by Emma Hart
Grabbing two towels from the laundry basket I’d failed to put away, he threw one to me. “I’m going to the bathroom.” He tied a towel around his waist, securely knotting it at one hip.
I swallowed.
The white towel against his tanned skin was almost too perfect—combined with the ink that decorated the hand that rested against it, I could have come again.
“Um, okay,” I answered, realizing he was waiting for a response.
He grinned, leaned over to kiss me again, and left the room.
I dropped back on the bed, towel between my legs, and covered my eyes.
Well. So much for getting him out of my life. I wasn’t sure having hot sex with him was synonymous with getting rid of him.
Now, I was really fucked. In every way.
Especially now I knew why he did the job he did. Because of someone like me.
And Zac—my heart cried for him. It was easier for Lola because her dad had never been a part of it. I honestly couldn’t even say if he ever would be if he’d been alive, but Zac’s mom hadn’t even wanted him.
No wonder they were so close.
“Mommy?” a croaky voice made me sit bolt upright in bed.
“Hey,” Adrian’s voice said softly. “What are you doing awake?”
“Adrian?” Lola said. “Why are you here?”
“I just took a shower. Is that all right?”
I crept over to the door and peeked out. The bathroom door illuminated the other end of the hallway, and Lola stood in her doorway, rubbing one eye.
“You don’t look very wet,” she said, squinty-eyed.
“Oh, silly. I’m about to. It’s late—you heard me wrong.” He knelt down—carefully. “Why are you awake?”
Lola frowned, still rubbing her eye. “The dinosaurs were trying to eat my toes.”
“Oh, no!” he said in a quiet voice. “Those silly dinosaurs. Why don’t you get back into bed and I’ll tell the dinosaurs to leave you alone?”
She looked at him. “Will they listen to you?”
“Oh, they have to. I’m a policeman. I’ll arrest them if they don’t.”
“Okay. Is Mommy sleeping?”
“I think so. She’s very tired. Come on.” He shooed her into her bedroom. I could just about see him making shooing movements with his hands. “Now, silly dinosaurs, leave Lola’s toes alone. If you wake her up again, I’ll arrest you and throw you all in jail. Go away!”
Lola giggled.
Adrian reached over and tucked her in with one hand, the other holding his towel in place. My heart skipped a beat when he pressed a kiss to her forehead, and I crept back away from the door before he turned away.
Dear god.
I was in so much trouble.
A light clicked as I pulled on some fresh underwear and grabbed an old tank from the drawer. Adrian clicked the door shut behind him, and I peered at him as I pulled my shirt down.
“Did the dinosaurs leave?”
He smirked. “Of course they did. I’m a policeman.”
I laughed and wrapped my arms around my waist. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“It wasn’t that special, baby. I’m still half-hard under this fucking tent I’m creating.” He pointed to his groin where he was, in fact, holding the towel out very precariously.
I laughed again, dipping my head.
He dropped the towel and pulled his boxers on. “See? I didn’t exactly swoop in to save the day.”
I coughed and sat on the edge of the bed. “You can take a shower if you want.”
“I’ll get one in the morning.” He flung his clothes over the clean laundry and jumped on the bed next to me.
I froze.
“What—did you think I was gonna leave?”
“Um.” I turned. “Kinda. Yeah.”
He pushed me up, pulled down the sheets, then dragged me into the bed. He covered me before getting under himself. Snugly in, he wrapped one arm around my waist and spooned me right up against him. “Nah. It’s comfy here.”
This was a battle I wasn’t going to win, and to be honest…I didn’t want to win it. I wanted to sleep snuggled against him, because I knew it wouldn’t happen again.
I turned off the light and curled into him. “You know, Lola is gonna be really pissed tomorrow when she finds Zac isn’t here.”
“It’s Saturday.” He yawned. “We’ll pick him up and go to IHOP.”
“I hope you’ll deal with the ensuing sugar rush.”
Adrian groaned into my hair. “Damn it.”
I smiled when he kissed my shoulder.
I would cherish this moment while I could, because tomorrow I’d make the phone calls that would change everything.
Chapter Eighteen
Adrian
Bad memories plagued my dreams. The admission to Perrie about Katie had made for a fitful night’s sleep, but by the time I woke up, I knew, ultimately, I was right.
Perrie was a million Katies. She was selfless and honest, kind and sweet, and whatever had happened in her life to push her into prostitution had been beyond her control.
There was an alternative. There was always an alternative, but I understood how she felt like there wasn’t. Maybe there was a reason why there wasn’t for her.
I needed to know more about her. I fucking craved it.
How had Perrie Fox fallen from grace?
It was the burning question.
I had the feeling I had to work for the answer. I’d told her about Katie last night because she needed to understand why I did the work I did—why she’d never ever have been in danger.
I’d never have let anything to happen her. I wasn’t kidding when I’d told her that I’d have broken his neck before he could hurt her. That wasn’t to say that I didn’t feel bad for not telling her the whole truth, because I did, but the fact was that I couldn’t. Sam never should have told her, and he’d heard it from me for doing that.
I understand why he did. Hell, Perrie could be intimidating. If she wanted something, she was gonna whatever it took to get it. Everyone else be damned. She was a force in her own right, and that was one of the reasons I couldn’t get enough of her.
Now, I squinted as the creaking of the door disturbed me. Sitting up, I froze as a heart-wrenching, terrified scream sounded.
Instinct kicked in. I jumped out of the bed, almost knocking Perrie to the floor as I did, and scanned the room for the danger.
Lola stood in the doorway, eyes wide, shaking, clutching Dolly to her chest.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re in Mommy’s bed!”
Just like that, I deflated. Falling to sit on the edge of the bed, I buried my face in my hands.
Perrie burst out laughing.
“Mommy!” Lola shrieked. “Why is he in your bed?”
“Jesus,” I breathed.
Perrie coughed, still laughing. “Lola. Oh, pumpkin. It’s okay. Come here.”
I dropped my hands.
Lola skirted through the room toward Perrie, glaring at me. “Mommy. I want to know why he’s in your bed.”
“We had a sleepover. It’s okay. I promise.”
Lola looked between us, nodding, until—“But where’s Zac?” Horror crossed her features. “Oh no! Did the dinosaurs get him?”
Perrie pressed her lips together, fighting laughter, and pleaded with me to answer.
“No,” I said, pulling my gaze to the little blond girl on her knee. “He’s with my big sister. He had a sleepover there. I promise, the dinosaurs didn’t get him.”
“Hmm.” She eyed me speculatively. “I’m not happy about this.”
“About the sleepover?”
“Mommy,” she said, turning back to Perrie who now had a very careful, flat expression on her face. “We’re going to need rules. If you have sleepovers with Adrian, I need sleepovers with Zac.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes. That’s only fair, Mommy. We both get sleepovers or nobody does. That’s
how it works.”
“Is it, now?”
I covered my mouth with my hand.
“Well, yes. I’m very upset I can’t play with Zac, and you’ve been playing with Adrian!”
Holy fucking shit.
I couldn’t look at Perrie. My shoulders trembled with restrained laughter, and if I looked at her, that would be it. Lola was presenting a very compelling argument, and I couldn’t deal with that on so little sleep.
“Well,” Perrie started. She paused. “We didn’t play…”
“I bet you did! I know adults have secret play fights.”
“Secret play fights,” Perrie echoed, confusion in her voice.
“Uh-huh.” Lola hopped up, arms folded, Dolly forgotten on the bed. “Sasha said she was at her daddy’s house and she went into his bedroom and he was playing with the neighbor in their bed. Her daddy said they had watched the fighting and they were having a playfight.”
“Uh-huh. Maybe we shouldn’t listen to Sasha and her daddy anymore, okay?”
“Why? Did you have a real fight and not a play fight?”
I reached for my jeans and tugged them on, barely getting up. I leaned back on my hand and looked at her, then patted the bed in front of me. She climbed over and knelt in the spot I’d just picked for her.
“No fighting happened, okay? I finished work and come to see your mom, then we watched TV, and she said I could sleep over because it was late. Is that okay?”
“No,” she said flatly. “You didn’t bring Zac.”
“He was already asleep at his aunt’s house,” I explained. “How about tonight? I don’t have to work tonight, so why don’t me and Zac sleep over here?”
She tapped a finger against her lips. “Can we sleep at your house? You have the mine game.”
I slid my gaze to Perrie. She looked at me, helpless.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we get dressed and pick up Zac for breakfast, then me and Mommy will talk about it, okay?”
“Fine.” She slid off the bed, grabbed Dolly, and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Really, Mommy, you should say yes. You owe me for last night.”
Perrie stared at her in disbelief as she skipped out, happy as you like, and turned down the hall to her room. Slowly, she dragged her attention to me. “Well, that was awkward.”
I grinned. “Wanna play fight?”
She hit me with a pillow before standing up. “I wasn’t expecting her to get up already. Will Zac be awake, or should we wait here for you?”
“He should be up.” I reached for her hand and pulled her down onto the bed with me.
“Adrian. I have to get—”
I shut her up by covering her lips with mine. “Dressed, I know,” I finished for her, peering down at her. Yesterday’s make-up smeared in black shadows under her eyes, and her lipstick was smudged and cracked. It only added to the wild, sleepy look that her messy hair gave her.
She looked tired, but she looked beautiful, too. As beautiful as anyone could look in the morning with panda eyes.
“Come stay tonight,” I said in a quiet voice. “Let Lola and Zac play. I’ll grill in the backyard and we’ll set up the pool and then we’ll watch movies and shit.”
“And shit,” she said.
“That’s what will happen when they go bed. Last night was a preview.”
“I don’t know.” She hesitated, pushing herself up to sitting. “I just—I don’t know, Adrian.”
“Come and have dinner at least.”
“That’s sneaky, because then you know I’ll give in to Lola when she ultimately begs me to stay over.”
Shit. “Yes. I know.” I grinned.
She pursed her lips, but they twitched, giving away the smile she wanted to share. “I have to think about it. I have stuff I really need to think about today.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Stuff?”
“Yeah, stuff.” She shifted uncomfortably.
“You wanna talk about that stuff?”
“One night of sex and now you’re my therapist?”
I danced my gaze over her body—her pert tits where her nipples were obvious through her shirt, and the thing strings of the thong that disappeared when she bent forward. “I can help you with therapy in every way but talking. I can fuck the frustration out of you, if you’d like.”
She blushed and got up. “Stop it.”
“Are you going to stay tonight?”
“I told you I’ll think about it.”
I grabbed my t-shirt and stood, intercepting her on her way out of the door. With a smile on my face, I said, “No. I won’t stop it, then.” I tapped her nose and kissed the corner of her mouth, stepping away before she could do anything.
“You play so dirty!” she shouted.
“Who does? Is someone in the yard?” Lola followed up.
I stopped halfway down the stairs to laugh.
“Mommy? Who’s playing dirty? Can I play, too?”
I glanced up to see Perrie pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re doing nothing until you have underwear on. Go. Now. Get dressed.”
“But—”
“You can’t sleep at Zac’s if you don’t get dressed.”
Lola shriek-gasped. “’Kay!”
Perrie gripped the railing, leaned over, and pointed a finger at me. Her look told me to not dare say a word, so I didn’t. I grinned instead. A big, fat, shit-eating grin while she sighed.
Adrian: One. Perrie: Zero.
For now.
***
“Is the dress still necessary?” I muttered, stabbing a pancake with my fork.
She glanced at the kids, both of whom had their faces shoved in the screen of Zac’s tablet. “What are you talking about? It’s a dress. It covers a lot of me.”
The fact I knew what was under it aside, that was part of the problem. “If it you get a gust of wind, everyone will see.”
She shot a pointed look out of the window. “Oh, yes. It’s practically a hurricane out there.”
I offered her my own pointed look—but mine was withering.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s only because we’re here. I’ll be wearing yoga pants the moment I get home.”
“Yoga pants are quite restrictive.”
“Actually, they happen to be the better half of jeans.”
“That wasn’t the restrictive I meant.”
“I know what you meant—I’m simply choosing to ignore it.”
I sighed. “I’m starting to remember why I haven’t dated in years.”
Zac perked up at that. “Are you dating Perrie, Dad?”
“No,” Perrie said at the same time I said, “I am now.”
Zac frowned.
Perrie glared at me. “We are not dating.”
“Are we at a breakfast date?”
“Well, yes, but so are the kids, and—”
“Breakfast. Date,” I said, putting extra inflection on the final word.
Lola sighed. “First a sleepover with no play fighting. Now you don’t know if you’re being gross adults.”
Zac wrinkled his face up and looked at Lola. “They had a sleepover and I wasn’t invited?”
Fucking hell. Here we go.
“Yes,” Lola answered, shoving a strawberry in her mouth and biting so juice trickled down her chin. “I woke up this morning and they were in the same bed and it scared me.”
“Please wipe your chin,” Perrie asked her.
“Ewww,” Zac replied. “That’s not fair. Why did they get a sleepover and we didn’t?”
“Because you were at your aunt’s,” I answered.
“It’s definitely not fair.” Lola bit into the strawberry again, squirting more juice. “But Mommy said we can have one tonight if we got dressed, and I did.”
Yes. She did get dressed—into hot pink shorts and a lime green shirt. Perrie had argued with her for ten minutes over the color clash before Lola informed her she was a grown-up and able to choose her own outfit.
It had been too muc
h stimulation over coffee for my liking.
“We should play Minecraft and stuff criminals in holes again,” Zac said, tapping at the tablet screen and starting a new episode of whatever insanity-inducing kids program they were quietly watching.
“Lola, please wipe your face,” Perrie tried again.
“We should put my mom and your dad in a hole until they figure out if they’re dating or not.”
“That’s not—”
“Cool! I think I have spades. My yard is big enough for that.” Zac nodded.
“Do they need food?”
“Maybe. We could throw cookies and chips in.”
“Okay, but I might eat them first.”
Zac patted Lola’s hand. “We’ll carry extra.”
Lola beamed.
My attention flicked back and forth between them during that whole exchange. Perrie looked mildly concerned at their rapidly escalating plan, so I decided it was my turn to step in and put a stop to it.
“Okay, Zac? What are the rules about throwing people in holes?”
“Only in video games,” he muttered.
“Aw.” Lola pouted.
“And we are definitely dating. Perrie’s just being silly.”
The woman in question said, “We’re not dating, okay? We’re friends.”
Friends who are dating.
“See? I think she hit her head last night when she was sleeping.”
Lola’s gaze flitted between us and she leaned over, into Perrie. “Mommy, he is very handsome.”
“He gets that from me.” Zac puffed out his chest.
Perrie bit her lip. “He sure does. Look at your muscles.”
“I know, right? John Cena is jealous.” He held his arm to the side and flexed his “bicep.”
She leaned over and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “Wow—my goodness. You are so strong.”
Zac beamed with delight. “Oh, Lola, this is my favorite bit! They’re about to become the Power Rangers.”
Perrie picked up her coffee. “This is the most dysfunctional breakfast I’ve ever had.”
I snorted into my own mug. “Join the club.”
***
Having kids isn’t for the light-hearted or the impatient. Or those who actually like to be listened to once in a while.