by Natalie Ann
“You okay?” I asked her, and she nodded against my chest. I stepped back, taking her face in my hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you like that.”
She seemed confused, and I smiled tenderly at her. “I only meant to give you support, Davina, not take advantage of your raw emotions. I know it’s easy to get lost in them when you are upset. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
She stepped back and frowned. “It’s no big deal. You’re right. It’s easy to get caught up in the emotions.”
I dropped my hands to my sides, already missing the feel of her body against mine as she turned away and took a few steps toward the pile of baby stuff.
“This is all for Devon. Once it’s gone, I guess I can start piling the boxes for charity there.” Her voice was off as if she was flustered.
“Do you want help packing her things?”
“What?” She turned to me, and then shook her head. “No. I don’t think that would be wise.”
“Why not?”
“Because of what just happened,” she said gruffly.
I chuckled. “We kissed. It’s not like we slept together.”
She turned toward me, her eyes sparking. “You’re right, and we won’t be sleeping together either.”
I put my hand up. “I get it, Davina. I know you aren’t interested in me. I’m not your type. You already said that.” Suddenly a thought occurred to me, and I took a step forward. “If I had asked you to be my date to Alex and Lexi’s wedding, would you have said yes?”
For just a second, I saw the surprise in her gaze, but it vanished a moment later. “No, of course not. You’re right; I’m not your type, Trevor.”
“You wouldn’t have wanted to come with me, even as friends?”
She glanced away. “No.”
I didn’t think she was being very honest, and I drew closer to her. “What if I wanted you to come with me?”
Her face snapped back to mine. “You want me to watch Devon. That’s what you want.”
“I can find someone else to watch Devon. I want you to be my date.”
“Why?”
Why? I had no fucking clue why, but something in me wanted to see her again, and not just because of Devon. I was starting to think that after I left here today, I might never see her again, and after the kiss we’d just shared, I knew that I didn’t want that. “Because I would like to get to know you better, Davina.”
Her brows jumped. “Is it one or two dates, then a weekend away before it’s over? Sorry, Trevor, but that’s not my style.”
“That’s not what I was saying, Davina. I was saying that I want to get to know you, like really get to know you.”
“Why?”
I shuffled forward so we were standing only a few inches apart. “I honestly don’t know. I know you’re not my type; you already said I’m not yours, but what if our types have been all wrong all these years, and we are exactly what the other one needs.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “You’re kidding?”
I took hold of her face again, her eyes enlarging as I did so. “Does this feel like I’m joking?” Before she could open her mouth to speak, I brought my lips back to hers. She fought it for all of two seconds before she fisted my shirt and curled her body against my chest, tilting her head a little further to the side so we could connect better.
Unlike the first tentative kiss, this one was consuming, possibly to the point of branding. I wanted Davina to know that I did want to get to know her more. She might think it was only physical, but it wasn’t. I had a sudden need to know everything about Davina Daniels, starting with the sounds she made as I devoured her body.
Chapter 12 – Davina
This was a bad idea, like a really, really bad idea. Sadly, I couldn’t help myself as I kissed Trevor back. It had been way too long since I’d been with a man, and this man was driving me wild. His mouth was pure heaven, and the feel of his arms around me made me almost delirious.
Trevor slowly ended the kiss, and yes, he ended it. I would have been happy to keep on kissing for hours, days—maybe forever. I stepped back from him and forced myself not to look at him. “That doesn’t change anything.”
He laughed. “You just kissed me back. Don’t tell me that you don’t feel anything when I kiss you. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have jumped all in.”
I spun away. “I did not jump all in.”
He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk away. “Do I need to do it again to prove to you that you were all in? I’m pretty sure that if I did kiss you again, I wouldn’t stop at just kissing you, Davina. I’d have you on that couch and be tearing your clothes off of you while you helped me.”
My cheeks began to burn, not because what he said embarrassed me, but because he was so damn right, and I hated that. “Fine,” I hissed. “I kissed you back.”
“Yeah, and you want more, just like I do.”
I stared at him. “Maybe it’s been a while since I have had sex, and anyone that kissed me that way would cause such a reaction.”
“Bullshit!” he growled. “You want me, Davina. Admit it.”
I did want him, but I damn sure wasn’t going to admit it. “What I want is to get this stuff done and for you to go.”
“Davina—”
I put my hand up. “Trevor, stop! I kissed you back. I told you it’s been a while. It didn’t mean anything. I’m an emotional mess right now. Just let it go.”
He nodded slowly as if he thought I was full of shit. Man, he read me better than I wanted him to. “Okay, fine. If that’s how you want to play this, fine.” His nose flared as he inhaled sharply and put his hands on his hips. “But I want you to prove it to me.”
“What?”
“Be my date to the wedding.”
“No.”
“If you aren’t interested in me, I get it, but be my date. Lexi is right, and I should have a date. Let’s get to know one another—as friends.” He stepped a little closer to me, and I wanted to run away, but I held my ground. “You were Carol’s best friend, and I would like for you to be part of Devon’s life. I think it would be good for him to have you around. You could share with him about his mom.”
“We could be friends without me going as your date.”
“Yes, we could, but let’s just say that it will help cement our friendship. You’ll be helping me out.”
“I helped you out last night.” I laughed. “I helped you out by watching him for almost two weeks while you were jet-setting around the world.”
He frowned. “I was working, Davina. I was not out having fun.”
True, he had been working. “No, Trevor. I’ll watch him while you attend the wedding, but I’m not going as your date.”
“Why? Give me one good reason why you can’t come as my plus one?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“That’s not a good reason.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my reason. I don’t want to get to know you, Trevor.”
He looked confused by my statement. “You don’t? Not at all?”
It took everything in me to look him in the eye and lie. “No, not at all. We have two very different lives. We are two very different people. I don’t want to be another woman you wine and dine, sleep with, and then walk away from. That’s not my style.”
He sighed. “That’s what I’m trying to say, Davina. I don’t want to do that. I want to build a friendship with you. We don’t have to sleep together. Hell, I won’t ever kiss you again if that’s what you want, but I do want your friendship. I want you to be part of Devon’s life. Come to the wedding with me, as friends. Nothing else. I promise I’ll behave.”
Could we be friends? Could I resist his charms and the urge to kiss him again? I did want to be part of Devon’s life. The thought of never seeing him again or being around the last part of Carol was like a knife in my stomach. Trevor’s blue eyes stared down at me, begging me to take the step.
My shoulders fell forward as I released the tense breath I had been holding, “Fine. I’ll be your damn plus one to the stupid wedding, but we are only going as friends, Trevor. I will not sleep with you, and you are not allowed to kiss me again. Got that?”
He put his hand up, grinning boyishly. “I promise, no more kissing. Friends, only friends.”
I grumbled under my breath as I turned away from him. What had I just done? I think I just made a deal with the devil. Not that he was the devil, but the thought of being friends with him was going to be like walking on the edge of hell.
“Well, now that we got that settled, I need to find someone to watch Devon.”
“I have a friend who helped me out with him last week.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, she lives downstairs. She’s retired, and she watched Devon for me when I had to go to meetings at the office.”
“Do you think she’d be willing to help me out for a little while until I find a nanny for him? I mean, I have to go to work. I have a training class next week that I need to teach. I have no idea how to find a babysitter.”
“We can stop by her place and ask. I don’t see why not. She has five grandchildren, and she’s great with babies. Lucy is a sweet woman. I’ll introduce you to her once we get all this stuff in your truck.”
“That would be great.” He smiled at me, his eyes bright, and I returned it quickly and then walked over to the mountain of baby stuff. “Carol didn’t unpack any of it, just kept buying things for him and stacking them here.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I see that. Anything that she didn’t buy?”
“I don’t think she has clothes for him to start school in, but everything else you might need for the next few years is here,” I joked back to him.
“I have no idea where I’m going to put all this.”
“You’re going to need a bigger apartment, that’s for sure.”
“Do you know any real estate agents? I was thinking on the way over that it might be time to buy a house.”
“Really?” I turned toward him.
“Yeah, only makes sense. He is going to need his own room, and I’ll need another bedroom for a nanny to stay in while I’m away.”
Why did the thought of a young woman living in his home, taking care of Devon, and him, bother me? I had no right to be bothered by that. “Makes sense,” I finally replied.
He paused. “How do you find a nanny?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea, but I am sure there are services around here that can help you.”
“Would you help me with that?”
“Me? I have no clue what to do.”
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us, but I’d be more comfortable if I had a second opinion. I’m dangling by my fingernails here on what to do.”
I snorted. “I hear you. I’ll help if I can.”
He was quiet for a moment as he sifted through the boxes of baby paraphernalia. “You know, you could always be his nanny.”
I barked out a laugh. “Are you high?”
He looked at me in surprise. “No, I most definitely am not. I’m serious, though. I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be with having a stranger with him while I’m overseas. I think I would feel much better if I knew he was with someone that had a vested interest in him, other than a paycheck.”
“Who says I have a vested interest in him?”
He glanced around the apartment, pointing to something. I turned to see a picture of Carol and me on the wall. “Just because we were best friends—”
His brows rose, and he looked at me pointedly.
I frowned. “Okay, fine. I will miss him, but I can’t be his nanny, Trevor. I have a job and classes.”
“Yes, I know that, but at least consider it. It would be good for Devon. He knows you, and I trust you.”
“You don’t even know me; how can you trust me?”
“Because you took care of my son for almost two weeks. You’ve helped me. You’re a good woman, Davina. I can feel it in my bones.”
I’m not sure why his words made me do it, but my gaze slipped down to his hips, and an image of him naked appeared before me. I quickly looked away. “Yeah, well, I am a good person.”
“See, I told you. Just think about it. I’m not traveling for a few weeks, and I have a lot to get figured out in that time, but at least don’t shut down the idea yet. Let’s see how things go between us.”
I had no intention of being his nanny, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. I was afraid that if I did, he’d try to persuade me again into being something more than friends. I wasn’t sure my body was up to another round of wild kissing. Although he had promised me that he wouldn’t kiss me again. Wishful thinking on my part, maybe. Ugh!
Trevor and I carried things down to his truck. It took us over an hour to get it all packed inside, and my legs were tired from climbing the stairs so many times. He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the physical activity, and I admired him for that.
On the final trip up, we stopped on the second floor, and I told him to follow me. I knocked on a door a couple away from mine and waited.
Lucy opened the door, smiling widely when she saw me. “Davina, how is that precious bundle?”
“Hi, Lucy, he’s good. This is Trevor Vaughn, Devon’s father. Trevor, this is Lucy Stiles, the one that helped me out with Devon a few times.”
Trevor put his hand out. “Thank you so very much, ma’am. I can’t thank you enough for helping out with my son.”
“It was my pleasure. Won’t you two come in?” She shook his hand and held the door open as we stepped around her and into her apartment. Trevor was glancing around as we entered the living room, and I saw his gaze stop in the corner where a small children-sized table and a bunch of toys were neatly piled.
“Where is Devon?” she asked as she joined us and motioned for us to take a seat.
“Devon is with some friends of mine while I collected all his things from Carol’s place.”
“I’m so sorry about Carol. It is going to be so hard for him to grow up without a mother, and tough on you, that’s for sure.”
“Thank you; I’m sure we’ll manage,” Trevor answered.
“Well, what can I do for you two?”
Trevor seemed to pause, unsure what to say, so I jumped in. “Lucy, Trevor was wondering if you might be able to help out with Devon a little while he gets things settled. Of course, he works during the day, and he is going to need someone to watch him until he can make other arrangements. I told him that you had helped me out.”
“I’d love to,” she said immediately. “When would you need me?”
For a few minutes, Trevor and Lucy discussed times and days, and I sat quietly listening to the conversation. Lucy was excited to babysit Devon again, saying that her grandchildren were busy with school and sports right now, and she didn’t get to see them enough. Other than one afternoon this next week, she was available.
“I can try to get someone to cover my class that day,” Trevor stated.
“I can watch him that afternoon if you want me to or you can’t get off,” I offered.
Trevor looked relieved. “Thanks, I might have to take you up on that.”
They traded contact information, and then we said our goodbyes. As we walked down the hallway, we paused at the steps. “Well, I guess that’s it,” I said.
“What are you going to do now?”
“Go back to Carol’s apartment and start packing,” I replied.
“Do you want help?”
I shook my head. “No, I think I need to do this alone, but thank you, Trevor.”
He nodded thoughtfully and then glanced down the hallway. “Which apartment is yours?”
“Why?”
“Because I want to know where to pick you up for our date,” he answered with a grin.
I rolled my eyes at him. “It’s two-twenty-seven. Down at the end, and you don’t need to pick me up. I can meet you someplace.” I mean, that wa
s what he did, right? He met people places.
“I’ll pick you up,” he stated, and then the two of us were staring at one another. Every cell of my being wanted to kiss him again, but I refused to let them have control.
Trevor leaned toward me, and I froze, his lips coming close to mine, but at the last second, he veered off and brushed them over my cheek. “See, no kissing. I’ll talk to you later, Davina. Thank you for everything.”
His knuckle caressed the side of my face before he turned and took the stairs down, and I swear every one of those cells that had begged for a kiss were sighing at his gentle touch.
Chapter 13 – Trevor
No kissing, no kissing, no kissing. That’s what I told myself as I leaned down. I wanted so badly to kiss her again, but I refrained and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. I had promised her I wouldn’t, but as I had stared down at her, I saw it in her eyes; she wanted me to.
I went out to my packed-to-the-hilt truck and climbed in. If Davina wanted a kiss, then she could initiate one. I had made a promise, and I kept my promises.
As I drove back to my place, I dwelled over the last few hours. Davina and I had come to an understanding, and I had to honor her wishes. She didn’t want to get involved with me, and as much as I didn’t like that, I had to respect it. What was it about her that made me want more? I’d never wanted more, but all day being with her had been good. It wasn’t about sex. Although god knew, I would have taken her to my bed in a heartbeat, if only to learn up close and personal about all of her sexy curves.
I shifted in my seat as my pants started to get a little uncomfortable. I needed to change that train of thought. Davina didn’t want me that way, and as much as I did, I wouldn’t cross that line.
I was glad that she had offered to help and happy that I had someone to watch Devon this next week while I worked and as I tried to get things settled in my life. Hopefully, Lexi and Alex would be able to give me some advice about house-hunting and nannies.
A chuckle tore out of my throat. Damn, how much had changed in my life in only a few short days? I had never thought I would be ready to buy a house or have a kid. Yet, here I was.
