My stomach tightened. I didn’t believe a word he said. I wanted it to be over…now! Before it even started.
“Here we go!” shouted Drake, a fiendish smile on his face as the car chugged into motion.
Oh shit!
“YAY!” squealed Ty.
Oh, dear Lord! We hadn’t even gone twenty feet or picked up speed, and I was already freaking out. In no time, we were making our climb up the first steep incline. Chug. Chug. Chug. Chug. Though the ascent was slow, every muscle in my body tensed. Butterflies swarmed my stomach.
“Dee, you’re going to love it!” shouted Drake when we were almost at the apex.
“No, I’m not!” I gripped the safety bar so tightly my fists hurt.
The car paused at the very top. I looked down. Oh, God! The drop was formidable. My heart thudded so loudly I could hear it in my ears. Drake’s voice broke into my fear.
“Dee, look at me.”
Hesitantly, I did as he asked and on my next rapid heartbeat, my head was cradled in his hands. As I stared at him breathlessly, his lips slammed into mine.
Don’t ask me what happened next. The car hurled down the slope at some ungodly speed as Drake gave me a kiss that sent my heart racing. My eyes squeezed shut, every organ in my body free-falling. I didn’t know what was sending my heartbeat into a frenzy and turning my stomach upside down more—this extreme thrill ride or this extreme kiss that was consuming my breath and every cell in my body. Ty’s joyous screams roared in my ears. My mouth smothered by Drake’s, I screamed along silently.
I lost all track of time, and when Drake pulled away, we were now whipping around sharp curves. Before I could catch my breath, I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
“That’s it, Dee, scream all you want. I love hearing you scream. In fact, scream as loud as you can.”
My stomach lurched forward and my neck hyper-extended. I felt like I was getting a severe case of whiplash.
“I’m going to fall off,” I cried out as the coaster made another hairpin turn. Drake laughed at me. “You won’t. I’ve got you.” He wrapped his sculpted arm around me, drawing me closer to him.
Hold me tight! Don’t let me go! You feel so good!
Though I felt safer with him holding me, I continued to scream my guts out, and as we whooshed around the serpentine track, the frantic sounds came out in loud pants.
“Look at the great view,” Drake yelled out.
My eyes glimpsed the Pacific Ocean far below us for a brief second, and it made me even dizzier. In front of me, Ty was screaming at the top of her lungs, her arms raised high. Just like her octogenarian companion.
“Oh my God, Drake!” I blurted in a panic, the air rushing in my face. “She’s going to fall off!”
Drake laughed. Insensitive man! He let go of me and mimicked Ty’s actions.
“Look, Mom, no hands!” he yelled out with mockery, lifting his arms into the air.
Oh God! Please hold me!
As if he heard my desperate plea, he lowered his arms, this time removing one of my hands from the safety bar and placing it on his lap.
A rock-hard bulge met my palm. Holy cow! He had a hard-on. A full-on erection!
“I hope you’re enjoying this ride as much as I am,” he yelled out as the car swerved around yet another sharp curve.
To my relief, he wrapped his arm back around me. I couldn’t stop screaming.
“Don’t worry, Dee. It’s almost over.” He laughed as we mounted one more slope and then plunged toward the finish line.
Grinding to a halt, the ride finally ended. I knew it only lasted a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Drake helped me off. I was still shaken, my legs wobbly. Drake steadied me as I caught my breath. Though the ride was over, a roller coaster of emotions kept whipping through my system. That kiss! His erection! All the highs and lows!
“Mommy, that was SO much fun.” Tyson’s voice brought me back to reality. “Can we do it again? Please? Pretty please?”
I hedged and I hawed. Drake’s voice broke into my trepidation.
“Don’t worry, Dee. I’ll hold you again.”
Worry shmorry. I instantly said yes.
CHAPTER 20
Drake
I was having the best time of my life. Seriously. At least, in a very long time. Okay…maybe ever.
I hadn’t been to the Santa Monica Pier in years. The last time I went was when I graduated high school. A bunch of kids in my class, including Brock, had gone there to celebrate. After college, I avoided it like the plague, worried that the kid-infested stomping ground would be filled with my offspring. Mini-me’s, one of whom would recognize that I was his or her real father. But somehow, today I managed to put that ridiculous fear to the back of my mind.
My temporary assistant, Dee, was fucking adorable. I loved the way she screamed on the roller coaster—or should I say the boner coaster. She totally turned me on. My heart rate’s reaction from the thrill ride combined with my physical attraction to this girl had increased my blood pressure and led to an erection of mega-proportions. It got worse. The whole time I was wondering—was this the way she screamed when she came? I was dying to find out. All throughout the Ferris wheel ride, which we did next, I kept fantasizing about her sitting on my lap and riding me. I was positive she knew I had a hard-on because I’d put her hand to my length on the roller coaster and her eyes never strayed from my face on the wheel. As the wheel spun around, wicked thoughts of coming with her were spinning in my head.
We went on several more rides, including the bumper cars and the old-fashioned carousel. After the rides, we grabbed some corn dogs and then played carnival games as well as arcade games. Dee found her calling with Skee-Ball, landing the almost impossible 100-point hole three times in a row, hence winning lots of prize tickets. I, in turn, managed to win one of those rigged carnival games when the ring I tossed slipped over one of the dozens of lined-up soda bottles. To the attendant’s chagrin, I won Tyson a ginormous plush frog that was bigger than she was. Overjoyed, she named him Froggie and carried him proudly across The Pier, everyone we passed in total awe. The cutie-pie was having the time of her life. All day long, she laughed and wore a big smile. Knowing I gave her that smile made my heart swell with pride. I wanted to give her so much. And I felt the same way about her mother. I had a growing attachment to both of them that I was unable to fight. Each minute I spent with them, the more I liked them. Or should I say more than liked them? Was I was falling in love with a girl that was all wrong for me, at least on paper, and wasn’t even available?
There was only one way to find out. One last amusement park attraction to visit. Zoltar. Fingers crossed that the mechanical fortune teller I fondly remembered from my youth was still here. Sure enough, he was. After all these years, he hadn’t changed a bit. Still sitting before his crystal ball and sporting that jet-black mustache and goatee as well as his bejeweled turban and vest. The only thing different was he now commanded a dollar for your fortune instead of a coin.
“This machine is bogus,” Dee protested. “We should go now. It’s getting late.”
Ty came to my rescue. “No, Mommy! I want to hear my fortune. I bet I’m gonna get a really good one because it’s my birthday.”
“I agree.” I shot Dee an already triumphant grin.
“Fine.”
“Dee, you go first.” I handed her a buck and watched as she inserted it into the bill slot.
His voice deep, Zoltar began to speak. “Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice.”
“Cool beans!” shouted Ty. “He can talk!”
Dee rolled her eyes. A few moments later her fortune spewed out of the machine.
“What does it say, Mommy?” asked Tyson as Dee read the card.
“It says: You will fall in love with a tall, dark, handsome stranger.” She rolled her eyes again. “That is so typical. I bet everyone gets that or something like: Life will bring you many riches.” She turned to Tyson. “Cupcake, y
ou do it.”
After I gave her a dollar bill, the eager little girl repeated her mother’s actions. She handed Dee the fortune. “What does mine say, Mommy?”
Dee smiled smugly. “Ha! It says: Life will bring you many riches and surprises.”
“That’s a good one, right?”
“It’s a great fortune,” I replied before Dee could respond.
“Yay!”
Dee turned to me. “Okay, Mister. Your turn.” Her skeptical gaze stayed on me as I inserted a dollar and retrieved my fortune. Reading it, my eyes grew wide and my heart skipped a beat.
“Tell us, Drake. What does it say?” begged Tyson.
I caught my breath. “It says: You will meet a beautiful woman who will change your life forever.”
Dee muttered a small, shocked “oh.”
Our eyes met and I wondered if the ageless fortune teller in the glass case was always 100% right.
CHAPTER 21
Dee
We indulged in sugary sweet rainbow snow cones just before leaving The Pier at four o’clock. We’d been there for over five hours, and to be honest, I was a little weary. Ty, on the other hand, was still going strong and probably could have lasted until the amusement park closed at midnight.
On the drive home, we encountered light freeway traffic and got to my part of town in no time. Despite her energy, Ty fell asleep in the backseat, snuggled against the humongous frog Drake had won. I glanced back at her several times. My sweetie-pie looked so content. So peaceful. Drake had given her the best time of her life.
“Did you have fun?” he asked me as we turned off onto my exit.
“Yes. I had a blast. So did Ty. Thank you.”
“No. Thank you. I had a great time too.”
Memories of the day replayed in my head. From all the gnarly rides to all the fun games. I thought about our laughter. Our connection. His erection. Our smiles. How he held me tightly while I was screaming my head off on the roller coaster and spun me around after my first Skee-Ball game. Then, I thought about Zoltar, the fortune teller. My fortune was in my purse. Usually, I threw those ridiculous things out, but something made me want to hold on to it along with Ty’s. When I got home, I was going to stick them on the refrigerator door with Ty’s timely sperm magnet. Zoltar had turned a disbeliever into a believer—at least a wannabe.
Once off the freeway, the Sunday night traffic built up as we headed east on Sunset Boulevard. I was still getting used to it. Twenty minutes later, Drake parked his car in front of my house and Ty woke up.
“We’re home already, Mommy?” she asked, rubbing her eyes, her voice a little groggy.
“Yes, cupcake. We’re home.”
“Is Drake coming to the rest of my birthday party?”
Lifting his brows, Drake shot me a surprised look. I gulped down a ball of guilt.
Before I could say a word, he invited himself.
“Mighty Girl, I’d love to. I even have presents for you.”
He did?
“YAY!” screamed my daughter.
And silently, I screamed yay too. And so did my ovaries.
CHAPTER 22
Drake
A half hour later, we were sitting around the coffee table in the living room of Dee’s modest cottage, devouring an extra-large pepperoni pizza. Her sister was there and, to my great surprise, so was Brock. Ty had also invited her best friend from school, Chandra.
Ty and Chandra retreated to the bedroom to play together while Dee and her sister retreated to the kitchen to get the cake ready. I caught some “guy time” with Brock, who I hadn’t seen or spoken to for a few days. We were both drinking beers.
“How’s it going?” I asked my best bud, whose arms had been all over Dee’s sister from the moment they’d arrived.
“Fucking unbelievable.” He polished off the last slice of pizza with a big bite. “Lulu’s as hot as they come. Man, she’s got the moves, and you wouldn’t believe her stamina. Every time I’ve been her, she’s given me a full-body workout.”
I listened as he went into more detail, wondering if Dee possessed the same talents. The one thing I knew about her after our day at The Pier was that she was a screamer. Brock continued. You’d think he’d never been laid.
“The girl’s insatiable. Last night, she came four times. And that was just in the first hour.”
“Wow,” I sputtered, not knowing what else to say.
“What’s going on with you and Dee?” he asked, sparing me from the details. “She seems like she’s really into you.”
“It’s complicated.” I took a swig of my beer. “Hey, would you have any time for me to come by your office this week?”
Brock the Rock quirked a brow. “You have some legal shit going on?”
It became apparent to me that Lulu hadn’t shared her sister’s situation with my best bud.
“Not really. More like some questions,” I replied, my voice unsteady. “I don’t want to get into it right now.”
“Sure, come by. Just call Stella. I’m sure she’ll jump at the opportunity to squeeze you in.”
Stella was his longtime super efficient sixty-something secretary, who had long harbored a crush on me. The double entendre of his words wasn’t lost on me. Despite my rising libido, which had nothing to do with Stella, I laughed and told him I would set up an appointment.
Before I could say more, a pair of loud, off-key voices singing “Happy Birthday” captured my attention. Turning my head in their direction, my gaze fixed on Dee and Lulu heading our way, big smiles scrawled across their faces. Walking carefully with her sister by her side, Dee was holding a large plate with a lit-up birthday cake.
“Yay!” yelled a joyous Ty, who came running into the living room with her friend Chandra. While Brock and I joined in, harmonizing with the last notes of the traditional song, Ty reached the coffee table as Dee set the cake down.
“Make a wish, cupcake, and then blow out the candles,” Dee said, wrapping her arms around her sweet daughter. I secretly longed to do the same…in fact, to wrap my arms around both of them.
My eyes stayed on the little girl as she thought for a moment and then extinguished all six candles and the one for good luck on a single breath. While I wondered what she’d wished for, we all applauded and cheered.
“Mommy, can I open my presents now?” she asked as Dee removed the candles.
“Sure,” replied Dee, reaching for a knife.
As Dee sliced the ice cream cake, Ty ran to the corner of the room where the presents were stacked and began to open them one by one.
First…an iPad from Lulu and Brock. Jeez. They were already buying things together.
“Oh my goodness,” exclaimed Dee as she served the first slice of cake to ecstatic Ty. “Lou, you shouldn’t have.”
“Every six-year-old needs an iPad,” replied her sister as Dee cut another slice, and Ty hurriedly tore open her next present after thanking her aunt and Brock, each with a big hug.
“That one’s from me,” said Dee, done with serving us each a slice of the cake. I dug in as I kept my eyes on Tyson.
“Yay! An Easy Bake Oven! Just what I wanted!”
A big smile beamed on Dee’s face as her elated little girl gave her a big hug.
“Can we bake something later?”
“Maybe tomorrow. Open your other presents.”
The next present was from her friend Chandra. A Furby doll, something I had growing up. There were two remaining presents—both from me, well sort of. Ty went for the bigger of the identically wrapped boxes.
“Is this from you, Drake?” she asked.
“No. Open the card first.”
Dee lifted a surprised eyebrow as Tyson did as I asked. “Ooh, it’s so cute,” she cooed as she handed Dee the card, which featured a little bunny wearing ice skates.
Dee read the card and smiled. “It’s from Drake’s mother.”
Upon unwrapping the box and removing the layers of tissue paper (my mother was a meticulous wr
apper), Ty’s face lit up like a Christmas tree and she let out a loud squeal. Then, she turned to me.
“Wow! A skating costume just like your mommy’s!”
“How thoughtful of your mother,” commented Dee before I could say a word.
Ty held up the sparkly purple costume against her body. “Oh, Mommy! Can I put it on?”
This time I got a word in. “Go for it. I’ll take a picture and send it to my mother. I’m sure she’ll love to see you in it. Oh, and by the way, the costume comes with a year of skating lessons.”
Another “wow.” Without wasting a second, Ty skipped off, clutching the costume. In a few minutes, she was back wearing both the costume, which fitted her perfectly, and the ice skates I’d bought her.
“Look, Mommy!” she exclaimed, twirling on the toe picks and swirling the skirt.
With my iPhone, I snapped a photo and then emailed it to my mother.
A few moments later, I got a reply.
So darling! xo
I replied with a happy face emoticon. My big-hearted mother had developed a fondness for Ty from the moment she’d met her. I’m sure the connection to my sister had something to do with it. Regardless, it was her idea to bestow the skating outfit when I told her about Ty’s sixth birthday, a birthday my mother never got to celebrate with her little girl. When I suggested the ice skating lessons, my mother readily agreed to them. Little did she know that it was a ploy on my part to keep Dee and Ty in my life, long after Dee stopped being my temp.
There was one present left. Mine. As Ty reached for it, my pulse quickened. After my mother’s perfect present, I wondered if she would like it. My eyes stayed on her as she peeled off the wrapping paper and took my gift out of the box. The puzzled look on her face made me uneasy.
“What is this, Drake?” she asked, examining the piece of red fabric.
“It’s my magic cape. My father gave it to me when I turned six.”
“That’s so cool! Does it have magic powers?”
I smiled, feeling more relaxed. “In fact, it does. When you put it on, it protects you against evil and you can be anything you want.” I watched as she unfolded the crimson triangle and flung it over her skating costume. Dee helped her fasten it and then gasped as Ty leaped into the air.
Baby Daddy: A Sexy STANDALONE Romantic Comedy Page 11