Because of You : A single dad romance

by Fabiola Francisco

  “I was feeling terrible about what the kids told River. I haven’t been able to shake it, and I don’t know…” she shrugs. “I took it out on you, on us.”

  Her hands clasp mine, and she looks into my eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

  I let out a relieved breath and pull her toward me. Wrapping my arms around her, I inhale her sweet perfume.

  “You can’t feel guilty about this. We both decided to pursue a relationship knowing it could lead to this.” I close my eyes. Maybe that wasn’t my best choice as a father, but damn it if I was going to lose a chance at having Ada like this.

  I search her eyes. So many emotions are running through me right now. I think about Tessa, how she made me promise I’d live a happy and full life before she passed. How I’ve struggled to keep that promise. Tears sting my eyes, and I blink them away. Apparently, not quick enough since Ada cups my cheek.

  “I know, but I still did. I do have some news, though.” She sits back with a mischievous smirk.

  “Yeah? What’s that?” I furrow my eyebrows as I take in her change in demeanor.

  “I know who told on us.” Her eyes sparkle. “It was that bitch Karen.” I cough up a laugh at her choice of words.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, she basically gave herself away today, so I went to talk to the principal. We have a strict confidentiality rule in school, and Karen was eavesdropping on our entire conference.” Ada pinches her lips together. “Technically, you could fight that, but I don’t think you would.”

  I shake my head. I don’t love that this Karen lady is now going to be River’s teacher, but if she treats him well, I’ll stay quiet.

  “Anyway, Mrs. Carroll was not happy with her. I said my piece and left them to talk alone. I’m also going to get all my parents together and speak to them. My students must’ve heard their parents talking about River, and that’s where they got the information from. Kids don’t come up with that on their own if they don’t know what’s going on in my personal life.”

  She smiles softly. “I’m going to keep an eye out on River, and he knows he can come to my class and talk to me whenever he wants.”

  “Thank you.” I lean in to kiss her. “I can’t believe she was watching through the door.”

  “I know. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Carroll ripped her a new one.”

  “I won’t say anything, but if she treats River badly, then I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut.” I squeeze her hands.

  “Trust me, you’ll have to get in line. I’ll be the first to call her out on it. I had to teach her daughter, and I was respectful for the entire year. I expect the same.” Her eyes widen. “Not that River is my son. Oh, my God. That’s not what I mean… I hope you don’t think that…”

  I laugh and grip her neck and pull her to me, kissing her. “I love that you’re protective of him. Thank you.” I kiss her again.

  She nods against me and moans when my tongue strokes the seam of her lips. “Open up for me, babe.” Ada shivers and places her hands around my neck, moving closer to me.

  She kisses me quickly, her tongue peeking out to touch mine. “Like that?” Her voice is hoarse.

  I growl, and bring her to my lap, deepening the kiss. My heart races and my hands roam all over her body. I need her. Gripping her ass, I pull her down to me and kiss her jaw, trailing my lips down to her throat. Ada moans and squirms. My dick hardens at the movement, causing me to tense.

  I squeeze her hips and return my mouth to hers, swiping my tongue with hers and angling her head in a bruising kiss. My body is tight, and I feel like I’ll explode at any minute. My fingers brush under Ada’s shirt, smirking against her lips when I feel the goosebumps on her skin, and she shivers.

  She’s perfect. Her skin is smooth against my calloused touch. Her kiss is heaven on earth. Her hands tugging the back of my hair amps my desire for her. I want her to pull it as I make her lose herself in an orgasm.

  She whimpers when I shift, my erection hitting her sensitive body. “Bedroom,” she mumbles against my mouth, not stopping the kiss. We’ve gone from controlled to desperate, but I pause and search her eyes.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything.” She stands and extends her hand. I take her hand in mine and let her lead the way to her room. I take in the white shelf full of books and the dresser across from her bed, but I ignore the details. My eyes are trained on her. Right now, she’s the only thing that matters in this room.

  I stalk toward her, smirking. Ada stands her ground, grinning as my hands round her back and then lower to her ass, squeezing.

  She loops her arms around my neck and stares into my eyes. “We’re doin’ this…”

  “Yeah,” I nod, dropping a kiss on the base of her throat.

  “Good,” she sighs. Then, her body takes over. Her hands rip my shirt from my pants, sneaking under it and trailing her nails up and down my back. I tremble and look at her mischievous smile.

  Palming her ass, I pull her to me so she can feel what she does to me. My lips meld with hers in a punishing kiss, hands all over the place, teeth clashing, tongues stroking. My fingers slide to the front of her pants, barely teasing the skin they’re hiding. Ada moans in response, her hands gripping my shirt.

  I unsnap the button on her pants and leave it like that, moving my hands up to her breasts, palming them over the fabric of her shirt as I kiss her deeply. When Ada lifts her hands, I take her shirt off and admire her. Pale skin, a simple cotton bra, and a few freckles on her shoulders. I kiss the freckles before moving my mouth down her collarbone to the swell of her breasts.

  Her body tenses and her arms keep me close to her.

  “Get on the bed,” I demand.

  Ada’s pupils dilate as a sexy smile tilts her lips. She drops on the bed, cocking an eyebrow as if saying, Now what?

  I take my time, savoring the moment and making sure it’s one neither of us forgets. I trace a finger over the swell of her breast, watching her skin pebble in reaction to my touch. Ada sighs softly and squirms, leaning on her hands and allowing her head to fall back. Her hair brushes the mattress behind her, and she exposes her neck to me in this position. I trail my finger to her other breast, soft touches that earn me satisfied moans.

  When I brush her puckered nipple over her bra, her head lifts, and her eyes gaze into mine. We stare at each other as I push further, thumbing her nipples as I stand before her. When I palm her tits and tug the pebbled peaks, she squirms, and a husky groan vibrates from the back of her throat.

  I move a hand to tangle in her hair and lean down to kiss her. Ada holds my neck to her, keeping me hostage as her lips explore mine to her liking. When she’s satisfied, she moves her head back an inch and smiles.

  “You’re being a tease.” Her sultry voice washes over my body, landing on my hard dick.

  “Nah, I’m just making sure this is real good for you.” I wink, and she puffs out an exasperated breath.

  My hands skim her bare shoulders, dropping the bra straps away until they’re hanging by her arms. I kneel in front of her, her eyes widening and darkening with desire. I reach behind her, unclasp her bra, and let the garment fall from her body. I smirk, cupping her tits and teasing them, skin to skin. My fingers brush her nipples, my palms massage her breasts. I lean in, flicking a nipple with the tip of my tongue.

  Ada moans and arches closer to me. She scoots to the edge of the bed, wrapping her legs around my torso. I flick the other nipple before taking it in my mouth and scraping my teeth over her sensitive skin. I suck, and Ada groans, her body moving wildly. I kiss a trail to her other breast, giving it the same attention.

  Her hands are in my hair, her back arched, giving me more of herself. I nip her skin, sweeping my lips up her neck and jaw until I find her lips. I kiss her with wild abandon, our tongues dueling. My hands move down the curves of her body, and to the jeans I left half-open. I lower the zipper, and Ada drops her legs from around my body.

  I
break the kiss for a moment to peel off her pants, leaving her in underwear. My hands skim up her bare thighs, gently squeezing when I reach the top. She shivers and squirms, her legs clenching together at my sides. My hands continue their path to her hips, sneaking under the sides of her underwear to feel her skin against my touch. I round her back and grip her ass, pulling her toward me and dropping a kiss on her stomach.

  “Sawyer…” she whimpers.

  “I know, babe…” I trail my tongue along the edge of her underwear, her stomach contracting at the feeling of having me so close to her pussy.

  My thumb brushes ever so lightly against her clit, still covered in the thin fabric of her underwear, but Ada reacts to my touch nonetheless. Her hips buck and teeth clench. A deep moan leaves her, and her eyes squeeze shut. I graze my thumb over her again, marveling at how sensitive she is to my touch. The third time, I press harder, rubbing circles over her, feeling her wetness through her panties.

  I lift my thumb and stick it in my mouth. Her eyes darken to a stormy gray.

  “Delicious,” I say wickedly. She closes her eyes and falls back on the bed, sighing.

  I kiss up her body, holding myself over her as I swipe her nipples with my tongue before meeting her lips. Melded together, we get lost in the kiss. Her fingers tremble as she undoes the buttons on my shirt, pushing it off my shoulders. I shrug out of it and throw it on the floor, wanting to be skin on skin. One of my hands snakes between us and sneaks into her underwear.

  I kiss Ada roughly, claiming her lips, her body with my hands, and pouring all my feelings for her into this moment. My hand teases and satisfies her, bringing her to orgasm, her body clenching and tensing beneath me, her mouth mumbling unintelligible words, her nails scratching my back.

  “I need to taste you.” I crawl down her body and kneel on the floor again, finishing her orgasm with my mouth, tasting every bit of her as she calls out my name. Her body thrashes side to side. With a loud groan, her body begins to relax on the bed. I move over her again, kissing her fervently.

  “I’m addicted to you,” I whisper against her lips. “I don’t think I’ll ever have enough.”

  She brushes my waves from my face. “I feel the same way.” She smiles shyly, her eyes blinking up at me.

  She sits up a bit, forcing me to turn over and lie on my back. Her hands do quick work of removing my jeans. I lift my hips to help her, and before I know it, I’m lying completely naked, nothing hiding my eager dick.

  Ada smiles mischievously from my cock to my eyes. Her warm hand wraps around me, and I sigh. When she begins to stroke my dick, moving up and down my length with perfect pressure, I groan and pull her down on the bed with me. Her mouth finds mine, my hands teasing her body, and her leg comes over my hip. She’s wet, but that doesn’t stop her from pleasuring me, her fist pumping me in the most tantalizing way.

  When I can’t take it anymore, I stop her and reach for my jeans. After sheathing myself and positioning over her, I kiss her as I thrust into her warmth. Everything fades around us, and it’s just Ada and me. This is more than sex, more than a release.

  I cradle her face and stare into her eyes, something passing between us before I devour her mouth and get lost in her body and soul, my body moving of its own accord until we’re both panting and chasing our climax.

  After we’ve come down from our orgasms and our breathing has evened out, we lie in bed quietly. Ada tangles and twists our fingers together above my torso, and I watch the way they spin between each other. When I looked into her eyes, I see a future full of promises reflected back at me. I know she felt it too. The way we moved together, the way her hands touched me. It meant something to the both of us.

  “Do you want to go watch some live music, or stay in?”

  Ada kisses my wrist and brings my arm around her back. She cuddles into me, moving her head in the crook of my neck. “I want to stay here with you.” Her breath tickles my skin.

  I smile and tighten my arms around her. “Let’s order pizza.” I slap her ass.

  “Are you hungry?” Her twinkling eyes look up at me.

  “Worked up an appetite.”

  “We sure did.” She kisses my chest and scoots up.

  “What time do you need to go back home?” I furrow my eyebrows at her question, sitting up on the bed.

  “River is sleeping over Pete’s house. Didn’t you notice he left with him today?” I lift my eyebrows.

  “What? No, Karen took my class out at dismissal so I could finish gathering River’s stuff for her.” She smiles slowly. “So wait… I have you all night?” She looks at me, full of hope.

  I nod. “All night, babe.” I kiss the top of her head.

  “Good,” she sighs, lying back down on the bed and hugging me. “Pizza sounds good.”

  I lift her chin and kiss her. “Go shower while I order. I’ll jump in after you. We can eat and watch a movie.”

  Her smile lights up her face, and she races into the bathroom. I sit back on Ada’s bed, envisioning how our life will be in the future. She’s definitely in it.

  I spoke to River, and he assured me that he’s okay with all these transitions. He knows that he’s my number one priority. Ada has helped him understand that his success in school has nothing to do with my relationship with her.

  He then asked if she’d become his stepmom. Apparently, he’s still on that topic, and Ada being in our lives has made him think about it more often.

  Whatever happens in the future, I’ll make sure to always include him in my decisions. My intuitive son smiled and said, “It’d be cool if she did become my stepmom.” Then, he went back to watching TV as if he it were no big deal.

  When Ada steps out of the shower, toweling off her hair, wearing cotton shorts and a t-shirt, I smile. I could get used to this. I have no doubt that one day we’ll become a family.

  chapter 17

  Ada

  My hands wring together as I stand outside Sawyer’s house, holding a cherry pie. The door swings open, and River smiles at me before yelling, “You’re here!” I laugh and nod.

  I’m having dinner at Sawyer and River’s house for the first time. When Sawyer told me they both wanted me to come over, I couldn’t turn him down. I want this relationship to work, and I’m determined to fight for it despite the rocky start.

  I’m nervous, though. While River and I get along, I was his teacher. This is different, and I hope it goes well.

  “Come in, come in.” He’s bouncing on his toes. “Dad’s in the kitchen.” I follow him, looking through the house as we make our way into the kitchen.

  It’s homey with family photos and books on shelves. It smells amazing, wafts of rosemary and garlic filling the air.

  “It smells good,” I say when I walk into the kitchen.

  “Thanks.” Sawyer wipes his hands on a dishtowel and walks toward me, kissing my cheek. “Hey.”

  “Hi,” I smile up at him. “I brought pie.” I lift the box a bit.

  “Yes!” River cheers.

  I place it on the counter and look around. The neutral granite countertop is in line with the rest of the home—warm colors and a cozy feeling.

  “How was your first week with Mrs. Banks?” I ask River, sitting at the counter next to him and accepting the glass of wine Sawyer places in front of me. He winks and goes back to cooking.

  “It was good. I miss your class,” he shrugs, “but Mrs. Banks was nice, and some of the kids are cool.” He smiles, one so similar to his father.

  “I’m glad. Remember, you come talk to me whenever you want.”

  “I know, I know,” he nods.

  He tells me about the students in his class, most of which I know. I’m glad he’s getting along with them, and this first week wasn’t awkward for him.

  “I’m going over Paisley’s house tomorrow while my dad works. We’re gonna help Hunter with the animals.” His smile beams.

  “That’s so much fun.” I tousle his hair, earning me a scrunched up face and quic
k hands patting it down.

  I laugh and take a sip of wine, looking over at Sawyer, who’s smiling between us. This must be a different experience for him, and I wonder what he’s thinking.

  While the chicken he’s cooking finishes off in the oven, he joins us with a glass of wine. We talk about everything and anything. River goes on and on about his horse, Blaze. He promises to show me after dinner if it’s okay with his dad. The way he seeks Sawyer’s permission squeezes my heart. He’s such a good kid, and while I can’t have him in my class as a student, I’m going to have him as a very special part of my life.

  I was so scared of what would happen when Mrs. Carroll found out. I didn’t want guilt to interfere with my happiness, and it almost did. Thankfully, it seems like I’m on the right path in life, with an amazing man by my side.

  Sawyer squeezes my hand as if he could read my thoughts.

  “Dad, can I show Ms. Ward my room?” River looks at his dad.

  “Of course,” he nods.

  “On one condition,” I speak up.

  “What?” River stares at me with wide eyes.

  “When we’re not in school, you call me Ada. I take off my teacher hat when I leave school.”

  River giggles at that and nods. “Okay. Come on.” I look at Sawyer over my shoulder. I can’t quite read the expression on his face, but it makes butterflies flutter in my belly.

  I walk into River’s room. His desk is neat with a pencil holder and his backpack sitting on the chair. The floor of his room has some toys scattered around, mostly Lego pieces, and his bed is unmade. It feels like a seven-year-old’s room.

  “Look at what I made.” He holds a big Lego creation.

  “Wow, that’s cool.” It seems like it’s a construction site of sorts.

  “Thanks. I love building.” He places it carefully on his nightstand and then grabs more toys, sharing about each one.

  I see a frame on the nightstand and smile.

  “Is that your mom?” I point to it.

  “Yeah. She’s pretty, right?”

  “She is very pretty.” I stare at a young woman with long, brown hair and a kind smile. Her eyes are brown, and she’s carrying baby River.