.
“Do what?” Scott walks into the kitchen.
“I’m moving out. I’m moving in with Xander.” I say confidently.
“Well ok, good for you.” He rolls his eyes.
“I know you guys hate each other and all, but I love him and I’m doing this!”
“Em, I know you. I know Xander isn’t the same guy he was a year ago. You’ve changed him. So, it’s fine. Good luck.” He says. But I don’t believe him. Those two hate each other. I don’t know why and don’t care.
I grab my phone, walk back to my bedroom and sit on my bed. I scroll through my contacts and hit call.
BLAKE AND I are at the bar this morning getting everything cleaned up and stocked, doing bookwork and all that comes with owning your own company. “So, I hear Emily goes back to work on Monday?” Blake says.
“Yep, she does. The kids are excited, and I think she is too.”
“You ok?” He asks
“Yes, no. I don’t know.” I mumble.
“Dude, talk to me!”
“I gave Emily the key to my place on Valentine’s Day. She keeps telling me she’s thinking about moving in with me, but she’s hasn’t done shit about it.” I let out a breath.
“Give her time, you two have been a couple for what? A month. She might just need time. Don’t rush that shit.”
“This coming from the guy who married his wife on their fifth date! Really?”
“Hey, not my fault our fifth date was in Vegas.” He laughs, “But Emily isn’t like Reese. Em’s a little more careful.”
“I know my girlfriend, Asshole!”
“Well, then you should know she needs time. Is she even talking to her parents yet?”
“Her and her mom talk from time to time, but that’s it. She doesn’t talk about her sisters or her brother, so I don’t know.”
“That could be playing on her too. Just chill the fuck out.”
I roll my eyes at him as he walks to the back of the bar.
I turn the jukebox on and start cleaning the bar. My phone starts to ring and Emily’s face flashes across the screen.
“Hey Babe,” I answer the phone.
“Hey, where are you?”
“I’m at the bar. Why, something wrong?”
“I need to talk to you. You going to be there for a while?”
“Yeah, probably until I have to go get Harlie.”
“Ok, I’ll be there in a little while.” She says. Her tone is hard to read, and it makes me nervous.
“Ok, well I’ll be here. You sure everything is fine?”
“I need to talk to you face to face. So, I’ll see you in a little bit. Bye.” She says and hangs up. Doesn’t even tell me she loves me or anything. “Fuck!” I say out loud.
It seems like hours since she called me, Blake has left to go do some shit. Being here alone is making this waiting worse. My mind is being a dick and has got me thinking she’s having second thoughts and she’s coming here to tell me she’s leaving me. So help me, she tells me this shit, I’m done with women forever. I’ll use my fucking hand to release the pressure. There will be no women, ever again. I’ve scrubbed this bar five fucking times. I’m tempted to call my mom and tell her to go get Harlie, just so I can start drinking. “Ugh!” I shout and throw the towel. “Bring Me To Life” By Evanescence. I pick up my phone and start texting my mom when I hear the door open. I look up, and it’s Emily.
“Hey,” I say in almost a whisper. Fuck, she’s beautiful. She’s wearing my favorite distressed blue jeans, white canvas shoes and a teal hooded sweatshirt. Her hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail.
“Hey,” She smiles at me.
“So what’s up, Em?”
“Don’t I get a hug or a kiss?” She asks.
“Um, you sure you want one?”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She snaps.
“Are you here to break up with me?”
She starts laughing at me and walks towards me, “Is that what you think? If it is, I should kick your ass. No, Dummy, it isn’t.” She is still laughing at me.
I sit down on one of the bar stools and take a deep breath and let it out. She stands between my legs and kisses me. “I cannot believe you thought I was coming here to break up with you.” She says pulling back.
I wrap my arms around
her waist, “I didn’t know what to say. You didn’t even say you loved me, you just hung up on my ass. So how the hell was I supposed to know? So, what’s up?”
“This is what’s up . . .” She says holding up the key. “I’d like to start using this every day starting today, if that’s ok with you?”
I’m totally confused, “Umm, you do use it almost every day, Em.”
She grabs my face, “Yeah, but not every day, every day. I’m talking giving Mel her key back and only having this key on my keychain.” She smirks at me.
“Really? You’re moving in?”
“Yeah, I’d like to. What do you say?”
“I say let’s go get your stuff and move you in tonight!” I say grabbing the back of her neck pulling her lips into mine. My other hand grabs her ass and she lets out a yelp. I want to take her back into the office and fuck her so bad right now, but I won’t. “Wow, I really am a dumbass, aren’t I?” I ask.
“I still can’t believe you thought that I was breaking up with you?! Do you doubt my love for you?” She says with a giggle.
“No, it’s just you never say you ‘want to talk to me’ and you always tell me you love me before you hang up.”
“Awe, I’m sorry babe.” She says kissing me.
“I take it she didn’t break your heart and leave you crying like a baby?” Blake announces walking in.
“Nope, just the opposite. She’s finally moving her sweet ass in.” I tell Blake, but looking at Emily.
“Nice! Congrats you two. We should celebrate this weekend. Get everyone together and go out to dinner, have some drinks and shoot some pool. I don’t think we’ve all gone out together since you two have been a couple.”
“Sounds good, but only under one condition. We get Em moved into my place tomorrow . . .” I raise my eyebrow.
“I don’t have that much stuff. I can get most of it in my truck. Remember, I drove her from Wisconsin with my brother and a small U-Haul truck.”
“That’s fine, we’ve got trucks and a trailer. We can get it all moved tomorrow then.” I tell her looking at Blake and he’s nodding his head, yes.
“Well, if you’re sure.” She says quietly.
“Of course. As long as you’re sure.” I lift her chin.
“I am! I guess I should go and pack then.”
“No, you’re not. You’re coming home with me, so we can tell Harlie together.”
“Well, ok then, I guess I’m going home with you.”
“Shit, I gotta go get Harlie. I’ll see you back at my place? I mean our place.”
“Yeah, I’ll head over there now.”
I lean down and kiss her, “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She smiles.
“Say ten-ish tomorrow?” I look over at Blake.
“Sounds good, I’ll meet you over at Mel’s, I’ll drag Flynn and Billy too.”
I leave Blake and Emily at the bar, because I’m seriously almost late getting Harlie from school. Harlie is in her typical quiet mood when I pick her up. We get in the car and head for home. I cannot wait to talk to Harlie about what Em has decided to do.
We pull into the driveway and Harlie notices Emily’s truck right away and starts to smile a little. “Emily’s here!” She shouts and unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out. She walks in the house, without even waiting for me. When I get inside Harlie has her arms wrapped around Emily’s waist. “Emily want to go jump on the trampoline with me?” She asks.
“Yeah, I think I would. Come on, last one there is a rotten egg.” Emily says and they take off. I watch them from the window with a smile across my face. I don’t think Harlie and I have ever been this happy. They’re out there for a good fifteen to twenty minutes.
“Fuck this,” I say deciding to walk out there to them. Harlie notices me right away and stops jumping. Emily looks over her shoulder and shrugs, then grabs Harlie’s hands and gets her jumping again.
“Hey Daddy!” Emily and Harlie say giggling.
“Hi,” I respond.
“Do I have to stop now?” Harlie asks me.
“Yep, but only because we’re going out to dinner.”
“Really?” Emily asks.
“Yep. I don’t feel like cooking and I figured we’d go out.”
“Ok Dad! I’ll go get ready.” Harlie gets off the trampoline and runs inside.
Once she’s inside, I turn my attention to Emily, “What the hell are you smiling about?” She asks me.
“What? Can’t I look at you and smile?”
“Yeah, but I know that look, that’s the look of you being turned on . . .” She says looking down. She starts laughing, “Awe baby, does me bouncing on this thing turn you on?” She bounces even higher.
Shaking my head at her, “You’re not playing nice and you’re lucky we’re not home alone.” I adjust my jeans, my cock has doubled its size and pressing against my jeans. She sees it too, and it makes her laugh even harder.
I go and grab Emily’s ankles “Daddy! I’m ready!” Harlie shouts.
I look at Em, “To be continued.” I growl, “Alright, well, if Emily would get off this thing and get ready to go, we could go!”
“Come on Emily! I’m hungry!” Harlie yells.
“You’re an ass!” She whispers and gets off the trampoline and runs into the house.
Harlie and I follow, “Come on Axel, and get in here!” I yell for him. He comes flying in like a bat out of hell.
Emily comes down the hallway, “I’m ready.” She says with a smile.
“Where we going, Daddy?”
“You’ll see.” I tease. Harlie hates it when I say that to her. I get the girls into Emily’s truck and we head out. Since we’re going to tell Harlie that Em’s moving in, I figured we’d go celebrate and what better place than ‘Chuck E. Cheese’s’ I used to hate this place growing up, but now I don’t mind it.
“Really? This place?” Emily asks.
“Yes, really. Unless you’re afraid I’m going to beat you at video games?”
She starts to giggle, “No, but if I were you, I’d be scared! Small town, not much to do. I spent a lot of my free time playing video games.”
“Daddy! We’re eating here? Oh Daddy, I just love you so much!” She’s being over dramatic in the back seat. Emily and I both bust out laughing.
When we get in there, I’m expecting the place to be crazy like always, but it’s not. I guess Thursday is the day to come. We find a booth to sit at and I go get tokens for the games. I give Harlie some and she’s off.
Emily and I sit at the table and watch her play. “Thank you,” I say to her.
“For what?” She face scrunched up confused.
“For making us both so fucking happy. I don’t know how you did it, but I’m not used to feeling like this.”
She grabs my hand, “Thank you for loving me.” She says softly, “But are you ever gonna order us dinner? I’m starving.” She says with a whine.
“Yeah, I’ll go order a pizza and then you can get your ass kicked in video games.”
She gets close to me, “Winner gets whatever he or she wants in the bedroom tonight.”
“Deal! Now stop giving me a boner. It’s not really good to have an erection with all these kids around.”
“What? I was just saying bedroom. That could mean a foot rub or you folding laundry. You’re the one with your mind in the gutter. Not me, Baby.” She sticks her tongue out and walks away to go play with Harlie on the basketball game.
About thirty minutes later, we sit at the booth and eat our pizza. “So Harlie, Emily and I need to talk to you about something.” I finally let out. I can’t keep this news in any longer.
“Um, ok? Am I in trouble?”
“Nope, not at all, but I need to ask you something.” Emily speaks up.
“Ok, What?” Harlie says smiling.
“How would you feel if I moved in with you and your Daddy?” Emily says. I could tell she was nervous. Not sure why she would be, but she is.
Harlie’s eyes get huge and her smile bigger, “Really? Like you’re going to live with us forever and you’re going to be my Mommy. Like that?”
“Yeah, kind of like that. Emily will be kind of like a Mommy, but not really.” How the fuck do you explain this to a 5 year old?
“I’ll be like a Mommy, but when Daddy and I get married. Then, I will ‘officially’ be your Mommy. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, kind of like Kip’s mom and her boyfriend.” Harlie says to Emily.
“Yep, just like that. So how would you feel about it?”
“Yes! When?”
“We’re going to move her in tomorrow. Is that ok?”
“Yay! Can we go play more games now, Dad?”
“Yeah, go ahead. Emily and I will meet you over there.” I watch her leave, “Well, that went awesome.”
“Yeah, it did.” Emily says getting up and then sits next to me. “I’m so excited and scared, all at the same time.”
I wrap my arm around her waist and hold her, “Me too, Emily. Me too.” I say to myself. I’m scared shitless. This is fucking huge, but I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. “I’m excited.” I respond.
We spent an hour playing video games with Harlie. She was pissed that we were leaving, but the mood has changed between Emily and I and I’m not sure why. She’s kind of pulled away from me and got quiet. Not sure what the hell this is all about.
The drive home was quiet, neither one of us talked. The only noise was Harlie singing in the back seat with the music. We get home and I unlock the door, “Get into the shower and then you can play for a little bit.” I tell Harlie as she’s running down the hallway to her room.
Emily is letting Axel outside. She’s still quiet. She won’t make eye contact with me. “You having second thoughts?” I ask her.
“What?”
“Are you having second thoughts about moving in with me?” I ask her again.
“Why would you think that?”
“Cuz you haven’t said shit to me for the last couple of hours and you won’t make eye contact with me. So what else am I supposed to . . . ?”
“Oh my God, really?” She says walking outside.
I follow her, “Then what? What’s wrong?”