by C. C. Wood
Robbie nodded and held the doll out to Katie, who snatched it out of his hand and cuddled it close to her chest.
“Robbie, you need to apologize to your sister, okay? I know you just wanted Katie’s attention, but you upset her by taking Tracy.”
The little boy looked at his sister. “I’m sowwy, Katie. I only wanted you to play with me.”
“We can go watch cartoons,” Katie suggested, holding a hand out to her brother.
“Okay.” Robbie took her hand and they went to sit on the floor in front of the television.
I turned to Charles, trying to keep my voice light. “Wow. My sister Leslie’s two kids are about that age. They don’t fight often, but, when they do, it takes more than a quick chat to calm them down.”
He shrugged. “They’re good kids. Robbie likes to irritate his sister, but he usually does it to get her attention.” He gestured for me to follow him. “Mom and Sherri are probably in the kitchen.”
I followed him down a short hall, trying to keep my mind on what was happening here and now rather than freaking out over the fact that I was in love with a man I’d known for a short time. When we entered the kitchen, we interrupted another disagreement, though there was no running or screaming.
“Mom, I know the kids are fighting. As soon as I’m not wrist deep in raw chicken, I’ll go break it up.” A tall, slender woman with hair the same color as Charles’ stood at the counter, putting chicken breasts into a large plastic bag with liquid in the bottom.
“Sherri, by then, one or both of them will be dead or severely injured. Just go. I can’t leave this to sit or it’ll scorch.” I assumed the woman speaking was his mother. She was stirring something on the stove top.
Hearing an argument from Charles’ family that I’d often heard in my own parents’ house helped me to relax and force my anxiety onto the back burner. My personal meltdown would have to come later because, if I didn’t get it together, his mother and sister would think I was crazy.
Both of their heads swiveled when Charles announced, “Too late. There was blood everywhere and severed limbs all over the floor.”
I immediately understood where Charles got his eyes. His mother might be brunette, but her eyes were the same beautiful blue-green color. She also didn’t look old enough to have two children in their thirties. His sister had the same coloring as Charles, but her facial features were different.
“Charlie!” His mother had a wide smile across her face. “Come give me a kiss.”
He moved to comply before turning and waving me over. “Mom, Sherri, this is Yancy Stevens and her daughter, Carolena.”
The nerves I’d been feeling all morning grew until I thought my knees were going to collapse beneath me, but I still managed to walk across the room.
“Hi, Yancy. Call me Karen.” His mom held out her hand. When I took it, she pulled me forward and kissed my cheek. Then she smiled at Carolena. “Hello, Carolena.”
My daughter, who seemed to inherit only a little of my shyness around strangers, stared at her for a moment, then smiled and lifted a hand to wave.
“Hi, Yancy. I’d give you a hug, but I’m afraid my hands are slimy from the chicken. It’s nice to meet you, though.” Sherri also smiled at me.
“It’s nice to meet you both. Thank you for having us.”
They both looked at me and appeared friendly and curious and nothing more. That surprised me. Coop’s mom always regarded me with suspicion and something that resembled jealousy. I’d never felt welcome in his parents’ home.
“Charlie, get Yancy something to drink. Where are you manners?” his mother scolded.
Her words reminded me about the bottle of wine I’d tucked into Carolena’s diaper bag. I juggled the baby and bag until I fished it out.
“I brought a bottle of wine for you, Karen. Charles said you liked white.”
His mother smiled and took the bottle. “Thank you, Yancy. I do enjoy a good glass of white wine after dinner.” She glanced at the label. “I’ve never had this brand before. I can’t wait to try it.”
Her words sounded sincere and I detected no undertone of sarcasm or double meaning. “You’re welcome.”
“Where’s Malcolm?” Charles asked Sherri.
“We ran out of milk. He went to the store almost an hour ago, so I think it’s safe to say he isn’t coming back until it’s time to sit down and eat. I think the kids were driving him nuts too.”
Carolena started squirming in my arms, obviously wanting to get down on the floor and explore the house. I wasn’t comfortable letting her wander around the kitchen while Sherri and Karen were cooking, so I tried to distract her with a toy from her diaper bag.
Charles, of course, noticed. Over the last few weeks, I realized that he seemed to notice little things quickly. Not only did he see them, he did something about it.
“Why don’t we take Lena into the living room so she can play with Robbie and Katie?” he suggested, holding his hands out for my daughter. She went easily into his arms.
When I glanced at Karen, there was a soft look in her eyes. It was that look that made me gather my courage and ask, “Do you need some help with dinner, Karen? It looks like the two of you have your hands full.”
Mother and daughter exchanged a look, saying a lot without using a word. Karen looked back at me, smiling broadly, “Sure. You can make the salad.”
“Do you mind keeping an eye on Carolena?” I asked Charles.
He shook his head, his eyes bright with an emotion I didn’t recognize. “No problem.” He looked at his mom and sister. “Go easy, you two. Yancy’s shy.”
With those two words, he left the room with Carolena, who smiled happily and waved good-bye. Sherri finished putting the chicken into the plastic bag, closing it, giving it a shake, and setting it on a plate in the fridge.
As she washed her hands, she said, “Charles has told us a lot about you, Yancy. I’m glad you came for Sunday dinner.”
Unsure of what to say, I went with, “Me, too.”
Sherri went back to the fridge and began pulling out lettuce and assorted vegetables for a salad. She set them on the counter next to a large cutting board. Digging in a drawer, she withdrew a large chef’s knife and set it on the counter as well.
As I began to chop green onions, Karen asked, “You met Charles through work?”
“Yes. I’m a project manager also. I’m afraid we didn’t get off to a very good start, but we worked it out.”
“How long have you been dating?”
“A little over a month.”
Karen and Sherri exchanged another look.
“Um, is something wrong?”
Karen shook her head, smiling slightly. “No, darlin’. It’s just that Charles hasn’t brought a woman to Sunday dinner in two years and, even then, they’d been dating for over six months.”
My eyes widened and I felt warmth suffuse my entire body. “Really?”
Nodding, Karen came over and placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “I’ve never seen my son look at a woman the way he looks at you, Yancy. You must be very special to him.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I nodded. Karen and Sherri returned to what they were doing, acting as though nothing had happened, but I felt as if the floor was shaking beneath my feet. Charles told me it had been a while since he was in a relationship, but I hadn’t realized he meant years. We hadn’t talked much about his past relationships because I knew he would probably ask questions about my marriage and I hated talking about the mistakes I’d made and how I let Cooper fool me for so long.
The conversation shifted to children. Sherri asked me how old Carolena was and commented on how unique and pretty she thought her name was. I asked about her kids, and we settled into a comfortable rhythm, talking and preparing food.
Just before dinner was ready, as she predicted, Sherri’s husband, Malcolm, returned with milk, plus several kinds of ice cream, sundae toppings, and a tray of brownies. He also had a children’s mo
vie he’d rented for the kids to watch after we ate.
He was a tall, handsome man with dark brown hair sprinkled with gray and kind green eyes. I laughed as Sherri jokingly scolded him for taking so long at the store and said he was in charge of setting the table since he hadn’t helped with anything else.
The meal was similar to my family dinners. People passed serving dishes and cut food for the children. Conversations overlapped and grew in volume and enthusiasm. All in all, the mood was comfortable and fun.
Everyone asked me questions, but I didn’t feel as though I was being interrogated. Lena seemed completely unfazed by the unfamiliar people and the boisterous behavior.
While we lingered over our desserts, the kids settled in front of the television to watch their movie. An hour later, the dishes were washed, the kitchen cleaned, and I was ready for a nap. It was after three and I noticed Carolena rubbing her eyes and yawning several times.
Charles saw it as well. He looked at his mother and said, “Thanks for lunch, Mom. It was wonderful as always, but I think I need to get my girls home.”
My heart swelled with pleasure at his offhand words. His mom grinned at me, her brows raised as if to say, See? I smiled back.
It was an affectionate farewell, complete with hugs and kisses on the cheek.
As Karen pulled me in for an embrace, she looked at her son. “You bring her back soon, you hear?”
Charles chuckled and nodded.
After thanking them all one last time for inviting me and feeding me a wonderful meal, I followed Charles out of the house to my car. By the time we reached the end of his mother’s street, Carolena was asleep in her car seat.
We talked quietly on the drive home and I told him how much I enjoyed meeting his family. He seemed pleased. When we reached the house, he insisted on carrying Lena into the house and upstairs to her room. Between all the activity before lunch and the ice cream sundae after, my little girl was exhausted. I knew she would sleep for another hour and a half, possibly longer.
Charles found me in my bedroom after he’d settled her in the crib. I exchanged my dress and heels for a t-shirt and cotton shorts. He grinned when he saw me.
“You look tired,” he said.
I sighed. “I am.”
“Why don’t we take a nap too?” he asked.
He didn’t have to ask me twice. I climbed onto the bed and settled into the mattress with a long, contented sigh. He chuckled as he kicked off his shoes and socks and rolled onto the bed next to me. Charles pulled me into his side so that my head rested on his shoulder, my arm rested across his stomach, and I threw my leg over his thigh.
He stroked my hair, something that was guaranteed to help me fall asleep quickly. As I snuggled closer and inhaled his scent, I felt sleep creeping up on me.
“Yancy?” he asked softly.
Drowsy, I answered, “Yes?”
I drifted off, not hearing what he had to say next.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I WOKE UP forty-five minutes later, feeling refreshed and comfortable. I glanced at the video monitor and saw that Carolena was still sleeping, her limbs sprawled out around her. I moved a little, stretching my back and legs.
Charles’ arms tightened around my body. I looked up and saw that he was awake and looking down at me. I smiled.
“Did you sleep?” I asked, still feeling drowsy.
His eyes were warm as he studied my face. “A little.”
He brought his lips to mine. In the last few weeks, he’d kissed me sweetly, passionately, and chastely. This was different. Slowly, we undressed each other. There was no tremor in my hands and my natural shyness was gone.
His touch was different, almost reverent. After he was naked, Charles removed my bra, his hands tracing a path from my shoulders down to my breasts, tugging lightly at my nipples. I squirmed beneath him as the sensations caused a hot ache inside my body.
As his hands grasped the waistband of my shorts and pulled them, along with my underwear, down my legs, his mouth trailed behind. I jerked as he kissed his way down my thigh, almost to my knee. He pushed my knees apart, knelt between them, and his lips, tongue, and teeth moved slowly up my leg. At the first touch of his mouth between my thighs, my back arched.
Charles gripped my thigh with one hand and, with the other, slid two fingers inside me. He suckled and licked my clit as though he had all the time in the world. My orgasm built slowly, but when it crashed over me it was with the force of a tsunami.
I lay gasping for breath as he kissed his way up my body, stopping to nibble on the bottom curves of my breasts and my nipples. After the intensity of my climax, my skin felt hypersensitive and I made a sound of protest, my hands coming up to grab his hair and tug him away.
He braced himself above me and reached into the nightstand for a condom. I watched avidly as he tore open the packet and rolled the latex over his cock. He leaned down, his mouth latching on to mine. He tasted of me.
Charles entered me in one smooth thrust, the wetness created by my orgasm easing his way. I sucked in a harsh breath, my nails digging into his shoulders. While it didn’t hurt, I was so sensitive from my climax that the sudden feeling of fullness was overwhelming.
That was when he lifted his head, concern in his eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, taking another slow breath. His face softened as he stared down at me and he brought his face closer and rubbed my nose with his. It was such a sweet, unexpected action that the words tumbled from my lips before I could think twice. “I love you.”
When I realized what I’d said, I stopped breathing and my entire body grew tight. We were both naked and he was inside me. In this moment, I was at my most vulnerable, completely open in both body and mind.
Something changed in Charles’ eyes, but it wasn’t a bad change. He didn’t speak, but he used his mouth to communicate in other ways. His lips were firm and insistent as he kissed me with near ferocity. His hands hooked my knees, pulling them high against his ribs, so that he went deeper within my body. My arms wrapped around his back, my nails scoring the firm muscles along each side of his spine.
Charles lifted my hips, changing the angle of his thrusts. Immediately, I felt another climax building between my legs. He lifted his head, his eyes burning into mine. Then he lunged forward and nipped the muscle that connected my neck and shoulder. That was the final push that took me over the edge.
Crying out, I threw my head back as I came.
Charles cupped my chin, tilting my face back toward him. “Look at me, Yancy.”
I blinked several times before his face came into focus. My vaginal muscles spasmed with echoes of my orgasm. His thrusts were losing their rhythm, his hips moving faster and I knew he was about to come.
Without blinking, his eyes locked on mine, Charles came, the tendons in his neck standing out slightly as pleasure overwhelmed him.
He stopped moving, his body still buried in mine. Charles’ mouth brushed mine tenderly. Our eyes were still open and trained on each other.
When he lifted his head, his words surprised me. “I love you, too, Yancy.”
My eyes closed as happiness burst inside of me and I felt as though my entire body was made of light. Charles kissed me again before sliding from my body. I hated the emptiness he left behind. I watched him as he got up and walked into the bathroom to deal with the condom.
A few moments later, he came back to the bed and gathered me into his arms. I tucked my face into his neck so that I could smell his skin and Charles caressed my back in long sweeping motions.
“I’m glad you were awake this time,” he murmured.
I tilted my head back so I could see his face. “What?”
He lowered his chin, smiling slightly. “Before you fell asleep, I tried to tell you how I was feeling, but you were unconscious before I could get the words out.”
I felt my cheeks heat. Leave it to me to fall asleep while my man made a declaration of love.
He brushed a tangl
e of my hair away from my face. “I think I liked this delivery better though.”
I smiled and pressed my face against his throat again, wrapping my arm around his belly tightly. “Me too.”
SUNDAY NIGHT WAS the first time I asked Charles to stay over. While it felt strange to have someone in the bed with me at night, I enjoyed sleeping beside him. He kept me close. I awoke surprisingly refreshed and left him sleeping in my bed. I was finishing up in the shower when the curtain lifted and Charles stepped in behind me, hard, ready, and holding a condom.
Fifteen minutes later, I left him in the bathroom to finish his shower and I walked into my bedroom on unsteady legs to get dressed. Since Carolena would sleep for another half hour or so, I went downstairs to make coffee.
Even though I had to work around Charles in the bathroom, I was still on time getting ready. Carolena woke up at seven and, while I got her up and dressed, Charles went downstairs. By the time I carried the baby into the kitchen, he was stirring oatmeal in a pan.
Feeling so happy that I had to check to see if my feet were touching the floor, I thanked him for making breakfast and set about pouring a sippy cup of milk for the baby. Kathy came into the kitchen just as Charles and I were finishing up our breakfast. She seemed completely unfazed at finding a man in my house first thing in the morning.
While she cleaned up the baby, I brewed coffee in travel mugs for Charles and myself. I kissed Carolena and said good-bye to Kathy before hurrying out the door. We weren’t late, but we would be if we didn’t leave immediately.
“Do you want to ride together?” he asked.
I started to say yes, then remembered I had a meeting with my lawyer that afternoon. “I can’t. I have to meet Delinda about the custody suit today.”
Charles nodded. “Okay. Dinner tonight? I’ll come here.”
“Sure. I should be home around 7:00. Kathy will probably feed the baby, but you and I can eat together.”
