More Than A Friend Request

by Julie Prestsater

  He must have sensed that she wasn’t going to say anything, not yet anyway, so Adam started talking. “Danny is thirteen. He’s in eighth grade and he’s a great kid. I just really wanted to tell you about him before anything happened between us.”

  Adam rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. She was stunned by this revelation and so many things were going through her head. She had no idea where to begin. “Hannah, are you okay?” He reached out and squeezed her shoulder with his free hand.

  “Yeah, I’m okay. Just in shock.” She looked up into his eyes trying to find the right words, if there were any. “Let’s start with some basics.” She paused. “Who’s Danny’s mom?”

  She felt Adam tense at the mention of his son’s mother. “Her name is Amber. I met her during med school. She was in my cohort of first years.”

  Hannah had so many questions come to her that couldn’t wait, so she interrupted him. “Where is she now? Did you marry her? Did you love her? Are you still in love with her?”

  He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. “No, I didn’t marry her. I’m not in love with her and I never was. I may have loved her at one time because she gave me Danny but that’s it. She left us when Danny was only three months old. We haven’t seen her since so I’m not sure where she is.”

  “She left her baby boy?” Hannah didn’t have kids but she couldn’t imagine ever leaving one. What kind of woman would abandon her newborn son?

  “Yes. She never wanted to have children. Not while being in medical school anyway. Danny wasn’t planned by any means. I wasn’t ready for him any more than she was, but we made do. My parents and Aaron really helped me out so I could finish school. And Angie helped as she got older. I think we’ve done all right.”

  “So you’ve raised him all on your own, since he was a baby?”

  “Yes, I have.”

  She didn’t think she could ever love him more than she had in the past, but she was proven wrong. Her heart overflowed with love and compassion for him. She could see in his eyes how much he loved his son and she was in total awe of the man he’d become, raising a child all on his own.

  “You’re amazing, Adam Cooper.” She pushed on his chest till he was flat on his back. She spread out, lying on her side, till her face was across from his. She pressed her lips briefly to his before snuggling against him. She rested her cheek on his chest and draped one of her arms across his belly. “So tell me about Danny. I want to know all about him, if you don’t mind sharing.”

  She got comfortable as Adam wrapped his arms around her. She felt a tingling sensation run through her body when she felt his lips press to her temple.

  She listened to him as he combed his fingers through her hair. “Well. He’s a really cool kid. He’s handsome, just like his dad.” They both chuckled. “He gets good grades, likes playing football, and is starting to go out with his friends a lot. This is new territory for us and we don’t always agree on what I think is okay for a thirteen year old to do and what time he should come home. Curfew is a hot topic at our house right now.”

  “Sounds like fun,” she said, looking up at him. He caught her gaze and grinned.

  “Loads.” They snuggled together again before he continued. “What I love about Danny is that he has a really good heart. He could have grown up to be an angry kid or a little emotionally off considering he grew up without a mom, but he’s perfect. He really is.”

  “Well, sometimes you don’t miss what you’ve never had. You probably more than made up for him not having two parents. I’d say that’s a big testament to what a great dad you’ve been.” She kissed his chest just above his nipple. “Does he ever ask about his mom?”

  “No. Well he hadn’t until he saw your page on FaceSpace.”

  She propped herself up on her elbow to get a good look at him. “Why did he see my page? He knows about me?”

  “He asked me if you were his mom. He shocked me when he asked, but it made sense. From his point of view anyway. He’s very perceptive. I didn’t even realize he noticed but he did.”

  “Noticed what?”

  “He noticed a picture of you that I have in my wallet. He said he knew about it for as long as he could remember and thought maybe you were his mother. I told him you weren’t and explained to him a little bit about you.”

  Wow. She didn’t know what to think about that one. Adam’s son had wondered if she was his mom. If they’d stayed together like they should have, she could’ve been. She felt a pang of sadness about what could’ve been but quickly shrugged it off.

  “Why would he think I was his mom? Doesn’t he have any pictures of his own?”

  He ran his fingertips up and down her arm. “It’s not like we dated long and took pictures together. She took the only photos I had of her. The ones from the day he was born. It still pisses me off that I don’t have those pictures. It’s not like how it is now, with digital cameras or cell phones to capture every moment.”

  “I’m sorry.” She could hear the frustration in his voice.

  “It sucks but it makes sense that he’d ask about you, you know?”

  “And how does he feel about me? Or feel about you talking to me again?” Now that Adam had a child, her thoughts had changed. It wasn’t about just her and him anymore. They had a young boy to consider. She wasn’t naïve. She knew it didn’t matter how much Adam liked, or loved, her. If his son didn’t like her, or want her around, her relationship with Adam was doomed.

  “He thinks it’s cool. He told me that I’ve spent too long making sure he’s happy and I deserve happiness of my own. See, I told you, gotta love his heart.” Adam’s eyes glossed over as he talked about his son.

  “Sounds like he’s a lot like his daddy.” She leaned forward to kiss Adam again. His lips were soft against hers, and she thought she could stay like this for the rest of her life.

  “You know, I never meant to stay away so long.”

  “What was your plan then?”

  “I thought I’d get situated with my classes, get into a routine that I knew worked, and then I’d try to contact you and see if you were willing to take me back. I just needed to know that I could do it on my own. Back then, I wasn’t so sure I could do it and I was afraid to let you see me fail.”

  Hannah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had never once doubted that he would be a success in medical school and as a doctor. She knew that it was going to take an insane amount of dedication and hard work, but she believed in him and she knew he could do it.

  She shook her head at him. “Well that’s just crazy talk. I never had any doubts that you’d do just fine.” She rested her head back on his chest. “But what happened? Once you were settled, why didn’t you come back for me?”

  He trailed his fingers up and down her back, and she prepared herself to hear about what had kept them apart.

  “Thanks for believing in me, Hannah, but I got off to a pretty rocky start. Classes were overwhelming and I was having trouble keeping up. It took me a lot longer than I expected to get into a groove where I could actually take a moment to relax every once and awhile. By that time, I convinced myself it was too late. I just figured you’d moved on and I didn’t want to disrupt you after so much time had passed.”

  “So disrupting me after fifteen years seemed like a better idea?” She shook her head again.

  Hannah could feel his body shudder underneath her with a slight chuckle. “Crazy right?”

  “Very. So what changed your mind? Why now?”

  “I ran out of excuses to stay away. I always wanted to call you, to see you. But then I had Danny and making sure he was taken care of was my first priority. As he got older, I tried meeting other women but I always compared them to you and they were never good enough. It made me think I should stop trying to find your replacement and just find you instead. But mostly, I just think I was ready, and was really hoping you’d be too.”

  He always had a way of saying all the right things. She
knew exactly how he felt. She did the same thing with every man she’d met since she and Adam had parted ways. They didn’t smell like him. They didn’t make her laugh like he did. They didn’t know a punt from a kickoff. But most of all, none of them came close to making her feel the way he did.

  Like always, whenever she was in his arms, her entire body was oversensitive to his touch and her girl parts tightened. There was no way she could resist him any longer.

  “Well, this must be your lucky day, big guy, because I’ve been ready since the day I met you.”

  She scooted closer and brought herself face to face with him. She brushed her hand through his hair before she lowered her lips to his. He met her with a hunger that excited her. She kissed him frantically, like she couldn’t get enough of him. She kissed his forehead, both sides of his face, his chin, and then back to his lips. She nipped at his bottom lip and sucked on it playfully. Then she felt his tongue enter her mouth and tangle with hers. The kiss got deeper and more passionate until they were out of breath.

  Adam held her tightly and flipped her around so he was on top of her. Then he sat up and she was in awe of the view of his chiseled physique. He was almost forty and he still had the most amazing body she’d ever seen. His shoulders were broad, and his chest was lightly dusted with dark hair. Just looking at his muscular pecs, strong arms, and well defined abs made her feel drunk with desire.

  He bent down to plant a peck on her forehead before he gathered the bottom of her camisole in his hands and tugged it up her body and over her head. She reached around to her back and unhooked her bra. He slid each strap off her shoulders and tossed it aside. Her breasts freed and Adam didn’t wait one second to pay them attention.

  He lowered his head and kissed her between her breasts as he cupped each one in the palm of his hands. He then dragged his tongue to the left and sucked hard on her pebbled nipple. She let out a whimper as he caused her a pleasure she’d dreamed of for so long. He moved his way to the right taking in the other breast with even more passion. Hannah grasped the back of his head and tugged on his hair as he nibbled on each of her erect nipples.

  Kiss by kiss, he trailed his way down to the top edge of her panties. He slid his index fingers into the waistband at her hips and lowered them until she was able to kick them off at her feet. His fingers felt like they were branding every inch of her body with such an intense heat she was close to catching fire.

  He nipped at her waist and traced his tongue down to her center. She was primed and ready for him and she was sure that he would take note the moment his mouth came down on her. The sensation of his warm wet mouth on her sex was more than she could handle at the moment. She loved what he was doing to her but when her first orgasm rocked her, she wanted it to be with him. With him inside her. He sucked on just the right spot causing a hitch in her breath so she tugged on his hair to bring him upward.

  Adam took the hint and pressed his lips to hers again. This time their tongues found each other instantly. A moan escaped from both of them when Hannah wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust herself against the swell in his boxers. Only one thin piece of material separated them and she wanted nothing more than to shed him of his last article of clothing. She’d waited too long for this moment and she couldn’t wait a second more.

  Hannah ran her hands down Adam’s back and hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxers and tugged them down.

  He couldn’t believe this was really happening. He’d thought about this night for as long as he could remember. He had memorized every part of her body and when he finally saw her naked again, it was as familiar as it had been many years before. Her full breasts, her curvy hips, and ultra soft skin. He could have kissed every inch of her again and again, if she’d let him.

  As much as her appearance hadn’t changed, neither had her horniness. While he had always took pleasure in kissing, licking, and sucking on every bit of her from head to toe, she couldn’t ever get to the main event fast enough.

  Adam was so close to burying himself inside of Hannah, but he had to stop suddenly. “Baby, are you sure this is what you want?”

  She didn’t say anything. Instead she lifted her hips to him and he worked in short strokes till he was buried deep inside of her. She wrapped around him like she was made for him. He had to take his time with each thrust. He wasn’t interested in finishing before he had a chance to get started. This was their first time together and he wanted it to last as long as possible.

  Slowly, their hips met each other stroke for stroke. He sucked on her neck and she grasped his behind. He could feel her nails dig into his skin and it was all he could do to keep from finishing right then. He slowed the pace, kissing her gently, until they both went up and over together. She shuddered underneath him as he placed soft kisses to her eyes, to her chin, and again to her lips.

  Finally, Adam gazed into her eyes. She was beautiful and she was his, again. His throat tightened, but he managed to get the words out anyway. “I love you, Hannah. I always have.”

  She cupped his face in both of her hands and pressed her lips to his. She looked at him with tear filled eyes. “And I love you, Adam. Then, now, always.”

  Adam hated that he had to leave her after their first night together. But he wasn’t some bachelor without responsibilities. They both knew that their relationship was not only about them. He had Danny to consider every step of the way.

  When Hannah asked about where Danny was that evening, Adam explained that his son spent some Monday nights with friends watching football and that he had to be home by ten, she understood that he needed to leave. Danny was thirteen and old enough to be left home alone, but there was no way Adam would leave him by himself overnight.

  Adam had the rest of his life with Hannah. It wouldn’t be long before they slept in each other’s arms every night.

  Danny beat his dad home and when Adam walked in the door, his son pounced on him with questions, or more like teasing.

  “Hot date tonight, Dad?”

  Adam made his way to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. He drained almost half the bottle before he answered. He wasn’t sure if he was really that thirsty or if he was just trying to buy time. “Something like that,” was all he could think of to say.

  “Did you see Hannah?” His son’s happy interest made him smile.

  “I did.” He couldn’t hide his excitement. He stood before his son grinning like a little kid.

  Danny took a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and hopped on the counter to take a seat. In between swigs, he continued to question his dad. “Looks like you had a good time. When do I get to meet her?”

  That was one thing Adam hadn’t thought about yet. While he was confident things would continue to go well with Hannah, he wasn’t sure when he wanted her to meet his boy.

  “I don’t know, bud. I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

  “Come on, Dad. Afraid I’ll embarrass you? Afraid she’ll want to dump you once she meets me?”

  He couldn’t tell if Danny was serious or just playing. “I’d never be embarrassed by you, kid. And if she wanted to dump me after she met you, then she’s not the person I thought she was. If anything, she’ll want me more because of you. You’re a bonus. Like a puppy.”

  Danny barked and they both chuckled.

  “At least talk to her and see if she wants to meet me. I really want to see her in real life. Not just a two inch picture on a screen.” His son hopped off the counter and opened the pantry to get a box of Oreos.

  “Listen, bud, I’m sure I’ll get a chance to introduce you soon. But let’s not rush it. This is still very new. Don’t forget that tonight is the first time I’ve seen her in fifteen years.”

  Danny seemed to understand. He hugged and kissed his dad good night and trotted up to his room. Adam finished his water, checked all the locks, turned off the lights and went to his room as well.

  When he was finally in bed, he took out his phone to text Hannah.
r />   I miss you already

  Same here

  Didn’t want to leave you tonight. Wish you were here with me.

  Me too.

  Can I call you tomorrow?

  Of course.

  Hannah, I love you.

  I love you too.

  Chapter 6

  Hannah thought she would have been more upset when Adam left her bed after they’d made love. Surprisingly, she was feeling just fine. Sure, it would have been better if he was able to stay. She would have loved to snuggle up to him the rest of the night and wake up in his arms but she was content with what they’d shared.

  Things had changed since they were first a couple. They had both grown up. In her younger, less confident mind of long ago, it would have hurt her if he just got up and left with a wham bam thank you ma’am. She’d matured over the years and was much more able to see the big picture.

  It was getting late and she really needed to get some sleep, but the wheels kept turning in her head.

  Her heart warmed when she thought of Danny. She was anxious to meet him. She could just picture a miniature version of Adam. She wondered how much they resembled each other. Did they have the same eyes? Same hair? Same smile? Would he be tall like his dad?

  She thought of Danny’s mom. She still couldn’t get over how his mother was able to leave him behind. What could she have possibly been thinking? Of course, raising a child was difficult. And even more so if you’re in medical school, but abandoning your child? No way. That should have never been a consideration. If she ever met the woman, she’d be tempted to smack her.

  Hannah sat at her desk the next afternoon, daydreaming—or fantasizing—about the previous night’s events. She tried to hide her giddiness when Leila walked in with her lunch.

  Her friend, and boss, set a Diet Coke on her desk and took out two salads. They did that often. One of the girls brought lunch for the other and vice versa. Sometimes neither of them brought anything and they were forced to eat in the cafeteria, which was hit or miss. The food was either delicious or downright disgusting. Hannah was grateful to her friend for stopping through a drive-thru for a grilled chicken salad with raspberry balsamic dressing for each of them.