by Silla Webb
“YES!” she cries out. “Oh my god, Mad, fuckin’ carrot cake!”
“And was that intentional or…”
She shakes her head emphatically. “No! It was a moment of skewed perception that I completely regret, but I coulda stopped at one. I was upset and hurt and cryin’ that I needed to comfort my soul with a little sugar.”
“Did it help?” I chuckle, kissin’ her cheek.
“No! And I still have calories to burn, so move your ass, Davenport! This extra three-pounds on my ass is all your fault.”
She darts up from my lap, swipin’ tears from her cheeks, roarin’ and ready to go. This is the girl I fell in love with. This is my Jo. Before she can get too far out of reach, I stand and grab her wrist, pulling her back to me. My arm goes around her back, my hand palmin’ her ass. I capture her lips in mine and grind my hardened cock against her. Jordan moans into the kiss, and the sound is nearly my undoing. “For the record,” I tell her, my grip on her ass tightenin’, “I love your cute little ass as much as I love you, but I love it when you’re bossy with me.” I plant her ass on the ledge of the desk and pull her sports bra over her head.
“What are you—” Her mouth widens into a perfectly round O as her eyes roll back, my lips suckin’ her taut nipple into my mouth. “Oh G—”
“Just Mad, darlin’, but you go ahead and scream my name real fuckin’ loud so every-damn-body knows who you belong to.”
I lay her flat on the desk and pull her pants down over her knees. Her pussy is already glistenin’ with need, that cute little nub visibly throbbin’. I lick up her slit, the taste of her desire sweet on my tongue.
“Oh, Mad!” she begs as I bite down on her clit. I slide my gray sweats over my ass, grippin’ my cock and strokin’ it. “Fuck me, Mad, please?”
The hell? Did she just beg to be fucked? Jordan’s got a potty mouth I didn’t expect, and I’m about to shoot my fuckin’ load hearin’ her beg for my cock.
I wrap my hand around her hips and thrust her down on my cock, and the wild screech that falls from her mouth is all it takes for me to give her what she wants. I fuck Jo hard and fast, and as her pussy tightens around me, I crash my lips down on hers as I give her my release.
I don’t care that I fucked her raw. I claimed my girl with purpose. To prove that she’s mine and I’m hers, and nothin’ can come between that.
There’s a satisfied smirk on Jo’s face as she watches me dress, and I eat that shit up. This beautiful woman is in love with me, and it feels damn good to have that.
I clean Jo up with a napkin from her desk drawer, then I pull her up to her feet and help her dress. She wraps her arms around me and tips her head back to gaze up at me. I hold her chin and claim her lips, and she fuckin’ mewls.
“I love the taste of me on your lips, Madden.”
Damn. This woman is gonna be the death of me.
“I love you, darlin’. More than I can even put to words.”
Her smile is blinding, and her cheeks tinge pink. “I love you, Mad. Ready to help me burn those carrot cake cupcakes off my ass?”
“I thought I just did that.” I’m sure the smirk on my face is cocky, but I’m one happy fucker.
“Oh, honey, you did. But it’s your fault I gained three pounds.” She laughs as she pulls me out of her office and down the hallway.
“Oh my God, Jordan, could you at least have some respect for yourself?” Fuck. What the hell did I ever see in this uppity snoot?
Jordan shoots daggers in Gia’s direction, but I rub my thumb over the back of her hand to calm her.
“Jealous much, Gia?” I ask, surprisin’ the fuck out of Gia and Jordan too. I don’t even pause to hear her retort. Whatever she has to say is invalid.
*~*
Two weeks later
“Shoot fire, save matches, Unk, but when you’s gonna let me has some of that bird?” Belle begs with a pouty lip.
“When it’s done fryin’, kiddo, now watch out so you don’t get burned.” Carter ruffles her hair just to piss her off.
“You’s gonna pays for that, Unk!” Belle shakes her little fist at him before she turns and stomps off.
“Damn, I love that kid,” Carter says, watching Belle as she twists open the back door and goes inside, extra sass in every step. He shakes his head and looks away, a heaviness fallin’ over his features.
“You good, asshole?” I ask.
“Fuckin’ envy you, taint sucker.”
I laugh loudly. “You’ve dealt with that sassy little monster as much as I have. Believe me, it ain’t the simple life. Just wait till you have one of your own. Your days of chasin’ Laney through the house with your dick swingin’ will be over.”
Maverick busts out laughin’ and clinks his beer bottle against mine. “Which is the very reason my ass ain’t ever gettin’ married. Too many flavors I need to taste.”
“You got it all, Mad. The house, career, the kid, and you finally got the girl,” Carter continues. This is a side of Carter rarely seen. He’s tough as nails, but things between he and Laney have seemed strained here lately. In fact, Laney has been all out of sorts for a while now. Instead of the jovial smartass we all know and love, she’s been short-fused and hateful. Hell, I just chocked it up to bein’ shark week, but it don’t last this damn long.
“Why you lettin’ shit get heavy for, Carter? It’s fuckin’ Thanksgiving. You’re surrounded by two of the sexiest motherfuckers in all of Tybee Island, some hot ass women in the kitchen cookin’ us pies and shit. A cute as hell kid causin’ anarchy all in ya house. Be thankful, ya dickhead.”
Carter stands and collects the empties litterin’ the garage floor. He drops the bottles in the trash then opens the fridge, callin’ out, “’Nother round, assholes?”
The back door flies open, the sound of the doorknob shatterin’ the fuckin’ sheetrock. That will be a fun hole to patch. “Carter Jase Kincaid, why the hell did you eat a banana!” Laney squalls, her face contorted in absolute manic anger.
“Erhm, uhm… Well, you … uhm…”
“Motherfuck, you’re worse than the toddlers at the preschool. Use your words, Carter!”
He looks over his shoulder at Mav and me, then back at Lan. “Well, honey, you were busy cookin’ and I was hungry, and you told me—wait, let me quote you ‘Grab something quick and get the fuck outta my kitchen, you sorry bastard.’ A banana seemed like the safest thing within my reach, and I was quickly outta ya way. So what’s the damn problem, Lan?” He slams the fridge door and widens his stance, ready to square off with her.
“I fuckin’ love it when they squabble. Laney is hot as shit when she’s pissed.”
I shoot Maverick a dismissive glare and shake my head.
“Publix! We’re goin’ to Publix, Lan! Everything will be fine once we get to Publix.” Jordan cuts between Carter and Laney, keeping a wide distance between the two as she drags Laney behind her. “Hey, honey, can you watch the pie in the oven, please! I’m gonna try to salvage what is left of this maniacal holiday, come hell or high water!” Jo laughs against my lips. I swat her on the ass as she walks away and climbs into her Jeep.
She’s a brave one, takin’ Laney any-damn-where when she’s showin’ her ass like that.
A wild sizzle pulls our attention back to the turkey fryer, oil spilling over the edge of the pot and splatterin’ against the garage floor.
“FUCK!” Maverick yells, pullin’ the hook out of the oil—without a damn oven mitt on, mind you. He releases the metal, the turkey plummets to the ground, and the ear-piercin’ cry from Belle’s mouth can be heard all about the neighborhood. “Not the bird!”
“Damn it all to hell, that motherfuckin’ burns.” Maverick’s vocabulary is so colorful.
“Unk, how many five dollas do Mav owe me now?” Belle chirps, trying to count on her fingers. Carter ignores her as he races inside the house. It’s such a flurry of commotion, I don’t know where to focus. Until I see Mav’s hand, blistered up.
“Shi—
crap, Mav, you probably need to go to the hospital. That’s a third-degree burn!”
Carter returns to the garage with a platter, trying to save the damn turkey. “Belly, help Unk! Mention none of this to aunty and I’ll give you all the five dollar bills you want!”
“Carter—” He thrusts his palm in my direction as he carries the turkey inside, Belle hot on his heels.
She pumps her arms into her sides and cheers, “I’m gonna be truckin’ rich!”
“Come on, man, I gotta get you to the hospital.” I grab Maverick’s elbow and try to pull him toward my truck. “Fuck.” Bryn walks up the driveway, swingin’ a bunch of bananas. I know there’s no way in hell I’ll get Maverick to leave.
“Play it cool, asshole,” he orders, crossin’ his arms over his chest.
“You’re a dumb fuck.”
“Butter. That cures burns, right?” He side-eyes me as he smirks at Bryn. “How you doin’, honey?”
“Ugh!” She rolls her eyes in disgust.
“Hey, Laney and Jo will be right back. They went to Publix to get bananas.”
“Which is why I’m here early. She called in a meltdown over banana puddin’. So now I get to deal with the three stooges while they’re in town?” I shrug. “And what’s wrong with this one?” She nods toward Maverick. I look his way and notice the sweat beadin’ off his brow.
“He just pulled the turkey outta the fryer. Probably a little overheated.”
“She let y’all cook?” I nod. “Jesus help me. We’re all gonna have food poisonin’,” she groans as she heads inside.
“You’re fucked, you know that, right?” I look at Maverick and deadpan as Jo and Laney pull in the driveway.
“Google what to put on a burn and save my ass.”
How the hell are my friends so dumb?
“Turkey up already?” Laney asks as she rushes past us and into the house.
“Yep, Mav pulled it up.”
Jordan shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Great! Because banana puddin’ is so sacred to her Thanksgivin’ tradition, we get cold bird.”
“Oh darlin’, my bird’s always hot for you.” I waggle my eyebrows at her suggestively, and she smacks my chest.
“You’re incorrigible! Get in here and help me save dinner before we have a massacre on our hands!” Jordan laughs.
There hasn’t been any shoutin’ from inside, but when I make it to the dining room I see that Carter and Belle somehow miraculously saved the bird from its fall. The meat has been trimmed and neatly placed on the platter that graces the center of the buffet table. Carter and I carry the side dishes to the buffet while Belle helps Bryn and Jo set the table. I have no idea where Mav is, but I don’t hear any whimperin’.
In the kitchen, Laney is cryin’ over the mixer of her secret concoction that we all know and love as her famous banana puddin’. Carter sidles up beside her and wipes the tears from her cheeks, slicin’ bananas to help her out. How one fuckin’ banana managed to ruin her dinner is beyond me, and I sure as hell ain’t about to ask.
“Honey,” Jordan coos as she wraps her arms around my middle, “I think Mav has watched one too many old episodes of What’s Cookin’ with Paula Deen.”
I cock my brow and ask, “What the hell?”
She points into the kitchen. “He’s literally slatherin’ his hands with butter, Mad. The good kind. What the hell is wrong with our friends?” She covers her mouth with her hand to quieten the laughter.
“Dinner!” Laney calls out before I can reply.
“If we survive this holiday, I promise every one that comes after will be spent at our house. We can control the crazy a little better there,” Jordan promises with a wink.
“Wait, what?” I ask, following behind her.
It’s only been two weeks since Jo and I made it official that we’re a couple. That night, she came over for dinner, and together we waited on pins and needles to tell Belle. Finally, as we put my sweet girl to bed and tucked her in, I told Belly that Jordan was my girlfriend. I wasn’t exactly sure how’d take it, but her reaction completely knocked me on my ass and left Jordan in a mess of tears. Belle latched on to Jo’s waist and told her she was never letting go of her new best friend. Jo snuggled into bed next to Belle that night and rocked her to sleep, and I knew then I couldn’t go another night without Jordan in our home, as a family just as we should be.
I didn’t want to scare Jordan by asking her to move in right away, but I did feel her out over the next few nights. Each night was much the same. Jordan would come over for dinner, watch TV with Belle wedged between us on the couch. She’d help with Belly’s bedtime routine then read her a story after I tucked her in. And each night, Belle slept peacefully, her night terrors seemingly gone.
On the seventh night I finally propositioned her—move in with me. Make our house a home, be the missing piece to the Davenport family puzzle. She’d been hesitant about it and promised she’d sleep on it. Which she did, curled up against my chest each and every night. It’s been seven long and grueling days since then, each night our routine the same as the last.
Did she finally accept? Is she movin’ in?
“Daddy! The bird is gettin’ colder! What are you waitin’ for?” Belle yells, pullin’ me from my thoughts. I look up and notice all my friends gathered around the table, so I take my place between Belle and Jordan.
I look down at the plate Jordan prepared for me, then cock my brow in her direction. “What? We’ll work it off, Davenport.” She winks, leanin’ in closer. “In our bedroom.” There she goes again, hintin’…
“I know y’all ain’t about to dig into this dinner without a proper thanks,” Laney chides, then points at Carter and demands, “Bless the damn food.”
We bow our heads as Carter blesses the food, and I silently give thanks to the big man upstairs for breathing new life in me all those months ago. I feel a pinch on my inner thighs and look up at Jo, whose eyes are filled with so much love and happiness, and I’m fuckin’ thrilled that I’m the reason she smiles.
“You okay?” she asks, peeking at me from under her lashes.
“I’m great, darlin’.”
“Dig in, big man!” She winks and kisses my cheek.
Dinner is amazing, despite the turkey mishap. It still tastes good, and what Laney doesn’t know what hurt her. Her temper has finally ebbed into her typical smart ass, but that we can all deal with.
I persuade Carter to help me clean up the kitchen while the women retreat to the patio to enjoy wine and dessert. It’s only fair since they did most of the heavy liftin’.
“You saved my ass again today, Mad.” Carter claps his hand over my shoulder. The food is all put away, and the dishwasher is runnin’ its cycle.
“How’d Mav survive the day without passin’ out from the pain? I know his hand hurts like a bitch.”
“Why do you think that fucker dodged cleanup duty. He’s at the ER now.”
“I’ll swing by and check on him after I drop Jordan off.”
“Who said I was goin’ back to my place?” she interjects, sneakin’ up behind me and wrapping her arms around me waist.
“You won’t hear any arguments from me, darlin’.”
“So, you can help me move my things over this week?” She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down, her usual nervous tick. Damn if it doesn’t make me hard as fuck.
“You’re serious?”
She nods, her smile so wide and bright, completely knockin’ me off my feet.
“What are we waitin’ for? Let’s do it now!” I want her home, in my bed, in my arms every night.
Carter congratulates us with a bear hug. “Get your woman home, Mad. It’s about damn time.”
Laney and Bryn pop through the back door with Belle in tow.
“Ready to go home, Belly?” Jo asks, gettin’ eye level with Belle.
“You’s comin’ home too?” Belle challenges.
“Of course I am, sweets. Is that okay with you?” Belle tack
les her to the ground, her arms locked around Jo’s neck as she laughs in excitement!
“Yassss! I loves my JoJo!”
“Oh my god, what did I miss?” Laney asks.
“We’re finally movin’ in together!” Bryn’s excitement is as palpable as Jo’s and Belle’s, but Laney seems taken aback, completely shocked by the revelation. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Jordan and Belle climb to their feet and celebrate with Bryn, and she doesn’t even acknowledge Laney’s sudden mood change. Carter pulls my attention away from her, leading me to the front door. I take the subtle hint, unsure of what the hell’s going on with Lan. Not my circus. Not my psycho.
“Come on, ladies, let’s get you home.”
“Yeah, I should be goin’ too.” Bryn follows Jordan and Belle to the front door.
As I open the front door and go to take Belle’s hand in mind, she shouts, “WAIT!” and rushes over to Carter. She crooks her finger at him, mutterin’ “Me mere,” her code for ‘come here’. He stoops to her level and quirks his brow up at her.
“What’s up, Belly? Wanna stay with Unk tonight?”
She slowly shakes her head from side to side and says, “Nope, I want you to pay up, buster.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MADDEN
Three weeks later
“Not wike that.” I hear Belle scold Kenny as I make my way down the hall to the kitchen where I left those two decorating cookies about five minutes ago.
“Hurry,” Kenny chastises her, “she be back any minute.”
The sound of them scurrying around the kitchen is hilarious yet frightening. How much damage could those two possibly have done in the amount of time it took me to use the bathroom and wash my hands? I turn the corner from the hallway that brings the kitchen into view and answer my question—a lot, a hell of a lot. That is how much damage they have done in a short five-minute time span.
“What the...” I start, but words escape me. Before I can formulate a coherent sentence, I let out a yelp and find myself flat on my back on the cold hardwood floor.
“You’s otay, Jo?” Belle asks, charging toward me. “You gots to be careful with wet fwoors.” She tsks, now standing over me. Her cupcake apron that is normally a bubble gum pink is covered in a dusting of white substances, a smidge of chocolate syrup on her cheek.
