by Ash, Nikki
“I hate that I missed it all,” Keegan says, taking my hand in his and walking us over to the couch. Since Sierra is working, we have the place to ourselves.
We sit close together, our bodies right up against one another, and it feels comfortable, natural, almost as if no time has passed. “I hate that you missed it all,” I tell him back. “I have tons of photo albums and videos I can show you one day.”
“I would love that,” he says, his thumb massaging circles into the sensitive spot between my thumb and pointer finger. I glance down and watch for a few seconds. When my eyes lift, our gazes lock, and I swipe my tongue along my bottom lip, suddenly nervous. His eyes flicker to my wet lips, and I take in a deep breath, wondering if he’s going to kiss me.
I don’t have to wonder for long, because the next second, Keegan leans in and our mouths connect. And for several long seconds, we stay like this—his strong lips brushing against my soft ones. I don’t realize how nervous I truly was, until I release a hard exhale and a soft moan escapes my lips. Keegan takes it as his cue to deepen the kiss, and his tongue pushes through my lips and into my mouth. His hand leaves mine and comes up to grip the side of my neck, and I move closer, my body sinking into his.
Our mouths tangle, our tongues duel, and before I know what’s happening, Keegan is lifting me into his lap so my legs are straddling his. His mouth leaves mine, and he trails open-mouthed kisses along the column of my neck and down my throat. It’s been so long since I’ve been kissed and touched that my body goes haywire, craving more of Keegan.
As if he knows what I’m thinking, he fists my mane, jerking my head to the side. His lips crash against my neck and he suckles on my overheated flesh. My center grinds down on him, and I can feel his bulge through his pants. Remembering what that bulge is capable of, I grind down harder, my fingers gripping the back of his neck.
“Jesus, fuck,” he murmurs, his lust-filled eyes meeting mine for a second before his lips once again fuse to mine.
And then a raspy sleep-riddled voice speaks out, “Mommy, I’m thirsty,” and I’m being thrown backward and onto the floor. My ass hits the ground, hard, and Keegan jumps to help me up.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” he whispers, pulling me into a standing position. “I heard his voice and…” When he sees my face split into a smile, he breathes. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I laugh at having been almost caught making out with Keegan by our son.
“You kissed Daddy,” Zane says through a giggle, and Keegan snorts out a laugh. Well, I guess we did get caught after all.
“Let’s go get you a drink and then I’ll make you lunch,” I tell Zane, taking the coward’s way out and not acknowledging what he’s said. He’s still half asleep. Hopefully he’ll forget what he saw.
After we eat lunch, and I give Zane a bath to get all the sand off him, we spend the rest of the day hanging out at the house. Keegan doesn’t say he has anywhere else he needs to be, and I don’t ask him. We watch TV shows with Zane, play Legos, and Keegan offers to order dinner in. When it’s time for Zane to go to bed, he insists Keegan read him his book, so I use the time to clean up around the house.
About twenty minutes later, while I’m wiping down the counters, strong arms snake around my waist, and then I’m being lifted onto the counter I just cleaned. “He’s asleep,” Keegan says, just before he brushes his lips against mine softly. He parts my legs and steps between them. “My mom texted and asked if tomorrow would work for you. She said she wants to make lunch and invited Sierra to come as well.”
“Tomorrow is good,” I tell him, running my fingers through his short yet messy hair. “I’m not sure if Sierra has to work, but I’ll let her know.” Moving my hands down to the sides of Keegan’s face, I lean forward to kiss him. He surprises me when he darts his tongue out and licks across my top lip and then my bottom one. My center clenches, my body aching to finish what we started earlier.
“I want you,” I tell him. His response is to bite down on my fleshy lip. “Keegan!” I giggle. “That hurt.”
“I can’t help it,” he murmurs. “You taste so fucking good.” His mouth moves to my neck and he bites down on the flesh just above my pulse point, eliciting a moan from me. I can’t believe we’re here. In my kitchen with Keegan touching me. I fantasized about it so many times, but I never thought it would actually happen.
“I’ve never been addicted to anything, but I imagine this is what it would feel like. To have something you crave and desire and need, and then be forced to give it up cold turkey.” He trails his lips downward, landing on my collarbone. He bites hard, and when I let out a groan, he licks the spot. “Now that I have you back, I just want to devour you. I can’t get enough. One kiss, one touch was all it took, and I’m addicted all over again. Only this time is better.” He lifts his head to look me in the eyes. “This time there’s no end. Neither of us has to leave. I get to indulge in my addiction for the rest of my life.”
“Keegan,” I whisper breathlessly. “You can’t say things like that.” I shake my head. “We just found each other again. You can decide a week or a month from now I’m not what you want.”
“Shh…” he says, kissing me again. “Stop being such a damn pessimist. You are who I want. You want me, too, right?”
I nod.
“Then just let it happen, Jailbird.”
His arms cage me in on either side, and his tongue delves between my parted lips. And I do exactly what he’s asked of me. I let it happen.
I’m lying on the couch, watching a rerun of That ’70s Show when Sierra comes through the door. “Hey, what are you still doing up?” she asks, lifting my feet and plopping down on the other end of the couch.
“Waiting for you.” I pause the show and roll over onto my back so I can look at her. “Keegan and I talked today.”
“Oh yeah?”
“We’re going to give us a try.”
Sierra stares are me for a long moment before she barks out a laugh. “You totally hooked up with him!” She smacks my thigh, and I wince in pain.
“I did not!”
“You did!”
“We only made out!” I argue.
“About time you got some action.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Was he as good of a kisser as you remembered?”
Slowly, I nod up and down several times. “Better.”
Sierra throws her head back with a laugh. “Good for you, B.” She winks.
“He’s picking us up tomorrow morning to go meet his parents. You’re invited.”
“I can do that,” she says. “I don’t work until tomorrow night.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. This is my nephew’s family, which means it’s yours, and what’s yours is mine.”
I sit up and pull my sister into a hug. “Thank you. In case I don’t say it enough. I couldn’t do this without you.”
“Yes, you could,” she says. “But I’m glad to be the one by your side all these years.”
Blakely
“They’re going to think I’m a hussy, aren’t they?” I ask on our way to Keegan’s parents’ house. Kolton laughs, and I turn around and glare at him.
“Jailbird—” Keegan starts, but I cut him off.
“Don’t call me that. They’re going to ask why, and then you’ll have to tell them I was arrested before and they’ll think I’m an unfit parent.”
This time it’s Sierra who laughs.
“Who invited them?” I ask, partially joking, but partially not.
“Umm… you.” Keegan chuckles nervously. “Calm down, babe.” He places his hand on my thigh, and it momentarily calms me down, until it hits me that he called me babe.
“Don’t call me babe. It’s too soon. They’re going to think it’s too soon. You just found out you’re Zane’s dad. They’re going to think I’m trying to trap you.” This time all three of them laugh.
“You guys are all assholes,” I hiss.
“Who’s an asshole, Mommy?” Zane asks, and I gasp.
“Omigod!” I turn around as far as I can in the front seat of Keegan’s truck. The cab is so big, it might as well be a damn SUV. “Zane, we don’t use words like that. Mommy shouldn’t have said that word.”
I lock eyes with Keegan, who’s still shaking with silent laughter. “He’s going to use that word now. He’s going to call someone an a-hole and your parents are going to call child services on me. Turn around. Now.”
“Blakely,” Keegan says slowly. “Nobody is going to think you’re trapping me. There are no rules or a speed limit sign telling us how fast we should go. We’re both adults. We can go as fast or slow as we want. Okay?” His gaze leaves the road for a split second to make eye contact with me.
“Okay.” I nod emphatically, rubbing my palms up and down the tops of my jean-clad thighs.
“Nobody is going to care that you were arrested when you were younger or that our son said a curse word. Trust me when I tell you that my brothers and I were far from perfect. My parents raised three boys. They’ve seen and heard it all.”
“Ain’t that the damn truth,” Kolton adds in agreement.
“Mom will be so happy to have Zane there, she won’t care about anyone else,” Keegan says.
“And add to that Blakely and Sierra.” Kolton snorts. “She always says she wishes she’d had a daughter. Now she’s getting two-for-one.”
“It will be fine,” Keegan says softly, taking my hand in his and weaving our fingers together. “Promise.”
We pull into the driveway of a cute gray and white one-story house. The front porch, which dons several wooden rocking chairs, has a white wraparound railing. And in front of the porch are dozens of multicolored flowers. Everything about it is homey—and nothing like what Sierra and I grew up with.
I love it.
“You ready to meet your grandma and grandpa?” I ask Zane after Sierra takes him out of his car seat and hands him over to me.
“Do they have SpongeBob on their TV?” he asks, dead serious.
“Yeah, bud.” Keegan laughs. “They’ll have SpongeBob.”
The moment we step through the front door, a petite, brown-haired woman, dressed in a cute cardigan and khaki capris comes barreling out from what I assume is the kitchen with a bright smile on her face. Following her is an older version of Keegan—he must be his dad. He has messy brown hair like his sons, but because he’s older, it’s not as thick. He’s wearing a white collared shirt and khaki shorts.
“Come here, sweetheart!” I assume she’s talking about Zane, so I’m shocked when her arms open wide and she wraps herself around my body. “My son has told me so much about you. I’m so happy I get to finally meet you.” She pulls back slightly to assess me. “You’re gorgeous.” She smiles sweetly at me then glances over at Sierra. “You both are.” Barely releasing me, she says to Sierra, “Come here,” and pulls her into our hug. “I hate what happened with you and Keegan. Him losing your number and you girls having to take care of my grandson alone all these years.”
Tears prick my eyes. I wasn’t expecting the warm welcome, and I wonder if she has any idea just how much it means to me. “It’s okay,” I tell her, unsure of what else to say.
“Well, I can promise you that you will never be alone again. You have all of us now. I’m so excited to be a grandma,” she gushes. “Anything you need, you just let me know.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds.”
“Oh no! You call me Larissa, or Mom, whichever.” She winks. “And this here is my other half.” She waves her husband over.
“I’m Paul,” Keegan’s dad says with a friendly smile. He has the same dimples as his sons and grandson. “It’s very nice to meet you.” He looks at Sierra. “Both of you.”
“You too.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Now where is that adorable grandson of mine?” Larissa asks, and Zane giggles.
“I think she means you, bud,” Keegan says.
“I’m right here!” Zane squeals as Keegan tickles his side.
“Oh my word! The picture your daddy showed me didn’t do you justice. You really are a spitting image of your daddy.”
“I look like my uncle Kolton too!” Zane laughs. “He has the same face as my daddy!”
Everyone in the room cracks up laughing at that.
When Kolton showed up this morning with Keegan, Zane was shocked to learn there were two of his daddies. Keegan explained there wasn’t two of him, but that the second one was his twin brother. Zane was hesitant at first, but after Kolton spent some time with him—and totally won him over with the chocolate donuts he brought—Zane came around.
“He does,” Larissa says. She puts her hands out and Zane goes into her arms willingly. “You can call me Grandma and this here is your grandpa.” She points to Paul.
“My friend Melissa has a grandma and grandpa,” Zane says. “She calls them Grammy and Pop Pop. Can I call you that?”
Kolton snorts out a laugh, and Keegan’s parents light up like they’ve just won the lottery. Sierra glances my way, and I can see the tears in her eyes. Zane may not be her son, and these people may not technically be her family, but what’s happening here means as much to her as it does to me. She knows how much I wanted this for my son. To have a real family. Even if our parents had been alive, they never would’ve accepted Zane, and this situation, the way Keegan’s parents are. My father would’ve freaked out that he was conceived out of wedlock, embarrassing him and in turn, our family—even though he had done enough to embarrass himself with his shady dealings. He would’ve probably disowned me, and my mother would’ve followed his lead because she was too scared not to. Most likely, she would’ve snuck over to visit, but she would’ve never let my father know.
“You can call us whatever you’d like,” Paul says, bringing me back to the present.
“Daddy said you have SpongeBob,” Zane says, obviously feeling right at home and ready to get back to the important parts of life.
“It’s a TV show,” Keegan explains to his parents.
“I know who SpongeBob is,” Larissa says, putting her hand on her hip. “I did teach kindergarten.”
“Do you love SpongeBob too?” Zane asks, jumping up and down in excitement.
“I do. But Sandy is my favorite,” she says with a wink. “Why don’t we eat lunch, and then we can figure out how to find SpongeBob for you?”
“Yay!” Zane cheers.
When we walk into their dining room, food is laid out across the table. There are a few different types of sandwiches, potato salad, macaroni salad, a bowl of baked beans, a platter of fruit, and some different kinds of chips.
“This all looks delicious,” I say out loud, as we all find our seats. Keegan sits on the same side as me with Zane in the middle of us. Kolton, Sierra, and Larissa sit across from us, and Paul sits at the head of the table.
Lunch goes smoothly. The guys discuss taking Zane fishing, and Larissa asks if Sierra and I would like to go shopping with her. She wants to buy Zane a few items to have at her house. I listen while everyone converses and laughs. Larissa asks Sierra about her job, and she tells them funny drunken-customer stories. As I eat my lunch, I think about how worried I was for nothing. Keegan’s parents are everything I could ever wish for. My son has grandparents. We have family.
As if he can hear my thoughts, Keegan leans over behind Zane and says, “I told you it would be okay. This is your family now. No matter what happens with us, we’re all going to be your family.”
Blakely
“How was your weekend?” I ask Brenton as we walk to class. When he showed up, like always, to walk to class together, I figured it was best to let whatever happened Friday night go.
“It was all right. How about yours?”
I had a great day on Friday with Keegan and Zane at the park. Then on Saturday with Keegan’s family, having lunch and then going shopping with Larissa while the guys took Zane fishing. Yesterday, I spent the day getting caught up with my schoolwork, while
Keegan hung out with Zane and me all day, but I don’t tell Brenton that. Instead, I shrug and say, “It was good,” hating how strained Brenton’s and my relationship has become. And to top it off, I’m going to have to tell him that Keegan and I are dating now, and I have a feeling that isn’t going to go over too well. But I’d rather him hear it from me than see Keegan and me together.
“I have a Grammy and Pop Pop,” Zane says. I should’ve seen this coming. “I went fishing with my daddy and Uncle Kolton, and Pop Pop and caught a big fish.” Zane’s arms fly out to show how big the fish was, and I laugh at his exaggeration.
“Sounds fun, Z,” Brenton says stiffly.
“Yeah, and Mommy and Daddy kissed! It was like when SpongeBob’s grandma kissed SpongeBob! So yucky!” Zane cackles. “And Daddy dropped Mommy on the floor.” His arm flies across his waist, and he bends over, laughing hysterically. For a second I think how damn adorable my kid is. But then Brenton shoots me a glare, and I draw in my lip to stifle my grin. I should’ve known Zane saw everything. He’s very observant. Keegan and I are definitely going to need to be more careful in the future.
We drop Zane off and haven’t even made it halfway across the quad to our class, when Brenton says, “So, what? You and Keegan are together now? You’re a thing?”
I stop in my tracks, not wanting to have this conversation near the classroom, where I know Kolton will be. “Yes, we are,” I tell him honestly. “And I really don’t want it to affect our friendship.”
“Friendship.” He spits the word out like it’s giving him a bad taste in his mouth. “I thought you weren’t dating. That you were focusing on school and Zane.”
“I am.”
“While you’re dating Keegan.” He hits me with a hard stare, and I have no clue how to make him understand. It’s obvious his feelings are hurt, and I hate that. But at the same time, I don’t see Brenton as anything more than a friend. Even if Keegan weren’t in the picture, I wouldn’t have dated Brenton.
“He asked me to give us a chance and I said okay. I really liked him when I met him at the beach, and I still like him now. I’m sorry if that upsets you, but it’s the truth.”
