“What about it? Someone else can handle it, I’m not going back,” she said into my chest.
“What?”
“You heard me, Paxton Lowell. I’m…not…going…back,” she said. “I’ve been sick of that place since before the promotion. The money may be phenomenal but it also gave me the push to leave. I thought I would have been happier with the change but I’m miserable.”
“So what are you going to do when you go back?” I closed the door, locked it and dragged her to the sofa.
“You’re not listening, Pax,” she said. “I’m…not…going…back. Period. I’ve been here for a full day and I’ve already found the perfect place to rent but I wanted to know how you felt about me being closer before I signed the lease. I was thinking of staying and seeing where everything went with us.” She kissed me.
“You did what?”
“I thought that you’d be happy.” She eyed me, searching for the answer I would provide next as she pulled back but I didn’t let her move away.
“Truth is I’m ecstatic,” I said, “but are you sure ‘bout this?”
“I already have a job lined up,” she said. “This little event planning place that handles local stuff was looking for someone with my experience and they practically begged me to partner up with them.”
“Are you serious?” I asked and she nodded. “That’s fantastic.” I grabbed her face between my palms before kissing her like nothing else mattered. I heard her giggle into our kiss before her arms came around, pulling us closer.
***
When I brought her luggage to my bedroom, what had started as a simple kiss of appreciation had evolved into one filled with pure carnal desire. Her soft hands ran up my chest as mine ran down to her tight bottom. She pulled away and reached for her shirt, stripping it up and over her head, making her hair cascade down on either side of her face and shoulders. I caught on to her obvious hint, pulling mine off and chucked it to the side. She made haste of her tight jeans while I looked her over, licking my lips. She rubbed her hands down my bare chest, kissed me as her hands trailed lower to my belt buckle and undid it.
“I think I need to remind you that Jasper is in the other room,” I said.
“As hungry as I am to fuck your brains out, baby, I want this to be nice and slow. I’ve missed you too much for a rough romp,” she said. “Besides, now we have all the time in the world to explore that kinky side of yours.” She winked, pushed me back onto the bed and pulled my jeans off.
As she straddled my waist, she laid kisses over the heated skin of my chest, her fingers trailing not too far behind the wetness her lips and tongue were leaving behind. I felt the tension of the day melt away.
“Why does my man seem to be wound so tight?” She pecked my lips.
“It’s been a rough week. Hell, it’s been a rough couple of months,” I said. She laid her body over the length of mine.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she said against my ear. “We need to do something about that now that I’ll be closer.”
“I definitely agree,” I said. I kissed her shoulder while pulling down the strap of her bra. I reached around her and undid the clasp to slide the garment off. “You know, it would be easier if you stayed here with me.”
She looked down at me. “Pax.” I kissed her into silence before rolling us over so I lay over her.
“You have to admit,” I said and kissed her collarbone and trailed further up until I reached that sweet spot below her ear that I knew sent shivers through her body whenever I nibbled it. “It would make what we’re doing right now, a hell of a lot easier.”
“Yes, but-” she said.
“And coming home to you every night would make it even better,” I said with a nip at her earlobe.
“True.”
“I cook, I clean, I’m self-sufficient and-”
She pushed me back so she could see my face and I saw her arched brow. “Paxton Lowell, are you trying to seduce me into moving in with you?”
I smiled. “Is it working?”
“Hmm…maybe,” she said with a slight head tilt showing her amusement.
“Let me see if I can convince you then.” My smile widened to a full grin, causing her to laugh.
I kissed down to one of her breasts and took a nipple into my mouth. I made her gasp as my tongue twirled around her erect peak, giving it enough attention before I switched to the other. Her breathing picked up.
“You,” I said between kisses, as I headed south, “can have this,” I paused, wrapping my fingers around the waistband of her undies and pulled them down, “every night.” I hovered above her core and blew hot air before giving her a quick flick of my tongue, causing her hips to arch up in want and a whimper to escape her parted lips.
“Oh…” she said, her face flushed from her arousal, its scent permeating the valley of her legs.
“Say you’ll stay with me, Alissa,” I said before sucking on her clit.
“Oh, my God! I-I…” I nipped at her clit this time around and she jumped. “Ah! Pax, what’s gotten into you?”
“Say it,” I growled as I slid two fingers into her heated core and felt her clamp down on them. “Say it Allie. I love you, let’s be together.” I could tell that she was overwhelmed by the sensations I was inflicting on her; maybe too much so for her to answer. I stopped the thrusting of my fingers. She whimpered at the loss of movement.
“Fine,” she said.
“Tell me what I want to hear,” I said and resumed the thrusting of my fingers and clamping down on her swollen bud with my lips.
“I-I’ll stay with you, Paxton,” she said as I followed through and sent her over the edge with her first orgasm.
Not wasting any time, I pushed my boxers down and plunged myself into her hot sheath. She was still riding out the high from her orgasm and the feel of those tremors was amazing as they circled my bare shaft.
I engulfed her mouth with mine and began to thrust. She held me close to her as I buried my face into her fragrant hair, its scent one of my favourites.
Surrounded with nothing but our deep-seeded emotions, I showed her how I loved her much like she had showed me that night on the beach. I felt her tremble under me as our passions heightened and the world collapsed all around leaving us both in a haze of carnal bliss.
I fell asleep with the largest feeling of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had my woman by my side and it was no longer for a few days or a week at the most. It was for however how long we dictated it to be.
Chapter 17
“Allie!” Jasper squealed, waking me with a jump. I heard his light-weighted footsteps make their way to my bedside.
Had I not grabbed on to Alissa, I would have had a lot to explain to my four-year-old about the birds and the bees and the fact that Daddy’s friend was lying in his arms, naked as the day she was born. She looked up at me and clutched the sheets, wrapping them around herself as a slight blush overtook her exposed skin.
“Why hello there, handsome,” she said with a smile and extended a hand to ruffle his hair as he giggled. “Glad to see your gorgeous hair is growing back.”
I grabbed my underwear and shoved them on under the sheets before standing up.
“Hey buddy, why don’t you come and help me out in the kitchen?” I asked.
“But I want to stay here with Allie,” he said. Alissa and I laughed at his pouting expression.
“It’s okay, Jasper,” she said, “I’ll be right out in a minute. I just have to go to the little girls’ room and then what do you say we have ourselves some pancake fun?”
“Okay,” he said excitedly and as he escorted me out of the room, he turned to me and said, “Daddy, what’s a little girls’ room?”
I could hear Alissa’s giggle in the background.
“How ‘bout I let her tell you all about it?” I asked.
When Alissa had come to join us moments later, Jasper didn’t hesitate to jump on her about the topic.
“It’s another wa
y of meaning the bathroom, sweetie,” she explained.
“Is it because you paint your face in there when you stay here?” he asked. Neither Alissa nor I were able to keep a straight face.
“Sure.” She decided to leave it at that.
***
Blueberry pancake fest was a hit as always and seeing as Jasper was beginning to show signs of difficulty breathing and joint weakness, we opted for a quiet day in.
I popped a movie in while Jasper weaseled himself between us and instead of doing what he normally did which was cuddle into me, he cradled himself under Alissa’s arm.
Alissa looked at me and gave me the largest satisfied grin. I laughed. “Traitor.” I poked at Jasper.
“Hey,” Alissa said, “it’s his turn. I’ll make sure you have yours later.”
“Yeah, Daddy, she’s my girlfriend,” Jasper said with a loud wheeze.
“What?” I held a hand in mock shock in front of my mouth. “Where did you learn all about that?”
“Todd told me,” he paused to take a breath, “that Mommy and he were boyfriend and girlfriend until he asked her to marry him.” He took another breath and grimaced. “Then he explained that after,” another wheezing pause, “the wedding, she’ll be his wife,” he said with a wheezed cough. Alissa looked at me worried. I shook my head to let her know that it was normal but his coloring kept me on guard.
“Is that so, handsome?” Alissa asked and gave him a small squeeze.
He nodded. “You’re Daddy’s friend, right?” he asked and sucked in hard-earned air as she nodded. “And you’re a girl too. Does that make you his girlfriend?”
“You got it, buddy,” I said while looking at Alissa and smiling. She beamed.
“Does it mean that Allie will be your wife someday?” He coughed a bit more and took the glass of water I offered him.
“I don’t know, sweetheart,” she said before kissing the top of his head. I could tell her emotions were getting the better of her.
“You could be my other mommy,” he said and my heart beat wild as if a stampede was going on behind my rib-cage.
“Oh, Jasper,” Alissa said chocked up.
She wasn’t meeting my eye and I couldn’t blame her because the lump was growing in my throat as I tried to fight the tears too. The wisdom this four-year-old possessed was beyond what he comprehended but he knew of the basics. He understood that I loved her because I had told him so and he knew that from love, things could evolve to something greater.
Alissa excused herself and headed toward the kitchen. Jasper looked confused for a slight moment and he lay down in the spot where Alissa had been sitting in. Within minutes, he was out like a light and his color was back despite the subtle wheeze that popped up every couple of breaths. The morning’s events had taken their toll on his ailing body; more than I wanted to see.
When Alissa hadn’t returned after five minutes, I covered Jasper with the couch’s throw and headed to find her. She was bent over the sink, her hands braced on its edge, breathing deeply.
The tightness in my chest came back and I struggled to find the words. Instead, I walked to her, touched her shoulder. She turned around and buried her face in my chest. My arms wrapped around her as her body was racked with sobs.
“He’s okay, Allie,” I said against her hair and I rubbed her back fighting my own tears.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said. “I should be the strong one here.” She sniffled.
“You don’t have to be strong all the time, sweetheart,” I said. She took a deep breath and I felt her relax more in my arms conceding to her weakness.
“I didn’t expect it to have gotten that bad,” she said. “You said he was getting worse but it’s a shock when you haven’t seen any of it for a while. He’s so frail looking but it wasn’t until-”
“It’s one of Jasper’s bad days, sweetie,” I said. “He’s normally not like this.”
“I know. I wasn’t prepared for that,” she said and backed away. “It’s scary.” She lifted her eyes to mine and held them as I leaned her back against the counter. I grabbed her face between my palms and let my thumbs wipe the remainder of her tears away.
“Are you sure that’s all that was about?” I asked while watching her, attentive for any signs of withdrawal.
Instead, I was met with her lips against mine, which bore sweet conviction. “Yeah, it’s all,” she said and gave me a sad smile. “I can’t believe that son of yours.” I gave her a curious look. “I knew he was a smart cookie but when did he get that wise and all-knowing about relationships?”
“I don’t know but it scares me. I guess I have Todd to thank for that huh?”
I took in her puffy eyes, her flushed face and parted lips. No matter what state she was in, her beauty always shone through.
“Will you be okay with all of this?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she said defensively. “I love that boy in there.” She pointed toward the living room. “It doesn’t matter if he’s healthy or sick; if he has a good day or a bad one. It’s…it’s like he’s my own, Pax.” She tried to push past me.
“Hey! Hey! Baby, calm down,” I said as I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face me.
“Don’t you tell me to calm down, Paxton Lowell,” she said, trying to keep her voice low so she wouldn’t be overheard and punctuated her words with a shove at my chest but I didn’t move.
“I was only making sure that this wouldn’t be too much for you,” I said and held on to her shoulders to prevent her from pulling back more.
“And it’s not for you?” she asked and her body relaxed. “Pax-”
“Sometimes it is and that’s why I needed to ask you,” I said. “Promise me that if it gets to be too much, you’ll let me know.”
“And I expect the same,” she said. “You’re not in this alone, baby.”
I smiled. “You’ve got it, gorgeous.”
“Now kiss me,” she said, returning my smile. I brushed the strands of hair that had fallen from her ponytail, tucking them behind her ear before cupping her cheek and indulging her in her request.
“Daddy,” Jasper said with a loud wheeze as he came into the room while our lips were fused in passion.
I pulled away and looked at Jasper who now stood in the kitchen entrance watching us and rubbing at his tired eyes. His color had a definite blue tint and it looked as if it was progressing to a deeper shade of the latter.
This isn’t good.
I rushed to his side and bent down to feel his forehead and inspect him closer. “He’s burning up,” I said to Alissa. “Are you okay, son?” He shook his head indicating the negative but the rumbling sound from his chest combined with his loud wheeze just about made me lose my cool. This wasn’t like the other times at all. God help me. “We need to get you to the hospital, buddy,” I said. Alissa nodded frantically with wide eyes when I looked at her. “Let’s go, little man.”
When I had Jasper settled in the car with Alissa at his side in the backseat, I knew I had one more difficult task at hand. I had to call Julie. For the first time, it was I who had to deliver the news about the negative progression of our son’s fatal disease. I now understood how Julie had felt every time she’d picked up the phone to make the call I was about to make.
Chapter 18
The week had gone by in a flash. Jasper had been hospitalized with a severe pneumonia and had nearly ended up on a ventilator to assist his breathing.
I came home alone from a meeting with Messing to find Alissa on her laptop with a bit of music in the background. I smiled at the look of concentration on her face. She had failed to notice my arrival. “What is it that you’re working on that’s got all of your attention?” I asked as I came to a stop in front of her.
She jumped and gave me a concerned look. “How’d it go?”
“As good as could be expected,” I said and she nodded in understanding. Her eyes averted themselves from me and flew to her compu
ter screen. “So, you never answered my question.”
“What?” Her eyes snapped back to mine. It was clear that she was preoccupied with whatever she was working on.
“Must have been some decent writing spree you were on if your head is up in the clouds,” I said. I let myself fall back on the couch and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
“I wasn’t writing,” she said.
“You weren’t?” She shook her head and then I noticed the look of guilt cross her features. “What-”
“I know you think that I’ve been writing all week long because that’s what I let you believe but I haven’t been. Truth is, I haven’t written a word in a month,” she said.
“Sweetheart, you’re scaring me,” I said and turned my body toward her as I sat up straighter. I could see that she was conflicted. “What is it? Should I be worried?”
“I’ve been looking up on things, researching,” she said and then she showed me. Baffled at what I was seeing on her laptop screen, I couldn’t help but wonder why she felt so guilty but more than that, why she felt she had to keep something like this hidden until now.
Before me, there were oodles of information on stem-cell research. It looked like there might just be hope after all.
“I can’t believe this,” I said as I scrolled down from one screen to the next. “Why didn’t you say you were looking into this?” I turned to her.
“Because I didn’t want to give you false hope,” she said. “I wanted to be sure before I brought it to you and Julie. Your hearts were broken once already. There’s no way I’d be the one to break it a second time.”
“This is so much better than a marrow harvest and transplant.” I smiled. “I’m calling Julie and then Messing right now to tell him about this. If anything, I know that we’ve kept Jasper’s cord blood so they can get right to it.”
Alissa left me alone and went to the kitchen to start dinner. I left a message on Julie’s voicemail and then put a call in with Messing. He agreed to meet with us tomorrow to discuss what Alissa had found as well as our next course of action as soon as Jasper was cleared of his pneumonia. Time was no longer a luxury we could afford.
Once Written, Twice Shy (The Broken Men Chronicles) Page 13