One Night Baby - A Romance Compilation

by Tia Siren

  He shrugged and left my room. I scrolled through the contacts and hit the button for Tyler.

  “Hi,” he said, his voice on edge.

  “Leo called me. He says he wants to see Tommy and is coming over whether I like it or not,” I blurted out.

  I heard a scratching noise and figured out he was covering the phone. He came back on a split second later. “I’m on my way.”

  “Wait, what?” I asked, now the one who was confused.

  “I’m coming over. I’ll pick the two of you up and take you to my place. Don’t take Tommy to daycare and call in sick to work,” he ordered in that voice I was used to hearing in the bedroom.

  “Okay,” I said, feeling much calmer than I had a minute ago.

  I hung up and quickly called my work, making up an excuse about Tommy coming down with the flu completely out of the blue.

  “Tommy,” I hollered. “Pack up—” I stopped myself. Tyler had a room full of books and toys to keep him entertained. “Never mind,” I shouted.

  Within minutes, there was a knock on the door and then Tyler was stomping through it. “Are you okay?” he asked when I popped my head out of my bedroom.

  “Yes. Fine. How’d you get here so fast?”

  He grinned. “I was on my way to work. Alex is a very skilled driver.”

  “I guess.”

  “Are you ready?”

  I nodded my head. “Yes. I suppose. Are you going to work?”

  “I have a meeting I can’t miss, but I’ll be home later. Alex is going to take you guys to my house after he drops me off,” he said in that husky tone that always made me feel a little gooey inside.

  “Hi, Dad,” Tommy said, coming into the living room from his bedroom.

  Tyler and I exchanged a look. I wasn’t sure when that had happened, but Tyler didn’t look like he was totally freaked out by it.

  “Hi, Tommy,” he said, squatting down and rubbing his head. “You ready to come to my house?”

  Tommy looked at me, then him. “Your house? You mean I don’t have to go to daycare?”

  Tyler stood, smiling down at Tommy. “Nope. You and Mom are going to hang out with me today. That’ll be fun, huh?”

  Tommy jumped up and down, clapping his hands in excitement.

  “I’m ready,” I announced, wanting to get out of my apartment in case Leo actually showed up.

  After dropping off Tyler at his office, Alex drove us back to Tyler’s house. It was a little weird to be in his house without him. He told us to make ourselves at home. The only problem was I needed a damn map to find my way around. We kept to the kitchen and the sitting room, where Tyler had all the stuff needed to keep Tommy occupied. I flipped on the TV and did a little channel surfing, feeling a little stir-crazy.

  I got up and began to wander into the hallway where I had seen the van Gogh the other night. I took my time, studying the paintings and finding one that really caught my eye. The painting was mesmerizing. The dark shadow in what appeared to be a beautiful forest seemed lonely, like an outsider looking in. I stepped closer, squinting my eyes to try to make out the signature in the bottom right corner.

  Arms wrapped around me from behind. I nearly jumped out of my skin and kicked backward until I realized it was Tyler. He nuzzled my neck, and without even thinking about what I was doing, I leaned my head to the left, giving him unfettered access.

  “Do you like it?” he asked in that husky voice that sent shivers racing down my spine.

  “I do. Who’s the artist?”

  He kissed my neck again and dropped his arms from around me. “I am.”

  I spun around. “What? You paint?”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I dabble when I have time or need to release some pent-up frustration.”

  I turned back to look at the painting and then looked at another one a few feet away. “Yours?” I asked, pointing to another scene with the same shadowy figure in a city street at night.

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  “You’re very talented. I mean, these are really amazing,” I said.

  “Thank you. It’s a hobby. I’m not interested in being an artist, but there have been a few paintings that really spoke to me, so I had them framed.”

  I turned back to look at the forest scene and my heart went out to him. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Do you like art in general?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “I’ll tell you a secret,” I said with a conspiratorial smile.

  He raised one eyebrow. “I love a good secret.”

  “I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. I went to school for it and actually do have an associate’s degree but never had the chance to put it to use.”

  He seemed surprised. “Why not?”

  I shrugged. “Life changed for me.”

  He nodded his head in understanding. “Maybe you can go back to school or take it up as a hobby again?”

  I smiled, but in the back of my mind, I knew that wasn’t going to be possible for a while. Mr. Moneybags had no idea what it was like to be a single mom with a minimum-wage job. Hobbies, especially those that required expensive supplies, weren’t an option, not if I wanted to feed my kid or keep a roof over his head. Not to mention the issue of time.

  Tommy came into the hall and ran toward us. “You’re back!” he declared and wrapped his arms around Tyler’s legs.

  I could see the emotion in Tyler’s eyes as he looked at me and then down at the little boy who had taken to him like a duck takes to water. I had to fight back my own tears of happiness. It was like the two of them had a connection on a completely different level. It wasn’t tangible, but it was most definitely there.

  “Are you guys hungry?” Tyler asked, picking up Tommy and expertly carrying him down the hall and into the kitchen area.

  “Mom said we can’t eat all the snacks,” Tommy said, ratting me out.

  Tyler looked back at me and grinned. “But I bet we can make something good first, and then eat all the snacks?” he said, winking at me.

  I nodded. “I think that works.”

  “I’ll ask the cook to make us some sandwiches,” Tyler said as he turned the corner.

  I rolled my eyes. “I can make sandwiches.”

  Tyler laughed. “Have you met my cook? He would be very offended if you did.”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “It seems silly to have a professional cook make sandwiches for lunch.”

  “You two sit tight,” he said, putting Tommy down by a large center island in a kitchen that had to be bigger than the one at the restaurant.

  I watched Tyler disappear through a set of double doors. He was gone for several minutes, leaving me and Tommy to check out the three stoves, a huge refrigerator with a glass door, and a variety of other gadgets on the counters that I couldn’t even identify.

  When Tyler returned, a middle-aged man was behind him.

  “Emily, Tommy, I’d like you to meet Ernesto. He is the man in charge of the kitchen. Ernesto, this is my son, Tommy, and his mother, Emily,” Tyler said with a proud smile.

  Ernesto was smiling as he extended his hand to shake mine and then Tommy’s. “You guys hungry?” he asked with a heavy accent that I couldn’t quite identify.

  Tommy nodded his head. “I am.”

  “Do you like grilled cheese?” Ernesto asked him.

  Tommy nodded his head again.

  Ernesto clapped his hands together. “Grilled cheese is my favorite. Go, go. I’ll make the lunch,” he said, shooing us out of his domain.

  I grabbed Tommy’s hand and walked out of the kitchen, a little unsure where to go.

  “How about we go outside and let Tommy play for a bit?” Tyler suggested.

  “That sounds good. He needs to get out of the house.”

  We sat down on two comfortable lounge chairs while Tommy ran around the yard, playing and being a carefree kid.

  “Any more calls from Leo?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “I spoke with my lawyer. He thinks you
need to get a restraining order. You’ll need to fill out some paperwork,” he said.

  I wrinkled my nose. “That seems a little over the top. I don’t want to make a big deal out of nothing.”

  “It isn’t nothing. You said the guy has been harassing you. Plus, Tommy isn’t his. He has the proof and is still pushing for visitation. I don’t like it,” he said, anger in his voice. “I want you two to stay here until he is served.”

  I looked at him. “No.”

  “Yes. I want you safe.”

  “I don’t know that Leo is dangerous. He is stubborn, but I think you’re being a little over-cautious. I will do the paperwork for the restraining order in case, but he hasn’t actually done anything,” I reminded him.

  He looked me, straight in my eyes. “I want you to stay here. I don’t want that man anywhere near you or my son. He can’t get to you here.”

  I looked out at Tommy, who was rolling in the perfectly manicured lawn. “Tyler, I can’t stay here indefinitely. I didn’t bring any clothes. I’d feel like a prisoner.”

  “You’re not a prisoner. You’re safe. I’ll have someone pick some stuff up for you,” he said as if he were ordering lunch.

  “Tyler, thank you, really, for offering, but I think we’ll be okay,” I said, hoping that was true.

  “Emily, I’m not offering. I’m telling you. I want you and Tommy here, behind my gates and with my security team in place. I don’t want to risk him escalating. Please, stay here until he is served or settles down.”

  I let out a long breath. He wasn’t going to back down, and if I was being honest with myself, I did feel better knowing Tommy was protected in this fortress Tyler called home.

  “Thank you,” I muttered. “I do appreciate it. We’ll stay, but can I at least get my car?”

  “Anywhere you need to go, I’ll have someone take you,” he said casually.

  I sighed. I clearly wasn’t going to win this round. I would let the subject drop for now, but I couldn’t live at his place indefinitely. I still had to pay rent, which meant I needed to work. For now, I would enjoy the luxurious accommodations and relax. Tommy was safe, and I could let my guard down a little in that area, but not with Tyler. He was dangerous, but for very different reasons.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Tyler

  It was a strange feeling to know I wasn’t alone in my big house when my eyes popped open that morning. I was alone in bed, but I knew Tommy and Emily weren’t far away. I liked having them close, but I wished I had Emily in bed with me.

  With an enthusiasm I hadn’t felt in a long time, I jumped out of bed, threw on some shorts and a T-shirt, and headed downstairs. Ernesto was off for the day, which meant the big kitchen was all mine. It was usually stocked pretty well, and I had asked him to have a delivery of snack foods and extra groceries sent over yesterday.

  This morning, I wanted to make my guests breakfast. I couldn’t remember the last time I had cooked for anyone. I was excited to bust out the griddle and make some pancakes using my mom’s old recipe. It had been too long.

  As I walked back and forth to the pantry, pulling out ingredients, I thought about the fact that Emily was right upstairs. Could I have been ready to truly settle down with one woman? I felt as if I were. I didn’t even realize that was what I’d been looking for when I was searching for her. I mean, I’d felt a connection, but the idea of commitment had been a little scary.

  As I was mixing the pancake batter, I realized it wasn’t scary at all. I wanted it. Now, I had to convince Emily she wanted it as well. That was going to be the hard part. She’d slept in the guestroom with Tommy last night. I hadn’t questioned her choice, assuming it was to help him feel more comfortable. I had managed to sneak a quick kiss, which had earned me quite the glare. Thinking of the way she had furrowed her brow made me chuckle.

  Hearing a commotion, I knew my guests were up.

  “In here!” I called out, knowing they would probably be a little lost in the house.

  “Dad!” Tommy hollered, and that weird feeling that made my heart seem like it was too big for my chest slammed into me again.

  “In the kitchen!” I shouted back, laughing at the absurdity of us yelling back and forth.

  “There you are!” Tommy shouted, walking toward me, his hair a bit of a mess with that trademark Case cowlick sticking up in the back.

  “Here I am,” I said, pulling the last pancakes off the griddle.

  Emily walked in behind him. She looked sleepy but gorgeous as always. She was wearing one of my T-shirts and the same jeans she’d had on yesterday.

  Her eyes widened as she took in the spread of food on the counter. “What’s this?” she asked, her voice a little rough.

  “Breakfast.”

  “Did you make it?” she asked, her tone revealing her shock. “Where’s Ernesto?”

  I laughed. “I did. Ernesto’s off today. I have a cook because most of the time I don’t have time to cook, but I do know how, and I do like to do it when I can.”

  “Wow,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

  “Want some coffee?” I asked, pulling a cup out of the cupboard.

  “Yes, please,” she mumbled, helping Tommy onto one of the barstools lined up on the other side of the center island.

  I grabbed some plates and set them on the counter.

  “Can I help with anything?” she asked.

  “Nope. Everything is finished. Sit down, eat, and relax,” I told her.

  She started to fill a plate for Tommy. I paid attention to what she was doing, knowing one day I would need to do it.

  “Ketchup?” I asked, heading for the refrigerator.

  She giggled. “You like ketchup? It seems a little, uh, basic for your refined tastes.”

  “I like ketchup!” Tommy volunteered.

  I handed her the bottle. “Everyone likes ketchup on their hash browns,” I told Tommy with a wink.

  The three of us sat at the center island, Tommy between us as we stuffed ourselves with the elaborate breakfast I had prepared. Once we were finished eating, Emily started to clean up.

  “You don’t need to do that,” I told her.

  She shot me a look. “I’m sure you have a housekeeper, but I’m not going to leave this mess. I’ll put stuff away.”

  I shrugged a shoulder and focused my attention on Tommy. “How about we go to the beach today?”

  Emily turned around. “What?”

  “Let’s go to the beach. We can make a picnic lunch. It’s going to be a warm day. Come on, it’ll be fun,” I said with a grin.

  “Mom! I want to go to the beach. We can play in the sand. Can I play in the water?” he asked.

  “Only if you are with me or Ty—I mean your dad,” she said firmly. She looked at me. “I really need to get home and get some clothes for us.”

  I nodded. “We can swing by there. Or we can go shopping and buy what you need.”

  “No. I have clothes, thanks,” she snapped.

  I hadn’t meant to offend her, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t afford to buy her a few things, and I wanted to buy stuff for Tommy. I hadn’t exactly paid child support all this time, and I owed her a lot for taking care of him on her own all this time.

  Alex took us to Emily’s place. She insisted on picking up her car. I happily rode shotgun in the tiny little four-door that had seen better days as she drove us to Stinson Beach.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked, staring at the beach dotted with people as far as the eye could see.

  I shrugged. “Most people aren’t going to recognize me like this,” I said, gesturing to my swim shorts, T-shirt, and flip flops. I had on a baseball hat and sunglasses as well.

  She looked at me. “I would.”

  Although she had on a big pair of dark sunglasses, I imagined those green eyes would reveal exactly what she meant by that comment.

  I leaned forward, my mouth an inch from her ear. “That’s because you’ve seen me naked.”

&nb
sp; She smiled. “Yeah, and I’d guess about half the women on this beach have too.”

  Zing!

  I laughed at her insult and shrugged it off. “Not like you have.”

  “Can we play in the water?” Tommy asked, tugging on Emily’s hand.

  “I’m ready to get wet!” I shouted, taking his hand and racing for the beach.

  Emily was left holding the bag, literally, but didn’t seem to mind judging by the smile on her face. Tommy and I got our feet wet while I checked on Emily. My heart damn near stopped beating when I saw her unzip her shorts and kick them off, revealing black bikini bottoms. I stared, watching in anticipation as she pulled off her shirt, revealing that body I was so familiar with.

  “Shit,” I muttered, feeling an erection springing to life.

  I turned back to Tommy and waded in a little deeper. I needed the cold water to cool the fire the woman had ignited with that sexy, very small bikini. She sat down on the blanket, watching us play in the water. Tommy and I splashed around before plopping down in the sand to build a sand castle under Emily’s watchful eye.

  “We should probably get going,” Emily announced after several hours at the beach.

  I nodded my head in agreement when it looked like Tommy would protest. “We’ll come again another day, buddy.”

  The kid was exhausted. I carried him on the long journey back to the car while Emily carried the beach bag.

  “He’s asleep,” she whispered, walking beside me.

  I smiled. “He had a busy day.”

  We drove to my place, but security stopped us at the gate.

  “Sir, we’re going to need you to wait here,” the man at the gate announced.

  I got out of the car, pulled him to the side, and asked what the problem was.

  “We caught a guy trying to climb over the back fence. It triggered the alarm. By the time we got back there, he had already taken off. We’re doing a security check. I don’t think he got in, but we need to be sure,” he said.

  I nodded my head and got back in the car. “It’ll be a couple minutes.”

  “What happened? What’s wrong?” Emily asked, concern on her face.

  I looked in the back seat and saw Tommy was still asleep. “Someone tried to break in.”