“I miss you, too. It’s more than the gala, Dustin. Everyone’s got skeletons in their closet, and we’ve got a ton of issues to work through that we’ll have to learn to accept.” I was honest.
It was true that it wasn’t the gala that bothered us the most. It was the fact that we both had learned something about each other that we expected we would only hear from one another, and not a third party. I didn’t want Dustin to find out that way, and I know he didn’t want me to find out about his daughter that way. We both had a feeling that if we told our secret, the other one would have bolted out the door running. Now we were both in the same room trying to win each other back. We both missed each other, and we both wanted to move past what had happened. Obviously, the ugly truth we learned wasn’t too ugly if we’re both still interested in each other. Maybe it was truly meant to be. I think I could get used to having a little girl running around. Never thought of myself as a stepmom, but who knows. I was already thinking ahead that I was going to marry this man. That should have been telling me something.
“I don’t care that you had a rough past, I care about our future, and what that holds. If I cared about your past, baby, I wouldn’t have run after you at the gala when you left in the first place. I didn’t care what my mother had to say, I just wanted to make sure you were ok.”
Dustin
I had been giving Riley some space again. We had decided we would put the night of the gala behind us, and take things slow. She had made it clear that she wanted time to herself before we would make any official moves. I agreed that maybe we both needed it. Unfortunately, though, things never had moved slowly with us. We were just fast paced. The slowness ended in one day, and then from there on out, Riley and I were together every night, although we had decided not to be intimate for now.
I haven’t spoken with my parents since I pleaded with them not to fire Riley. I’m sure they were shocked when she actually quit after how much I made them promise me they wouldn’t fire her. Good for Riley, though, I guess. Evan hasn’t really spoken to me either, but I haven’t really made an attempt to talk to him.
I’m stoked because Molly will be coming in town in a couple weeks, and Sabrina agreed to let me see her for a day or so. They had some family function that she was flying in to attend. I couldn’t wait to see my sweet baby girl. I really hope that Sabrina and I could keep our cool, though. I didn’t want to risk losing my time with Molly.
I took Riley out on three more dates. We enjoyed getting to know each other now that we both knew our skeletons were out. There was just one person that I needed to clear things up with so I decided to give in, and give Evan a call. I missed hanging out with the guys
“Yo,” Evan answered on the first ring.
“Hey man, what you up to?” I asked him.
I flicked my pen across the room fidgeting with the things around me.
“Not much man. Abby and I are grilling some dinner.” He covered the phone and asked Abby something. “Want to come by?”
Before I could even spit anything else out, I agreed. I needed my friends, and I needed to get out of the damn apartment.
“Yeah, I’ll be right over.” I agreed.
“All right, dude, see you soon.” Evan ended the call.
I wandered into my bedroom, and put on a pair of black basketball shorts and a red sleeveless t-shirt. I hopped in the Mustang and tore off to Evan’s. I half hoped that Riley would be there, but I figured if she was, that Evan would have told me.
I knocked on the door and stood there waiting for an answer. The door unlocked and opened, and there stood Abby.
“Come on in,” she said as she smiled.
I half hugged her and walked inside the apartment. “Nice to see you, Abby.”
“Hey, man, want a brewski?” Evan looked at me from over by the fridge.
“Sure, I could use one.” I plopped down on the couch and kicked off my shoes.
“So, how you been Dustin?” Abby sat across from me on the other couch tossing a beer back.
“I’m all right. Just working and sleeping mostly. How about you guys?”
Abby looked at me and I could tell it was coming. Evan handed me a beer then headed back in the kitchen preparing dinner. “Have you talked to Riley?”
I’ve practically seen her every day. What are they getting at?
“I have.”
She looked surprised, “You guys are ok now?” She dug for more.
“I’m giving her space. We see each other often, but we haven’t slept with one another. Why, is there something I don’t know?” I showed the concern in my expression.
“Miserable.” Evan chipped in. “Want to help me check the grill, man?” Evan asked and cocked his head to the left to signal he wanted me to follow him.
“Yeah, sure.” I got up off the couch and followed him outside as we stood around the grill with our beers in hand.
“Dude, Riley is miserable. She’s tore up about not having a job. She certainly has fallen for you, though. I’m glad things are working out for the both of you”
I looked at him being as honest as I could be. “I tried to help her in that department, but I understand why she left. I’ve been looking for jobs for her, as well. It’s just a shitty economy right now.” I swigged on my beer.
“Maybe you should go up there after dinner, surprise her, and show her how much you care,” Evan suggested as he flipped the steaks on the grill.
“Maybe I will.”
Abby poked her head out of the patio door. “So, Riley just called wanting to come by, is that cool with you, Dustin?”
I looked at Abby and downed the rest of my beer. “Does she know I’m here?”
“Yeah, I told her you were staying for dinner.”
I nodded and agreed it was ok as long as she knew I was there. I didn’t want to shock her if she truly didn’t want to see me. It actually made me happy knowing she still wanted to come over knowing that I was there. Maybe she did miss me. Even though it’s only been a few days since I had seen her last.
I saw Riley walk in wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a green John Deere t-shirt that was skintight. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and propped up on top of her head. She didn’t have any make up on and she looked sexier than ever. I just wanted to go over to her and claim her lips, but didn’t think it would be appropriate in front of Evan and Abby.
She cracked a smile at me and a small wave then hurried next to Abby as if she were nervous to see me.
“Someone has got it bad.” Evan chuckled as he sipped his beer. “Go get me another beer, and talk to her since its obvious you can’t keep your eyes off her.”
I rolled my eyes at him, and headed inside. I walked past the girls, and grabbed two beers out of the fridge. I placed them on the counter and walked up to Riley with my arms wide open. I knew I wanted a hug from her, and I was hoping she wanted one in return. She walked right into my arms, and wrapped her arms around my waist. It felt so good to have her hands on me. I was practically sporting wood already.
I whispered in her ear, “Are you ok, sweetheart?”
She pulled me closer and held me tighter. “I’m ok.” She softly spoke.
I placed my hand behind her head and rubbed at her neck trying to keep her in my arms a little longer as I knew she wanted to be there as much as I did.
“I’ll give you guys some space.” Abby beamed at me then Riley, and turned to walk outside to join Evan with the beer I took out from the fridge.
“I miss being with you, Riley.”
She looked up at me and tugged on my shirt as she leaned up and planted her lips to mine. The feeling was surreal, and she held her stance for a few seconds, which felt like minutes. I kissed her back softly parting her lips as I entered my tongue in her mouth, exploring sweet taste. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and grabbed her by the hips and pulled her up to me as she deepened the kiss. She wrapped her legs around me and her hands around the back of my head and kissed me wildl
y.
I didn’t know whether to take this as a good thing or bad, but I knew I wanted her, and I knew she wanted me, at that point. The sexual tension between us was visible. I loved having her in my arms, and I would do anything to keep her there.
She breathed heavily and continued to kiss me massaging her tongue with mine as I backed against the kitchen wall. We made out like vultures. I wasn’t expecting this right then, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to pass it up.
Just at the absolute wrong moment, my cell phone started going off with a familiar tone that I didn’t really want to hear right then. It was Sabrina.
“Riley, I have to answer this call.” I placed Riley down in front of me and I pulled my cell out of my pocket.
“Hello?”
Riley didn’t look too pleased that I had just answered my cell phone in the midst of what she had been doing to me.
“Riley Miller, who is she?” Sabrina spat in my ear.
I closed my eyes then opened them. I looked at Riley and her innocence, and back at the wall trying to come up with something to say.
“Answer me, Dustin!” She screamed in my ear.
I stepped away from Riley, and headed toward the front door as I let myself out in the hallway, closing the door behind me.
“Sabrina, what is this about? I’m somewhat busy right now. I don’t call Molly for another two hours.” I kicked the post outside in frustration as to where this conversation was going.
“I asked you a fucking question—who is Riley Miller?”
I started to be honest. Right now, it was the honest truth for an answer. “She’s a friend of mine, why?”
“She’s a damn criminal. Like hell, you are going to see Molly in two weeks! I can’t trust who you hang out with and I know she’s more than a friend, Dustin!”
“You listen to me, Sabrina. I have never, ever, put my daughter in harm’s way, or had her around anyone I don’t trust. Take the stick out of your ass right now, if you think that for one second you’re going to revoke my rights from seeing Molly. She’s my daughter, too, and you’re not taking that away from me!”
“Why would I let you be around Molly when you hang out with criminals, and date them, too! First, it was your drug friends, now criminals!”
“Fuck! Sabrina, when are you ever going to stop listening to my parents, and for once in your pathetic life listen to me? I’m so done with this, Sabrina. I’ve never once given you the impression that I can’t take care of my little girl. Why start this bullshit now?”
I kicked the post again this time harder and ran my hand through my hair with the agony this woman gave me was going to put me in an early grave.
“It’s simple, you continue to hang around a criminal, and you can kiss your daughter goodbye!”
She ended the call.
I wanted to throw my phone across the courtyard and break it into small tiny pieces until I realized it’s not worth breaking a two hundred dollar phone over this stupid bitch. How did she find out about Riley? It had to have been my parents, and they must have opened their damn mouths. Why in the hell were they doing this to me? I had never given them a reason that I can’t support or take care of my kid, and now they wanted to mess with me by trying to turn her against me again. I was furious at them, and furious with Sabrina. She had done everything in her power to get me out of her life, and I would not go down without a fight. I loved my daughter way too much to give up now. Molly needed me in her life as much as I needed her.
I turned and saw Riley leaning against the brick. Shit. Did she just hear everything I said to her? Does she know it’s about her?
I walked over to Riley, and was about to throw my arms around her when she stopped me.
“That was your baby momma, wasn’t it? She found out about me, didn’t she?” Riley looked like she was about to cry, but was keeping her cool.
“Don’t worry about Sabrina. It’s not your problem to deal with, its mine. She can’t keep Molly from me.”
“I don’t want to be in the way of you seeing your daughter. I don’t want to be the cause of you having to fight to keep your daughter in your life.”
I lifted her chin up and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. “I want you in my life. I’m telling you don’t worry about Sabrina. I will take care of it. You will never burden me, Riley.”
Ok, I had expected this might happen, but I didn’t expect it to happen so fast. I needed to pay a visit to my parents to put an end to this madness. If they wanted to try to ruin my life, they had another thing coming. I couldn’t believe that they were doing this to me, my own parents. I never imagined that one day my parents would be trying to purposely ruin my life. Didn’t they know that in order to keep their son in their life, they have to accept and like their girlfriend?
I hugged Riley and tried my hardest to reassure her that she was not the problem. Sabrina was my problem, and she wanted to do anything possible to keep me out of her life. It wasn’t going to happen, and I would do anything to make damn sure of it. She could live her life the way she wanted, and be with whatever man she wanted, and you didn’t see me getting upset over it. I knew it would happen the first time we decided we weren’t good for one another. She would move on, and I would leave her alone as long as I was able to see my daughter. I knew living in different states made it more difficult, but I couldn’t do anything about that right now.
Riley was somewhat distant the rest of the night. Evan and Abby were cheery as ever, and tried to get us in better moods, but it simply wasn’t happening for Riley. I could almost see the pain and hurt in her eyes, but I didn’t want her to think that she was the problem even though I knew, in Sabrina’s eyes, she was. I didn’t want her to know the ultimatum Sabrina gave me because I wasn’t going to let it fly. If Sabrina wants every dick and tom in her life without me bitching about it, she would have to let me have Riley in mine. It was that fair and simple. Some way, I would have Molly and Riley in my life no matter what Sabrina had to say.
I needed to get home and away from everyone. I didn’t want Riley to think I was angry with her since I was practically shooting flames out my ass. I needed to get away from people who might get offended. I said my goodbyes and hurried off to the Mustang and tore out of there. I turned my music on to play Buried Alive by Avenged Sevenfold. It blared through my speakers, and I was able to release my anger in a way only music would let me.
** CHAPTER 12 **
Riley
“Riley, don’t worry about him, he’s got some shit going on right now.” Evan tapped my shoulder rubbing it as he stepped past me.
I told Dustin I didn’t want to be the burden to keep him from seeing his little girl. I knew that the conversation he had with Sabrina was about me. I didn’t know the specifics, but I just knew. What else could it have been for him to be that mad that he had to leave?
“It just looks like things aren’t going to work between us, as much as I want them to.” I admitted.
“Ry, seriously, you’re over reacting. Let him tell you that.”
I looked at her puzzled. Maybe she didn’t realize the seriousness of the situation.
“Abby, he’s not going to tell me that. He’s too nice, and I know when I need to back away from a situation.”
“Stop it, Ry! He loves you and you love him, and you’ll make it work.” Abby reminded me.
“I do love him, and I guess I should be more positive.”
We continued the conversation. Evan and Abby thought I should calm down, and not make rash decisions over one phone call. Yet, I know this one phone call is what put him over the edge. He is already worried about his daughter, and it’s because of me. I don’t want this to continue.
I looked at my phone and realized there was a text message from him.
Dustin: ‘I miss you already. Come by tonight I need you.’
Well, for someone who wanted to take things slow, this seemed rather demanding. I wanted so bad to just walk upstairs, and forget I saw it, but I couldn’
t. Maybe he needed a shoulder to cry on. I mean, I didn’t know many men who cry, but this was different—having a relationship with his daughter was at stake. What if the psycho ex was stalking his apartment, and saw me go there? Then it could be all over for him and Molly.
I decided to respond.
Me: ‘I’ll be over shortly…’
Dustin: ‘Can’t wait.’
Seriously, it hadn’t even been two hours, and he was already missing me? I needed to go over there, and tell him we both needed to move on with our lives. It just wasn’t in the cards for us. Who was I kidding? I just can’t do that. Ugh, my mind was swinging in all different directions. But my heart was only going in one.
After taking Cooper for a nice long walk, I headed over to his apartment, disgusted with myself. I knew there was only one thing on my mind, and I was sure it was ending things with him.
He opened the door, and I pounced on him. I shoved him against the wall as I jumped in his arms wrapping my legs around his hips. This is not how I typically acted, but I just couldn’t get enough of this man. I pressed my lips to his, devouring his mouth as I gripped the back of his head. He moaned with my kiss and thrust against my core as he held me tight. He kicked the door shut and began to move me through the apartment, never taking his lips off mine. He backed into his bedroom and onto the bed with me straddling him. Yum, just the way I liked him. I tossed his hands off me and moved my lips down his neck. Admiring the smooth expanse of his chest at my disposal. I scraped my teeth across his nipples and smiled at the groan that I got in return. I continued my quest, licking around the rim of his belly button and following his happy trail. I tugged his basketball shorts down revealing my favorite sight in the world. I sat back enough so that I could wrap my hand around his swollen cock. I watched him shudder as I stroked him in a steady motion, making me drench my panties with passion.
He took my shirt off with one swift move and my bra disappeared a second later. I leaned forward before he could cup my breasts, and swallowed him in one smooth motion. I took him to the back of my throat and swallowed, which allowed me to take even more of him. I moaned at the sensation of being so full of him. I drew my lips up his cock and swirled my tongue around the crown. I drew him to the back of my throat again, I began bobbing up and down savoring the pre-cum I could taste in my mouth. He wrapped his hands in my hair and he started tugging and massaging my scalp at the same time. He wanted me, but I wasn’t done with him yet. I stroked him up and down with my tongue and teeth while I cupped his tight balls in my hand. I slid up his body letting his erection rub against my leg as I went up to his face. I crushed my lips to his, kissing him wildly as he grabbed my breasts and squeezed them. I sat up and quickly slid my yoga pants down along with my thong. I was ready for him, and I could feel the wetness on the insides of my thighs.
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