by Susan Stoker
“Every day,” Blythe said softly. “Every damn day.”
Squirrel wanted to end the conversation. Wanted to haul Blythe into his arms and tell her that he’d make sure she never had to go back there. But her words were having an impact on his family. He could tell they were extremely moved by her experiences and what she was sharing. His sisters were seeing a side of life they’d never really thought about before. It was good for them, even if it was painful to hear Blythe’s story.
His mom got up from her spot on the couch and walked over to them. She looked down at Squirrel and motioned with her head for him to scoot over. Knowing better than to disobey his mom, Squirrel reluctantly moved over and gave his mom some room.
She sat right next to Blythe and put her hand on her knee. “You will never, ever be homeless again, honey. You need a place to go? You come here. If you’re hungry? You call me and I’ll make sure you have a nice big casserole. You might be Sawyer’s friend, but I’m officially unofficially adopting you. You can have his old room. I think he might still have a poster of Marilyn Monroe under the bed up there.”
“Mom,” Squirrel complained, not really caring that she was airing his dirty laundry, not when her words made Blythe smile.
“I don’t know what to say,” Blythe told his mom.
“You don’t have to say anything, honey,” she replied. “All you need to do is promise that you’ll come here if you ever find yourself in a situation like that again. I’m so sorry about you losing your mother, but the fact that you did everything in your power to make sure she was as comfortable as she could be, says everything that needs to be said about the kind of person you are.”
“Thank you,” Blythe choked out.
Squirrel watched as his mom reached out and hauled Blythe into her arms. They hugged for a long minute before his mom finally sat back. She stood and motioned to Squirrel to return to his previous position at Blythe’s side.
Shaking his head at how ridiculously cute his mom could be, Squirrel did as ordered. This time his hand wrapped around Blythe’s waist and he pulled her into his side.
“Okay, time to wrap this up,” his mom declared. “I’m sure Blythe and Sawyer have better things to do than sit around here all night.”
As his sisters protested their departure, Squirrel leaned into Blythe. “You okay?”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
Squirrel kept his eye on her as she stood and hugged each of his sisters and reassured them that she’d be back soon. Then they each said their goodbyes to his parents and were back in his Jeep and headed to her house before too long.
Blythe was silent throughout the ride, and Squirrel didn’t push her. He wanted to reassure himself that she really was all right, but he didn’t want to be driving when he did it.
He pulled into her driveway and cut off the engine. “Can I come in?” he asked when Blythe still didn’t say anything.
She turned to him then. He thought she looked a little pale, but otherwise didn’t show any outward signs of being in distress. But she was. How he knew that, Squirrel wasn’t sure.
“I’d like that,” she said softly.
They both got out and made their way to the door. Blythe unlocked it and Squirrel followed her inside.
“I’m going to go change…if that’s okay?”
“Of course it is, baby. You want something to drink?”
“Ice water, please.”
Squirrel nodded and narrowed his eyes as she walked away from him toward the master bedroom. He got down a glass and filled it with ice and water then went into the small living room. He put the water on the coffee table and waited for Blythe to return.
She came back into the room minutes later wearing a pair of black leggings and his Station 7 T-shirt. It fell to mid-thigh on her and was huge. Without a word, she came to the couch and sat. Then she surprised him by bringing her legs up and curling herself into his side.
Squirrel wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. He felt her sigh, her warm breath wafting over his chest. He could feel it through the material of his shirt.
“Talk to me,” he ordered.
“About what?”
“About how you’re doing. About what you’re thinking and feeling. Are you completely freaked out by my family? My sisters are nosy but they mean well. And my parents didn’t mean to overstep, they were just concerned about you.”
Blythe looked up at him then. “I’m not upset about anything your family said tonight.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
Blythe put her head back on his shoulder and sighed again. “I’m envious. You are so lucky to have such wonderful people in your life. Your sisters are delightful and your parents are so accepting and nice. There were so many times when my mom was sick, I wished for a sibling who could help me. Or a close friend I could call and bitch to. But I didn’t have either. You’ll never be alone in your life. You’ll always have someone you can call up and say, ‘I’ve had enough. I need help.’”
Squirrel shifted, putting one hand behind her neck as the other palmed the side of her head. He looked her straight in the eyes, wanting her to hear the sincerity behind his words. “And you’ll never be alone again. I think you know when it comes to us, I want more. But even if we don’t work out. Even if you decide down the line that I’m too nerdy, or bossy, or whatever…you’ll have my family. I didn’t always appreciate how important family was. It was just me and mom until I was in middle school and she remarried. I didn’t like sharing her with anyone else, but my stepfather won me over with his constant love and support. Then when Emma was born and I saw how happy my mom was, I realized that family wasn’t about blood, it was about so much more.
“My mom wasn’t feeding you a line tonight. She’s pretty much adopted you. You’ll always be welcome over there, regardless of where the two of us stand. You need anything, all you have to do is call her, and she’ll drop everything and be there for you.
“Not only that, but you don’t seem to understand what it means to be part of a firefighter family. Every one of the firefighters has your back. Their women have your back. Hell, even Tadd and Louise have your back. You. Are. Not. Alone. Not ever again. Even if I do something so stupid you never want to see me again, they will still be your friends.”
“Why do you do that?”
Squirrel blinked. “Do what?”
“Belittle yourself? I’m just as likely to do something that will make you wonder why you spend so much time and energy trying to rescue me.”
Squirrel laughed for the first time since the intense conversation at his parents’ house. “Baby, I know a good thing when I have it. There’s nothing you could do that would make me decide I don’t want you in my arms and bed anymore.”
She stared at him. “What if I cheated on you?”
“Are you going to cheat on me?”
“That’s not what I asked,” she said stubbornly.
Squirrel tried to understand what she wasn’t saying. “I haven’t looked twice at another woman since the day you came up to me at the fire and I gave you my sweatshirt. You think I give every random woman my clothes when I’m working? And don’t answer that. I don’t. A Playboy Bunny could march her happy ass in front of me right now and I wouldn’t even care. I find black leggings that mold to every inch of my girl’s legs, and her wearing my T-shirt, a hell of a lot sexier.”
She looked skeptical.
“You don’t believe me?”
She shook her head as much as she could in his hold.
Squirrel deliberately looked down at her chest, smiling when he saw her nipples poking through the thin material. “All I can imagine is what you look like under this. I don’t know what it is about a woman wearing a man’s clothes, but it’s sexy as fuck. Maybe because I know your naked tits are touching the same material my chest has touched. I can see your nipples hard as rocks under it. I can’t wait to know what you’ll taste like.”
“Sawyer,” she complained, even as she squir
med in his grasp.
“To answer your question, if you cheat on me, yeah, that would end our relationship. Just as I’d assume would happen if I ever cheated on you. But, baby, it’s my responsibility to make sure you don’t want to cheat on me.”
“How?”
“It’s my job to make you feel beautiful every day. It’s my job to tell you how much I appreciate you. It’s my job to put you first whenever I can. Yes, there will be times I have to work and I can’t give you the attention you might need or want, but when I’m off shift, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you know how much I enjoy being with you. It’s my job to listen to you when you’re upset and need to bitch about something. To be there for you when you need a good cry. I’ll gladly watch chick-flicks, and come get you if you call because you have a flat tire. None of that is a hardship. None of it. But if I’m doing all of that, and you still go out and sleep with another man behind my back, then yeah, we’ll be done.”
Blythe simply stared at him.
“I might not be the best-looking man out there. I might not be the man women dream of when they’re fantasizing about their dream man. But I’ll make damn sure you’ll always have enough to eat, you’ll have a roof over your head, a soft bed, and a safe place to sleep every night where you don’t have to worry about anyone stealing your belongings or assaulting you.”
She moved then, surprising Squirrel when he was lying flat on his back on the couch before he knew what had happened. Blythe straddled his stomach, her hands resting on his shoulders as if she could hold him in place.
Worried about her palm, even though it was much better by now, Squirrel immediately eased her down so she was resting her forearms on his chest rather than her hands.
“I’m not going to cheat on you,” she told him fiercely. “Why in the world would I want to? There’s nothing about you I don’t like. Your friends, your passion about your job, your family, your integrity, your sense of humor…I could go on and on.”
“And I’m not going to cheat on you, so why are we even having this insane conversation?” he asked, narrowing his eyes up at her.
“I have no idea,” she admitted. “What were we even talking about?” She smiled down at him.
The smile did him in. He’d been on pins and needles tonight, wishing he’d waited longer to bring her to his parents’ house. Wishing he’d made sure they were good with each other before she had to bring up the touchy subject of her homelessness.
Slowly, giving her time to pull back, Squirrel lifted his head. But instead of moving back, Blythe met him halfway, just as she’d done earlier.
Their kiss was passionate and tender at the same time. A promise.
Squirrel forced himself to pull away before he was ready. She sighed and gave him her weight, her head landing on his shoulder, her nose nuzzling the skin of his neck.
Wrapping an arm around her, Squirrel closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. He hadn’t lied to her earlier. The second she’d wandered into the room in her leggings and his shirt, he’d gotten hard. She was so damn sexy, he still couldn’t believe he was there with her. She wasn’t perfect—she was still too thin, had circles under her eyes, and still looked undernourished—but to him, she was beautiful. What she’d been through made her that way. Her personality made her that way. Her loyalty, her tenacity, her ability to see the good in people. There was so much about her that he liked and admired, it made her the perfect woman…for him.
She had her faults. She was a bit too pessimistic about herself—not that he was one to talk—and didn’t trust or ask for help easily. But she was getting better with those things day by day.
They stayed together on the couch for quite a while. Squirrel thought Blythe had fallen asleep on top of him. Her slow, even breaths against his neck were both comforting and arousing. He should’ve been embarrassed about the condition of his dick, she had to feel how hard he was, but he wasn’t. It seemed natural. Besides, he was always hard around her. She might as well get used to it now.
“Stay?” she whispered.
“Anything you want,” he whispered back.
“I want you,” was her quiet reply.
Squirrel closed his eyes and sighed. When she didn’t say anything else, he opened his eyes and peered at her. This time, she was asleep. He didn’t know if she was actually fully awake when she’d said the words, but he’d never forget them.
She wanted him. Him. Squirrel. The nerd. The man everyone always overlooked.
He’d make sure she never regretted choosing him. Not for one second.
Chapter Eleven
Blythe walked out of the small public library and immediately pulled out her phone. It was instinctive. The first person she wanted to share her news with was Sawyer.
Blythe: You around?
Squirrel: I’m here, baby. How’d it go?
Blythe: I got it! She offered me the job right on the spot after my interview!
Squirrel: Fantastic! I told you! I knew you had it in the bag.
Blythe: In the bag? Who says that?
Squirrel: I do. Proud of you.
Blythe stared down at the phone. “Proud of you.” She re-read the words over and over again. Sawyer was proud of her. Shit, she was proud of herself. The job wasn’t exactly the end of all her worries. It paid minimum wage and wasn’t even full-time, but it was something.
She was starting next week, restocking shelves in the library near Sophie’s house. She could walk to work, so she didn’t need a car yet. She’d work from eight in the morning until one, Monday through Thursday.
Apparently, she took too long to text Sawyer back, because her phone vibrated with another incoming text.
Squirrel: We’ll celebrate tonight. I get off shift at five. I’ll be home at 5:30. We’re going out.
Blythe: It’s not that big of a deal. It’s only part-time. And minimum wage.
Squirrel: Bullshit. It’s the start of your comeback. It’s a huge deal. 5:30.
Home. He said he’d be home at five-thirty. Ever since the night she’d met his parents, he’d been staying at her house every night again. He’d given her some space after she’d first moved in, but she loved having him back.
It felt safer, more comfortable…right with him there. Blythe didn’t like being dependent on anyone, but Sawyer made it so easy. He didn’t make her feel bad for wanting him around.
Blythe: Fine. But don’t go overboard.
Squirrel: Who, me? *wink*
Blythe rolled her eyes as she clicked off the phone and put it in her back pocket. One thing she’d learned about Sawyer was that he frequently went overboard. Why buy one bottle of detergent when they were on sale? He’d buy three. If she said she liked something, the next day she’d have half a dozen of them. T-shirts, a type of fruit, bras. That last one had been surprising and a little embarrassing.
They’d been making out on the couch one night and she’d taken off her shirt. Sawyer had seemed fascinated with the bra she’d been wearing. It was one of the ones Beth had ordered for her. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was super comfortable, and when Sawyer had simply stared at her for a long minute, not saying a word, she’d felt awkward and blurted out that she loved the bra. It had been so long since she’d had a comfortable bra, she wore that particular one all the time.
He hadn’t taken her bra off. They’d made out and he’d put his hands on her, but they hadn’t gone any further. She couldn’t be upset with him though because the way he’d looked at her made her feel more beautiful and desired than she ever had before.
Three days later, a package arrived with a dozen more of the exact same brand and style of bra. All cotton. In all different colors. When she’d complained, Sawyer had simply shrugged. “You like them. They’re comfortable. And now you have one in every color so you can wear it no matter what outfit you choose.”
It was sweet and exasperating all at the same time. She’d learned to keep her enthusiasm to a minimum when she was around him. He’d spoi
l her rotten in no time if she let him.
Blythe did her best to make sure Sawyer knew how much she enjoyed being with him, as well. One night, they’d gone out with some of his firefighter friends, and when other women began to eyeball him, she was happy to let them know Sawyer was off the market. She’d put her arm around his waist and leaned into him, pleased when he didn’t stop the conversation he was having with Driftwood, but simply put his arm around her shoulders in return.
If she was being honest, she knew that while she wanted to let Sawyer know she liked hanging out with him and being with him, she was actually reassuring herself at the same time. Hell, Sawyer probably hadn’t even noticed the other women staring because he didn’t think anyone looked twice at him when he was around his friends…which was ridiculous.
Making sure the women at the nearby table who were eye-fucking her man saw, Blythe had put her hand on his chest as she’d leaned in and whispered in his ear. All she asked was if he wanted another drink, but when he turned and kissed her on the forehead and told her he was good, Blythe was thrilled, and not only because it clearly communicated to the other women that he was hers. She also liked the easy way he touched her and the way he didn’t care about being affectionate in public, and in front of his friends. His casual affection went a long way toward making her understand he was truly serious about wanting to be with her. That he wasn’t embarrassed about her background.
As she walked back to the house, Blythe’s phone rang. She pulled it out and saw that Beth was calling.
“Hey, Beth.”
“Hi, Blythe. So…I did some digging into your financial background, like you asked me to.”
“And?” Blythe’s stomach cramped, and she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and put a hand on her tummy to try to control the way it dipped and swirled, threatening to make her throw up right there.
“You owe a crap-ton of money.”
Blythe couldn’t stop the snort. “No shit.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think that would be a surprise.”