“I bought a baby sling, and I thought we could give it to her together.”
He looks at me and then looks at the baby between us.
“Aaron…look at how lucky we are,” he says. “We have a smart, sexy and generous woman looking out for us.”
I lie on my back and look up at the ceiling. It seems like yesterday was a lifetime ago.
He picks the baby up and settles him on his chest. We are now both lying on our backs looking at the ceiling.
“Are you doing okay this morning? I worried about you all night. I was frightened I would wake up and you would be gone. I was afraid to open my eyes.”
“I had every intention of leaving. I thought after you knew the truth; you would want me to go, but you responded differently than I expected you to.” My hand finds his on the bed next to me. I lace my fingers through his.
“I’m doing a poor job of convincing you I’m a good guy. What can I do to make you realize that I am totally into you?”
“It’s not you. I’m conditioned not to trust. I’m working through it. What you did for me last night was incredible. You held me for hours; you listened to me, you heard me. I know that you’re an amazing man, I’m just not sure if I’ll be enough for you.”
“I’m crazy for you. I can’t get enough of you. I’m praying Aaron falls asleep so I can put him down, and I can make love to you.” I see that his bundle of energy has slipped into a peaceful nap. He may just get his wish. “I want you to feel my love, Alexa.” His beautiful lips start to form his irresistible, alpha-man smile. Now I’m in trouble. He places his hands carefully over Aaron’s tiny ears and whispers, “Actually, I think I need to pound it into you so you’ll be completely convinced.”
As I smile at his naughty but delicious comment, a single tear slips from the corner of my eye. He basically just told me that he wanted to screw me hard, but there was something in there that said I’m here for the long haul, and I want you with me. I stand up and gently lift the sleeping form off of his chest.
“Looks like you got your wish. Let me put him down so we can get lost in one another for a few minutes, and then we have to head off to your mom’s.”
He lies naked on the bed. His body is like a finely chiseled sculpture. Everything about him is beautiful, from his broad shoulders to his crooked little toes. I pull off my T-shirt; it’s the only thing I’m wearing besides my underwear.
I crawl next to him and snuggle into his side. He rolls away from me and straddles my body. His fingers slip beneath my underwear and shimmy them down. I am completely exposed to him. He’s seen my body before, but now he sees everything. He’s gotten a glimpse of my deepest darkest parts, and he still wants me. I no longer feel vulnerable, but feel strengthened. Precious.
He nips and kisses every inch of my body. My head rolls back in bliss as he settles his lips in my most intimate area. His warm mouth draws out every moan as my hips dance to his rhythm. He takes me to the edge and holds me there until I’m begging for release. He sucks on my flesh, sending me into a turbulent explosion of sensation. I ride the waves of my release until I feel the weight of the mattress shift.
“I want to make love to you. Just you and me and nothing in between. Are you okay with that?”
Breathless and speechless, I nod my head to consent. He climbs between my legs and hovers over my body. Although we have a limited amount of time, he takes things slowly, starting with a long lingering kiss.
His lips tease mine before he captures my mouth with hungry urgency. He devours me like a starving man would eat a meal. The softness of his tongue tangles with mine.
Slowly he enters me. My heart lurches as he fills me completely. We move together simultaneously, our hips rocking to some primal beat. I hold his arms as he rocks me with his love.
Isn’t it ironic I can meet a man who gives everything, shortly after leaving a man who took so much away?
His pace slows as our eyes connect. It feels like he’s looking into my soul. He utters three words before he spills himself deep inside of me. He collapses on top of me breathless and sweaty. I stroke his back as I think of those three words, “We belong together.”
My heart skips a beat at his words. As much as I want to say them in return, I can’t. To verbalize what’s in my heart is too risky. Will he continue to want me, and if he doesn’t, will I survive?
After lying together for a while enjoying the quiet moment, we reluctantly leave the bed. We shower, then race around the room trying to get ready to leave. While I brush my hair and put on a dab of makeup, he gets the little man ready for our visit.
We swing by the diner to pick up the egg sandwiches that Zane has ordered. I run in to get them, and we are on our way.
Miraculously, we’re only ten minutes late. He unhooks the car seat while I pick up breakfast, the baby bag and our gift to his mother.
We make it through the lobby fast. The women part like a scattered flock before a lion as soon as we tell them that we’re late.
Today, Elaine is waiting with the door open. She smiles broadly as we approach. She reaches for me first and hugs me with her shaking body.
Zane smiles at me. Actually, he’s grinning from ear to ear. I imagine it’s a good morning for him. Most men would love to start their morning off with sex followed by food. But with Zane, there is also the genuine happiness to see his Mom.
“What are you grinning at?” I walk past him and into the apartment. I drop Aaron’s bag by the sofa and bring the food to the table. I look over my shoulder and see mother and son ogling the baby.
I remember hearing someone once tell me that the best way to know how a man will treat you is to watch him with his mother. The love he has for his mother is evident in everything that he does. He’s a keeper.
Elaine loves the sling. While she sits feeding the baby, Zane takes me for a walk around the complex. I think it was more for his mom than for us. Having us sit and watch her with the baby must be what it feels like to have supervised visits with your child.
“Today is probably the best day of my life,” he says as he pushes me gently against the wall. I am trapped between the siding and his body. “It’s more than the sex. You need to understand that.” His eyes capture mine, and I see the sincerity with which he speaks. “I know this is crazy; it shouldn’t be possible, but I love you. You trusted me last night. You stayed and let me take care of you. I need that from my partner. You complete me, Alexa.” He sees everything I am, and everything I will be, and he isn’t running.
“I do need you, and I feel you complete me, too. I didn’t realize how much I needed to be nurtured and cared for until last night. I don’t want to love you, but I do. I don’t want to need you, but I can’t help myself. I feel your love, and I never want to know what it’s like to live without it.” Those are the most honest words I’ve told anyone in a long time. It’s scary to expose your heart, but he makes it easy.
“I’m happy to hear it. Fate brought us together for whatever reason and I’m not going to question it.” We stare at each other in silence before he breaks the spell. “Do you think it’s time to rescue our boy?” Our boy. Wow. Loving that. His eyes travel down to my lips before he begins a sweet invasion of my mouth. I return his kiss with equal zeal. We reluctantly pull away from each other.
“It’s probably time to rescue your mother,” I say as I pull my fingers to my lips. Every kiss with him leaves me wanting more. We walk back to her home, hand in hand.
~ * ~
Friday and Saturday are busy at the bar. We fall into bed exhausted each night. By closing time Sunday, all we want is delivery pizza, the couch, and each other.
The baby is fast asleep on my chest, and it feels so right. When I dream of a family, this is my vision.
“Don’t forget that we have a date tomorrow night.” His hand covers my knee and squeezes it gently.
“Do you realize that this is our first date? Look at us. We have a baby, and we’ve never had dinner out,” I say.
“I don’t really want to leave him with anyone. Should we take him with us?”
“Sweets, he’ll be fine. We need time away from the bar and away from the baby.”
I know he’s right. However, I’m not willing to give up anything right now. Selfish as it may seem, I want it all, and I want it now. I’m a modern day Veruca Salt.
“What are we going to do?” I’m curious as to what our first date is going to look like.
“I thought we would have dinner and see a movie. Then I’m going to bring you home, and make love to you all night.”
“Ooh, that sounds wonderful. We could skip dinner, and the movie, and just go for option three.”
“Wow, look at you. Wednesday you were thinking of withholding and today your throttle is fully engaged. Why the change?”
“Just for the record, I wasn’t considering withholding because I didn’t want to have sex, I was thinking about withholding because I wanted to be able to walk. When you unleash that thing, it delivers quite a wallop.”
The roar of his laughter sends me into hysterics. Poor Aaron is awakened from a sound sleep. His little arms flail about until he calms himself and falls back to sleep on my chest.
“Why don’t you put him down for the night and I’ll meet you in our bed.” He gives me a wink and a seductive smile as he walks into our room. It’s funny to think of it as ours. One of the things I love about Zane is he is very giving. He’s opened his life and home to me. He’s given me full access to his child and his heart.
“I can’t believe how easily he falls back to sleep,” I say to Zane as I enter the bedroom. He lies naked on the bed. His chest is exposed, but a white sheet drapes over his lower body like a beautifully wrapped package.
“Come to bed and hurry. Who knows when he’ll wake up? This baby thing puts a damper on romance.”
“Yes, it does, but it increases your ability to be spontaneous. I also think it makes us think about sex more often. Don’t you find yourself thinking about his next nap?” I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with him. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that I’m free to be me.
People who say they spend hours making love are obviously childless. You can push all the buttons in less time and still enjoy the act. When you know that you’re going to be up with a baby in a few hours, sleep takes on a much more significant role. At this point, I’m going with the adage that quality is better than quantity.
Chapter 15
I’m beginning to love Mondays. They are usually the bane of existence for the average person, but for Zane and me, they are the one day that we have free from responsibility. Sure, we have a baby, but the bar is closed, and we don’t have anywhere to be.
I crawl out of the big bed in search of the man who rocked my world last night. I pull his big T-shirt over my head and let it fall to my knees. I find him in the kitchen with a baby in one hand and a phone in the other. His back is turned to me.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s important justice is served. I’m going to try to be there. Things are complicated.”
I reach around him and place a kiss on his back. I sneak around the front and smile at Aaron. Taking him from his dad’s arms, I lift him over my head and make faces at him. He breaks into a smile. It’s the first one I’ve ever squeezed out of him. I’m overjoyed he recognizes me or at least thinks I have a funny face.
With the baby in my arms, I set about making coffee. I hear Zane finishing up his conversation. He comes up behind me and presses his body against mine.
“Did you sleep well?” His lips tickle my skin from the base of my ear all the way to my shoulder. His shirt has fallen off one of my shoulders giving him unfettered access.
“Mmm hmm,” I murmur as I lean back into his body. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Yes, I do, and then I was thinking about a run, seeing as how you have distracted me from my fitness regimen all week.”
“I haven’t distracted you, I’ve just changed it up. It’s important to get a full-body workout. I hear that variety will keep you committed to your plan. You know, they say that it only takes three months to make a habit of something.”
“You’re already a habit I can’t give up. Do you want to join us? I’ll buy you breakfast.”
“No, I have some shopping to do. I have a hot date tonight, and I want to look extra pretty.”
“Is that right? Well, you could show up in sweats and a T-shirt, and your date will be impressed with your beauty, but if you’re dating me, I will have to question your good sense.”
“Hmm, is there something I should know about you that you haven’t shared?”
“Nope, I’m pretty much an open book. A few of my pages are ripped and torn, some are stained, but the content is all there.”
“I’m looking forward to turning your pages, Mr. Abbamonte. You never know what you’re going to find when you flip to the middle. Ooh, and then there’s the end. Will it be a satisfying read?”
“You’ll never get to the end of my story, sweets. I’m a work in progress; I’m regularly getting edited and re-released.”
“I’m a series. Just when you think the last chapter has been written, another book is released. You know…you’re my favorite character so far.”
“I’m your only character,” he tells me. He pulls the baby from my arms and gives me a kiss. Within thirty minutes my favorite men are gone, and I’m left on my own.
I sip my coffee and look around the house. I remember the first time I saw it. I thought it was warm and masculine. Now as I look through the clouded eyes of a girl in love, it’s a perfect place for an imperfect man. The only difference now is that I know his imperfections are small compared to his assets.
~ * ~
My day is spent shopping for the ideal dress. I think that a sundress would work for anything he has in mind tonight. I’m sure we’re staying local so we remain close to the baby.
Sugar Glen is a small, but quaint town. It reminds me of something out of a television show. It’s a mix between Mayberry RFD and Leave It to Beaver with a bit of Gossip Girl thrown in.
I decide to spend my afternoon on Main Street. If I don’t find what I need here, I’ll visit my beloved superstore at the edge of town. Daisy’s is the first place I visit. It’s a boutique that sits in the center of town. The window display is what catches my eye. Mannequins in cute summer dresses and shorts are displayed amidst beach balls and sun umbrellas. It looks happy, and I’m all about the happy these days.
“Can I help you?” the sales associate asks. “You’re Alexa, right?”
Surprised this stranger would know my name I stop and give her my undivided attention.
“Hi, how do you know me? I don’t think we’ve ever met.” I cock my head to the side in question. She’s pretty, maybe twenty-five, with blonde hair and blue eyes. I’m guessing her name could be Daisy, although I think Melissa is a better fit.
“Everyone knows you. It’s a small town. You can’t drag a bitch by the hair out of the bar, and not have people talk.”
“Oh my God, does everyone know?” I look around me to see who’s watching, but it’s just her and me.
“Pretty much. You would have to be deaf to have not heard the buzz around town that day. Don’t worry though, no one liked her. She thought she was a gift to mankind.”
“She was out of line, and she was disrespectful to Zane.” I begin to walk around the store while she continues to speak.
“I hear that you and Zane are an item. You moved in with him, right?”
“Wow, nothing gets past you, does it?” I don’t know if I should be flattered or flustered.
“Ashley is my baby sister. She told me you moved in and you were sick. I hope you’re feeling better.” Her smile and concern seem genuine.
“Now that you mention it, you and your sister have similar looks. She’s a very sweet girl, and she takes exceptional care of Aaron
.”
“She loves her job. Zane pays the girls really well, and my sister knows there’s a line of women waiting to help out if needed. Although, I’m sure it’s dwindling now he’s declared you as his.”
“This is just a guess, but does your mom work at the assisted living center?” That’s the only place he’s declared anything in public that I can remember.
“No, my aunt does.” She begins to laugh. “What brings you in?”
“I have a date tonight and I wanted to get a new dress. I was drawn in by your window display.”
“Well, welcome to Daisy’s. I’m Daisy by the way.” She reaches out and shakes my hand. “What about this soft blue dress, it’s my favorite. When I saw it, I had to buy it. She pulls it from the rack and hands it to me.”
It’s a cute dress. I like the V-neck, the cinched waist and above-the-knee length. I take it to the dressing room and slip it on. Daisy gave me the perfect size.
“What do you think?” I ask as I walk out of the changing room. I twirl around in front of her.
“I love it. What are you going to do with your hair?” she asks. She reaches up to touch my limp brown locks. “I think you should leave it down with loose curls. You know men. They like long hair.”
“That’s what I was thinking as well. What about accessories? Can you hook me up?” I can tell I’m speaking her language. She takes my elbow and leads me to a rack near the register. Hanging from the hooks, are cute, one-of-a-kind pieces. I let my fingers skim the glass beads. It’s been so long since I felt this happy, this normal.
I rummage through several necklaces to find the yellow creation hanging toward the back.
“What do you think of this one?” I ask as I bring it up to my chest. “I love blue and yellow together.”
“I would have picked the same one. I think it’s perfect. I have the companion earrings to match if you’re interested.” She begins to thumb through the rack in search of the ideal earrings.
Book Boyfriends Cafe Summer Lovin' Anthology 2015 Page 148