by Kendall Ryan
“Nothing wrong with a six-dollar bottle of grape juice,” I replied, giving her a reassuring smile.
Kate shrugged and took another sip of wine.
“So, uh, hey, I just wanted to say thank you for today,” I said, trying to get my thoughts in order before I completely scared her off for good. “Maddie’s mom isn’t around, and the older she gets, the more I worry about her having good female figures in her life. So, spending all this time with you, especially today . . . it means a lot. I know you’re not really into the whole kid thing—which I completely understand—but still, you were a natural.”
Kate stared at me, her eyes wide and her brows raised. Then she chuckled softly, looking down at her hands and shaking her head. “That’s what I wanted to show you today. I didn’t want to just tell you with words, I wanted you to see what I want, how I feel about Maddie . . . and you.”
She looked up at me then, her eyes meeting mine with a tenderness I had rarely seen from her before.
“I’ve fallen for you,” Kate said, her eyes still locked with mine. “Both of you. I know you’re a package deal, and that’s what I want. I didn’t think I wanted this in my future; I always thought being tied down would feel like, well, being tied down. I had no idea how good it could feel—like I’ve finally found my people, the tribe that I belong to.”
My throat was thick with emotion, but Kate wasn’t done.
“Once I met you and saw how my future could look, it all became so clear. I want more.”
I reached out and took her hands in mine, running my thumbs over her knuckles. “You have no idea how good it feels to hear you say that.” I brought her fingers to my lips, letting the reality of Kate’s words sink in. This was everything I ever wanted.
“Come on,” I said, still holding her hand as I rose from my seat.
“Where are we—”
She stood and started to speak, but before she could finish her sentence, I pulled her to me and pressed my lips to hers. She sighed, her body softening against mine as she wrapped her arms around me. One slow kiss became three or four quicker ones.
“Let’s go,” I said, suddenly pulling away and leading Kate to the front door. She nodded and followed, her mouth still slightly open as we made our way to my house.
Once inside, the two of us crept up the stairs and quietly past Maddie’s room to mine. Kate and I might have been on the same page, but I hadn’t talked to Maddie about any of this yet, and the last thing we needed was to freak her out again.
When we reached my bedroom, I ushered Kate in, pulling the door closed and making sure—as always—to lock it behind us.
I turned around to find her sitting on the edge of my bed. Our eyes locked and she reached her hand out toward me, turning it over and curling her index finger toward her in a come-hither motion. My cock stirred in my pants as I walked toward her, my mind swimming with all the things I wanted to do to her.
It was a powerful thing knowing she felt the same way about me that I did about her.
I joined her on the bed, propping myself over her body. Our mouths met with a newfound urgency, our bodies instinctively moving against each other. She ran her hands over my back and up to my neck, curling her fingers through my hair. I trailed my lips down to the tender skin at the crook of her neck, and Kate moaned softly. My cock stirred again at the sounds she was making, and suddenly I hated the fact that we both still had our clothes on.
Sitting up, I pulled Kate with me, taking the hem of her T-shirt between my fingers. She raised her arms above her head as I pulled the soft fabric over her body, revealing a lacy light-pink bra underneath. I couldn’t help the low growl the sight of her perfect breasts brought out of me.
She grinned, pulling my shirt over my head as well. She wrapped her arms around my neck as we kissed again, and I reached out to unfasten her bra from behind. Within seconds, I had the clasp undone, and both of us sighed as she pressed her breasts against my bare skin.
Perfection. She was sheer perfection.
My tongue swirled against hers and I took her breast in my hand, massaging it gently and pinching her nipple between my fingers. Kate moaned softly, moving her hand up my thigh to the growing erection in my pants.
I groaned at the feel of her fingers over my cock, and quickly grew frustrated by the fabric between them. As Kate continued rubbing my rock-hard manhood, I slipped my fingers under the waistband of her leggings, reaching down to touch her wet panties.
She gasped as my fingers met her damp skin.
After a few moments, I needed more, and I pulled my hand out of Kate’s pants, causing her to whimper softly. Peeling the leggings away from her, I ran my tongue down her thigh as I lowered them inch by inch, nibbling gently on her soft skin. Once her leggings were off, I tugged her panties off too, tossing them onto the floor. In one swift motion, I removed my own pants and underwear, my cock springing free and aching to be inside her.
Kate lay on her back and opened her legs to invite me closer. I lowered myself over her, aligning myself at the needy spot between her legs.
“I want you inside me,” she whispered, shifting her hips to tease my tip.
“Condom?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I’m on birth control. And I trust you.”
Locking my eyes with hers, I entered her, slowly burying my shaft into her, inch by inch. When I was completely inside, Kate sighed and closed her eyes, reveling in the pleasure of being completely filled.
I brought my lips to hers as I pumped my hips, slowly and gently at first, our kisses tender and sweet. Kate rocked her hips in time with my movements, and as we established a rhythm, each of us groaned with pleasure.
When I felt her tightening around me and sensed she was getting close, I reached down to rub my thumb over her slick bud, a move that always drove her crazy. The moment I applied pressure there, she threw her head back with a gasp that quickly turned into a moan.
Watching her take her pleasure and hearing the sounds she made turned me on to no end, causing my balls to tighten and pressure to build low in my spine. Just as she began to let go, her body constricting around mine, I followed her over the edge, waves of pleasure dragging both of us under at the same time.
Once the waves subsided, I rolled over and onto my back next to Kate, both of us panting.
“That . . . was . . . incredible,” she said between breaths, running her hand over my chest.
“You’re amazing.” I stroked every inch of silky skin I could find—her shoulders, the curve of her hip, her thigh.
Kate rolled onto her side and propped her head on her elbow, a new sparkle in her eye. “A pretty good end to a pretty good day, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely.” I leaned over and kissed the back of her hand.
She smiled, then leaned into me and placed a long, deep kiss on my lips. “I’ll be right back,” she said, rising and walking to the bathroom.
As Kate cleaned up, I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, one arm behind my head. I still couldn’t believe she actually wanted more, after everything she’d sworn she’d never want. It seemed almost too good to be true.
I rolled onto my side and saw my cell phone on the bedside table. A thought hit me, and my stomach sank.
There was still the matter of talking to Maddie. While she seemed to really like Kate, and I obviously really appreciated Kate’s presence in her life, the last thing I wanted was for Maddie to feel blindsided. My daughter and I had never really talked about what would happen if I was in a relationship, and the more I thought about it, the more worried I became about how she would take it.
Kate returned from the bathroom and crawled into bed next to me, curling her body next to mine. “Whatcha thinking about?” she asked, brushing her fingers across my jaw.
“Nothing,” I said, still staring at the ceiling. When Kate didn’t respond, I could feel her staring at me and knew I’d have to give her something. “Actually, I just remembered. We should probably set an alarm for the morning, so
we can get up and moving before Maddie does.”
Kate pulled her hand away from my hair. I turned to look at her and was surprised to see a hurt look on her face. She knew I was a dad, that I had obligations. Then she gave me a tight-lipped smile and nodded.
“We’ll talk about it more in the morning.” I placed a soft kiss on her forehead before rolling over to pick up my phone. I set an alarm for five thirty, my mind still buzzing with worry about how this new future would play out.
Chapter Nineteen
Kate
I stared out the window, lost in thought. I still couldn’t believe I’d told Hunter how I felt and that he felt the same. It had been less than twenty-four hours ago, and I was still reeling from the experience. It was so picture perfect that I was having a hard time convincing myself that it wasn’t all too good to be true.
And yet, a sliver of doubt nagged at me. When he’d set the alarm for me to sneak out this morning, I’d been hurt, but I tried to reason with myself that he just didn’t want Maddie finding out that way. It would probably bring up traumatic memories for her to see me coming out of Hunter’s room in the morning, and I got that. But I couldn’t help wondering if his doing that meant something else entirely. Was he not sure about starting a relationship? Or did he not see a long-term future for us?
I knew I was being childish, but I couldn’t help it. Apparently, this was what having feelings for someone did to you—it made you totally irrational. I was determined not to let my overactive imagination get me down, especially because Hunter had texted me earlier asking me to come over. I assumed he wanted to discuss what I’d told him last night, but he hadn’t given any hints as to what exactly he had to say about it.
I sprayed perfume on my wrists and rubbed them together. I was trying to stay calm, but in truth, I was a nervous wreck. I’d never put myself out there the way I had yesterday, and I was terrified of being rejected, or that somehow it would all go wrong.
I brushed my teeth and headed down the stairs, sending myself positive energy. I rang his doorbell, fluffing my hair as I waited for him to answer it.
When Hunter pulled open the door, my heart jumped into my throat at the sight of him. Even after everything that had happened, I was still blown away by how attractive he was. And not just his smoking-hot body and killer smile, but by the little happy dance I did inside whenever I was around him.
“Hey, come on in.” He gestured me inside, and I followed him.
“Where’s Maddie?” I asked as I stepped into the living room, expecting to see her there.
“She went to a friend’s house for a birthday party,” he said, leading me over to the couch.
I settled in, smoothing my skirt anxiously as he sat next to me. As nervous as I was, I still found myself distracted by being near Hunter. He’d shaven recently, making his chiseled jawline even more prominent, and the scent of aftershave hung in the air between us. I could just make out the definition of his biceps underneath his T-shirt, and on the walk to the couch, I’d gotten a glimpse of how good his butt looked in his black jeans.
He smiled, and I wanted to kiss him right then. But I didn’t.
Talking first.
“So,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Last night . . .”
When he trailed off for a moment, my heart sank. Then he took a deep breath and continued.
“I just wanted us to get on the same page about what we’re expecting from this. I really like you. I liked you from the beginning, but I knew you didn’t want to be involved in something serious. So, I guess I’m just wondering if you meant everything you said last night.”
I scooted closer to him on the couch. My thoughts and emotions were running a mile a minute, but I was starting to feel my anxiety melt away. He wanted this to be serious as much as I did.
“Of course I meant it,” I said, putting a hand on top of his to assure him. “I’m ready for this. I want to be here for you. And for Maddie. I know I’ve always said I didn’t want a relationship, but it was just because I was afraid. And I obviously hadn’t found the right person.”
A smile broke out on his face and he put his arm around me, running his fingers along my shoulder.
His eyes met mine, and a delighted quiver ran through me. “If we do this, I want it all.”
My heart pumped faster. “Everything. It’s yours.”
I was ready to leave behind all my fears and doubts, and be in a committed relationship with Hunter—and with Maddie. And now that we were here in this moment, my worries almost seemed ridiculous. What had I been so afraid of? Being with Hunter was the easiest thing in the world.
He leaned in to kiss me, his full lips pressing against mine.
After a few more sweet kisses, I pulled back. “If we’re going to do this, I want to do it right. Before we go any further, I think we need to tell Maddie.” She had warmed up to me more than I’d expected lately, so I hoped it would go smoothly.
“Yeah, I guess we do.” He sighed, worry etched on his face.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Hunter, are you afraid of your own daughter?”
“What can I say? She’s intimidating.” He grinned, then reached out to brush my hair behind my ear. “But seriously, no matter how she reacts when we tell her, it’ll be okay. She’ll get used to it. Besides, she really does like you. I hope you understand my anxiety; it’s just been me and her all these years.”
He pulled me toward him so that my head was resting on his chest. My heart swelled as I looked up at him.
“I know, Hunter. Don’t worry; everything will work out.”
I sighed, allowing myself to melt into his arms. For everyone’s sake, I hoped he was right.
• • •
“Maddie, dinner is here,” Hunter called to her out the back door. She’d been dropped off by a friend’s mom just in time for dinner. We’d ordered in from her favorite Mexican restaurant, plus I’d gone out to stock up on ingredients for hot fudge sundaes. We figured if we fed her enough good food, she’d be more likely to support our relationship.
She ran in, and her face lit up when she saw the spread. “Why’d you get this?” she asked, her happy smile turning to a suspicious stare.
“We just wanted to do something special.” Hunter grinned, ruffling her hair.
If she was still suspicious, she kept it quiet. I piled her plate with taco meat, beans, and rice.
“How was the party, Maddie?” I asked as we settled in to eat. I figured we’d sedate her with the food first, then bring up the change in our relationship—from landlord and tenant to boyfriend and girlfriend.
“I jumped on a trampoline,” she said excitedly after she swallowed a mouthful of rice.
“That’s impressive.” I smiled at her. “I was afraid of trampolines until I was six.”
“I’m not afraid of anything,” Maddie said proudly.
I snorted. “You know what? I believe you.”
Soon, we’d finished dinner, and I started setting up the sundae bar.
“So, we’ve got chocolate and vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, fudge, peanuts, and cherries.” I showed her the different options I’d laid out.
“Awesome.” She grinned, standing on tiptoe to get a better look.
“Which toppings do you want?” Hunter asked, scooping out vanilla into a bowl for Maddie.
“I want Kate to make it,” she said, glancing over at me.
Hunter laughed, putting his hands up. “I guess she doesn’t trust my cooking anymore now that you’ve come around,” he said, handing the bowl to me.
I couldn’t believe how great it felt to be with them like this, and I hoped Maddie felt the same.
“Fudge and sprinkles?” I asked Maddie, and she nodded enthusiastically.
Once we’d all sat down with our ice cream, Hunter and I made eye contact. Now was the perfect time to tell her. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the worst-case scenario.
“So, Maddie, we have something to tell you,”
Hunter began gently.
She paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth, ice cream dripping over the sides. “What?” she asked, setting the spoon down.
“Well, Kate and I have been spending a lot of time together . . .”
I tried to keep the smile plastered on my face, but really, I just wanted him to spit it out. Patience really wasn’t my strong suit.
Luckily, he continued quickly. “We really like each other, and we’re in a relationship now. So you’ll be seeing even more of her around here.”
There was a beat of silence.
“That’s it?” Maddie asked, picking up the spoon again and taking a bite. “Duh. I knew that.” She paused. “I think it’s cool.”
Hunter and I exchanged glances, then burst out laughing.
“What?” Maddie gave us both a perplexed look. “You guys are so weird.”
Grinning stupidly to keep from laughing, I dipped my spoon into my sundae and took a bite. Things might have started off unconventionally, but I had a feeling we were headed for a very happy ending.
Chapter Twenty
Hunter
Six months later
The smell of ginger and spices wafted through the air as I walked through the front door, a plastic bag of groceries hanging from my hand. The door swung shut behind me, and I entered the kitchen to find Kate and Maddie huddled around the table, laser-focused on constructing an epic gluten-free gingerbread house.
“How are my girls?” I asked, setting the bag of sweets on the table and leaning down to place a kiss on top of Maddie’s head.
“Did you remember to get the little red dots?” Maddie asked, looking at me like her question was the most serious thing she’d ever asked me and that my life depended on the answer.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, stepping around the table to kiss Kate hello. “I got a little something for you too,” I added.
“Aw, thanks, babe,” Kate said, barely looking up from her task. She was squeezing a huge tube of white frosting, meticulously dispensing the sugary glue between two slabs of gingerbread.
Once she finished piping the frosting, she set the tube down on the table and gently pressed the two edges together. “Okay, Maddie, now we just need to wait for this last wall to dry, and then it’ll be time to really get our decorating on.”