by Hart, Lea
He gave her a hopeful smile and waited for her approval. “What do you think?” Squatting in front of her, he wiped the tear off her cheek. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“Nothing. You’re just the best man that I’ve ever met, and Bella and I are lucky that you’ve decided to hang out with us.” Leaning her head against his, she let out a small sigh.
“I’m the lucky one.”
He kissed her gently and she let herself linger. Their kisses were becoming hotter each time they happened. There was no mistaking the chemistry between them, and she hoped the time would soon be right for them to take it to the next level. She heard Bella squawk again and released his mouth.
“Sorry, Bella. I like kissing your mom.” He kissed her head and stood slowly up. His jeans were a little tight, and the last thing he needed was any sudden moves. After all, Bella was definitely going to need a couple of siblings.
CHAPTER FOUR
ONE WEEK LATER
Lexi returned to the living room and flopped down on the couch. “She’s out, scout.” Crawling into Laird’s open arms, she rested her head against his chest and let out a sigh. “How was your day? What did you do?”
“I put together a security plan for the president of a pharmaceutical company who is coming into town. Apparently, he’s had some threats because his company just raised the price of a cancer fighting drug by two hundred percent. Apparently, a lot of people find that offensive and would like to see some real harm come to him. I analyzed his itinerary, did some recon on the company headquarters, and looked at the hotel where he’s staying to put together a recommendation.” Running his hand along her back, he slipped it under the hem of her shirt.
Over the last two weeks they had become more intimate each time they made out. He had never moved this slowly with a woman, and he was enjoying it. After all of the sex that he’d had in his life, this was turning out to be the most exciting and sexy time in his life. What was happening between them wasn’t about a physical release; it was more. It was about them getting to know one another, and each step was hotter than the next. Granted, he wanted nothing more than for them to consummate their bond, but the slow road they were taking wasn’t a bad thing. “What did you do today?”
Running her hands under his T-shirt, she wondered when the moment was going to be right between them to take the next step. She had tried to give him signals that she was ready for sex, and he was frustratingly well-behaved. Yes, she appreciated his restraint. But it had been two years since she’d had sex, and having it against a wall was looking better and better each day. From the moment that she’d seen him with his shirt off at the Buddy Walk, she’d thought of little else. Add to the fact that he was an amazing kisser with hands that could heat her from the inside out…Well, she was operating on a razor’s edge. Maybe she should just swing her leg over his lap and throw her top off. Unfortunately, the very idea of that scared the shit out of her. After Drew’s blatant rejection, she didn’t have much self-confidence to work with. “What did you say?”
“How was your day? Where did you go just then?”
I pictured you taking me up against a wall and having at me with little to no restraint. “Don’t know. My day was fine. This and that, nothing exciting.” Maybe I should get a makeover and then seduce him.
“Can I ask you something?”
Lifting herself off of him, she sat up and crossed her legs. “Sure.”
“What happened to Bella’s dad?”
“So you’re just going to start with the easy stuff?”
“Yeah. You can tell me it’s none of my business, if you want.”
“It’s not a pretty tale. Are you sure that you want to hear it?”
Sitting up, he faced her. “Yes, I do. I’m serious about you and Bella, and I want to know how much of a factor he’s going to play in our future together.”
“Fine. But prepare yourself. You may change your mind about me after I tell you. I won’t judge you if you do.”
“I’m pretty sure that he is the asshole in this story.”
“Maybe. But there are a couple of moments that I’m not real proud of. I met Drew when I still lived in San Francisco. He was up there on leave visiting some friends, and we hit it off.”
“He’s in the military?”
“Yes. He’s a naval helicopter pilot. He flies a Seahawk with the ‘Chargers’ out of North Island.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Anyway, we had a crazy week when he was in town and then attempted a long distance relationship. It never really got off the ground because we don’t have anything in common, and the truth of the matter is that we were never supposed to last beyond that week we spent together.” Studying Laird’s face, she wondered if she should go on. “Are you sure that you want to hear this?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“All right, then. Anyway, two months after that fateful week we spent together, I discovered that I was pregnant. I flew down to San Diego to give him the news in person. I had decided that I was going to keep the baby. I wasn’t really expecting him to participate, but I knew I had to tell him in person that we’d made a baby. He made all the appropriate noises about wanting to be involved and seeing if we had something between us.”
“Did he know that you worked for Instagram and were one of the original employees?”
“I was retired by the time I’d met him. I was doing consulting with some non-profits and never talked about my career. The upshot of it was that I took a big leap of faith and moved down to San Diego. I figured that, if he wanted to be involved, being geographically close was going to be a good idea. I rented this house when I came down and hoped that he would be true to his word. Not about being in a relationship necessarily, but about participating in Bella’s life. For the first two months, he made a good show of it. Then I found out I was having a girl, and he seemed less excited. When I found out she had Down syndrome, he never really came around again. He’d call every once in a while to check on me, but I knew he couldn’t handle it. I thought about returning home, but by then, I was seven months pregnant and I couldn’t face the move. I was knee deep in research and meeting with moms who had children with Down syndrome. I focused on that, not Drew. Quite frankly, I couldn’t waste any emotion on him. I told him when I went into labor, and he said he was coming to the hospital.”
“Let me guess. He never showed up.”
“No, he never showed up. We were there for four days, because I ended up in bad shape after the delivery, and they kept me there until they could pump enough blood back into me. I remember the woman coming in to fill out the birth certificate, and she asked me to name the father. I told her to leave it blank. It’s not a proud moment. I knew it was wrong. But he didn’t deserve to be named as the father to the amazing girl I’d just given birth to. I didn’t want him to have any part of her.” Wiping a tear that ran down her face, she still felt angry when she remembered that moment. “I hired a baby nurse to help me out, because I couldn’t move around a lot in the first couple of weeks after we came home. She stayed with Bella and me for the first ten weeks, and I consider her an angel in our lives. There was no way we would’ve gotten through that time without her.”
“Have you ever heard from him?”
“No. I had my attorney draw up documents for him to sign away his parental rights. I figured it was the least he could do for me. I don’t want him showing up at some point in the future and claiming an interest in his daughter. So far, he hasn’t signed them. I know he’s received them, because we have his signature when he was served. I haven’t done anything about pursuing it, because I’ve been a little busy. The truth of the matter is that he did us a favor.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Laird roared.
Placing her hand on top of his, she gave him a sad smile. “If he’d ever shown the least amount of interest, then I might’ve given him a chance. And that would’ve been a disaster. We never loved each other, and I’m glad
that I didn’t feel like I had to try for the sake of the baby. I’m not sure that we really even liked one another very much. It was a crazy week that was never supposed to be anything more. It just so happens that we made a baby, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.”
“So you never loved him?”
“No.” Shaking her head, she tried to remember his face and found that she couldn’t. “Bella is twenty-four-seven, and I wouldn’t have wanted to take anything away from her in a sad attempt to make something with someone who was never my match. We never had any magic between us. So, in a way, he did me a favor by taking the decision out of my hands. In this story, he gets to be the asshole and not me.”
“After I get him to sign the papers and beat the shit out of him, I’m going to thank him. Because if your car hadn’t had a flat tire in Coronado, then I never would’ve stopped to help, and I might have missed meeting the love of my life. And that would be a tragedy. Because I’m meant for you, and you are meant for me. So if it took Drew being a total fuck up, then I’m okay with that. But I’m still going to let him know how I feel.”
“I’m not innocent in all of this. I didn’t put his name on the birth certificate.”
“He didn’t deserve to have his name anywhere near yours or Bella’s. That I know for sure.”
Crawling into his lap, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “I’ve felt guilty since the day I did it. Thank you for not judging me.”
“I’m on your team. There is nothing that you are ever going to do that is going to make me think differently about you. People screw up and make mistakes. I’m not judge and jury. And I say don’t judge someone, because you have probably fucked up yourself.”
“You know, I may thank Drew. Because if that is how I got to meet you, then it’s been worth it. A thousand threads of fate have worked in our favor and somehow have allowed us the opportunity to get to know one another.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Wiping his face, Laird sat in his truck and took a big gulp of air. He didn’t know how he was going to last much longer. Every day became more of a challenge. After last night’s make out session, he was pretty sure that they were close. But he didn’t want to be a douche and assume that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Hell, there was no way that was possible. He wanted her with every cell in his body. He felt like an animal on a chain, and that wasn’t acceptable. Focus and be patient. Taking deep breaths, he knew that she would give him a clear signal when she was ready. He just hoped that it would be soon.
Lexi stood in the kitchen and looked out the window. Nervously, she fixed her dress and then wiggled a little to get the new thong she was wearing to move. Whoever invented these things must be part masochist. And not in a sexy Fifty Shades way. Checking the monitor, she confirmed that Bella was completely out. She had at least three hours to execute her plan. Glancing at the clock on the counter, she realized that Laird would be here any moment. Taking a deep breath, she gave herself a pep talk. No need to worry. He will probably like what you have in mind. If not, then she could simply pack up Bella and move to another country. Simple.
The doorbell rang and jangled her last nerve. Jerking in the direction of the door, she wondered why she had decided against that big glass of wine. Squaring her shoulders, she walked determinedly toward the door and opened it. “Hi.” Stepping back, she watched Laird move inside. Courage, she thought to herself.
Stepping into the house, Laird wondered what was going on. Lexi was dressed up and had on more makeup than he’d ever seen her wear. She looked pretty, but not very happy. He wondered where the girl he’d been dating had gone. “Hi.” Leaning down, he kissed her and noticed that she held on to his arm tightly. Something was going on, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. An awful thought skittered through his brain. Was she going to break up with him? Had Bella’s father shown up and made a claim? “Sweetie, what’s going on?”
Running her hands over her hair, she tried to make sure that it was behaving. “Going on?”
“Yeah, you’re dressed up and acting differently.”
Her shoulders sagged as she gazed up at him. “I had my hair done today and also my makeup. I was trying a new look.”
“Oh, of course. I like it.”
Walking into the kitchen, she realized that her attempt at being glamourous had completely failed. “You’re such a bad liar. I was trying not to look like a mom, and I can see that you are not impressed.” Yanking open the oven door with more force than necessary, she pulled out the lasagna she had made earlier. “I should just wear yoga pants and a T-shirt and turn in my girl-card.” Spinning toward the fridge, she plucked out the salad and placed it none too gently on the counter. “I’m not even going to tell you about the new underwear that I bought.” Taking the loaf of bread out of its paper sleeve, she slid out her big knife and was about to start slicing it. She felt Laird step behind her and wrap his big arms around her waist.
“Sweetie, set the knife down, and tell me what is going on.”
The knife slipped out of her hand and clattered against the counter. She slowly turned and buried her face in his T-shirt.
“Where is Bella?” he asked.
“It’s seven, and she’s asleep. I invited you over to dinner so that I could seduce you.”
Lifting her head away from his chest, he smiled into her eyes. “What did you say?”
“I said that I wanted to seduce you. I want to have sex with you. Is that clear enough?”
“I’ve been waiting for a clear sign; I think this is it.”
“I went and had a mini makeover, and I bought some really pretty and uncomfortable underwear. I think that I’ve become a virgin again,” she wailed. “I’ve been giving you signals for the last week, and you never seem to get them, so I thought I would try for something more blatant.”
Lifting her in his arms, he spun in the direction of the bedroom. He might have been slow on the uptake, but once he got the message, he was all action. Taking large strides, he walked into the bedroom and heard her laughter fill the house. “Just for the record, you don’t have to do anything for me to want you. I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. How did you not know that? I’ve been in a permanent state of arousal for the last month. I’ve had more cold showers that I can count.” Letting her slide down his body, he started to unzip her dress. “Lexi…,” he stuttered as he slipped the dress off her shoulders. “I want to be buried inside of you more than I want my next breath.”
Smoothing his lips over her skin, he tasted coconut. It smelled just like her hair and it had become the scent that filled his dreams. His cognitive functions stopped the moment the dress pooled around her feet. Lexi stood before him in a lavender bra and matching thong. Any hope of holding onto his control, was pretty much gone now. “So perfect.” Her light brown hair curled over her shoulder, and she was nervously playing with the ends of it. Then she moved her hands to cover her stomach as she fidgeted. Taking her hands in his, he held them between them. “Don’t ever cover yourself from me, please. I want to privilege of looking at you as much as I can. You’re so fricking sexy, Lex.”
Tipping her head against his chest, she kissed him right over his heart. “Why haven’t you done anything about it then? I’ve thought that I was more into you than you were into me.”
“Are you crazy?” He let his hands run over her soft skin as his mouth followed the line of her shoulder. “I wanted you to be sure of me before we went to bed. I didn’t want you to have any way of getting rid of me. So I had to know that you trusted me and considered me a part of your life.”
“Oh.” She gently placed her hand on the center of his chest. “I was going to seduce you, but right now my heart is tripping over itself, and I can’t seem to remember my plan.”
“How about if we just improvise the first couple of times and then come back to your plan later on?”
Watching her nod
silently, he felt a rush of tenderness for the woman before him. It seemed impossible that she didn’t know how much he desired her. Every atom in his body was buzzing as his eyes raked over her again. Her breaths were coming hard as her eyes shined with desire. This was going to be more amazing than he imagined.
His mouth slanted over hers as he teased her by brushing his tongue between her red eager lips. A moan escaped her mouth right before her tongue met his. He couldn’t wait until he could slide his naked skin against hers, but he wanted to go slowly, to give her every ounce of pleasure he could for as long as he was able. So he continued to ravage her mouth with his until he knew her lips better than his own.
Lifting his head, he ran his thumb across her top lip like he was marking his territory. “I’m the only one who will ever kiss these lips.” Her gasp sounded like an agreement to him, so he let his hands fall to her neck. His fingers drug along the soft, tender skin of her throat. “Now, it’s time to get rid of this pretty underwear.”
Stepping away, she shook her head. “You still have all of your clothes on. I’d like to see some of your gorgeous body. It’s only fair.” A smile broke across his face, so she figured that he wasn’t offended.
“I have some scars, so I want to warn you. It’s not gorgeous at all.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Moving her hands to his jeans, she worked on the top button. Her hands were shaking, which didn’t make it easy. She felt his large hand cover hers, and she stared up into his dark green eyes. “I’m a little nervous.”
Ripping his shirt off, he threw it over his head and then got rid of his jeans. He stood exposed before her with his excitement fully evident. “No need to be nervous.”
Looking down at him, her eyes bugged out as her hand reached out to stroke him. “There might still be a reason.”