"Good for you, but this, this is different. You want to get married first?" yeah I said that shit, and I meant it too. Though I knew that she would never go for it.
I think I was dealing with another first here; a woman that I had to chase for a change. Usually I am the one being hunted, but this might be good.
I could see that my little bombshell had left her speechless, and I was growing to like this way I had of shocking her into silence.
From this morning’s theatrics I knew that it was only a matter of time before she was back on her game and I was going to have my work cut out for me, so I was going to keep her off balance as much as I could for now, while I had the upper hand.
"Are you insane? We just met this morning."
"Babe." I had to lower my voice again because the two in the back were through speaking in code and were now more interested in what was going on in the front seats.
"You came on my cock when I barely touched you outside your clothes. If I hadn't stopped just now you would've done it again. I don't know how it is for women, but as a man let me tell you I am not willing to give that shit up.
Now I'm willing to give you a window of time to work shit out in your head. You've got the boys to think about after all, but make no mistake we're doing this."
I figured with her I was going to need less talk and more action. She’d already asked me if she was a lost bet so I had an idea of where her head was at.
There was obviously a truckload of things we needed to learn about each other, but I was pretty satisfied that I had all the basics.
She wasn’t as crazy as I’d first thought and even if she was I’m afraid I would’ve still gone for it. It’s not everyday a man meets a woman who has such a strong reaction to him physically.
It might not be the best thing to base a relationship on, but it was a fuck of a start.
After the week from hell, it looked like I was finally about to catch a break, three of them to be exact.
No one who knew me would recognize me. I’m the guy who likes to think things through, sometimes to death as I’ve been accused of often enough in the past.
I can’t explain it, but this feels right. And besides, my dog already gave his stamp of approval, and I trust his judgment more than I do a lot of my two legged friends’.
She seemed to be giving some thought to my words and I was grateful that she hadn’t just scoffed at what I’d said. Knowing her though, I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.
It didn’t matter though; my mind was made up. I took a look at my future in the rearview mirror and smiled.
When I woke up this morning, sore at the world and not too happy with life, I had no idea I was going to meet my destiny on a park bench. Life truly is strange sometimes.
“How’re we doing back there champs?” They chortled at me and pointed out the windows babbling all the way. At least I was making headway with the boys, and I was going to keep on doing it too, until I got her just where I wanted her.
I didn’t prove myself to dad in the business world, and earn my stripes and a corner office early, by being soft.
Grandpa had taught me from a young age, ‘know your opponent son, and always go for the jugular.’ I figure this was the biggest merger and acquisition I’d ever gone after, I could do no less than my best.
Chapter SIX
LAURIE
Either I'd fallen down the rabbit hole, or I'd got myself mixed up with a nut. Who the hell thinks like that?
It was true that he made my heart race in a way that it never had, not even in my one disastrous try at romance, and I’d thought I was in love with that ass.
But I can’t trust this, any of it. Things like this only happen in cheesy made for TV movies, and he’s loaded on top of everything else.
That alone made my stomach hurt. I am so not the type of girl that a hot multi-billionaire would go for, especially not with my baggage. So something else had to be at play here, I just haven’t put my finger on it yet.
But he seems so genuine, so sincere, and the boys already like him, not to mention what he makes me feel when he touches me.
But I can’t give into this I have to be responsible. Maybe if I’d met him before. No, I can’t start thinking like that either. Next thing you know I’d be resenting my boys and I will never be guilty of that.
"I can see that mind of yours working overtime over there, that's okay. Go ahead and work this shit out in your head, but don't forget what I said.
No matter where you go in your head, we're doing this, the sooner the better. Those two back there need a dad and I'm the man for the job."
"Brett be serous now, is this some kind of joke? I mean you seem too old for college pranks, so what exactly is going on here?" He looked back at the boys who were finally winding down.
"Let's get them home and settled, this conversation needs to be away from prying eyes and ears." He made a U-turn and headed back in the opposite direction.
I was on pins and needles wondering what he was going to come up with next. I could barely keep up. He seemed to have only one speed, which I should be used to by now after running around behind the boys for the past couple of years.
But this speed was entirely different, there was a lot more at stake here than a scraped knee from a fall.
I have no experience with men, my one failed attempt at a relationship had ended with me being pregnant at a young age and left holding the bag.
After the fear and self-loathing had passed in about month seven of my pregnancy, I had sat down at worked out the rest of my life.
By then I had already learned that I was expecting not one but two kids and that my life was forever changed.
Adoption was never an option, as hard as I knew things were going to be, I couldn’t bear a part of me living somewhere else in the world never knowing that I existed.
This, what was going on here, was not part of my plan, no. My plan consisted of me working hard for the next few years and socking away as much as I could so that when the boys were in school, I could go back myself.
That’s why we lived in the not so nice part of town and bought store brand everything. The restaurant did pretty good business and my tips were enough.
That’s why I put up with the crap from the day supervisor. I always kept my goals in front of me, so that way, no matter how hard the day might be, I knew that I was one step closer to a better life.
I checked on my boys to see what they were up to. I have to admit he did have a way with my monsters, but that in no way meant he was right for me.
And that other thing, that was just a fluke, just me being hard up I guess. Those two things together were not enough for people to be making or accepting marriage proposals.
I snuck a look at him out the corner of my eye. He looked normal enough; in fact he wasn’t even breaking a sweat after asking a complete stranger to marry him.
Maybe this was just something he did, one of those playboy types that you see on true crime shows, a serial dater, or worst yet, a bigamist.
None of that fit though, but I was still sure there had to be something else going on here other than what he was trying to sell me.
I can understand a guy trying to get into my pants, but I couldn’t seriously believe that anyone would be willing to take on my boys and me, and especially not after just one day.
But what if he was being truthful, as farfetched as it seemed? And what if he wasn’t?
I was afraid to believe or hope that anything could possibly come of it. We’ll go back to the apartment and he’ll probably try to get me into bed.
As soon as I turn him down he’ll be gone and that will be the end of it. I’m almost tempted to go to bed with him just to get it over and done with, but I knew I wouldn’t do it.
My only real regret was that the boys would miss out. They genuinely seem to like him and he’s the first guy I’d ever allowed to get this close to them.
Was it only this morning that we met? Wh
y couldn’t life be simpler? Why did people have to play so many games, so that you doubted everything and everyone?
I was nineteen years old, almost twenty and my life felt like it was almost over. My choices were limited now and that’s the truth.
It’s something I’ve come to terms with a long time ago, but today, for the first time, I wish I were the type to take chances, because Brett Cantone makes me want to risk it all.
I looked back at my boys who were all but nodding off in their car seats, their little faces happy and excited because they’d had a good day, and most of it was because of this man.
My heart squeezed when I thought that I might never see him again. That if it was all just a game, no matter how much I tell myself that I’m not interested, it was going to hurt like hell.
No, I can’t risk it; there was no point in setting myself up for disappointment. Jonathan had done a number on me, but I was a hundred percent sure that this one would destroy me.
***
BRETT
I know exactly what she's thinking but she has no idea who she's dealing with. Her last...whatever the fuck he was was a boy.
No boy can know what to do with a woman like her, a woman who went off like a firecracker at the feel of a man's cock.
Shit, no wonder the little fuck had ran scared. She was all woman and she had no idea what that meant to a real man.
Lucky for me I'd been in the right place at the right time. I have to remember to get my dog some Grade A steaks for the next week at least. He did good.
I pulled up outside her building and went around back to get my boys. "You get the door honey I'll bring them in."
I saw her stop short at the honey but pretended I didn't see shit. That's my plan; bombard her with the sweetness. By the time I was through, she wouldn't know what hit her and we'd be hitched.
I'm not the waiting type, never waited for a damn thing in my life. I figure she had about two weeks tops before she was under me one way or the other and that was pushing it. By then I'd probably be ready to hump a fucking knot in the floor.
I followed behind her with the boys, my eyes glued to the sway of her ass. Oh yeah, she was so getting bred; mom was going to be knee deep in grandkids in about another year or so.
She showed me to the boys' room and helped me get their shoes and stuff off before putting their pajamas on. They barely made a peep as they rolled over and went to sleep.
She had no idea just how close she was to danger as she sat there looking all motherly; and why the fuck I should suddenly find that shit sexy as fuck, who knows?
I looked around the room as she ran a hand over each boy’s head, still humming the lullaby that had sent them to sleep.
I'm gonna have to do something about their beds, they looked kinda old. But again, I was sure that if I mentioned it she'd freak, so I'd just buy new ones and bring them over. Seems to me like that's the only way to deal with Ms. Laurie.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room behind me after we both kissed their little heads goodnight. I headed for the living room, a man on a mission. "Sit."
I sat her on the couch and paced back and forth, trying to get my words straight. I didn't want to scare the shit out of her, but straight forward is the only way I know.
"Listen Laurie, I don't know your whole life story, but what I do know so far I want. I want you and the boys and about six other little fuckers running around here...well not here but you get my meaning.
I don't care that we just met, that's not how I work. I go with my gut, always have and it hasn't steered me wrong yet.
Do you know what I was doing this morning while you were yelling at me?" She shook her head as her eyes followed me around the room like she expected me to pounce any minute.
"I was trying to figure out a way to fuck you in that park without our boys catching on." She almost choked.
"That's right, my cock was hard as fuck and he wanted in. Now I understand you have hang-ups, but two things. I'm not paying the price for some other asshole's fuckups, and I'm not letting you waste any more time on that shit.
That shit you had going on, hiding yourself away from life, hiding behind the boys, that died when you met me."
"This is crazy Brett, how do you expect me to feel about this? This is too much, you're too much..."
"Yeah well next time be careful whose dog your kids choose to fuck with. You got me and you're stuck. You got two weeks starting now, look at your watch, look at it."
She looked down at her wrist no doubt humoring the crazy man in her living room.
“Two weeks to the fucking hour I'm inside you." I pulled her up from the couch and kissed the fuck out of her with my hands on her tight ass, pressing my cock into her.
She groaned and I almost came, fuck. "Fuck if I'm giving that up." I let her go and headed for the door. I'd said all there was to say, let her work that shit out in her head. "Tell the boys I'll be by sometime tomorrow to see them."
I left before she could say anything else. I wanted to end the night on that note. With her looking mussed from my hands in her hair and her lips swollen from my kiss.
***
I wanted to call her as soon as I got in the house, but I refrained. I’d given her a lot to think about, and if I know my girl which believe it or not I think I do, she’ll be up all night worrying.
I wish I could spare her that. It can’t be easy trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. Especially when there was so much at stake, so much responsibility on those little shoulders.
I can’t believe I was getting this excited about taking on a readymade family. There was no hesitance in me at all, no doubt, no fear. Well not on my part anyway.
I tried to put myself in her shoes, tried to imagine what arguments she could have against us going for it, and all I could see was the time thing.
People put lots of stock in days and months and years. Not to mention the fact that we didn’t exactly meet under friendly terms.
I put that aside for now though. If there was one thing I’d learned from what little exposure we’d had to each other, it was that I needed to take charge. It was the only way to get under her radar and all those defenses she had put up around her and the boys.
I wasn’t even going to look too closely at my own feelings of surety. I’m not such a fuck that I would go after a young mother with two kids if I wasn’t planning on sticking around, because as much as I was beginning to feel for her, I was already halfway in love with her kids.
My mind turned to the sperm donor. I hadn’t asked her about him tonight, because I didn’t want him to be a part of our first date, but tomorrow I’ll bring it up.
It was obvious that he wasn’t part of their lives, I hadn’t seen any evidence of a man in her place, but where and who was he? I don’t like surprises I like to know everything that I’m dealing with. And I was fucked if I was going to be jealous of some faceless fuck.
As soon as I have a name I’ll start looking to see what’s what. I could go around her and take care of that shit, but I didn’t want us to start off on the wrong foot.
Though I was tempted to put my people on it. I’m sure I could have everything I needed by morning, but I’ll try doing shit the gentlemanly way first. If I didn’t like what I heard or she wasn’t forthcoming, well then I’d go ahead and make an end run around her.
My phone rang and brought me back, to the here and now. That reminds me, I hadn’t given her my number.
“Hello.”
“Mr. Cantone, this is Pete, we’ve taken care of that issue for you.”
“Good was it any trouble?”
“No sir, it was just as you said. She had everything hidden away in that safety deposit box. The cops have it per your orders and should be rounding her up any minute now.”
“Thanks a lot Pete, good job. I’ll see you on Monday then.”
“Sure boss, goodnight.”
“Night Pete.”
I hung up the phone
feeling ten pounds lighter. It’s weird, but I hadn’t given my latest troubles a second thought since meeting my new family.
Something that had consumed me for the better part of a month, had just drifted into insignificance when I met her, them.
That can only be a good thing right? A man with my load needs that kind of calming influence in his life; that shit is worth ten therapists.
It was still early, but I didn’t feel like doing anything. I wonder what she’s doing right this minute, but that wasn’t so hard to guess.
No doubt she was giving thought to everything I’d thrown at her tonight, at least I hope she was.
I almost panicked when I remembered that I had no way of contacting her, but then I calmed myself. I’ll just go by there first thing in the morning before she could go anywhere. I’ll take breakfast, yeah, that’s it.
With that thought settled firmly in my mind I flipped on the tube for some background noise. I had a lot of planning to do myself. Like finding a house for us, my apartment although it had room, was no place to raise a family.
I wonder if my Laurie ever dreamed of a white knight coming to save her. I’m sure she would prefer something better for the boys, but my conscience pricked me at the thought of using that as an argument.
Did I really want to use her kids to get my way? It seemed a bit devious now that I think about it, but I know me and if that’s the only recourse opened to me then so be it.
I laid my head back against the couch and closed my eyes, reliving the day spent with them.
I can’t recall the last time I’d had that much fun, and I couldn’t wait for more.
I imagined all the places I wanted to take her and the boys, all the things I wanted to show them, share with them.
I had to keep cautioning myself to go slow, even in my thoughts. If it were up to me I’d have her moved in by next week or however long it took me to find a suitable home.
Speaking of which, there was something I could do. Jumping up from the couch I headed up to my home office.
Brett's Little Headaches Page 4