Tell Me No Secrets: Secret Baby Romance Collection

by Jamie Knight

  Even knowing that I still couldn’t quite forgive him. Not for leaving but for not contacting me after he got back. I understood him going to rehab. Jinx really did need help at the time. I could even accept him not telling me he was leaving. It must have been a spur of the moment thing. But he could have called me when he was out, let me know he was okay, maybe even ask how I was. That was the part that still really hurt. Yet, despite that, I still loved him, even if I couldn’t completely trust him.

  “Don’t worry,” Carl said, bringing me back to reality, “I’m not planning to sue for custody or anything. I hate all that shit. You know how I feel about the government in general.”

  “That they suck at everything?”

  “Exactly. So, if possible, I would like to keep things between us if we can. I am nothing if not reasonable. I’m confident we can work out a compromise.”

  I blinked at him. “You said you wanted him full-time.”

  Jinx smiled, running a hand through his dark hair. “Well, yes, that would be my ideal. We don’t have to start there. I want more than the family dates, but we can take it slow. I think that would be best for Billy. Like you said, ease him into it. He doesn’t really know me yet, and you’ve been his primary caregiver. It’s probably a good idea to keep things as regular as we can until we work up to more time.”

  “Absolutely,” I said, surprised, and impressed at how reasonable he was being.

  I felt kind of bad for suspecting Carl of wanting to take our baby away from me. That really wouldn’t be in character for him and, of course, that wasn’t what he had meant. He wasn’t his dad — or, apparently, the man he had been when he disappeared. I could feel the love growing within me.

  Chapter Twelve - Jinx

  It was interesting what you could get used to when you tried. I hadn’t even known I was a dad less than a month before, but I suddenly found myself really getting into the role. I honestly loved both Billy and Lila and wanted to spend as much time with them as I could. Even if it did mean having Lila only as a friend. Though it didn’t feel unfitting in that case. Of course, we loved each other, I had a feeling Lila still felt the same even though she didn’t show it. We had been friends for years too, if anything, it was a default setting. I wanted more but didn’t want to push her and was honestly okay with being just friends and least for the moment while we worked things out.

  Making sure Lucky was set up before I left, I put on my nicest polo shirt and cleanest jeans and tamed my dark hair into waves rather than slicked back before I headed out, a home made pie cradled carefully in both hands.

  I wasn’t sure how the Sunday afternoon potlucks had gotten started, the inception occurring long before I joined the staff at Sure Thing, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t entertaining. In addition to the big lunch and shit-shooting, there would also be an office-wide ping-pong tournament with both singles and doubles events. The winners at the end of the year got a cut of the prize money we had all put half of our Christmas bonuses into. I never played, having the approximate co-ordination of a three-legged crab, though it was always fun to watch others play, knowing that my money was going to a good cause.

  Lila was waiting at the door of the building, Billy held on her front in a snuggly.

  “They wouldn’t let me in,” she explained.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I said, laying a hand onto her shoulder.

  “It’s okay,” she said, clearly upset but not trying to pull away.

  “Come with me,” I said, leading the way, security pass at the ready.

  I really should have told her. The building was technically closed on Sunday. The firm got an exemption, but you needed a staff pass to get past security.

  “Hello again,” Camilla said brightly, as she came out of the boardroom.

  “Okay, let’s start here,” I said, stopping at the reception desk.

  “Hey?” Lila and Camilla asked in unison.

  “Lila, this is Camilla, my dear friend of the last to years. Camilla, this is Lila, my old friend, and baby mamma and our son Billy.”

  “You have a son?” Camilla asked, seeming as amused as she was surprised.

  “Yes.”

  “You?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow. He’s really cute, man.”

  “Why thank you,” Cooper said snarkily as he walked over.

  Cammy rolled her eyes. “The baby, bro.”

  “Oh,” Cooper said, noticing Lila and Billy. He pointed at me. “Yours?”

  “Yes,” Lila and I said in unison.

  “Nice,” he said, keeping along his way.

  “Is he always like that?” Lila asked.

  “Yes,” Camilla and I said in the same instant.

  “Who’s this then?” Chris asked, appearing from the boardroom.

  “Hi, I’m Lila,” she said, extending a hand.

  “Charmed,” he said, taking it.

  “And this is our son, Billy,” I added, beaming with pride.

  “Well, fancy that,” Chris said, considering the information.

  Despite the initial surprise, everyone loved Billy, and Lila seemed to get along well with everyone, which was a relief. Pathetic as it may seem, my colleagues were the closet thing to friends I’d had in quite a while.

  We went back to the boardroom, where the meeting table was being used for a buffet. I put the pie down with the desserts and went to get some plates full for Lila and me, also getting some creamy mac and cheese for Billy.

  Lila had set Billy down on the floor, letting him explore. What he found was Camilla, who had recently given birth herself. Reaching down, she scooped him up like a pro, making Billy giggle with delight. After playing with him for a bit, Camilla returned Billy to the couch we had staked out, and Lila set about spoon-feeding him the rapidly cooling mac and cheese, which was probably a good thing.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “I can see why you look forward to work,” Lila said.

  “It is the best.”

  “So, I’ve heard. I was here to hire you guys after all.”

  I nodded, remembering her fainting. “Yeah, I figured. Are you still interested in that?” I asked.

  “Um, yeah, I suppose. I kind of forgot about it.”

  “There has been a lot going on,” I said.

  “I suppose you would be the person to talk to?” Lila asked.

  “To begin with, yeah. We try to keep our clients well informed at every step. You are going to need text first, and for that, I’m your guy.”

  “Okay.”

  “Great, what are you looking for?” I asked, getting out my Moleskine and pen.

  “Well, it’s for the NGO,” Lila said, putting the empty bowl that had the mac and cheese down by her feet.

  “Right, makes sense. What sort of thing are you looking for?”

  We spent the next hour going over her ideas as I worked around with various ideas on how best to present them. We were close. Both physically and intellectually, everything we said instantly understood. Our odd sort of telepathy, developed over the years together, still holding after two years apart. It was almost a sensual experience, and I had to fight the urge to kiss her. I kept my hands to myself, and we came up with some excellent ideas for the ad copy.

  “How did you come to be a copywriter?” she asked, leaning back into the couch.

  “It was kind of roundabout actually. I was desperate for a job at the time and had an answered an ad looking for someone to work at the front desk. I got it and would write in my notebook when I got the chance. Nothing too fancy. Just concepts for projects I wanted to get going.”

  “What kind of projects?”

  “Film scripts mostly. A lot of them are sold by what is called an elevator pitch. Basically, a description of an idea that can be presented in the time it takes for an elevator to go up one floor.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Beau, who was the owner at
the time, caught me at it and discovered, at about the same time I did, that I had a talent for breaking a concept down into it’s most vital elements and presenting them the most effective way. He helped me get through a certificate course to refine my presentation and technique and gave me a job as the junior copywriter. The head copywriter quit about six months ago, and I became the copywriter.”

  As the ping-pong tournament geared up, we made our excuses and slipped out, heading down to my car. It was still early, and I remembered that there was a petting zoo nearby. Billy seemed to really like animals, so it seemed like a good idea.

  “Are you sure you have the time?” Lila asked.

  “Oh, sure, I’m well ahead of Lucky’s schedule. I’m all yours.”

  “Okay.”

  Bundling Billy into the car seat I had bought especially so he could come with us, heavy metal on the stereo, we drove to a park that had a by-donation petting zoo. The place was surprisingly crowded. There was actually a line to get in. I dropped a fifty into the donation bucket as we shuffled past, getting closer to the cute and cuddlies with every step.

  I had called it right. Billy loved the place. Contenting himself with chasing baby goats, first by crawling, then on foot, before feeding them with pellets from the dispenser. The toddler was so excited that it wasn’t too long before he started yawning. This also happened to be bout the time that the sunlight began to wane on the horizon.

  “How about dinner at my place?” I asked, the filter between my brain and my mouth shorting out for a moment.

  “Sure,” Lila said.

  Surprised but far too pleased to say anything that might make her change her mind, we headed straight for my car and drove back to my apartment. The goats not being the last rambunctious animals Billy would encounter that day.

  Leaving Lucky chasing his tail around the living room, we went to the kitchen to start dinner. Lila even let Billy break the snap peas, something that amused him no end — particularly the sound. Lucky soon found his way into the kitchen, and the majority of the peas went to him rather than in the bowl.

  The food done; we all went to the oversized dining room table, putting a cushion on the chair in place of a booster seat. It worked pretty well until about half-way through dinner when Billy started to nod off. I made a lucky catch and took him into the bedroom, laying him gently on the bed. No sooner did I get him down that Lucky jumped up beside him onto the bed, curling up beside Billy.

  “He’s in good hands,” I said to Lila as we left the room.

  We went back to the table to finish eating before the food got cold and all our work was for nothing. I thought I’d noticed Lila scoot her chair over closer to me but figured it must have been my imagination. My insane love for her playing silly games with my perception.

  “Would you like some wine?” I asked.

  “Are you having some?” Lila asked.

  “No.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think —”

  I smiled at her. “It’s been aging for a while. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.”

  “This is a special occasion, is it?” Lila teased.

  “I would say so, yes,” I replied thoughtfully, “or if you prefer, we could say we are celebrating our sterling success with regards to the ad for the NGO if you’d like to keep things more impersonal.”

  She smiled and raised one eyebrow. “It’s not done yet, though.”

  “The text is. I know exactly what I’m going to do with it and will be giving the copy to Chris to hand off to the illustration guys by the end of the day tomorrow.”

  “That’s really fast!”

  “You know me,” I blurted.

  Lila blushed bright enough for me to see it. I hadn’t expected it to come out quite that way. “Yeah, I do,” she whispered.

  I was hard-pressed to think of anyone who knew me better than Lila. Even my dad was barely around, and I mostly took him as an example of what not to do. My mom had died a few years ago, Conrad quick to get a replacement — one of the dancers at one of his casinos. She was nice enough, but she wasn’t my mom. For starters, she was five years younger than me.

  “I know you, too,” I said, going to get the wine.

  “Oh really,” Lila said like it was a challenge.

  “Sure,” I said, popping the bottle of ‘99.

  “Like what?”

  “You prefer trucks to blocks and Lego to tinker toys. You are always the first one everywhere because your brother convinced you that you would turn into a pumpkin if you were late. You also still check under the bed for the monsters he convinced you were down there.”

  “Even when I’m sleeping on a futon,” Lila said with a slight shudder.

  “You love grapes and are allergic to oranges and coconuts.

  “What else, Mr. Holmes?” she teased.

  “You do drink but not to excess, using it mostly as a way to calm yourself,” I explained, putting the glass down on the table, fighting the overwhelming urge to caress her hand.

  “I also have a scar,” Lila prompted.

  “On your inner thigh. You got it when you fell off a fence when you were fifteen. I remember. I carried you to the hospital. You were screaming bloody murder, and I was trying my best to calm you.”

  “You said to think happy thoughts,” she said, trying not to laugh.

  “It seemed like good advice at the time,” I protested.

  “No, no, it was good. It just put me in mind of Peter Pan, which in itself was a happy thought, so I guess it worked out.”

  “Yeah, I have a habit of that,” I said.

  “And just look at us now,” Lila said, leaning in close.

  I could smell her. She smelled the same she always had. Honey and raspberries. I wanted her so much it hurt. When she kissed me, my defenses dropped, and I kissed her hungrily. All the passion that had built up was coming out at once.

  Chapter Thirteen - Lila

  There were times I wondered if it was possible to have more than one brain or at least more than one mind. My common sense was screaming to stop. What we were doing was an epically bad idea. I still had a lot of hurt from when Jinx left me. Though, even stronger was my desire for him now that he was back. Particularly this new version of him I had never seen before. Combining aspects of his old self I instantly recognized as him, with a new maturity and balance, that was wonderful.

  Before I really knew what was happening, I was on my knees in front of Carl as he sat on his chair, fumbling to undo his pants. He helped me out, his cock springing at me hard and ready. I had forgotten how big he was. Recovering quickly, I got one hand most of the way around his warm, hard shaft, gently cupping his balls and sucked him off like my life depended on it, desperate to get his thick, sweet cum in my mouth. He was quiet as I sucked, probably so he wouldn’t wake Billy. The soft smack on my mouth on Carl’s cock the only sound that could be heard.

  Finally he came, unloading a torrent of cum into my mouth. Carl had told me he hadn’t had sex since he went into rehab, but I still didn’t quite expect that much cum. Still I got it all, swallowing it all down.

  Getting to my feet, taking off my panties as I did so, I swept his mostly finished plate from the table and lay down where it had been so Carl could have my sweet pussy for dessert. He dug in with gusto, licking and sucking my wet cunt, introducing first one finger and then two just when they were needed most. I started shaking with an intense orgasm, Carl putting one hand on my hip and the other over my mouth to keep me quiet as I came.

  Pulling me down to the end, so we were lined up. Carl stroked the head of his cock against my pussy, making me gasp with pleasure. I opened my legs wider to facilitate the process.

  When he thought I was ready, he pushed in, slowly easing his entire cock inside me. Giving me a second to relax and for my pussy adjust to being filled so completely, he started to pump. Driving his hard cock even deeper into me, and t
hen back out, going a little faster with each pass. Building up to a steady rhythm, Carl fucked me with his huge cock until I screamed, a sound muffled by a quick and useful placement of his hand gently over my mouth.

  Pulling out in the nick of time, Carl delivered his load into my waiting mouth, giving me a second helping of his delicious cum. Taking his cock in my hand, I sucked his shaft until it was clean before continuing on until he gave me a third beautiful load. I had gone without it far too long and was trying to make up for lost time.

  Suddenly I could barely move. Most of my muscles relaxing at once. Gentleman that he was, Carl scooped me up and carried me over to the giant couch, both of us able to fit comfortably on it. I was snuggled against him my head on his chest when my doubts came back with a vengeance. I could hardly think straight for all the rage going on in my head.

  “Stop thinking so loud and go to sleep,” he murmured.

  “If only it were that simple,” I said.

  “It is,” Carl replied, holding me tighter.

  I was asleep a short time later. The dream was lovely. I couldn’t remember the details too clearly, but I was overcome with a sense of calm. Maybe I had found the happy place Carl had talked about. Too bad I couldn’t remember where it was.

  My eyes opened slowly, and it took me a moment to remember where I was. I was at Carl’s apartment. Something I never thought would happen again. I thought about Aria thinking she would be worried. But then again, she knew I was meeting Carl and might well have figured out what happened.

  Billy stirred beside me on the bed I had ended up in. I gently stroked his head, putting him back to sleep. Narrowly beating Lucky, who had come up from his guard station near my feet to check on his charge. I gave him a scratch behind the ear, which he seemed to love.

  The door opened, making us both look as Carl came in with a breakfast tray, Lucky running back to the foot of the bed in hopes of bacon.