Kayla glanced over to her left. “Jenna, is the guacamole ready?”
“Yes ma’am,” Jenna replied as she picked up the packages that she’d opened. She brought it over, and Kayla helped her spread it evenly.
“Dennis, it is your turn.”
Mr. Feldon spread the sour cream on top of the guacamole, a huge grin on his face as he stared down at the dish that he was helping to make.
“Stop drooling, Dad.”
Laughter sounded from around the kitchen at James’s comment. Kayla was not going to tell him that she’d bought lean ground chuck. He’d already complained about the sour cream and refried beans being light.
“Okay, Josh, it is your turn.”
James handed her the scallions that he’d chopped up, and Jamie brought Josh to her. She helped him sprinkle the scallions on the casserole, and he clapped happily once he had. She seated him and then carried the casserole to the table. The girls had already set it. James brought the bowl of salsa and tortilla chips over to the table.
Once everyone was seated at the table, Kayla couldn’t help but smile. She liked sitting around the table with the Feldons.
“This is good.”
Everyone nodded in agreement with James’ comment. “I am glad that you like it. This recipe actually came about in a funny way.”
“Why do you say that?”
The corners of her mouth tilted upward at Jenna’s question. “The only reason I made this recipe is because I love nachos, but I hate soggy chips.”
Jenna laughed. “So does Dad.”
Kayla was certain there would be a lot more that they had in common when it was all said and done.
The laughter that surrounded the table throughout dinner was infectious. When everyone finished eating, James stood up, but his father stopped him. “You and Kayla go in the living room and relax. The kids and I will straighten up.”
She didn’t argue the point, and neither did James. He led her to the living room. She was in his arms and his mouth on hers before she could blink. When he pulled back, she was breathless.
“I have wanted to do that since you pulled into the driveway.”
She grinned. “Well, I am glad that you finally had the chance to do it.”
“Thank you for dinner.”
“You are welcome. I am just glad that everyone enjoyed it.”
James laughed as he pulled her onto the couch beside him, rubbing his stomach. “A little too much.”
The fact that there were no leftovers was proof of that.
He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “So how was your day?”
She relaxed as he pulled her feet into his lap. A sigh of pleasure escaped her as he began to massage them. “It was good. Busy but good. How was your day?”
“It was good. Better now that you are here.”
Her smile widened as he reached for the remote control. “Is there anything in particular that you want to watch?”
Her response was drowned out as the kids began to file into the room. He leaned closer to her. “I guess that our time alone is up.”
She laughed as the kids began to crowd around them. They ended up with Jana sitting next to James. Jenna sat next to her, and Jamie sat of the floor in front of them. Josh took it upon himself to plant himself on Kayla’s lap. She enjoyed the closeness of the kids and James. It was something that she could get used to easily. The discussion turned to what movie they were going to watch. It ended up being Finding Nemo, and she found herself enjoying the movie.
When it was over, she shifted Josh into James’s arms. “It is getting late. I should head home.”
The kids protested.
“You can’t stay the night?” Jenna asked.
Kayla shook her head, not bothering to confer with James. That had been the last thing that she’d expected the kids to request, and James’s expression told her that he was just as shocked. She gave the kids a gentle smile. “I hadn’t planned on it, and I don’t have a change of clothes. So it probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Jana sat up. “Dad can let you borrow some clothes.”
She had no response to that. A glance at James told her that he was just as flabbergasted as she was, but he wasn’t offering up any argument as to why she shouldn’t stay. Dennis didn’t make the situation any better when he stated that he didn’t mind if she stayed the night. That only gave the kids more ammunition until she agreed to stay. Once she had, she could have sworn that there was a hint of amusement on James’s face.
Chapter Fifteen
They made it through one more movie before the kids started to yawn. James informed the kids that it was bedtime. Dennis told everyone good night then heading upstairs. Surprisingly, there was no argument.
“Will you help Jenna while I take care of Josh?”
She nodded, more than willing to help where she could. Jenna led the way to her bathroom. Kayla watched as Jenna ran her own water and added bubble bath.
“What do you need help with?”
“I have trouble reaching my back.”
“Okay, then just call me when you are ready.”
She’d no sooner stepped out in the hall when Jenna called her name. She laughed when she opened the door. Jenna was presenting her back. Kayla knelt down beside the tub and washed Jenna’s back.
“Who normally helps you?”
“Daddy, but Jamie or Jana does if he isn’t finished putting Josh to bed.”
She was silent as she finished washing Jenna’s back. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Jenna took the washcloth. “Thank you.”
She left the bathroom again just as James walked out of another room holding a wet and giggling Josh. He looked up at her and chuckled as he struggled to hold onto his wiggling son. “Is Jenna finished?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
“You can wait in my room if you want.” He tilted his head in the direction of the room that he’d just come out of, giving her a chance to escape the madness.
She smiled. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I would like to help you.”
“Understand that if you do so, it is at your own risk.”
She laughed as she followed him into Josh’s room. He dried Josh off quickly, then put a pull-up on him.
“We still put him in a pull-up at night because he normally sleeps through until morning.”
Helping James put on Josh’s pajamas, she laughed at the way that he wiggled around, enjoying the interruption of his normal routine. After he was dressed, she could only watch. James placed Josh in his crib, and after several moments of rubbing his back, he walked toward a bookshelf. He pulled out a book before looking at her.
“Would you like to read to him?”
She started to hesitate but decided to take the book from his grasp. Sitting in a chair close to the crib, she began to read. She kept her voice low and soothing as she had when she read to Somer as a baby. When she finished the last page, she knew that Josh was asleep. She placed a kiss on Josh’s cheek and handed James the book. He sat it aside, placed a kiss on Josh’s forehead, and turned on the monitor. They left the room together.
“Jenna is next.”
James led the way to her room. When they entered, Jenna was struggling to tie her hair up. James crossed the room to help her. When he was finished, she thanked him.
“Can Kayla tuck me in?”
James nodded, and Kayla realized that she had no idea what was involved in tucking a child in besides pulling the cover up around her body. But evidently, she did a decent job. Jenna’s small arms encircled her neck as she leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Good night, Kayla.”
“Good night, Jenna.”
She stood up and stepped back as James came forward. He sat on the edge of the bed, and Jenna gave him a hug as well.
“Which story would you like to hear tonight?”
Jenna laughed. “You know which one, Daddy.”
H
e launched into the story of her birth, and Kayla was smiling by the time he finished. Jenna was also asleep, and they left her room. He took her to Jana’s room next. He knocked on the door, and they were granted permission to enter. Jana was standing by the window looking up into the sky.
“Can’t sleep?”
Jana turned to look at them. “Actually I am a little sleepy, but I just wanted to see the stars.”
With one last glance at the night sky, she headed for her father and gave him a hug. Jana came over and hugged Kayla next. “Thank you for coming over tonight.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” she murmured, and she returned Jana’s tight embrace.
Jana crawled into bed, and James pulled the cover up over her. “Good night, Sleeping Beauty.”
“Good night, Dad.”
They left the room, and James took her hand in his. “Just one more to go.”
She smiled, but right now, she wasn’t sure how James had found the strength to manage by himself. His life was so demanding, and she felt overwhelmed. She could only imagine how inundated he’d felt when he’d first taken on the challenge. She could see why he was so guarded at times. It would be difficult not to be. He cared deeply for his children, and that was obvious. She could also see that he’d worked hard to set up a sense of normalcy for his children, and he’d done a great job of it. He led her to Jamie’s room and knocked. Jamie told them to enter. When they did, she was sitting at her vanity tying up her hair. The corners of her mouth tilted upward when she saw them.
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?”
James laughed and gave Jamie a kiss on the cheek. “Very funny, young lady.”
Kayla studied her. It was good to see that Jamie could be so light and upbeat. She knew there was a lot could be expected of the teenager at times. The fact that she was willing to take on that responsibility spoke even higher of her, and it also explained why she could be so caring. She walked over and embraced Jamie.
“Thank you for all of your help today. I really appreciate it.”
Jamie embraced her back just as tightly. “You are welcome.”
They left the room with James telling Jamie not to stay up too late. James led her to his room, and she collapsed onto the bed. He sat down beside her. “Tired?”
She looked up at him. “Yes, and I am trying to figure out how you do this by yourself.”
He shrugged. “It was difficult at first, but I have had lots of practice since then, and I don’t regret a moment of it.”
She knew without a doubt he meant that. He stood up and walked over to his dresser. When he returned, he held a shirt that was going to swallow her, and a pair of shorts that thankfully had a drawstring.
“If you want, you can sleep in these.”
She gave him a bright smile. “You know, for some strange reason, I don’t think that I will need those right now.”
His grin matched hers as he put the clothes aside. He walked over to door and locked it. “Just in case one of my children forgets that we have a guest in the house.”
She laughed, and he came back over to join her. “How about we take a shower? Then I can tuck you in.”
She relaxed as he pulled her into his arms. “That sounds good to me.”
He led her to the bathroom before turning on the water to the shower.
“This is going to sound like the strangest question, but do you have a shower cap?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. Jenna likes to use them as water balloons on occasion, so I keep the extras hidden in my bathroom.”
She laughed as he walked over to the bathroom sink. He opened up a drawer and pulled one out. “Thank you,” she murmured as she pulled her hair up and put the cap on her head.
No, it wasn’t a sexy look, but she definitely wouldn’t be sexy if she wet her hair while taking a shower. She didn’t have all of the hair products that it would take to fix it if she did. When she turned around, James was already shirtless. As he went to unbutton his pants, she watched the muscles ripple beneath the surface. She became more turned on. Closing her eyes, she moaned. “I don’t think that we are going to make it through the shower.”
When she opened her eyes, one corner of his mouth was tilted upward in a wicked expression. “If we don’t, we will start over.”
With that said, he reached for the first button on her blouse, and within seconds, he had both of them undressed. He pulled her into the shower with him, and she went willingly. She’d been wrong. They made it through the shower. Barely, but they made it.
She ripped the shower cap off her head as he dried the both of them off quickly. When he stood up, his mouth automatically found hers. He claimed her mouth, his tongue sliding between her parted lips. He kissed her until her breathing was harsh and uneven and she was clinging to him. Not wanting to be the only one breathless, she reached down and cupped his erection. Her calculating move had been the right one to make. He tore his mouth away from hers and moaned her name. She stifled a moan of pleasure as she wrapped her hand around the hardness of his arousal and began to stroke. He leaned into her stroke then grabbed her hands, his breathing become more ragged than hers. With one hand, she pulled his head down for another kiss. One that she hoped would distract him while she continued to tease his firm flesh. The plan of distraction didn’t work, and once she realized that it hadn’t, she slipped away from him but didn’t go far.
When she touched his erection again, it was with her lips. A soft curse slipped from between his lips as he watched her lips surround him. She licked and stroked him until he could no longer take the wonderful sensation. He reached down and pulled her upward until she was standing. His mouth found her, and she shared the saltiness of his own essence with him. He swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. Placing her on the bed, he stared at her with intensity hard to describe before joining her. She watched him pause to reach for protection. She smiled, remembering what happened the last time they forgot.
Pulling back, he studied her carefully. “You are so beautiful.” He placed a brief but passionate kiss on her lips, then pulled back. “Roll over onto your stomach.”
She did as he asked without hesitation, and he slid a few pillows under her hips. The last time they were in this position, she enjoyed it immensely. She prepared herself for his first thrust, only it was not from his manhood. She sucked in a sharp breath as he began to ravish her with his tongue. Her back arched on its own, and she pressed closer to his mouth. Closing her eyes, she gasped as his tongue did another sweep. The truth was she couldn’t get away from his caress if she tried. He had such a good grip on her hips, and the pillows had her at the right angle. She gasped again as he increased the pleasure. Her body was telling her that it wouldn’t be long until she went over the edge. She tried to tell him, but her voice wouldn’t cooperate. Her tongue was thick in her throat with arousal. The only thing that she could do was bury her face into the pillow as an intense rush of pleasure seized her.
He didn’t give her time to recover coming up over her immediately. She made her first verbal sound as he entered her fully in one deep thrust. He pulled her hips back sliding deeper into her. She arched wildly in response to the sensation. He delved deeper into her with each rhythmic push of his hips. This time when she climaxed, it was with soul shattering intensity. She reached out for him, needing the connection, and he took her hand in his. His name fell from her lips on a groan muffled by the pillow. She called for him to join her, and he answered her plea. It took both of them a while to recover, and when he did he removed himself from her. She missed him instantly and, not wanting the moment to be over, reached for him.
He rolled her into his arms, and she was still breathing heavily. She felt very sated and waited willingly as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her already swollen lips. The corners of her mouth curled upward when he pulled back.
“Thank you for inviting me over tonight.”
“Trust me when I say that I enjoyed it as much as you did
, if not more.”
Kayla curled herself against his side and laid her head on his chest. She loved making love with James. Each time, it really was something new for her. The fact that she could drive him just as wild with her touch as he could drive her with his was good to know. She yawned, closing her eyes. The sleepiness that she’d felt earlier was back, and this time, she was not able to fight it. James reached down and pulled the covers up over them.
“Good night, beautiful.”
He placed another kiss on her lips as she whispered good night to him. She fell asleep, her grip on him as tight as the one that he’d on her.
Chapter Sixteen
Kayla jerked awake as her cell phone rang. She reached for it, surprised to see Brigette’s name appear on the caller ID. As soon as she answered the phone, she knew that something was wrong. “What is it, Brigette?”
At the sound of concern in her voice, James stirred before sitting up.
“When did she leave? Do you have any idea where she is?” She closed her eyes at Brigette’s response. “Okay, Brigette. I will be there as soon as I can.” She hung up the phone and dropped her face in her hands. “Oh, my God.”
“What is it?”
When she looked up, James had a look of concern on his face. “Somer is missing.”
His expression changed to surprise. “What happened?”
She filled him in on the fact that Dan was Somer’s father and the fact that the only people that knew were Brigette, Dan, herself, and now him. Somer had just found out as well, which was probably the reason that she was missing.
“Evidently Brigette and Somer had an argument, this information came out, and now Somer is nowhere to be found.”
He looked as dumbfounded as she had been, trying to digest the news. “What are you going to do?”
She sighed heavily, thinking about the daunting task that lay in front of her. “I am going to help Brigette find her.”
James smiled. “Well, I know that you will need help, so I’ll come with you.”
She started to protest but knew that it would be pointless. Also, she knew that she would need help. Baxley might not be that large, population-wise, but there was a large amount of land to cover. She also had no idea as to where to begin a search. She reached for her cell phone and dialed Kristen’s number. Her sister answered the phone groggily.
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