by C. A. Harms
Nicole jumped in. “Well, what about the boat?”
I laughed before I could stop it. “That so-called boat is titled to Wayne Tennison; therefore you have no entitlement to it. It is back with its rightful owner.”
“He gave that to you,” she stated.
I held her gaze and refused to back down. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Borrowing and giving are two completely different things.”
Wayne did give me his boat, but he had yet to change the title. I was grateful right then for his lack of following through. He had a wandering mind at times and tended to put things off, and this time I was so happy he had forgotten to change the title on the boat.
Watching Nicole consult her attorney and hearing him agree with me made another laugh rumble in my chest. This time I held it back, but damn I was throwing one hell of an eat that shit party on the inside.
The moment the papers were slid before me, I felt like a huge weight was about to be lifted. After signing my name, I held the pen out to Nicole and offered the smile I knew she would recognize. It was my go fuck yourself smile, aimed right for the woman who I was more than happy to walk away from.
She scribbled her name quickly, looking up at me with tear-filled eyes. There was no way I was falling for that. I didn’t feel one bit sorry for her.
I stood up, shaking Trevor’s hand and nodding toward her attorney, just before I turned and walked out.
I could hear her movement from behind as she scurried after me. “Gavin, wait, please.”
I stopped just outside on the sidewalk in front of the office and turned around to face her. “What?”
“I know I hurt you. I’m sorry. I’m a terrible person. You were always so good to me and I betrayed you. I just wish we could have worked it all out, had another shot. I love you, I never stopped.”
I laughed. I stood right there before her and laughed. “You really are a piece of work, you know that? But, um, thanks for the life lessons. Take care of that baby, Nicole.”
Just as I was about to climb up into my truck, she spoke again. “We were good together once.”
I shook my head and let out a deep aggravated breath. “We were never good together. We were toxic. It was hell from the beginning, and you know it. Let’s stop lying to ourselves, Nicole. It’s time to move on.”
“Like you have?” she whispered.
I didn’t turn to face her, as an image of Maria flashed in my mind. I grinned at the thought of her back at my pop’s house, sitting on the porch and laughing at the pictures of my adolescent stages.
“Yeah, Nicole, just like I have.” I jumped up in my truck and offered her a friendly smile before I drove away, leaving it all behind.
***
Hearing her laughter spilling from the porch was a beautiful sound. I stood at a distance watching the two of them pass a set of binoculars back and forth and looked off in the same direction, wondering what the hell they found so funny. There was only one neighbor within a couple of miles.
“Oh my, he’s going again. This time he’s wearing his football helmet.” She paused, laughter spilling from her once more before she continued. “He has on a pair of bright yellow socks, pulled up to his knees.”
She passed the binoculars to my pop, continuing to laugh and holding on to her stomach. “You’ve got to see this.”
I took a step up onto the porch, causing the board to creak under my shoe. They both turned, looking as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn’t.
Maria did everything she could to hold back her laughter, while biting down hard on her lower lip.
Raising my eyebrows at them, I waited for an explanation.
Pop and Maria looked back and forth at one another, before looking back to meet my questioning gaze.
She was the first to speak. “Um, we uh…” She paused, and Pop began to chuckle at her obvious avoidance.
“She started it.” Pop pointed at her and she gasped at his comment, her mouth hanging open in surprise. Pop was like a kid at heart, and he was pinning the entire thing on my girl.
“It was an accident. I didn’t set out to seek your crazy neighbor. I honestly just intended to look out over the land. The shirtless, barrel-riding fool…well, I stumbled upon him by accident.” She tried to explain, but the only part I caught was shirtless and man.
I walked over to them and grabbed for the binoculars. Looking in the direction of the neighbor’s house, I tried to figure out what the hell they found so damn entertaining.
At first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary, until he stepped into view. I was momentarily dumbfounded.
There stood a man with a beer gut. He was shirtless and wore a football helmet, mouthpiece and all. He had on basketball shorts and socks pulled up to his knees—oh, and a pair of tennis shoes.
I watched as he approached a barrel tilted on its side. Observing it closely, I found that it was placed upon some sort of springs. At each corner, a bungee cord was hooked and ran out to some hooks that were in the concrete pad it all sat on.
I heard Maria giggle, but I couldn’t look away. I had to see what this fool was about to do. I now understood their need to watch.
He slowly climbed up onto the barrel, one leg draped over each side. Hooking his hand around a rope anchored to the front, he bounced a few times—why, I don’t know.
Then all at once, he began kicking his legs as if riding a mechanical bull.
A deep chuckle escaped me, while I watched him bounce around, throwing his arm up in the air. “What the hell,” I said as I continued to watch in amusement.
“Keep watching, it only gets better.” Maria’s sweet, amused voiced whispered just to the right of me.
Suddenly the man swung his leg over the side and jumped off the barrel. He began kicking his foot in the dirt, punching at the air. He appeared to be pissed off about something. I watched as the grown man threw a fit. He began kicking the makeshift bull, barrel, whatever the hell you want to call it. It was the funniest damn thing I had seen in a long time.
Looking over at Pop and Maria, I saw they were both laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes. I stood there, holding my side and laughing along with them.
“How long has he been at that?’ I asked.
Between bursts of laughter, Maria tried to answer my question. “For at least…” She hunched over. “An hour, maybe a little more.” She took a deep breath, trying to contain her laughter. “He just now put on the helmet.” She laughed once more.
“Yeah, things must have been getting out of hand with that mean bull of his. Looks like he was scared it was gonna buck him off.” Pop tried to keep a straight face, but it was useless.
I watched the two of them carry on about the crazy neighbor and his skills. It was a heartwarming sight.
In just the hour and half I had been gone, they had become like two souls who had always known one another. He never once had accepted Nicole that way, but then again, Nicole always acted as if she were better than him.
Pop looked up at me, catching me staring at Maria, while she laughed and looked through the binoculars once more.
He winked and shook his head yes. I knew exactly what that meant. He was telling me what I already knew: she was meant for me.
Chapter Nineteen
I walked up behind her and slipped my hands around her waist. Bending my head forward, I kissed her just behind her ear and held her close, enjoying her warmth.
Without even thinking, I rested my hands over her stomach. Within seconds, her body lightly shook against mine and she hung her head.
I carefully turned her in my arms and tilted her chin up. I knew what she was thinking, because the same thoughts rolled through my mind with the touch. Memories of what we had lost overtook me.
“I wasn’t thinking,” I explained. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. I was just overwhelmed for a moment. It’ll get easier, right?” she whispered.
I nodded my head. “It will
one day, for the both of us.” I assured her, before pulling her in close.
We stood there in the kitchen, wrapped in one another’s arms—with the loss of our baby still raw in our hearts. She may not have been very far along, but it was still a child we had created together. A child who we both should have had the chance to love.
***
We sat down at the table, surrounded by a meal she had spent so much time creating. She spoiled the both of us. She woke up early on a Saturday morning to bake and plan.
Pop was in heaven. I was sure it had been years since he had eaten a meal this well-prepared.
I watched in awe as Maria laughed and smiled at Pop. It sure didn’t appear as if they had just met the day before. You would think they had known each other for years.
I hadn’t realized I was staring until I heard Pop clap his hands loudly. “Snap out of it, boy. I think you got a little drool on your chin.”
Maria blushed and he chuckled, taking a big bite of his homemade noodles.
I was pretty sure he moaned in pleasure from the taste. “Damn, that is good,” he declared. “Damn good, girl. I may keep you.”
“Not a chance, old man. Get your own,” I stated, causing Pop to chuckle even more.
The relaxed feeling that filled the room was something I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had lived the last year with nothing but reservations about everything I did. It felt great to finally let go and enjoy the moment.
When dinner was finished, I helped Maria clean up. We both convinced Pop to go relax in his favorite recliner. Something about the domestic actions we were performing side by side made me smile.
Putting away the last dish, I held my hand out to her, signaling for her to place hers in mine. She smiled up at me and I pulled her near. “Let’s go for a walk. I wanna show you something.”
I led her out the back door toward the barn just at the side of the house. I stopped to grab two flashlights, passing one to her. “You’ll need this.” I winked and smiled at the skeptical look on her face. Whenever she gave me that look, it made my stomach flip. It was the cutest expression.
I pulled her along to a small path at the side of the barn that led to a clearing just beyond the trees. I pointed toward the wooden swing in the center, and she smiled up at me.
“It’s been here for as long as I can remember.” Holding her hand and helping her up onto its small platform, I waited for her to take a seat. Climbing up beside her, I pulled her in close to my side.
“I remember little things from my younger years. I was so little, but Wayne used to bring Kathy and me out here. We would sit for hours looking at the stars. On cloudy days, Momma K would lay a blanket out, and we would try to create images in the sky made up of clouds.” I paused, looking up at the stars and thinking back.
“The two of them were so in love. They were amazing together.” I flipped on my flashlight and pointed its beam toward the treehouse. “That thing is falling apart, but do you believe we used to camp out inside of it? Those nights hold some of my best memories. They were like two big kids, but they were the greatest parents.”
She was silent, allowing me to talk and reminisce. We swung gently as I held her close. The night was clear and quiet. We sat in silence, continuing to rock.
“K, she would’ve taken a broom to my ass, if she were still alive. There is no way she would have allowed me to treat you the way I did,” I whispered.
She turned in my arms and placed her hand on my cheek. “You didn’t do it on your own. You were honest with me from the beginning.” Maria traced my lower lip with her fingertip. “I was just dumb enough to believe I could walk away and not want more from you. That’s on me, not you.”
I shook my head, wrapping my arm around her waist, I lifted her onto my lap. “It’s not all on you. I should have waited until I was ready for you. I was ignorant to believe a girl like you didn’t need more than one night. You deserve so much more than what I was willing to give at the time. I should have waited.”
I firmly grabbed on to the back of her neck and pulled her closer. Our lips were just inches part. “I just hope that we can overcome the mistakes we’ve made. I wanna make a new start with you.” I kissed her, softly resting my forehead against hers. “I need to show you that I’m not the man I let myself become. You’re worth so much more than what I’ve given you.”
“I like the sound of your plan.” She smiled. Leaning toward me, she once again placed her lips against mine.
We would start here, now. Our pasts would teach us what not to repeat. We both deserved better than the last year.
Chapter Twenty
Maria and I sat beneath the stars for over an hour. Holding her in my arms, I promised that this time things would be right. I would no longer hold back. I would no longer delay the happiness we had both deserved.
I led her back to the house, finding that it was dark. Pop had already gone to bed, so we quietly climbed the stairs. Placing my hands onto her hips from behind, I guided her to the bathroom.
When I closed the door behind us, she turned and looked up at me. “Is this okay?” I asked.
She nodded, while watching me lift my shirt up and over my head. Her eyes followed my movements, until it dropped to the floor beside me. Reaching around her, I flipped the handle and turned the shower on.
She stood in the tiny bathroom staring at me, as if she didn’t know what to do next.
“I can wait until you’re done. I understand if you need to be alone.” She placed her finger on my lips to quiet me.
She smiled. “No, this is fine, really,” she assured me just before lifting her own shirt and dropping it beside mine.
Once we were undressed, we stepped into the small shower that really was barely big enough for both of us. I am sure it was not built for two, but I wanted to be close to her.
I stepped toward her and she stepped back into the stream of water, tipping her head backward. I watched in awe as she wet her hair before adding the shampoo.
Her hands began to lightly massage her scalp, while her eyes shut from the sensation. It had to be one of the sexiest things I had ever seen.
I stepped closer, bringing my chest against hers and feeling her breasts press against me. Lifting my hands to meet hers, I began washing her hair, as her hands dropped away to rest on my shoulders.
The water slowly trailed down between us, washing away the shampoo. At that moment, I had never felt more connected than I did with her.
I lowered my lips to hers and took her mouth in a heated kiss. I had no doubt that she could feel what this was doing to me. I wanted her so badly. I was always trying to control my raging hormones when we were close. I wasn’t sure her body was ready for what I desperately needed.
Her whimpering was only making me harder. I tried to step back, but she gripped my shoulders and held me close. With her tongue sliding over my lip, I firmly grabbed her hips and pressed my growing erection against her stomach while lightly biting on her hip.
“We should stop,” I whispered against her lips. “You’re making it really hard for me to control myself,” I stated.
“Then don’t control yourself. Let go. Stop thinking about it so much.” Maria continued to kiss along my jawline. She was making it difficult to focus, as her hands slipped down over my chest and across my stomach. Just as I was about to say something, she gripped my hardness in her hands. My words were lost at her touch.
“I want you, Gavin. I need you,” she whispered.
***
After quickly finishing our shower and toweling off, I followed her out toward the bedroom.
Backing her up against the bed, I lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Yes,” she murmured. She was looking at me with eyes full of desire.
Knowing what her body had been through recently, I was more than worried that I would hurt her.
“Slow,” I whispered. “We go slowly, okay?” She nodded her head i
n agreement. Brushing her hair back from her face, I leaned forward and left a trail of kisses along her neck. “If at any time anything feels uncomfortable, you have to stop me.” She once again nodded her head. “Promise me, baby.”
“Yes,” she whimpered. “I promise.”
She crawled up the bed backwards, never once taking her eyes from mine. I stood for a moment admiring her. She was beautiful, and I was a lucky man to have her here, with me.
“What are you waiting for, handsome?” she asked with a smile on her face. “I’m feeling lonely in this big ole’ bed.”
Her playful attitude was a breath of fresh air. She had an amazing outlook for someone who had such a hard run in the past.
“Just admiring the beautiful woman in my bed, that’s all,” I assured her.
“Well, will you admire me from up here?” she asked.
I chuckled. I was a fool. I was also done for—falling was no longer a problem. I was gone, and I had never been happier than I was in that moment with her.
Crawling over her body, I kissed my way to her mouth, slowly appreciating every inch of her perfect body and every curve.
“You’re so beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful,” I whispered between kisses.
She parted her legs, welcoming me to settle between her thighs. My hardness rested against her warm center. It took everything I had not to pull back just enough to enter her warmth.
Before I let my body respond to the desire that was swarming my mind, I reached for my wallet. I took a condom from the sleeve and tore at the edge with my teeth.
The anticipation of my next move was weighing so heavily on my mind. From the look in her eyes, she was feeling it too.
After rolling on the condom, I rose up just enough to position myself above her. I nudged her gently and she squeezed my shoulders tightly. My eyes connecting with hers once more, I kissed her softly. “Remember your promise,” I stated firmly, reminding her that we could stop at any time.
