Doing my best to sound confident, I look him in the eyes. “I know you like me.”
His expression is still sceptical. “Are you sure you’re not trying to prove yourself to me?”
I bob my head with certainty. “I’m sure. I have nothing to prove.”
His eyes sweep my face again, looking for any hint of doubt. I hang on to my game face. “Good.” His voice is low and deep as his hand settles on my hip. “Let’s get this unpacking out of the way…and then, I’m gonna lay you out on the carpet and show you just how good a friend I can be.”
My tongue moves slowly across my lips and my voice turns sultry. I lock my arms around his neck. “I love the sound of that.”
Chapter 33
Reese
I lean my forehead against the cool glass of the display case and blow a breath past my lips.
I just need a minute. To close…my…eyes. Just one…minute…
“Are you sleeping?!”
My head snaps in the direction of Vivian’s sharp voice. “Uh, hey!” I jump back, distancing myself from my makeshift bed. That’s when I notice the three shy preteens huddled by the cash register, looking expectantly in my direction. “Oh, uh, hi!” I use the edge of my sleeve to wipe the drool from my mouth.
My sister marches in my direction with a rag and a bottle of window cleaner. “You spit on the display case.” She’s frowning so hard I can feel the laser beams piercing my skin. “Are you crazy? The health inspector will be here in half an hour!”
“I’m really so sorry. So, so sorry.” I run my hands down the front of my apron and scuttle over to the counter to serve my customers. With tons of fumbling and awkward apologies, I manage to box up a couple of cakes for them, give them their change and send them on their way.
After Vivian is done disinfecting the scene of my droolfest, she leans against the sink with her arms folded across her chest. She’s staring daggers at me. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she hisses.
I wish I weren’t smiling right now because that just seems to be pissing her off even more. I can’t stop myself, though. This grin has a mind of its own.
“Why are you grinning like that?” she asks pointedly. “Are you losing your mind?”
God, I want to tell Viv all about Leo, I want to tell her that I met someone and that I like him and that he makes me feel amazing.
But I’m sort of scared she’ll try to slit my throat with a blunt kitchen utensil. I take her threats seriously.
The past few days, I’ve been struggling to untangle my feelings for him. I think I’m falling in love with him. Does that even make sense? There are so many reasons why I shouldn’t fall for him—we haven’t known each other that long, we haven’t made any commitment to each other, I’m well aware that he’s damaged. But my heart doesn’t care about any of that.
I grab the cloth from her hands and get busy wiping the counters. “I am peachy. Fine. Perfect.” My voice is creepily high-pitched. “Just haven’t been getting much sleep.”
“Are you still spending all your free time babysitting your neighbor’s kid?” Her annoyance is loud and clear.
“I pick him up from school in the afternoon. Why’s that such a big deal to you?”
“Because you still haven’t given me that damn report,” she growls.
“I’m halfway through,” I tell her. That’s a lie.
“Look, I’m gonna need that report by next Friday…Or else we’re gonna have to talk about dissolving this partnership. And I really don’t wanna do that.”
Okay, wow—Viv really means business now. I’m left dumbfounded as the front door swings open and the health inspector marches inside.
Right before she hurries over to greet the old man, my sister throws me a scorching look over her shoulder.
Chapter 34
Reese
It’s 3:22 in the morning when I drag myself into Leo’s shower.
Every muscle in my body hurts and I can’t remember the last time I got a full night’s sleep but I am absolutely blissful. The feel of Leo’s hands and lips still lingers on my skin. The sensation is imprinted in my cellular memory. If I had my way, I’d spend the next week or so barricaded in his bedroom with him, talking and laughing and exploring his body. But I have a pesky little thing called responsibilities and so does he. So, we just have to settle for our secret late-night rendez-vous.
It’s starting to feel like that’s not enough. Which is crazy because we couldn’t actually have more. He’s not ready for a commitment. Besides, Charlie would kill both of us.
Get a grip, Reese. Let go of that silly fantasy. It’s not gonna happen. If I don’t get my daydreaming under control, I’m gonna screw up the good thing that Leo and I have going. There’s no reason we couldn’t keep having sex without needing some type of declaration or commitment. This is the 21st century, for crying out loud.
I can do this. I can do this without falling apart.
Wrapped in Leo’s bath towel, I splash some cold water on my face and run my fingers through my hair. I straighten my spine and march confidently in the direction of the bedroom with the gait of an indomitable woman. A woman who can successfully compartmentalize her body’s sexual cravings from her emotional vulnerabilities.
Yes, I, Theresa Hartley, am such a woman! I am the master of my heart and my libido! A woman of the 21st century!
But when I step back into the room, I jolt. Leo has flicked on the bedside lamp. He’s sitting on his bed with my lacy black panties pulled over his face.
“Much better visibility with these,” he tells me, nodding his head approvingly. “I mean—compared to the red hot air balloons you used to wear.”
I slap both hands over my mouth to contain my hysterical laughter. My eyes water and legs won’t even hold me up, I’m laughing so hard.
He speaks in an earnest tone. “Can I be your superhero, baby?” He stretches an arm out to me.
I put my hand in his and he pulls me onto the bed. I collapse on top of him and he grins. “What do you call yourself?” I ask him.
“Orgasm Man, maybe.”
“Oh really?”
His lips graze my ear lobe as he whispers. “Come here, let me demonstrate my super powers.”
My eyes dart over to the clock on his dresser. “Oh my god, you have no idea how much I’d love that but I really have to go. I’m sorry.” Vivian’s been acting like she really might pull the plug on our partnership and I can’t make the situation worse by showing up late for work today.
He slumps back against the pillows and watches me with disappointed eyes. “That’s okay,” he says finally. “But I have an idea about how you can make it up to me.”
“How?”
“Let me watch you get dressed,” he says with a wicked smile.
I furrow my brows. “Huh?”
“You always grab your clothes and sneak off into the bathroom, like you’re self-conscious or something. But I want to watch you put your clothes on. You’re so sexy. I want to watch you.”
I roll my eyes, pretending to be annoyed. But really, I’m thrilled. He makes me feel desirable, irresistible. It’s exhilarating, knowing the effect that I have on him. As flawed and quirky and strange as I am, this gorgeous man wants me.
My heart pounds as I put on a show for him, slowly dropping the towel to the floor and sliding the straps of my bra up my arms. Then, pulling on my short, little dress. I watch the lust on his face as he follows my every movement.
When I strut over to him to snatch my thong off of his head, he ducks out of my reach. His fingers lock around my wrist and he gently tugs me forward. He whispers against my earlobe. “These panties are mine, Cupcake Girl.” He balls up my underwear in his hand. “This lacy, little thing stays with me.” He tilts his face and his lips capture mine in a stirring kiss.
“Panty sniffing fetish?” I ask cheekily as I pull away from him.
“Yes, unfortunately. It’s a habit I can’t kick.” He grins as he slides out of bed. “I nee
d to sniff them in between bites of my bologna sandwich at lunch time, y’know? Really awakens the palate.”
He’s so ridiculous. I stifle on laughter. “I’ll let you keep them for the day but you’re gonna need to return them this evening. I’ve been selling them to this online panty-sniffing community based out of Bulgaria—the International Panty-Sniffers Association.”
He lifts a brow. “E-commerce, huh?”
“It’s a solid business model,” I tell him with a nod.
“Oh really?”
“Yes, amazing return on investment. Everybody thinks that Bitcoin is the future. But it’s really much simpler than that. The used panty trade is a highly underserved industry.”
He pulls a pillow over his face and roars with laughter. My heart tightens seeing him this way. He’s come so far from the sulky, silent guy he was when he turned up in Copper Heights. I like thinking that being around me has had something to do with the change.
When Leo’s laughter fades away and he yanks the pillow from his face, he smiles at me. That one simple act still has the effect of weakening my knees. He sits up with his feet touching the floor and his hands gripping the edge of the mattress on either side of him. “You’re something special, Reese. I can’t imagine what life would have been like if I hadn’t met you.” His voice is soft and full of affection. “I’m falling in…”
My heart kick-kicks against my ribs as his words fade away. All he does is smile tenderly.
He reaches for his T-shirt hanging on the wooden bed head. “Let me walk you out.”
I shoo him away with my hand as I move to the door. “Stay in bed. Sleep. You don’t need to walk me to my house tonight.”
He grunts. “The hell I don’t.” A smirk rides his lips. “You aren’t even wearing panties.”
I laugh. “Really, you don’t.”
Stubborn as ever, he pulls on some sweats. “Okay, I don’t have to. I choose to.”
My heart soars like a dolphin jumping out of water. I try to play it cool. “Fine. I’m not gonna argue with you.”
I pull open the bedroom door, tiptoeing toward the stairs and Leo is right behind me. Just like every night. Except that tonight, Brenton’s door swings open right at that moment.
Oh no!
The little boy blinks and rubs sleep from his eyes. I freeze and so does Leo. Brent watches me suspiciously. “Reese?”
“Hey, Brent,” I squeak out.
His eyes move to his father and then back to me. “Did you sleep in my daddy’s bedroom last night?”
“I…uh, I.” I glance at Leo for help.
“Daddy, why did Reese sleep in your bedroom?” The tone of betrayal in his voice is jarring. He looks like he’s on the verge of tears.
Guilt crawls all the way up from my toes. This isn’t good.
Leo steps out from behind me and kneels in front of a confused Brent. The father puts his hands on the little boy’s shoulders and takes a deep breath. “Remember that night when you were really sad and scared and you wanted me to stay in your room and give you cuddles?” Leo’s voice is steady but patient and kind.
Brenton nods despite the apprehension on his face.
Leo goes on. “Well, daddy is really sad some nights. He needs cuddles, too.”
The boy’s bottom lip quivers when he asks, “My mommy isn’t coming back, is she?”
Leo’s head falls to his chest for a long moment, then he looks at his son and answers honestly. “No, she isn’t, buddy. I’m sorry but I’m all you’ve got.” He pulls Brent in for a hug that nearly swallows the little boy whole. Brent squeezes with all his might.
My heart breaks as I watch them. I’ve never met this Mara-woman, but I hate her with every fiber of my being. How could a person be so selfish? I wrap my arms around myself, to hold my shit together and keep from crying.
Brenton looks up at me with wet eyes. He releases his father and walks over to me. He wraps his arms around my legs and his body shakes as he sobs. Leo and I share a look in the shadowy hallway.
Then, I stoop to the floor and wrap myself around him. A moment later, Leo’s arms encapsulate Brent and me, and the three of us collapse into a long, tight embrace.
Chapter 35
Leo
Reese throws her head back and roars with laughter. “Please slow down! Please slow down!” Brent is holding onto the wire mesh, shrieking his head off as I propel the shopping cart across the wet parking lot. I run a little faster to gain some more traction, then I lean my weight on the handle bar, taking my feet off the ground. Reese buries her face in her hands. “Please! Slow down!”
People stare. Some disapprovingly. Others are amused. I don’t care because the two most important people in my world are in this shopping cart as I charge toward Walmart’s automatic doors.
I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun, the last time I felt this alive. I haven’t had a cigarette in a week. I haven’t needed one. My kid is happy. And the pretty girl next door is happy. With me. I feel like the luckiest bastard for miles.
The crowd thickens right outside of the entrance and I’m forced to slow my roll. Breathless, I brush rainwater from my face and push the cart off to the side. I scoop Reese out and set her on her feet. She grabs her soaked hair into her fist and ties it up with an elastic as I roll the cart through the door, looking for the kids’ clothing section.
Reese goes around, grabbing preppy little button down shirts and khakis and kid-sized boat shoes. Poor Brent. She herds him off to the changing room.
A few minutes later, my son saunters out coolly wearing a pale pink oxford shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, an aqua blue dotted tie and navy blue corduroys cinched at the waist by a thin red belt. He stops in front of me, slips on a pair of aviator shades and shoves a hand in his pocket, striking a pose like a Calvin Klein model. I pound my knee with my fist, laughing riotously.
“You like this one, daddy?” he asks, grinning from ear to ear. Reese stands just over his shoulder, absolutely beaming with excitement.
I’m glad to report that my son has the swagger to pull off such an outfit but it’s not exactly the look I had in mind for preschool on Monday.
“Well, as soon as you get your invitation to the yacht club, we’ll come back and grab this trendy ensemble but for the time being, you’re dressing for the playground so I think we’d better tone it down.”
We look around again, searching for sneakers, Tshirts and shorts. Stuff that he can actually move around in and get dirty. We’re joking and laughing. Having fun. Brent races around the childrens’ department. People stare but I don’t give a fuck. I am the father of that kid who’s streaking through the aisles of Walmart. And I don’t give a fuck.
Because my kid’s finally got new clothes that fit him. And a daddy who’s falling in love.
Chapter 36
Reese
Brenton’s eyes follow my finger as it trails across the screen of my laptop. “Add a half cup of milk. Cream the mixture on low speed until smooth.”
“Add a half cup of milk. Cream the mixture on low speed until smooth,” he echoes as he grabs the milk in the measuring cup sitting on the counter beside him.
I’m actually trying to kill two birds with one stone—teaching Brent to bake and to read all at once.
#BabysitterGoals
I tap him on the tip of the nose. “You are just the cutest thing,” I say with a laugh as he pours the liquid into the batter. He grins right back at me.
Today is Leo’s birthday and had it not been for a talkative, little snitch strapped into my backseat on the way home from preschool. His daddy specifically ordered Brent not to tell me that it was his birthday. But actually, I think it was just a ruse to get me to bake for him because we both know that keeping secrets isn’t Brent’s strong suit.
It worked. And now, Brent and I are racing against the clock to whip up a cake before Leo gets home from work.
“Can I try?” he asks motioning to the mixer in my hand.
His eyes travel back to the computer. “Add the…” he hesitates as he sounds out the word, “…eggs one…at a…time!” Proud eyes connect with mine as he looks up at me, awaiting my approval.
“Great job, Brent! You read that all on your own!”
“I did! I read it all on my own!”
“So proud of you!” I lean down and plant a kiss in his hair.
Right then, the back door slides open and Leo sticks his head inside. “What are you so proud of?”
My heart skips a half dozen beats at the sight of him. Flushed cheeks, disheveled hair, stubbly chin with a smudge of sawdust. His big frame fills the doorway as he toes off his work boots.
This is nice. It feels right. Having him come home after work and find me in the kitchen, baking with Brenton. It feels like a family. I know that we aren’t one. But it feels like it. Sometimes, I close my eyes and pretend that that’s what we are.
“I just read the recipe all by myself,” the child says excitedly.
“Yep, he did,” I confirm.
“Good job, buddy!” Leo gives Brent’s shoulder little shake and smiles at him. Then, he looks at me. “So, is there any reason in particular that you two are baking today?”
Brenton looks up at his dad. “It’s your birthday, silly.”
Leo’s big palm covers his mouth and he pretends to be shocked. “It is my birthday. I completely forgot!”
“Yeah, right,” I mutter under my breath and Leo just laughs.
Lover Boy Page 16
