by Kennedy Fox
“Hate to break it to ya, sweetheart. Jackson and I are identical down to the same birthmarks.”
“That’s creepy.” I laugh. “You two can barely stand each other.”
“Yep. Ironically enough, we get along when we’re out drinking, and somehow his dumb ideas sound like good ones.”
“The start to every country song ever.” I laugh, loving this softer side of John. He’s so easy to talk to that I could spend hours with him without even realizing the time.
“You don’t have any tattoos or birthmarks?” he asks.
“Nope. I knew that I wanted to be a teacher and figured any tattoos would need to be hidden and nothing stuck out enough to get it inked on my body. Maybe someday, though.”
“What would you get? And where?”
“Well, as weird as it sounds, I’ve thought about getting the shape of Texas because I spent many summers here when I was a kid, and it always felt like my second home. But I could never decide how I wanted it to look. Plain with just the outline or with an image inside. However, now…it might just represent something else.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, Jackson’s really had an effect on me—”
John covers his body over mine, pinning my wrists to the bed as he covers his mouth with mine and steals my breath. I chuckle against his lips, knowing he purposely kept me from finishing that sentence.
“Time for me to look for the perfect spot for a tattoo.” He leans back, grabbing my thigh and wiggling his way between my legs. “I bet I can find just the right place.” He makes his way down my body, feathering kisses between my breasts, down my stomach, and landing on my clit. My knees bend and my legs rest on his shoulders as his mouth explores, working me back to the edge.
Once his lips are coated in my juices, he grips my hips and tells me to flip over. Looking over my shoulder at him, I’m shocked to see he’s hard and ready to go again. What’s even more shocking is how badly I want him to fuck me over and over.
My sex life up to this very point had been nearly nonexistent, pathetic, and admittedly sad. Twice in one night was unheard of until John Bishop bends me over and slides inside me, fitting us together like we were always meant to be. His large hands hold me in place as he thrusts in and out; the sounds of our heavy breathing and skin slapping together echo throughout the room.
I fist the blankets and arch my ass up as he brings me to a level I’ve never been to before. My entire body stiffens and shakes as I tighten around him and cry out a moan. The intensity of it all has me rocking back and forth against him, wanting him to experience the exact same thing he just made me feel.
The sound of a hand cracking against my ass has my eyes widening in surprise. John leans forward until his palm wraps around my breast, and he’s thrusting deeper than before. His lips press against my ear before he’s whispering all the ways he wants to make me come.
And then like that, I die and go to heaven.
Somehow, he pulls our bodies up while we’re still connected and drives fast inside me. John wraps his arms around my waist, holding us in place as his hand slides between my legs and circles my clit until I’m begging for relief.
“John, please,” I whimper. “I can’t take anymore.” My head falls back on his chest, in disbelief that he’s managed to work me up again within the short time span.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he tells me seductively. “Play with your tits, baby. Let me see how you get your nipples hard.”
Oh my God.
His low, gravelly voice nearly has me unraveling on the spot. I palm my breasts for him as his lips press against my neck. Knowing he’s watching makes me eager to please him, and when his body tightens, I know he’s close too. The buildup is intense, and within moments, it overtakes both of us.
John holds me as we ride it out together, and I love hearing his groans in my ear as he comes undone. It’s the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard, and if I could, I’d have it on repeat all day long.
We collapse on the bed, panting and sweaty. Neither of us talks as we catch our breaths, and when the bed dips, I know John’s left to clean up again. He returns a minute later, and once I’m clean, he takes me into his arms and kisses my lips softly until we both drift off to sleep.
If there was a magazine called Sexy Single Dads and they needed a cover model, John Bishop would be their first pick.
Or at least he’s my first pick—my thoughts are consumed with him from the very moment I wake up in his bed, surrounded by the scent of him. The other side of the bed is cold, so I put one of his shirts on and go in search of him.
And the view that has me thinking he should be a magazine cover model is the moment I find him in the kitchen at the stove, wearing only his boxers as he cooks. There’s already a fresh pot of coffee made, and the smell of sausage has me smiling. Now this is what dreams are made of.
“If this is what waking up in your bed entails, sign me up for the premium package.” I walk toward him, and when he looks at me over his shoulder, he flashes a crooked smile. It matches my own, and I know the memory of last night is still fresh in our minds.
Hell, it’ll be the only thing I think about until I die.
“You got the exclusive package, baby.” He winks.
I laugh, and when he leans down, I kiss his perfect lips. “So what are you making over here? It smells delicious.”
“My famous triple berry pancakes and maple sausage. I only make it on super special occasions.”
“Really? Well, considering you have Maize, I’m going to guess it wasn’t giving away your virginity.”
“There’s that sassy mouth I adore so much.”
“What? You think it was just for show?” I tease, walking to the fridge for some juice.
“Well, now that I know what it’s capable of, I’ll never doubt it again,” he muses, flipping the pancakes over.
“Want some OJ?” I ask, pouring myself a glass.
Before he can answer, the doorbell rings, making both of us jump and look toward the front of the house.
“I’ll get that.”
John turns the stove off, then sets the spatula down. “Hold up,” he tells me. “Not in that, you aren’t.”
I look down and realize I’m not wearing pants. Rolling my eyes, I cave. “Fine. It’s probably Jackson anyway ‘checking in’ on us,” I say with a laugh.
“That’s just another reason why you shouldn’t.” He steps to walk past me but then stops and presses a quick kiss on my lips. “Wait here.”
Once he’s out of the kitchen, I tiptoe to the hallway, so I can peek and see who it is. John opens the door but towers over my view.
“I’m looking for John Bishop.” I hear a man’s voice, but it’s not a friendly one, which has my heart racing.
“That’s me. Who are you?”
There’s a beat of silence before the guy speaks again. “You’ve been served. Have a good day.”
John stands frozen in the doorway, and I wait until the guy steps off the porch before going to him and finding out what that was all about.
“What is it?” I ask as John shuts the door. His face is pale and looks like he just saw a ghost.
“I’m not sure. Just says the law firm it’s from on the front.”
I can sense John’s confusion and worry, so I do my best to show him my support. He turns over the envelope, rips it open, then slides the papers out. I wait as he scans it over and within seconds, his features tighten, his eyes narrow, and his lips transform into a firm line.
“Son of a bitch,” he mutters as his eyes continue to scan the documents.
“John, what is it?” I anxiously ask.
“Fucking unbelievable.” He shakes his head, turning the pages and reading every word. “The Kensingtons are fighting for custody of Maize.”
My eyes nearly bug out of my head from shock, and I’m taken aback. “What? How can they do that?”
“I have no goddamn clue, but whoever they hired is a fucking idiot,
I can already tell that much. They’re trying to claim I’m an unfit father for their deceased daughter’s child and want to override my rights by objecting to the birth certificate that claims I’m Maize’s father.”
“Well can’t you just prove you are with a blood test?” I ask stupidly because I feel so helpless right now. I can see how upset John is, and it breaks my heart this is happening right now.
“Of course, but it’s not that simple.” He flips to another page. “They’ll dig into everything about my life and family’s lives and then take whatever they can out of context to demonstrate their case. The fact they have money means they’ll do whatever it takes to find what they need.”
“John…” I whisper, placing my hand on his arm. “It’s just a scare tactic. They have no real case, and a judge would see that right away and throw it out. You’re Maize’s father whether they like it or not.”
“Well, consider me scared, Mila. In case you haven’t realized, I’m not living on a gold mine here. I don’t have the money to hire a big city lawyer like they do. I don’t expect you to understand.”
He walks away before I can fully process what he just said. I can’t believe this turned around so quick, and suddenly, it feels like I’m the one on trial here.
Chapter Twenty-Four
JOHN
I can’t fucking believe this.
One minute, I’m on top of the world, and the next, it’s crumbling to ashes.
The Kensingtons have unlimited money to do God knows what with, and even if what they’re doing is just to scare the shit out of me, it’s working.
I rush to my room and get dressed. Mila stays quiet, and I feel awful for snapping at her, but my head isn’t straight right now. Grabbing my keys and phone from the kitchen, I leave and walk outside. I can’t be in the house right now because I’m afraid Mila will see a side of me I try so hard to keep hidden. It rarely comes to surface until something dramatic happens that really sets me off.
I hop in my truck and drive to my parents’ house. I need to see Maize and bring her back home, but I also need to talk to them about what this means.
Gravel kicks up from my tires as I make my way down the driveway, and when I park, I jog into the house and immediately hear Mama singing in the kitchen.
“John! You scared me. I didn’t expect you here so early.”
I go right toward Maize who’s in a high chair and attempt to take her out. “How do you unbuckle this thing?”
“What’s the matter? She hasn’t eaten yet.”
“I just need to hold her, Mama. Can you take her out for me, please?”
She studies my face and notices my expression. Pulling the tray off and unbuckling the straps, she frees Maize and hands her to me.
“Hey, baby girl,” I say, kissing her cheek, and her smile brightens the room. “Did you have fun at Grandma’s?”
“She absolutely did,” Mama answers for her. She gives us a minute and then adds, “So you want to tell me what the heck is goin’ on?”
“Where’s Dad? I need him.” I hand Maize to her, so she can strap her back in the chair.
“He’s in his office,” she tells me, and I immediately rush down the hallway to find him.
“Hey, Dad,” I say, walking in without knocking. “Have a minute?”
“Sure, son. What’s goin’ on?” he asks, taking off his glasses.
I hand him the envelope and give him time to look it over. He’s not an easy man to read, but within seconds, his eyes narrow and features tighten at the realization of what the document is.
“Who the hell are the Kensingtons?” He looks up from the papers with a scowl.
“Bailey’s parents and Maize’s biological grandparents.”
“Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
I take a seat in the chair and rest my elbows on my knees. “They stopped at the B&B a couple of weeks ago and tried to offer me money for Maize. I told them to fuck off and to get off the property. They weren’t too happy about that,” I admit.
“I assume not.” He sets the envelope down on the desk. “And now they’re trying to get custody.”
“They want to make me look like an unfit father to terminate my rights, and they have the money to do it, Dad. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I emptied most of my savings out when I had to make repairs to the house last year. The rest went to bills and getting Maize everything she needed.”
“You know we have a lawyer on retainer, John.”
“Yeah, but not for this kind of stuff. I need a family lawyer or someone good with custody cases.”
“Okay then.” He slides open a drawer and takes out a checkbook.
“Dad, no. I didn’t come here to ask for money,” I protest. “I’ll never be able to pay it back.”
“Never said I wanted you to.” He signs the check before handing it over to me. It’s blank. “Hire the best guy you can find and do whatever it takes.”
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this, Dad. Seriously.”
“Maize’s family, John. I don’t care how she came into this family; she’s ours, and we take care of our own.”
“I know, Dad.” The corner of my lips tilts up just the slightest as my emotions threaten to spill over. “Thank you.”
Folding the check, I tuck it into my back pocket before grabbing the envelope and heading out to the kitchen where Mama is feeding Maize.
“Everything okay?” She looks up at me and studies my face.
Taking a seat at the table, I scrub my hands over my face and exhale. “Yeah. I hope so.”
Knowing Mama, she isn’t going to let me leave without telling her, so I explain the situation and bring her up to speed. By the time I’m done, she’s a boiling pot ready to explode.
“You get a lawyer, I don’t care how much it costs, and you fight. Ya hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am. I plan to.” I give her a reassuring smile.
“So?” she says after a moment.
“So what?” I ask.
“How’d your date with Mila go last night? Ya know before all this happened.” She unbuckles Maize and hands her over to me, then cleans her face and hands. “Spare me any details I don’t need to hear.”
“Oh my God.” I groan, squeezing my eyes shut.
“What? You think I’m a prude or something? You’re aware you’re holding your baby right now. Pretty sure Jackson’s killed any shock factor out of my body anyway.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. I figure I can give her the PG version. “It went really well. We got the chance to really talk and be open about our feelings. I took her horseback riding—”
“And then I caught them doin’ the nasty in the barn.”
If Maize wasn’t on my lap right now, I’d get up and smack Jackson upside the head.
“Where the heck did you come from?” Mama asks, shocked.
“Dad called me in,” he explains, and when he comes closer, that well-known shit-eating grin is plastered on his face. At this point, it might as well be permanent.
“He’s in his office. So go away,” I remark, hoping if I ignore him he’ll actually do what I ask.
No such luck.
“Let me kiss my niece first,” Jackson insists. “Pretty grumpy for a guy who got laid last night.”
“Jackson Joel Bishop!” Mama scolds. “Where are your manners?”
“Probably the same place where John’s dignity is hiding,” he taunts, laughing.
“You’re lucky Maize’s between us right now,” I warn.
“Go find your father before I beat some respect into you with a wooden spoon. I don’t care how old you are, I’ll whack you one.” Mama’s scowl is on point, and if Jackson wasn’t so used to working her up, I’d actually be worried for him.
“Dang. No one knows how to take a joke this mornin’.” He hands Maize back to me and turns to walk down the hall.
“You know he purposely gets you worked up, Mama.”
“Of course I do.�
� She smiles as if she hadn’t just threatened Jackson. “He’s been the wild child ever since he pushed you out of the way to come out first.” She laughs, and the image alone has me cringing. I could’ve gone without hearing that information.
“Alright so…”
“I told you. We went horseback riding. Then we looked at the stars and talked. Oh, and we made s’mores.”
“Is that code for somethin’? I told you to skip those parts.”
“Oh my God, Mama. No.” I laugh, bouncing Maize on my leg. “Then I kissed her goodnight, and we went back to our respectable rooms for the night.”
“Mm-hmm.” She purses her lips, knowing better. “Well, just make sure the next time you have a baby, you better be married.”
“Next time?” I shake my head. “I don’t even have a good hang of it as it is.”
“That comes with time, darling. And age. You think I had the slightest clue what I was doing with Evan? He cried nonstop, and the second he learned to walk, he was into everything. Couple of years later, you and Jackson surprised your father and me. We had three boys under the age of four.”
I never thought of it like that or how close in age we all were. “How did you do it?”
“Brandy,” she blurts out.
“You drank Brandy?” I ask in disbelief. Mama hates that shit.
“No, I stuck my finger in it and then rubbed it on your gums.”
“Mama!” I laugh, shaking my head at her confession.
“Helped y’all sleep like babies.”
“That’s mildly disturbing,” I tease.
“Yeah, well, they didn’t have all that fancy stuff they do now with their pills and medicine. Y’all teething was a nightmare, and I had to do something when the cold washcloth trick didn’t work.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t hold it against you,” I mock.
Maize starts to get antsy, so I stand and try walking around to calm her. “I better get her home.”
“Wait.” Mama stops me. “I’m glad you and Mila had a chance to talk. Don’t let what happened this morning ruin what you two have, alright? Let her be there for you and don’t push her away just because you’re scared. If she ends up going back to Georgia, you don’t want to have any regrets on how you handled everything.”
