by K. Marie
But was it too soon?
Would Autumn like Garland? Hell, would Mr. I-don’t-want-kids, like her? It was all enough to make me nauseous. Garland was about to get the full package experience, it was no longer just the two of us in our own little bubble like in Miami. This was reality, and I confessed to being worried that things would be different between us.
However, with not a lot of time to prepare before his arrival, I hurriedly primped and changed clothes. Then, I found myself obsessively cleaning the already clean kitchen. The kitchen opened up to a small sitting room, which allowed me to cook and keep an eye on Autumn at the same time.
My daughter sat at the kitchen table drawing and coloring, dressed in her favorite pink and purple fairy princess gown and sequined flats. She’d insisted on wearing the outfit upon learning we would be having a visitor.
Too keyed-up to sit, I went to recheck my reflection in the mirror; ensuring my white sundress was a good choice, and that I looked my best. I’d added turquoise jewelry for a pop of color; and piled my hair on top of my head in a bun. So what if I was obsessing over my appearance? I was just a girl, wanting to look pretty for a boy.
However, by the time the doorbell rang almost exactly one hour later, my nerves were bouncing all over the place. The unknown had me anxious. It seemed odd to have Garland in my space, so intimately situated in my world. But there was nothing to be done about it now.
So, making my way to the door, I paused to take a calming breath, before finally pulling it open.
And my stupid heart did a flip-flop in my chest.
Garland stood there holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, sporting a pair of black slacks with a cobalt blue dress shirt opened at the collar. Sigh.
“Hi, Handsome,” I greeted with a welcoming smile.
“Is it possible you’ve grown more beautiful since I last saw you?” Garland asked.
“No, it’s not, but thank you anyway,” I answered, taking a step back and gesturing for him to come inside.
Garland’s large presence filled the tiny space as he entered, stopped directly in front of me, and lowered his mouth to mine.
I immediately wanted to jump him.
I closed my eyes and breathed in his familiar scent, knowing this was going to be damn hard. Being appropriate and chaste for Autumn’s sake would prove challenging.
“I’ve missed you,” I told him, a complete understatement.
“The feeling is entirely mutual,” he returned.
“For you,” Garland said, extending the flowers. He’d remembered my appreciation for the calla lilies at the restaurant we’d dined together my last day in Miami.
The man paid attention.
“Thank you, Garland, they’re beautiful. Come on, Autumn and I were just hanging out in the kitchen,” I told him, turning to lead the way.
My daughter remained seated at the table drawing when we entered, but looked up with interest when she heard us. I was undoubtedly biased in my opinion, but Autumn is a beautiful child. She’d inherited my wavy chestnut hair and dimples, but her father’s olive skin and brown eyes.
“Princess Autumn, I’d like for you to meet my friend, Garland. He came all the way from Florida to visit us,” I announced, beaming at her with pride.
Autumn blinked a couple of times, giving Garland a good once-over, before responding. “Hi Garland, were you in the “Super-Man” movie?” she asked, a curious look on her face.
Garland and I glanced at each other in surprise, both smiling at the unexpected question. Autumn and I had watched the recent super-hero flick together on cable a few times now, she was obsessed.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Autumn, your mom told me a lot about you. And sorry, but no, I wasn’t in that particular movie,” Garland said with an amused smile.
“Are you sure?” I heard Autumn ask doubtfully, as I moved to lay the flowers on the counter.
“Yes, Autumn, I’m positive. I’ve never been in any movies,” he assured her.
Autumn was clearly still skeptical but seemed to accept his answer as truth.
“Are you from England? You sound funny,” she asked next, as only a guileless child can.
I smiled over at Garland in amusement; he had no idea she was only just getting started. Autumn’s a very inquisitive child.
“No, I’m not from England, I grew up in Russia, that’s where my accent comes from,” Garland told her.
Autumn’s eyes widened in fascination. “Where is Russia? Do you live in Russia and Florida?” she questioned.
“Russia is very far from the United States, at the very Eastern end of Europe, and I only live in Florida. However, I do go back to visit my family in Russia,” he answered.
My daughter appeared to mull that over. “I think I’d like to go to Russia too. Can mommy and I go when you visit your family?” she asked earnestly.
Garland’s amused smile turned into a full-on grin. “As long as it’s alright with mommy, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he told her.
My daughter beamed at him. Another girl conquered.
“Those flowers are pretty,” Autumn said, following my movements with her eyes.
I’d turned my attention to looking for the right vase—the one that I smuggled home from Miami in my carry-on. The vase from the flowers that Garland sent was cut-crystal and beautiful, and looked to be very expensive. No way was I leaving it behind.
“The flowers aren’t half as pretty as you are, Autumn. I have a present for you as well; if mommy says it’s alright,” he told her, looking towards me in askance.
I nodded my agreement, wondering what he’d gotten for her.
Autumn smiled in sheer delight, revealing her gap-toothed smile from having lost one of her two front baby teeth. I smile in adoration, as only an adoring mother could at her snaggle-tooth child.
Garland produced a small gift-wrapped box from the back pocket of his slacks and handed it to an excited looking Autumn.
“Thank you,” she said politely, and immediately went to work removing the paper.
I looked over at Garland in puzzlement, but he just smiled back at me mysteriously.
Autumn made quick work of dispatching with the paper, revealing a silver box underneath. Lifting its top, she gasped, as what looked to be a tiny-sized bracelet was revealed.
“I’ve got a Disney Princess bracelet!” she exclaimed in excitement.
Moving to get a closer look, I saw that the gold bracelet indeed had all of the Disney princesses in their corresponding gowns on individual charms. “That was very thoughtful of you,” I said to Garland, going all mushy on the inside.
Autumn fingered the undoubtedly expensive but beautiful piece of jewelry, before trying to remove it from its box. I assisted her with loosening the bracelet and helping to secure it around her tiny little wrist. My daughter’s eyes lit with joy as she held up her arm to show off her newest acquisition.
“Thank you, Garland, it’s really pretty!” she announced, all smiles.
“Then, that makes it perfect for you,” he told her.
“I think you’ve made a new best friend,” I said, wanting to kiss him silly. As first impressions went, he’d knocked that one out the park.
While Autumn’s engrossed with admiring her shiny new present, I walked back over to the sink to fill the vase with water. I felt Garland standing close to me a few seconds later.
“I have a present for mommy too,” he said next to my ear, leaning in so close that I felt the warmth from his mouth.
I lifted my eyes to meet his and had to restrain myself from being inappropriate in front of my daughter. “I’ll give it to you after Autumn goes to bed, which I hope is very early,” he said with a sexy wink.
“Sex maniac,” I accused in a whisper. “I’ve arranged a baby-sitter for Autumn tonight, so I’m all yours,” I said with a wink of my own.
Garland smiled as he stepped away from me, going back over to talk with Autumn. “Your mom told me you play the vio
lin, which songs do you like to play?” he asked her.
I listened as Autumn enthusiastically named all of her favorites, including “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, and then hopped down from her chair as she offered to play for him.
“Can I get my violin mommy—so I can show Garland?” she asked eagerly.
“Yes, you may, but be careful carrying it,” I allowed.
I watched as she all but skipped out of the kitchen, then turned my attention to Garland. “Uh oh, she’s about to unleash a concert on you,” I warned.
“You have a great daughter, and she’s got musical talent. If she wants to play for me, I want to listen,” Garland said, stepping closer to me.
“How long do you have the baby-sitter for?” he asked.
“All night, Marie is coming to stay with Autumn,” I answered.
Garland was staying at a nearby hotel about fifteen minutes from where I lived, I bribed Marie to ditch her Saturday night plans so that I could spend some alone time with him there.
“Good, because I’ll need at least that much time to remind you just how much of a sex maniac I am,” he said with a heated gleam in his eyes.
“I can’t wait,” I murmured.
“I got it!” Autumn announced, rushing back into the room.
Garland and I sprang apart guiltily, like teenagers having been caught by their parents. I gave him a rueful grin as we both turned our attention to Autumn.
As predicted, she went through all the songs she’d learned to play. And when she finished the last of them, Garland and I applauded as Autumn stood to take a bow, looking very proud of herself.
Twenty-Five
Garland took the liberty of making dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant I’d not yet been to.
When it’s time to go, he leads us to a silver Mercedes parked at the curb in front of my condo; with Joe sitting behind the wheel. I tried damn hard not to remember what happened in the back of a Mercedes the last time I saw the man.
He and I rode up front; while Garland sat in back with Autumn, and it isn’t long before I’ve gotten over my initial embarrassment. I knew that technically, I wasn’t supposed to be so friendly with Garland’s security guys’, but I didn’t care. I liked Joe, and for whatever reason, he seemed to like me too from day one.
During the drive to the restaurant, Garland received a dose of reality when Autumn pelted him with question after question, as though she were an expert interrogator. Among those questions were, “Do you snore when you sleep?” and “Do you text when you drive?”
I caught Joe a couple of times trying not to smile, but I had no such restraint. Garland patiently answered all of her questions, but I viewed the exercise as positive. If he believed himself open to having a young child around, this was a good glimpse into what he’d be in store for.
When we arrived at the restaurant, I was vastly relieved to see that Garland hadn’t shut half of it down this time. Perhaps it spoke of my ordinariness, but I saw nothing wrong with wanting to dine like a normal person.
Dinner is superb, and the service was as excellent as one would expect at a five-star restaurant. Autumn kept busy with coloring on an activity sheet while Garland and I got caught up. We discussed what each of us had done during our time apart and made plans for the following day. When asked what was at the top of her list of things to do, Autumn chose horseback riding. She was promised by an indulgent Garland that that was what she’d be doing the next day. Though I had some reservations about the idea, I reluctantly agreed, because the two of them looked so darned pleased with themselves.
It was long past Autumn’s bedtime by the time we returned from dinner, and she’d fallen asleep during the car ride. After getting her situated in bed, I rejoined Garland in the sitting room, flopping down on the sofa beside him.
“Got the Princess all tucked-in?” he asked, looking up from scrolling through his phone.
“Yes, she went down hard, didn’t wake up not once while I put her pajamas on,” I told him.
The long day had finally caught up with me, and I was now craving the warmth of my own bed. Relaxing my head back tiredly on the sofa, the last thing I remembered was watching Garland tap rapidly away on his phone, texting.
I’m awakened by the caress of his hand on my thigh. “Sorry to wake you, I just couldn’t resist touching you after having resisted all day,” he said with a mischievous smile.
“Sorry I fell asleep on you, how long was I out?” I asked.
“Not long, maybe ten minutes.”
I looked at the gorgeous face so close to my own and lifted my head to kiss him. “Thank you for today, I’m happy you’re here,” I told him.
“Just try keeping me away,” he said in turn, running his hand further up my leg and underneath my dress.
He touched his lips back to mine in a head-spinning kiss that spiraled quickly out of control. Within seconds, we’re all over each other. I climbed across his lap and straddled him, anchoring my fingers in his hair and sucking his tongue into my mouth. Garland took advantage of my dress riding up my thighs, and hiked it the rest of the way up, palming my ass.
He groaned as he kissed my ear and worked his way down my neck, kissing me in the exact spot he knew drove me crazy. “I’m impatient to get you naked,” he growled, gripping my ass tighter and pulling my throbbing center against his erection.
I moaned in lust. “God, Garland…I’ve really missed you,” I whispered, pushing against his hard cock, leaving no doubt as to my meaning. He wasn’t the only one impatient to dispense with clothes.
I panted as he kissed every exposed area of my skin, before burying his face in my cleavage. But we both groaned in frustration a minute later, when the doorbell interrupted our make-out session.
Marie had arrived.
We smiled like naughty children as we sat with our foreheads pressed to each other’s, breathing heavily, and trying to gather our sex-filled wits. I kissed him hard before climbing off of his lap and heading for the door, smoothing my dress down along the way.
“You look like you’ve been getting it on,” said a sharp-eyed Marie, a little too loudly. “Is Mr. Hotness still here?” she asked suspiciously.
I snorted a laugh in dismay, shushing her to be quiet.
“I knew it! The two of you were so getting it on, you harlot!” she exclaimed in a whisper this time.
I rolled my eyes. “We were not getting it on; at least not in the way you meant it,” I told her, smile giving me away.
I turned back towards the sitting room, leaving Marie to follow. She visited often enough, that she may as well live here.
Having obviously used the time to collect himself, Garland now wore the suit jacket he’d discarded earlier; no doubt to cover up the erection he was sporting. I gave him a conspiratorial smile.
After making re-introductions, Marie and Garland exchanges pleasantries, with her managing to keep the inappropriate comments to a minimum.
“You’ll learn that although Marie has a big heart, she doesn’t possess much of a filter when speaking,” I told Garland, while admonishing her with my eyes. Her comment about him being “The man who got into Camry’s pants in record time,” had been uncalled for.
But Garland wasn’t one to embarrass or shock easily. “I’ll take that as a compliment, to both Camry and myself,” he told her in amusement, eyes dancing.
“You definitely should, she usually keeps it locked-up tighter than a nun,” Marie assured him.
“For God’s sake, Marie!” I objected in mortification.
Garland just grinned, enjoying himself at my expense.
“What? I’m just saying that he must be special because you don’t just put-out for any ol’ guy,” Marie proclaimed, trying to look innocent but not quite pulling it off.
My mortification was now complete.
“Come on, Marie, help me get my things,” I told her, hoping she’d quickly take the hint to shut the hell up and follow me.
“Give me a fe
w minutes to get my things, then we’ll be on our way,” I said to Garland.
“I’m going to fucking strangle you!” I threatened, once we’d gotten to my bedroom and shut the door.
Her eyes widened in feigned innocence. “Whatever for?” she asked, before succumbing to her own bullshit and grinning.
I glared at her.
“Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch—if you’re still wearing any,” she teased, and I grudgingly smiled.
“In case you haven’t noticed, the man is already besotted with you; hence him standing downstairs at this very moment. And, I might add, looking hotter than I remembered,” she said with a salacious wink.
“The way I see it, you’ve got nothing to complain about. You’ve got a hot man who flew here to see you, spent the day with you and your daughter, and will no doubt have you in compromising positions for the rest of the night,” Marie so eloquently stated.
Well, when she puts it that way.
“You don’t hear me complaining; other than about you making me sound like an old prude,” I said with a gratified smirk.
“Oh please, Mr. Hotness had you damn near chained to his bed in Miami, he already knows you’re a freak,” she asserted.
Though I lived less than twenty minutes from the hotel, I’d never stepped foot inside it before tonight. It was as glitzy on the outside, and as opulent on the inside, as its price-point indicated. Garland occupied one of its suites; which was probably larger than my entire condo. Why he always needed so much space for one person, I couldn’t fathom.
I wandered over to the large windows to look out onto the night, admiring the city lights from a view that I’d never before seen them. It’s amazing how you could live somewhere your entire life, yet never really see or explore it in its entirety. I watched Garland’s reflection through the glass as he returned from the bedroom, wearing nothing but his slacks, and ogled his body like a voyeur. If he’d been going for enticement, it was a job well done.
Turning to him, I gave a whistle of appreciation. “If I had any dollars handy, I’d throw them,” I said with a leer.
