Second Chance (A Secret Baby Romance Novel)

by Carter, Charity

  When we dated before I left, he didn’t put much thought into my gifts, but I could tell he actually spent time picking out the flowers and the vase, making sure they were things I would like and appreciate.

  The fact that Chance would go out of his way to do something so special for me made me feel good. I kept reading the words on that card over and over.

  Thinking of you.

  I suddenly found myself trying to fight off the unfamiliar sting of tears forming in my eyes. I had no idea what was wrong with me. My emotions were running wild, and it seemed like even the smallest things were setting me off.

  My body had been reacting in different ways ever since that night on the porch swing. It was like he had opened a present that had been sitting on a shelf, collecting dust for the last ten years. Now, all I wanted Chance to do was open it again and play with it.

  “Who are those flowers from?”

  CJ’s question shook me out of my thoughts and startled me, causing me to jump.

  “Actually, these are from your father.”

  “Officer Sparks?” he shrugged.

  “Yep. Aren’t they gorgeous?”

  He walked over to me and looked them over, picking one up to smell it. “A flower is a flower mom.”

  I laughed at his casual nature. At his age, there was no way he could understand, but they meant a lot to me.

  “They’re more than just flowers to me. They were special. They let me know that he’s been thinking about me.”

  “I don’t think that’s what they mean.”

  “You don’t? Why not?”

  “Well, that night when we went to dinner with his family, he talked about you. A lot,” he stopped to look me in the eyes. “I didn’t like it and I told him that you weren’t interested in anything except working and taking care of me.”

  “What? Why would you tell him that?”

  “I didn’t figure you were interested in him back. You’ve never dated anyone before, why would you start now? It’s always been the two of us. I like it that way. Don’t you?”

  “Oh, son. I love you so much, and I really do love spending time with you, but don’t you think that maybe your momma gets lonely sometimes?”

  “I don’t know. You never mentioned it.”

  “That’s because it’s not something you need to be concerned about. Besides, I don’t work nearly as many hours, and you’ve got some pretty good friends that you’ve been hanging out with. You don’t want me sitting around the house all day by myself do you?”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “Don’t you think that maybe I deserve to have some friends too?”

  “Of course I do; I just don’t see why you couldn’t just have some girlfriends to hang around with.”

  “I’m sure I will find some girlfriends to hang around with, but most of the girls that I was friends with when I lived here are married with families. I’m more comfortable with people I already know. That just happens to be Chance and his family.”

  “I know mom, but he doesn’t want to just be your friend. He wants to be your boyfriend. I just know it. I think he likes you.”

  I smiled, wondering exactly what Chance must have said to him that night. “Do you really think so?”

  “Yeah, he wouldn’t stop talking about when you guys used to go out on dates and stuff. He said you were the love of his life and other mushy stuff. His brothers went on and on about it too. I just know he wants all that again, but if you let him do all that, he’ll find out who I am.”

  “Why does that have to be a bad thing, son?”

  “I don’t know. I just think that if he finds out who I am, he might run away and reject me. What if he doesn’t want me once he finds out he’s my dad?”

  Hearing him say those words made me feel sick to my stomach. It killed me to know that the only thing keeping my son from having a relationship with his father was the fear of his father not wanting him. I wanted so badly to tell him that Chance already knew, but I couldn’t.

  “What would make you think he wouldn’t want you?”

  “Because he doesn’t like me, mom.”

  “What? If he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t have been spending all of this time with you.”

  “He only did it because I was being punished.”

  “Okay, what about taking you to dinner with his family?”

  “He only did that because you got called into work.”

  “That’s not true. I had actually made other arrangements for you. You would have been fed and taken care of until I got home. He insisted that you go with him.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. I think when Chance looks at you, he sees a kid who was a lot like him when he was young. He got into trouble and was a handful for his parents. I think he’s taken an interest in you because of that. He just has no idea just how much like him you are.”

  “So I guess he’s back in town.”

  “Who’s back in town?”

  “Officer Sparks.”

  “I wasn’t aware that he was gone.”

  “Yeah, some kid got out of the juvenile hall, and he was helping the cops chase him down. He wasn’t at the station the last two days I went down there. The other guy was there instead.”

  “Well, if he sent the flowers, I would guess he’s probably back.”

  “That’s so cool. That means we’re still on for tomorrow!”

  “Tomorrow? Don’t you know tomorrow is Saturday?”

  “I know mom. Remember? He’s gonna teach me and the guys some martial arts moves so we know some self-defense. We are going to meet him down at the station.”

  “That’s right. I do remember you telling me about that.” I didn’t actually forget, but I had wanted to talk to Chance to see what he knew about these two boys that CJ was hanging around with. “Are the boys going to need a ride with you or are their parents going to drive them?”

  “They’re probably just going to ride their bikes. My front tire is getting a little low. Do you think you could drive me?”

  “Yeah, I can do that. Why don’t you find something to do for a bit while I get dinner ready?”

  “All right. Do you think Officer Sparks is going to be stopping by or calling tonight?”

  “I have no clue. If he had the eventful last couple of days that you say he did, he’s probably exhausted, so I wouldn’t count on it.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  He had tried to hide it, but I heard it as clear as day. There was a hint of disappointment in his voice when I told him I didn’t think we’d be hearing from Chance. I understood. The sound of his voice matched exactly how I was feeling.

  * * *

  Chance

  I was tired, but I sure as hell couldn’t get any sleep. Instead, I laid in bed tossing and turning. I had too much on my mind, and I couldn’t shut it off no matter how hard I tried. I was too restless and agitated. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

  Eventually, I realized it was fruitless and gave up. I ripped the blankets off of me and jumped out of bed, grabbing and old pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of the closet and throwing them on.

  My back was pleading with me to get back into bed. After the days I’d had, it was aching and desperately needed some down time, but I had to go. I had to be with Latrice.

  I missed her sweet smile, her soft curves, her scent, and the feeling of her fingers tracing my skin. I needed to be inside of her.

  I sighed as I looked over at the clock. It was already after midnight, and I wondered if Latrice would be awake and willing to open the door. There was only one way to find out.

  * * *

  Latrice

  I’d just fallen asleep when I heard the unmistakable sound of the small stone clanking against my bedroom window.

  At first, I chalked it up to just being part of my overactive imagination, but I knew that wasn’t the case when I heard a stone hit a second time. At that point, I knew who was throwing the stone. I also knew that it was a sign
al for me to come out onto the front porch.

  A small stone or pebble being thrown softly against my window was something Chance used to do when he’d come back from being out with his boys.

  It was his way of letting me know he was there so that I could sneak out of the house and meet him. I guess old habits die hard.

  I slipped out of bed, realizing I was moving just as quietly as I did when I was younger. Back then, I was careful not to wake my parents. Now, I was careful not to wake my son.

  I threw on my robe, exited my room, walked down the hall, slid out the front door, and walked out onto the front porch. I hadn’t bothered to turn on any lights, and I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t need to. I knew he was there. I could smell his scent on the cool evening breeze.

  Squinting my eyes, he came into focus, looking larger than life as he loomed over me. He was gazing down at me with a look I’d seen a hundred times before.

  It was the look of unbridled passion, lust, and hunger. Seeing that look in his eyes did things to me, and I could feel myself getting wet.

  “I heard you throwing the rocks against the windows, just like old times,” I told him, needing to say something, anything.

  Chance nodded his head as he began making his way towards, moving slowly and methodically. “I wasn’t sure whether or not you’d remember. I was just hoping I wouldn’t frighten you.”

  I remembered. I remembered those late night meetings a lot more than I was willing to admit to him. By the way, my body was responding to him just being there, it hadn’t forgotten either.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked as I tried to fight a battle within myself that I knew I was in danger of losing. “What’s going on?”

  He kept moving towards me, closing the gap inch-by-inch. I felt like I was paralyzed. I was completely unable to move.

  Once he was close enough, he reached out and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. Inside his pants, I could feel his large erection straining against the zipper.

  “Does that answer your question, Latrice? Does that tell you what I’m doing here?”

  He bent down and pressed his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and let it happen. What in the hell was I getting myself into?

  Chapter Ten

  Latrice

  I was beginning to panic. Everything Chance was doing felt too good, but my brain and my body were having a fight with one another.

  My brain was pleading for me to stop what I was doing, ensuring me that I didn’t really want to do it. My body, on the other hand, was delivering different signals, and all those signals were saying yes over and over.

  As much as I knew my brain should be the one to win out, my body was determined. My brain kept saying that it had barely been a week since I’d seen Chance again for the first time in over ten years. He and I had a ton of issues that we needed to resolve, issues that hadn’t even been fully addressed.

  Pretty soon, even my brain was having trouble keeping up the fight. I started focusing on the fact that Chance was the first and only man I’d ever loved. He was the one who had taken my virginity and taught me everything I know about how a man can make a woman feel good. He was the man who had given me my son.

  That’s when the realization hit me. What was happening didn’t have a thing to do with love.

  Instead, it was about taking care of a need that hadn’t been taken care of by anyone but myself in over a decade.

  After coming to that realization, I let go and felt my body tremble under his touch. He moved his hands from my sides and brought them up to my face and pulled my lips to his.

  That was all it took. All the questions. All the distance over the previous ten years. All the heartache. It was all gone.

  I was sure they’d return at some point, but for the moment they were being replaced by a sexual hunger that I didn’t even realize I had inside of me.

  As he covered my lips with his, we both let out a low groan. He was feeling the same way I was. This wasn’t a gentle, loving kiss. It was intense and rough. It was primal. It was the hottest kiss I’d ever had in my life.

  * * *

  Chance

  The kissing wasn’t going to do it for me. It was nice, and I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t what I needed. Not right then. I needed something more, and I needed it quickly. I needed to feel myself inside of her.

  I needed to remember what she felt like.

  I needed to feel her insides remold itself around me. I needed to feel the pleasure that she used to make me feel. I wanted her, and I wanted her to have all of me.

  My skin was becoming flush, and my blood felt like it was beginning to pool to my cock. When I broke our kiss, it was more like having to tear my lips away from hers. Her entire body was trembling. I’d never seen anything like it before. When I looked down, I realized I was trembling just as much as she was.

  “Is CJ asleep?”

  “Yeah, he’s been out for a while.”

  “Okay, follow me. I’ve set something up for us.”

  I expected her to put up some sort of fight, but she followed me right down the steps instead. I doubted she even had to pay much attention to where I was walking.

  She knew where we were headed. There was a spot that we used to think of as our spot. It’s a secluded spot behind her house that was hidden by trees. I’d planned ahead and spread a blanket out on the ground.

  “I didn’t see your car. Where did you park it?” Latrice asked, making me wonder if she might have been having second thoughts.

  “I parked down by the cafe and walked to the house. I was really careful not to be spotted.”

  There was already a lot of talk around town about Latrice and me, so I didn’t think it would matter if anyone saw me at her place. I only did what I was doing because I knew it would make her happy.

  I’d heard through the grapevine that there were several people taking cheap shots at me, saying that her son was obviously mine, but I was just too much of an idiot to see it. If they only knew.

  * * *

  Latrice

  “I got a special delivery today,” I told him as we sat on the blanket, the moonlight shining down from between the trees.

  “Oh yeah? What did you get?”

  “I got some gorgeous flowers. Thanks for sending them to me. I really liked them. You didn’t have to do that, though.”

  “You should know that I never do anything anyone tells me I have to. I didn’t send them because I had to. I sent them because I wanted you to have them.”

  I gazed up at him, only to find that he was staring right back at me. The hunger in his eyes had not dissipated one bit.

  In fact, it may have been growing stronger. I wondered if I had the same look in my eyes. I was sitting there, feeling an intense desire welling up inside of me. It must have been the same type of desire that had given him the massive erection

  I felt poking out of his pants. I couldn’t remember a time when our desire for one another was as strong as it was right then, even when we were together and could have each other whenever we wanted. This was different.

  Chance reached across me and pulled me down onto the blanket with him. I didn’t fight him. I went down willingly.

  “I want you so badly, Latrice,” he whispered in my ear, the warmth of his breath giving me goosebumps all over my body.

  He wasn’t the only one with a need. I wanted him badly as well. I didn’t just want the sex. I wanted to feel the intimacy and closeness that I’d once felt with Chance.

  I wanted to let him take me while I allowed myself to get lost in the moment and let myself get lost in him. I wanted to give myself to him completely.

  It was going to happen, so I didn’t utter a word when I felt him start to pull my t-shirt up over my head. I didn’t say anything when his fingers moved up my body and began caressing my nipples softly.

  I stayed quiet while those same fingers moved away from my breasts, down my stomach and made their way between my legs.

/>   That was where my silence ended. As soon as he touched me there and dipped his fingers into my warm wetness, I cried out with pleasure. My heart was starting to race even faster than it already was.

  “I can’t believe how wet you are,” he whispered. “You’ve been the only thing I’ve been able to think about for the last couple of days. Since I saw you last, all I’ve wanted to do is devour you. I want to remember what you taste like.”

  The things his fingers were doing inside of me only caused the heat to build even more within my body, but it was his words that seemed like they were going to send me over the edge. I couldn’t say anything back to him. All I could do was whimper as I felt the pleasure increasing.

  Before I knew it, my body was shaking, and I was trying not to yell out at the top of my lungs. He kept moving his fingers inside of me, increasing the intensity of the orgasm, which didn’t feel like it was ever going to end.

  I started to yell out his name, but he cut me off with a deep, sensual kiss. A kiss which only made me want him even more. I’d been out of his life for a long time, and I suddenly felt like I needed to make it up to him. I had a feeling that he felt the exact same way.

  Once my body finally stopped shaking and I started to come down from my amazing climax, he pulled away from me, removing his lips from mine and leaving a void that I hope returned quickly.

  Chance stood up in front of me and started slowly removing the t-shirt he was wearing, tossing it into the grass. His movements were slow, calculated and cool. He appeared to be in complete control.

  I knew better. I knew exactly what was going on in his mind. I could see it in his eyes as he gazed down onto me, connecting directly with my soul.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I watched as he eased the jeans he was wearing down his legs. When he also lowered his boxers, his hardness sprung to life, the tip of it seeming to point straight at me, pre-cum glistening at the tip in the moonlight, as though it was trying to guide him where to go. I stared at it, thinking about the pleasure that was going to come from it.