by Sandy James
I think that was the first time I’d seen Eli smile. “It’s so cool.”
Everything inside me brightened to the excitement in his voice, and it amazed me how important it was for me to know he was happy. “What do you want to do first?”
“Where’s the museum in that movie?” he asked. “I wanna go there.”
“Which movie?” I asked.
Scott answered. “Night at the Museum—the one with Ben Stiller. It’s supposed to be the Natural History Museum.”
“That would be great.” Eli grabbed the remote control and started channel surfing.
Scott took my hand and led me toward the bedroom. “We need to talk.” Thankfully, Cleo didn’t follow, choosing instead to sit and let Eli stroke her. She’d crawled across his lap and laid her head on her paws. I was amazed she wasn’t sighing in contentment. Every dog needed a boy to love it as much as it loved him. Cleo had Eli now.
Scott shut the bedroom door behind us and tugged me into his arms. I laid my cheek against his chest as his chin rubbed the top of my head. Perhaps I needed an affectionate stroke just as much as Cleo. “You holding up okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. It’s just so…weird having him in my home.”
“I imagine.”
“Are you staying tonight?” It was the only thing I could ask. I was terrified to be alone with Eli, figuring I’d do or say something stupid that would drive a bigger wedge between us. I knew he was still very leery of me and that he hadn’t come to New York just to get to know his birth mother. He was escaping his father’s betrayal as well as stretching his adolescent wings.
“Do you need me to stay?”
“God, yes.” I hadn’t realized how much I was starting to depend on Scott’s strength.
“You’re not worried about what Eli will think? I mean, we’re not married or anything.” He kissed my forehead. “Waiting for you to ask me seriously.”
If I thought he was sincere, I would have proposed at that moment.
But he couldn’t mean it. Not yet. We simply hadn’t known each other long enough to plan a life together.
“So am I staying?”
One thing I’d decided the moment I agreed that Eli could come back with me was that I wouldn’t pretend to be something I wasn’t. I wouldn’t put on airs or act like I was some pious person. I was what I was, warts and all. Scott was my boyfriend, and we slept together now. I wouldn’t be a hypocrite and act as though I was some kind of nun. “You’re staying. I doubt he’ll be too scandalized.”
He squeezed me a little tighter. “I should probably go home. I imagine I’ve got a million things that need done.”
“I understand.”
“But I’ll stay if you need me.”
Pulling away, I rose on tip-toe to kiss him. “I do. I need you.”
“Then you’ve got me.”
I left the shelter of his arms. Eli would need a pillow, sheets and a blanket. With a reluctant glance back at Scott, I headed to the linen closet by the bathroom.
After Eli and I tugged the sofa bed open, I made him a bed, asked him if he needed anything else—which he assured me he didn’t—and then went back to the bedroom.
Scott was already in bed, and as I closed and locked the door, I let out a contented sigh because that gorgeous chest of his was bare as were his legs. The blanket was bunched over his waist as he leaned back against the headboard, and I couldn’t help but hope there was nothing between us except that blanket. A condom rested on the nightstand.
I moved to the foot of the bed, jerked my shirt over my head and tossed him an inviting smile that turned into a full-blown grin when Scott’s erection pitched a tent under the blanket. My bra hit the floor. Slipping off my jeans and panties, I crawled up the bed like a panther stalking her prey, letting my breasts rub against his legs as I worked my way up his body.
By the time I reached the blanket, he was breathing hard. Damn, how I loved the way he responded to me. He made me feel sexy, something I’d never imagined I could be. His reaction to me freed something deep inside and made me want to please him, because I was discovering that in pleasing him, I also pleased myself.
I grabbed the blanket and slowly peeled it down, as if I was opening some precious gift. His erection got my immediate attention. Full and hard and more than enough to garner the envy of any woman.
But he was all mine.
Scott’s lopsided grin told me he was waiting to see what I would do. I wrapped my fingers around his shaft, gave him my own grin and leaned down to lick him from root to tip. He hissed and fisted his hands at his sides. His reaction made me bolder. I took him in my mouth and whirled my tongue until I heard a groan.
“Jesus, Maddie.”
That hadn’t been the reaction I wanted. My head popped up so I could look him in the eye. “Wrong?” Most guys loved this kind of attention, and I suddenly feared I’d found the one man in North America who didn’t enjoy blow jobs.
“No! Right. Very right.”
All the encouragement I needed. I might not have been much with technique, but I loved him with my mouth, enjoying each moan and hiss. His fingers dug into the sheets. Everything about him aroused me. His scent. His taste. The feel of that silky hot skin against my tongue.
“Enough!” Scott finally said. His hands snaked around my upper arms, then he dragged me up until I was straddling his lap. “Now, angel. Get the condom and take me inside you now.”
When he was ready, I lowered myself onto him, letting him fill me completely. I didn’t even get a chance to savor that intimate connection before he put his hands on my hips and rocked up against me.
The rhythm quickly turned frantic, and I couldn’t get enough of him. He groaned, gripped my hips a little tighter and whispered, “Oh, God.”
His obvious delight pushed me over the edge, and I surrendered to the waves of internal tremors that made every nerve feel alive. My breath caught in my throat.
Scott’s hips rose to meet me once more before he came. His shout of my name made me put my hand over his mouth. “Eli will hear.”
He kissed my palm before gently pulling my hand away.
“Damn, Maddie.” Scott cradled me against him when I dropped to his side. “I think you killed me.”
“But what a way to go.”
* * *
Scott shook me awake. I hadn’t slept a wink. My bleary eyes focused on the nightstand clock. Seven-thirty. I sighed in resignation. “I’m up.”
His chuckle told me he believed otherwise. “C’mon, angel. Let’s get something to eat, then I need to go.”
“Yeah, yeah.” All I wanted to do was jerk the covers back over my head and sleep another hour or more. I was supposed to go to my agent’s office to meet with her and an editor, but I’d have to leave Eli at the condo alone. This parenting stuff was too new for me to know whether he should be supervised or not. The kid was supposed to be a genius, right? A teenage whiz kid surely didn’t need a babysitter. “I need to walk Cleo.”
“Already done. Fed her too.”
Scott walked and fed Cleo? Mind-blowing sex and walking my dog? He was sure a full-service guy. “Thanks.”
“Get up, Maddie.” He whistled, and Cleo came galloping into the room. She jumped on the bed and flopped down so hard that I bounced.
I ruffled her fur as she stretched out to make herself comfortable. It was a good thing I had a king-sized bed or I’d never have any room to sleep. I smiled up at Scott and realized he was already dressed, wearing the suit he’d worn to the dance. “Are you leaving?”
“I really need to get to work.”
That got my attention. “Where exactly is that? You promised to tell me after the reunion. And why are you wearing a suit?” My brain never worked well that early in the morning.
“Might take a little bit of time to explain, and I sure don’t want to talk to you before your coffee.” With a wink, he pulled the blanket back and nodded at the bathroom. “Go take your shower. We can have a nice long talk
over supper—after I get a few mimosas down you.”
I stumbled into the shower, and I think I washed my hair. I was too tired to remember. After throwing on an outfit I hoped matched, I made it to the kitchen.
Eli sat on one of the stools pulled up to the high counter. He was shoveling Cheerios into his mouth while he read the Times. Some parental pride surfaced that he kept up with news and culture. Wasn’t intelligence genetic?
“Here.” Scott shoved a mug of what I hoped was strong coffee at me. “Drink this.”
I was in the mood to oblige him. Not only was it strong, it was damn good and he knew just how many sweeteners to add. The man was certainly talented. In many, many areas.
Mom was right—he was definitely a keeper.
Just thinking about her made me reach for my cell phone. If Terri had talked to her about Eli, I was in for an earful of angry parent. A glance at my screen showed six missed calls from her. I set the phone aside, not sure what I’d say when I finally found the courage to call back. I couldn’t even force myself to listen to the voicemails yet.
With the coffee jumpstarting my brain, I remembered how much I owed Scott, both monetarily and personally for how wonderful he’d been at the reunion. I set down my mug and grabbed my purse. As I pulled out the checkbook, I turned to Scott. “I’m gonna write you a check, if that’s okay.”
His brow furrowed. “For what?”
“For the weekend.”
Eli’s attention had drifted from the Times and was now fully focused on Scott and me. He scooped another spoonful of Cheerios into his mouth and chewed as he stared.
“I don’t want your money, Maddie.” His tone was as brittle as broken glass.
“I know you don’t, but we had a deal. I always keep my bargains.”
Eli choked a laugh that thankfully didn’t send milk out his nose. “Dude! You’re a gigolo? Too cool.”
Scott didn’t rise to the bait, but he did flash me a scorching scowl.
“You earned the money, Scott. You were there for me all weekend and then some. And I know you can use it.” Damn, but that sounded snotty, and I regretted saying it the moment the words slipped out of my mouth.
He set his jaw. “You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you? You think you pegged me the second you met me in that bar.”
“She picked you up in a bar?” Eli shoved his bowl aside, his attention now entirely on us. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
“I didn’t pick him up,” I insisted.
“You sure as hell did,” Scott retorted.
I didn’t like seeing his anger, and I knew how hard it was to soothe a man’s wounded pride. “I just wouldn’t feel right not keeping my promise. Please let me write you a check to at least cover the cost of gas.” At least the room had been charged to my credit card since I’d made the reservations.
Propping his elbows on the counter, Eli rested his chin on his hands and continued to gape at us, enraptured.
“I don’t want your money, Maddie. I told you that when we started dating.”
“I know, but—”
“Write a check. I’ll just rip it up.”
I’d reached my fill. All I’d been trying to do was follow through on a promise. If Scott didn’t want my money, fine. I threw the pen on the counter and shoved the checkbook back in my purse. “Whatever. Suit yourself.” I turned to Eli. “I have an appointment with my agent.”
“Agent? Why do you need an agent?”
“She’s an author,” Scott replied while I put my empty mug—and the one he’d set aside—in the dishwasher. His tone still came out decidedly pissed.
“What do you write?” Eli asked.
“Romance novels.” I waited for the negative response. A sixteen-year-old boy would never understand how important romances were to women, and for all I knew, he thought they were nothing but women’s porno.
“Man, this is seriously classic. You two should have a reality show.” Eli jumped off the stool and headed to the couch.
I still wasn’t sure whether I should leave him alone. “Do you want to go with me to my meeting?”
“Nah. I’ll just hang here.”
There wasn’t much food in the fridge, and once Marla and I got talking, I wouldn’t be back for lunch. She’d want a full debriefing on the reunion, and I had a strong need to talk to her about both Scott and Eli. Marla had a way of cutting through bullshit and getting to the heart of the matter. Her advice could only help. “There’s nothing to eat here.”
Scott was slipping on his shoes. “There’s a bodega a few buildings away, and there’s plenty of fast food. He can get lunch.”
“All alone in New York City?” That idea terrified me. He was just a little kid.
“Eli’s sixteen,” Scott replied as if reading my mind. “He can manage for a few hours. Do you have an extra key?”
“Yeah, it works for the lobby door and the condo. But…”
Eli kept flipping through channels on my TV. “Just leave me a key and some bucks. I’ll get lunch.”
As I fished the spare key out of the drawer, I tried to reassure myself that he’d be okay without supervision. “You’ll only go grab something to eat and come right back?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He sounded so much like me, I winced.
Scott gave Eli a stern glare. “You’ll come right back.” A statement, not a question.
“Right back,” Eli parroted.
I grabbed my wallet and pulled out the only cash I had left—a hundred-dollar bill. I laid it and the key on the coffee table. I picked up some scrap paper from my desk and scribbled out my cell phone number. “You can reach me here if you need anything.”
Scott took the pen and paper, wrote his own cell phone number, and nodded at Eli. “That’s my number.”
My son reached out and snatched up the money as his face lit up with a grin. “Can I keep the change?”
“No,” both Scott and I replied.
His lips dropped to a frown. “Whatever.”
Taking my hand, Scott led me to the door. He picked up my purse, slung the strap over my shoulder, and called back to Eli. “We’re putting a lot of trust in you. Don’t abuse it.”
My son simply waved us off, which I pretty much figured most teens did whenever getting instructions from their parents.
Scott led me into the hall and closed the door behind us. “What time do you want me to pick you up for dinner?”
“What about Eli? I can’t leave him for lunch and dinner.”
An irritated sigh. “We really need to talk. Alone. I wanna clear up all these things you think you know about me.”
About time he showed me all his cards. “Like where you work?”
“Yeah. Like that.”
“Why don’t we get something to eat with Eli, then we can go out for a drink after?”
“Sounds like a plan.” He leaned in to kiss me. “See you around seven?”
“Seven’s perfect.”
After Scott headed for the elevator, I slipped back inside. “Eli?”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t be afraid to call if you need anything. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and we can all go out for supper. Your choice of where.”
Eli glanced over at Cleo, who was now sitting on the floor in front of the easy chair. “Do I need to do anything for her?”
“No, but thanks. She has a dog walker coming around one. He’ll let himself in. I’ll feed her when I get home.” I frowned, wondering what Eli would do all day while I was gone. Then I remembered the video games my parents got me for Christmas that I’d never even used. “There are some video games in the hall closet. I don’t know how to set up the system, but…”
Eli pointed at my laptop. “Can I surf the Net?”
“Sure. Just don’t download any viruses or anything.”
“As if.”
Shit, he really was my kid.
I stepped back to the door. “Behave yourself while I’m gone.”
> “I will.”
Chapter Fourteen
I heard earsplitting music the moment I stepped off the elevator. My neighbors were usually more considerate, especially since most of them were old enough to be collecting Social Security. The heavy beat of a bass grew louder, vibrating the floor beneath my feet as I got closer to my front door, and I had a sinking feeling the music wasn’t coming from one of my geriatric neighbors.
The door next to mine popped open as I passed. Mr. Kane stuck his head out and threw me a caustic frown that probably terrorized his students when he used to teach. “Did you leave your stereo on? Damned inconsiderate, if you ask me.” He waved a wrinkled finger at me.
“No, I didn’t…I…I have a guest who obviously doesn’t know our rules very well. I’m really sorry. I’ll talk to him.”
“I’m gonna bring this up at the condo board meeting next month.”
Using the condo board as a threat? I almost laughed until I realized that would probably piss Mr. Kane off more. The last thing the board had agreed on was the color to paint the lobby two years ago, and it took them almost a year of bickering to decide beige would work.
I shoved the key in the lock, mumbled another apology and slipped inside.
The smell of marijuana hit me like a club over the head. “Oh, my God.”
Eli was draped over the easy chair, and two other kids about his age and dressed exactly like him were sprawled over my couch. Smoke floated around them like fog, and because none of them acknowledged my coming in, all three were probably stoned out of their gourds. Hell, there so much smoke in there, I would get stoned if I didn’t air the place out soon.
It dawned on me that Cleo didn’t come to greet me. “Where in the hell’s my dog?”
“Oh, hi, Mom,” Eli muttered before he laughed. “I put Cleo in the bedroom with some treats. She didn’t like my friends.” The two bozos on the couch started laughing too.
Cleo had always been a good judge of character. “Your friends? And where exactly did you meet your new friends?” I flipped off the stereo so I didn’t have to keep yelling and started to pick up my books that had been discarded around the room.