The kiss was getting hot as I slipped my hand up the back of her shirt, tracing the skin on her back with my fingertips. I moved so that she was lying on her back on the sofa, and hovered above her, just looking at her in awe.
She smiled. “So, that was one lucky lady that you saved today. A police officer in full SWAT uniform, saves your life and then carries you out of the building… That’s seriously hot,” she breathed, looking at me excitedly.
I smiled at her lustful expression. Oh yeah, Rosie is definitely a little kinky. I could almost see the role-play fantasy that she was envisioning. “Is that going in the fantasy bank?” I teased.
She nodded, her eyes not leaving mine. There wasn’t a single trace of embarrassment on her face. “Definitely,” she confirmed, biting her lip.
I laughed quietly, using my fingertip to pull her lip from her between her teeth. “I’ve told you before, Rose. Don’t bite your lip, that’s my job,” I murmured, bending my head and capturing her bottom lip in my mouth, biting on it gently. Her fingers dug into my back, forcing me closer to her.
For the next couple of hours we made out, talked, planned our weekend, laughed and just generally had a nice time while lying on the sofa. She had her head on my chest, and I had one arm draped around her, the other arm bent behind my head. I was the epitome of ease.
Just after eleven she yawned, looking at me apologetically. “You really should get going, Nate. Don’t you have to start work at six?” she asked, stroking her hand across my abs gently, her fingers stroking the muscles I worked hard for.
I frowned. “Can’t I stay a little while longer?”
She smiled and snuggled closer to me, pressing her face into the crook of my neck. “Okay, but if I fall asleep then don’t blame me, I woke up early this morning with DJ,” she said, yawning again.
I tightened my arm around her, pulling her impossibly closer to me. “What time did you get up?”
“Six fifteen,” she mumbled, the vibrations of her voice tickled the skin of my neck lightly and I closed my eyes at the feel of it.
“That’s not early, lightweight. I get up at four thirty every day when I’m on the early shift,” I teased, slipping my hand down to cup her ass.
She laughed quietly. “Whatever. I love my sleep, that’s too early in my book.”
I laid there, just holding her for a while before I realised she had fallen asleep. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She looked extremely cute when she slept.
I held her for a few more minutes before easing up off the sofa, being careful not to wake her. Once on my feet, I slipped my arms under her, making her grumble in her sleep as I picked her up and carried her into her bedroom. As I set her gently on the bed, I remembered the last time I had done this, when she was drunk. I laughed quietly and shifted the bed sheets, pulling them up around her.
I stood back up and just looked at her. As I raked my eyes over every inch of her face, I felt my life changing. I felt my priorities shifting around, and everything fell into place. My life finally seemed like it was on track. The funny thing was, I hadn’t even realised that it was this girl that I’d been waiting and looking for all these years. All this time she was on the outskirts of my life, just waiting for the time when I would meet her. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was just blind luck. Whatever it was, I was grateful.
I found a scrap of paper and a pen on her side unit, so I quickly wrote her a note:
Stripes,
You look hot when you sleep. Don’t worry I tried not to molest you (too much) while you were unconscious.
Thank you for letting me meet DJ, he’s just as awesome as his mom is.
Anyway, have a great day at work, and I’ll pick you up at seven for dinner. Wear something sexy for me. (Oh, and just so you know, yes, I am having inappropriate thoughts about you right now!)
Thanks again for inviting me over.
Nate
Xx
I put it beside her bed so she’d see it when she woke up, and then I slipped out of her apartment with a goofy grin on my face.
Chapter Twenty
As I thought, the following day at work was me being patted on the back for a job well done. I actually took it a lot better than I normally would, probably because I was in the best mood ever. I had even woken up with a smile on my face all because I had the most amazing girl in the world, and her little boy seemed to like me.
Now all we had to do was get him to meet me a few more times and then we’d be able to break it to him that we were more than just friends. DJ was going to his dad’s this weekend, and I was making the most of the private time for sure. It had taken me pulling a few strings to enable me to get a reservation at the restaurant, but Rosie was worth it.
At just after four, I was in the cafeteria with the boys. We’d just got back from a call out but the other snipers and I were just there for backup today, no actual action. As I plucked my phone from my pocket, I noticed a text from Rosie sitting there, received just before lunch. I couldn’t stop the stupid smile that stretched across my face.
Russell noticed straight away. “What’s up with you, Peters? Got some porn on your phone or something?” he joked, laughing.
I shrugged. “Nah, not today. It’s just a text from Rosie,” I replied, sipping my coffee as I opened the message.
‘Nate, I’m so sorry, but I can’t make it tonight. Josh has let me down again. Talk to you later. Sorry x’
I frowned at the thought of not being able to see her. Fucking Josh! Now I couldn’t see her tonight, and possibly the whole weekend. Well, unless she let me go over and spend time with her and DJ again.
“Not a good text? Did she dump your ass when she found out how many girls you’ve slept with?” Russell teased, punching me in the arm lightly.
“Her kid’s dad let her down again. I can’t take her out tonight,” I grumbled. I was so pissed off that I literally wanted to go find this Josh guy and punch him in his sorry face.
“You really like this girl, huh?”
I sighed and debated what to do. “Yeah, she’s incredible. I met her kid last night; he’s great too.” I pulled up her number on my cell. I didn’t want to come across as a needy prick, but I really wanted to see her. I looked up to Russell for his advice. He was a wise man, he was married, he’d know about women… “Rus, do you think it’d be coming on too strong if I asked to see her tonight, with her kid? I don’t want to put too much pressure on her or anything.”
He frowned, obviously thinking about it. “I think that she’d like that you’re making an effort with her child. How you interact with her son is what she would base the relationship on more than anything else. For you, it’s probably looks and sex. For her, she’s looking at what type of dad you’d be to her child.” He shrugged, looking at me apologetically.
I flinched at the word ‘Dad’, I was only just coming to terms with the fact that I might be ‘Uncle Nate’.
I decided to give her a call and sound her out a little. The other guys at the table were watching me, making me feel a little self-conscious. “Good afternoon, hottie girlfriend,” I greeted when she answered, trying not to laugh at the ridiculous feelings that were rushing through my body. How had I let this little girl put her spell on me like this? Me, Nate Peters, the player who didn’t want to settle down, was completely and utterly at this girl’s mercy. She had me hanging around, wanting to spend time with her and her son, and I wasn’t even getting my dick wet. This was a serious first for me!
“Hey, did you get my text? I’m really sorry, but I can’t make it tonight. Josh is working so he can’t have DJ. I’ve called my sister but she’s busy. The sitter that someone recommended is already on another job tonight. Anna is out with Ashton for date night. My parents are two hours on a train away, and my usual babysitter has dinner plans with her new boyfriend. I’ve tried everyone, but I can’t find anyone to watch DJ,” she said apologetically, taking a big breath at the end where she spoken so fast.
<
br /> I smiled at her ramblings; I loved it when she did that. It was like she couldn’t speak fast enough or get enough things into one conversation. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it, we’ll go another time. So, Josh cancelled for the whole weekend?” I asked, praying she’d say no because we were planning on hanging out all day tomorrow as well as the night time.
She sighed. “I don’t know. He’s working tonight, and there’s a possibility he’s working tomorrow but he never commits to anything. He’s gonna call me in the morning. I haven’t mentioned anything to DJ about the Z.O.O,” she said, spelling out the word so he wouldn’t know what she was talking about. “I’m just praying he doesn’t cancel that too, because a certain someone would be crushed.” She gave a hard laugh, full of years of frustration and anguish all because of that same asshole.
I bit the inside of my mouth to stop myself from cussing the guy out. “Okay. So can I see you after DJ goes to bed? Or maybe, if it’s alright with you, I could come earlier and bring takeout?” I mentally crossed my fingers for the last one, because then I would get precious extra hours with her. Maybe DJ and I could finish the war from last night.
“Umm… Sure. Whichever you want.”
I smiled. “Rose, if the choice is up to me, then I’d like to come early. I could bring a pizza. Does DJ eat pizza?”
“Really? You’re not annoyed with me for cancelling?”
“I’ll be annoyed if I don’t get to see you at all,” I teased, only half joking.
She laughed. “Well, we can’t have that.” There was a couple of seconds of silence, where she obviously was thinking through the options. “We both like pizza,” she said finally.
I trapped the phone between my ear and shoulder, freeing my hands and drummed on the table excitedly. “Okay great. I’ll come over in about an hour then? Pepperoni okay?” I offered, trying to sound cool and aloof, but the laughter and the fake whipping noises coming from the guys I was sitting with clearly told me that I hadn’t pulled it off.
“Sure, see you then.” She disconnected the call, and I smirked in Russell’s direction, not even caring that him and the other boys were about to tease the shit out of me.
I practically ran to the locker room, had the quickest shower ever and then dressed and ran to my car with my hair still dripping on the back of my T-shirt. I needed to hurry if I was to get everything and not be late.
When I finally got to her door, I was nervous again. Rosie opened the door wearing a black, high waisted pencil skirt, and a white shirt that she’d tucked into it. I gulped as I looked her over. Did she wear that to school today? Man, I seriously needed to go to this school! Lucky damn kids get to look and listen to that all day long!
“Where are the sexy glasses?” I asked, raising one eyebrow teasingly.
“I didn’t think you could handle those on top of the skirt,” she answered, smirking at me and crossing one ankle over the other as she leant on the door frame.
I nodded. “You’re probably right, I mean, I might have to jump you in front of your son if you get any hotter.”
“And I may have to let you if you get any sweeter,” she answered, biting her lip, smiling.
I definitely liked the sound of where this conversation was going! I beckoned her forward with one finger, wanting her to close the distance so I could kiss her. Her tongue made a tantalisingly slow sweep of her bottom lip as she stepped closer. Balancing the pizza and grocery bag in one hand, I snaked my other arm around her and pulled her flush against me. Her chest crashed against mine, her hands going to my hips, barely touching me but still managing to make my skin feel like it was on fire. I traced my free hand up her back and tangled it into the back of her hair, moving my face forward so my lips were almost touching hers. Her hot, sweet breath blew across my lips making them part unconsciously.
“You’re a damn tease,” I whispered, our lips brushing as I spoke.
Her hands tightened on my T-shirt. “Mmm hmm, but you love it,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed.
She looked like a dream – a beautiful girl in my arms, completely at my mercy, waiting for me to kiss her. She looked so vulnerable and open to me that it made my heart crash in my chest. I was almost proud of myself for getting her to have feelings for me, but mostly I was just proud that I got to call this girl my own.
“I do love it,” I admitted, my voice almost coming out as a growl. My whole body was alight with desire; I could feel my jeans tightening around the groin area as I started to get excited. The effect she had on my body was almost embarrassing. I had barely even touched her, yet I was at the point of begging her for sex. I was pretty sure that another girl would never be able to get me this excited, this quickly.
She made a sound that was a cross between a whimper and a moan, and I couldn’t hold it anymore. I crashed my lips to hers, kissing her fiercely, possessively, showing her with that one kiss that I was her man and that I wasn’t going to let her forget it. She moaned into my mouth as I pushed her against the wall gently, pressing my whole body to hers tightly. How I managed to hold onto the food and grocery bag, I wasn’t sure. I was barely even aware of anything else other than the feel of her lips on mine and her taste on my tongue.
By the time I pulled away and pressed my forehead to hers, we were both a little breathless. The corners of her mouth twitched with a smile as her eyes met mine. She looked a little bewildered, like she had no idea what was going on around us.
“Did that kiss make you forget your own name, or do I need to keep working on it?” I whispered, smirking at her.
“I know it begins with R,” she joked, playing along. “Maybe you could work on it some more later.”
I moaned breathlessly. “Definitely. Anyway, let’s go eat, I’m starving.” I pushed away from her and watched as she took a few deep breaths before straightening her shirt and pushing her hair behind her ear, like she was trying to calm herself down too.
I followed her into the apartment and into the lounge. DJ was lying on his stomach, toy cars scattered everywhere, a little garage off to one side. His eyes lit up when he spotted me. “Nate! I saved you the red one. Momma wanted it, but I told her it was yours.”
“You did? Awesome. Red is my favourite colour,” I answered, handing Rosie the pizza and taking the car that DJ was offering to me. I smiled and looked at Rosie, noticing her expression of disbelief and wonder. “What?” I asked, curiously.
She closed her mouth and shook her head lightly as if trying to shake a thought away. “I… I just… nothing. I’ll just get some plates.” She turned to DJ. “Nate brought pizza for dinner.”
He pumped the air with one fist and muttered a “Yesssssss!” and I couldn’t help but laugh. Kids were so easy to please! I smiled and grabbed the ice-cream out of the bag that I’d bought too, handing it to Rosie. It was Ben and Jerry’s, Chunky Monkey, she’d mentioned it was her favourite the other day.
She looked at me gratefully, a little “Aww” escaping her lips. “Thanks! You know I’m not sharing it though, right? You boys can go without. This is mine!” she joked, pretending to hide it as DJ looked at it with wide eyes.
I handed the bag to DJ with the last thing that I’d bought in there. He took the bag curiously and looked inside before literally screaming with excitement, making both me and Rosie jump. “TOY STORY 3!” he shouted, jumping up and down with excitement as he pulled the DVD out of the bag, waving it in the air in celebration.
Rosie frowned. “You bought him a DVD?” she asked, looking a little unsure.
I nodded. “I thought you were fed up with the other two, you said you couldn’t watch them again without going mad. Plus, he told me that he hadn’t seen it,” I answered, shrugging.
“You don’t need to keep buying him things,” she said, looking at me, shocked. “It’s not necessary, Nate. You know that, right?”
“I know, I just thought I’d get it because everyone should watch that at least once in their life.” I smiled, trying to make ligh
t of the situation.
Something crashed into my legs, making me stumble back a step before I caught myself. I looked down, shocked, to see DJ clinging to my legs, hugging me tightly, grinning like he’d had two litres of Coke and a bowl full of sugar.
I laughed uncomfortably, not really knowing what to do as I patted his back lightly. My heart melted in my chest at the attention. I was thrilled that he liked me. I bent down, wrapping one arm around his waist as I lifted him up, turning him upside down while he laughed and squealed.
Rosie hadn’t moved; she was just standing there with her mouth slightly open and her eyes a little watery. “Looks like Momma forgot she was supposed to be getting plates,” I told DJ, digging my finger in his ribs to make him giggle.
She smiled, her eyes so soft and tender that it made my stomach
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