by Lacey Black
I just pray I’m strong enough to resist it so that I don’t get burned.
* * *
“Cannonball!” Ryan exclaims moments before a tsunami of waves splash angrily onto the pool deck where I’m lying.
“Ryan!” My hollers go unheard over the sounds of my dad and son’s squeals of joy. As angry as I try to be at the move, I have to admit that the water feels amazing against my sun kissed skin.
“Laugh now, Misters, but I’ll have the last laugh when you’re eating peanut butter and jelly tonight while I’m eating my steak off the grill,” I quip, trying to hide my grin.
“Let’s not splash your mother again, Ry. I’ve been looking forward to that steak all afternoon,” my dad says. The grin he offers me says he probably wasn’t an innocent bystander in the quest to drown me.
Deciding to take a quick dip in the pool before I light up the grill, I stand up and remove my ear buds. I had been listening to a steamy romance novel by one of my favorite authors; a luxury I only indulge in when I have my dad here to watch Ryan in the pool. My cell phone on the table next to me signals an incoming text message.
Unknown number.
Reid: If I were a betting man, I’d wager a bet that you probably didn’t add my number into your phone. So, this is just a reminder to add me. Reid
Is it wrong that my heart skipped a little beat when I read his message?
Me: I have no doubts that you are a betting man. Anyone in your line of work must be.
Reid: Did I win the bet?
Me: Yes. I’m adding you now.
Reid: Ha!
After a few seconds, another text comes through.
Reid: What are you doing today?
Instead of replying with words, I snap a quick picture of our son swimming in the pool. He’s laughing at something my dad said, head thrown back as he treads water. It’s a great picture. Before I can talk myself out of it, I hit send. It takes several minutes before I get a reply.
Reid:
Me: You?
A few moments later, a photo arrives of Reid’s desk. Several file folders litter his workspace in an organized fashion. Reid is definitely someone who likes organization. Control.
Me: On a Sunday?
Reid: Every day.
Before I can reply, he sends me another message.
Reid: Enjoy the afternoon. I’ll see you Tuesday.
Me: You too. Do you know where I’m meeting you yet?
Reid: Later. I’ll text you later.
I can’t help the way my lips curl upward at the thought. Knowing that Reid is going to text me again later only puts a little pep in my step as I make my way towards the water. It actually ticks me off a little that I’m reacting to him this way. I have no business getting excited about the prospect of talking to him. No business smiling at the idea of having dinner with him Tuesday night. No. What I need to do is steel myself against his intoxicating eyes and his lush lips. I need to focus on Ryan and determining if a relationship with Reid is possible.
Slipping into the pool, I let the cool water wash over me as I dip my head below the water. I’ve always loved swimming, and am thankful that Ryan has acquired my love for the water. He swims like a fish thanks to the extensive training he went through a few summers ago.
“A penny for your thoughts?” my dad asks as he walks over to where I’m floating at the far end of the pool.
I exhale deeply as I gaze up into his matching blue eyes. “Oh, Dad, I wish I knew where to begin.”
“Does this have anything to do with the young man who was here the other night?”
I shouldn’t be surprised that my dad is aware of Reid’s visit, but I am. Trysta wasn’t here and I have yet to mention it to her because of her work schedule, so there’s only one way he could have found out.
“What did he say?” I ask as casually as possible.
“Just that a man named Mr. Hunter was here and also in your classroom. He said he was tall. Like Batman,” Dad says with a chuckle. Only the mention of Ryan’s favorite superhero isn’t lost on me.
I look over my shoulder and watch Ryan. He’s walking around the outer edge of the pool where it’s a bit more shallow and he’s able to touch better. “Mr. Hunter is Reid Hunter, Dad. I met him a long time ago.”
“Does he have anything to do with that boy over there,” he asks directly.
Turning to look back at the man who raised me, I answer him honestly. “Yes. How did you know?”
“Dani, I’ve always been able to read you like an open book. Your sister? Now she gave me more sleepless nights than I care to recount, but you? You wear your emotions on your sleeve. Always have. I could always tell when you were hiding something because your face gave it away.”
Good to know. I always wondered how my dad knew that I was the guilty party when I was growing up. I guess I never really thought that I wore my feelings like a favorite t-shirt.
“I’m meeting him for dinner on Tuesday to discuss what happens next.”
“I take it he didn’t know about you know who?” Dad asks as we continue to have our conversation at a whisper.
“No. I didn’t know how to reach him,” I confess. I wonder if my mortification at having this conversation with my dad is written clearly on my face right now.
“So, he wants to be involved?” Dad asks as he floats next to me, both of us watching Ryan play.
“That’s what we’re trying to determine. Reid says he never wanted kids, but he can’t seem to walk away from Ryan. I’m afraid he’s going to worm his way into our lives and then change his mind.”
“Well, he wouldn’t be the first man–or woman–who decides they’re not cut out for parenthood,” my dad says without looking at me, but I know instantly that he’s thinking about my mother. A woman who decided she didn’t want to be a mom anymore.
“I know, and that terrifies me. I don’t want that for Ryan.”
“You can’t control it, Dani. Because if he is who you say he is, then he has the right to be a part of that boy’s life.”
“And I want that, Dad, really. But I can’t fathom the thought of him seeing Ryan, spending time with him, making Ryan fall in love with him, and then walking away.” The thought makes me sick to my stomach.
“Again, that’s out of your control. Right now, the only thing you need to concern yourself with is getting to know Reid and making sure you both are on the same page where Ryan is concerned.” My dad has a way of speaking right to the heart of me. I’ve always been close with my dad, but when it comes to matters pertaining to Reid, I’ve always chosen to have those conversations with Trysta.
“Thank you, Dad,” I tell him as I wrap my wet arms around him and kiss his aged cheek.
Swimming over towards Ryan, I give him a playful splash and get ready to dunk him. I never do it without giving him a look or the opportunity to prepare himself. There’s nothing worse than being dunked unexpectedly, coming up spitting and coughing up pool water, chlorine burning your nose and lungs.
“Hey, Mom,” he says as he comes up from the dunk. “I guess you owed me that one, huh?” he says with a big, toothy grin. It melts my heart instantly.
“Yeah, I owed you that one. I’m going to run up and start the grill, okay?”
“Okay,” Ryan says, as he takes off towards my dad, no doubt hell bent on dunking his grandpa.
I watch as he swims gracefully towards my father, splashing and playing the entire way. His happiness is contagious, electrifying. I fear that I’m about to put more on him than his young mind can handle. What if he doesn’t accept Reid? What if he becomes angry with me for hiding his father’s identity from him? What if they don’t get along?
But what if they do?
What if Ryan and Reid form an indestructible bond that carries him through the rest of his life?
What if he finally has everything I’ve ever wanted for him.
I’d be a fool not to try to give him that life. If making nice with Reid and working out a mutual a
greement for the sake of our son is what I have to do, so be it. I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure my son’s happiness.
Chapter Ten – Dinner For Two
Reid
Tuesday. I’ve thought of nothing but tonight all damn day. I half listened in the meeting this afternoon with the owner of a singular casino on the outskirts of the Vegas Strip. It isn’t my choice of property to consider, but Jon seems to think it’s a great opportunity. Thankfully, he caught on to my lack of focal ability and led the meeting with grace. Fuck, that never happens. I never let someone else take over my meetings. I never need help in running my company. It’s my company for a reason.
That was before Dani Whitley worked her way back into the forefront of my mind. I’ve been held hostage by the memory of those crystal blue eyes since the moment she walked into my office a week ago.
“Do you need anything before I go, Mr. Hunter?” Carly asks from my office door.
“You can call me Reid, you know. It’s after five. And, no, thank you. Did you make the reservations that I requested?” I ask.
“Yes, of course. Dinner for two tonight at The Garden,” she replies with a knowing smile. “Seems a little more laid back than your normal requests for reservations,” she adds with a wider smile.
Carly knows me pretty well, but I’m sure she is way off on this one. She expects me to be dining with a plastic Barbie doll primped to perfection in designer clothes. She has no clue that my date this evening is a schoolteacher or why I chose this particular restaurant. Besides being much smaller and casual, The Garden is known for its relaxed atmosphere where you’re allowed to hold private conversations without fearing that those around you can hear and listen in.
“It’s not a date,” I tell her, more trying to speak the words out loud as a firm reminder to myself.
“Whatever you say. If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head out. Blake is supposed to be home tonight following a week in Atlanta,” she says with a bright smile.
“Go. I’m about finished here,” I tell her firmly.
“Goodnight, Mr. Hunter,” she adds moments before slipping out of my office. I listen as Carly shuffles around her office, removing her purse from her desk drawer before making her way towards the bank of elevators. When the door shuts, I’m bathed in silence once again.
Glancing at the clock on my desk, I realize it’s already five-thirty. That only gives me less than an hour to freshen up, change clothes, and get to the restaurant. After flipping off the lights in my office, I slip inside my private elevator, which whisks me up to the apartment above my office. On the ride up, I recall Dani’s heated text exchanges from last night when I told her that I would be picking her up at quarter after. She insisted multiple times that it wasn’t a date, therefore demanding that she meet me at the restaurant.
I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I slip into the bathroom for a quick shower, which in itself is a telltale sign of how this girl affects me. Dani is the only woman who has ever caused this sort of reaction. Sure, plenty of women have caused blood to flow quickly below my belt, but none cause it to stay there for long periods of time without any relief in sight. And don’t get me started on how my heartbeat quickens whenever I think of her. For a coldblooded, heartless bastard, that reaction is the one that terrifies me the most.
Hopping in the Aston Martin, I speed off towards The Garden. Traffic is heavy for a Tuesday night so it takes me longer to get there than I planned. I usually have Steven drive me to dinner meetings, but this isn’t a typical dinner meeting. The last thing I want is to undergo one of his famous inquisitions on the ride home. Especially when I’m not sure I’ll know the answers.
I’m surprisingly nervous when I pull into the parking lot next to the restaurant. That’s the first clue that this isn’t a normal business deal. This is my life. This is something that I never wanted. This is brand new, uncharted territory and I have not one fucking clue how to navigate it. Wiping my palms on my thighs, I lock up my car and head towards the front of the restaurant.
Inside, the place is lively for a Tuesday evening. A nicely dressed hostess stands at a wooden stand just off to the right. My eyes bypass her long, curly blond hair and are instantly drawn to the inches of cleavage bursting forth from the top of her white button down shirt. Red, plump lips smile widely over straight, white teeth as she takes in my khaki pants and blue button-up. When she licks her lips, I can practically hear the unspoken offer. Unfortunately for her, an appreciative eyeful is all I have to offer this evening as I think about the woman who is about to meet me here any moment.
“Good evening. May I help you?” she offers suggestively, again with that fuck-me smile. I’d be a lying ass if I said this was the first time I was practically propositioned for something dirty with a beautiful stranger. Fuck, it wasn’t that long ago that I would have taken Miss Perky Tits into a backroom somewhere and fucked her senseless.
Not tonight. Tonight, I have other plans.
“I’m meeting someone here. Reservation under Hunter,” I say politely but with a disconnected tone.
“Oh, yes, Mr. Hunter. We have your table ready for you. Follow me,” she offers as she steps into the dining room.
Activity and laughter fills the small space. The lighting isn’t bright, but it doesn’t have that romantic, low glow either. It perfectly matches the cream and burgundy décor and dark walnut woodwork.
As the hostess, with a little extra swing in her hips, leads me towards the table in back, I realize that my dinner companion is already seated. Dani sits in a chair with her back to me, staring out the glass window. The sun is still high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the glass buildings in the background and the dog park just off to the right. But the way the sun reflects off of Dani’s hair is the most breathtaking sight of all. I steal several unabolished moments of categorizing her beautiful features. I’d memorized them that night years ago while she slept naked against my skin, wrapped up in the sleeping bag. Those memories have kept me company many nights since then.
“Is there anything else you need, Mr. Hunter?” the hostess asks with a smile. Dani turns and faces me. She’s stunning in her plain black maxi dress with black flats.
“No, thank you,” I offer without looking away from the woman sitting before me.
I ignore the hostess as I slip into my chair. “Sorry I’m late,” I tell Dani as I grab the menu. “Traffic was heavier than expected.”
“It’s okay. I was only waiting a few minutes,” she says politely. Still I can’t pull my eyes away from her.
After ordering glasses of red wine, we both sit in uncomfortable silence. Not knowing how in the hell to start this conversation, I opt to study Dani as she twists her wine glass between her fingers. Her nails are trimmed neatly with not a drop of polish on them. I watch her fingers spin the delicate glass; my mind instantly going back to the night where those fingers caused so much pleasure. Fuck, what I wouldn’t do to get lost in her touch once more.
Adjusting my rapidly growing erection and shaking my head to eradicate those dirty images that have no business planting in my mind, I decide to get down to the reason we’re here. “I know you don’t know me, Dani. I know you’re taking a huge leap of faith in me, and I appreciate that. I can’t promise you that I won’t mess up. I can’t promise you that I won’t say something that I shouldn’t or do something that is wrong. I can’t promise you that I won’t piss you off, probably more than once. But I want to try, Dani. I want to try for you and for Ryan.”
I take another deep breath before continuing. “This is one of the only times in my life I feel truly out of control and I fucking hate it. Sorry,” I mumble and give her a sheepish grin. She rewards me with another smile as she waves her hand as if to excuse my foul language. “I’m always in control. It’s my job to maintain every ounce of control I possess. It’s what makes me good at what I do. But this? This makes me feel reckless. I have no clue what’s about to happen and that doesn’t sit well wi
th me,” I confess.
Amazing how much lighter I feel saying those things out loud. It’s as if saying them relieves me of the burden I’ve felt carrying around the weight of my stress. No, not stress. Stress I can handle. I handle it every day, and damn well. This? This is something different. Something fearful on the verge of chaos, and it terrifies me.
“Reid, I have no idea what happens next. I’m scared that you’re going to worm your way into our lives and then leave when you realize this isn’t the life you want. You’ve said it yourself that you don’t want this life. I’m terrified that you’re going to walk away and leave me with the mess of a little boy with a broken heart.”
“What if I promise you not to walk away?” I ask instantaneously, without thinking at all. It’s the first thing that comes to mind.
“You can’t promise that,” she says.
“I can. I can’t promise you a lot of things, but I can promise you that. I won’t abandon him, Dani. I don’t know how, but that little boy has already burrowed his way into my life. I knew it the moment I saw him standing next to me in your classroom that from that moment on, nothing would ever be the same. I want to be his father. I won’t–no, I can’t walk away. That I promise,” I tell her, sucking in greedy gulps of air while my heartbeat races a rapid pace in my chest.
I can see her heartbeat in the pulse point in her neck. Hers is beating a hundred miles a minute like mine. The steady beat reminds me of that night. I long to lean forward and trace that point, down to her collarbone, with my tongue. My cock drums heavily in my pants, a sign that it agrees wholeheartedly with my big head.
“Okay,” Dani whispers. That one word of agreement sealing my fate forever. “When do we tell him?” she asks, her light blue eyes burning holes into me.
“As soon as possible,” I say. I don’t want to wait. I’ve missed seven, almost eight years of Ryan’s life and I’m not about to let any more time slip by.
“What about this weekend? You can come over for a cookout and we can tell him then,” she says with a nervous look.
“Perfect. I’ll clear my schedule for the entire weekend,” I say without so much as batting an eye. I never clear my schedule. I can almost see Carly’s shocked reaction in my mind when I tell her.
