by Reana Malori
He’d wanted to walk away. Run as far and as fast as he could.
Everything in him wanted to forget about that little baby asleep in his bassinet. But he couldn’t.
His mother had died giving birth to the little baby lying on the other side of that nursery window and without Gavin, who knew what would happen. He took a deep breath and walked back over to the child. When he opened his eyes, Gavin tried to figure out who he looked like. Who was the man Tina had betrayed him with? Why had she lied to him and led him on for so long. He felt like a damn fool.
For long minutes, he stood there, seething, as he thought about Tina’s betrayal. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to harden his heart. But the longer he stared at the baby, the more he wanted to protect him. Teach him right and wrong. Give him a home like he’d had with his mom and dad. Only without the mom.
It wasn’t the child’s fault that Gavin had been duped and he would accept the living child, no matter how hurt he was. Riley was his son and he would do right by him.
His head had spun for days as he tried to figure out how he would handle being a single father in the military. It was never something he’d considered. His mother had flown in to town for the birth of the baby, and he could remember crying in her arms at the overwhelming hurt. It was the only time he’d shown weakness in front of his mother since his father had died when he was fourteen.
The only saving grace was that Gavin hadn’t married Tina. But he would damn sure raise the child he’d thought of as his own.
From that moment, his life had changed. He’d decided to get out of the military at the end of his term, which meant he had two years to get his shit together and make a life for himself and his child. His mother had upended her life to make sure she was there for him and Riley, and for that, he would be forever grateful.
In the end, he realized that accepting Riley as his was the best decision he could have made. His son changed his entire outlook on what was important. When he’d gotten out of the Marines once completing his current tour, he’d moved to San Antonio. It was close to his mother if he needed her, but he could also find a job to stay busy and make a good living.
Looking at the woman standing in front of him, and all the trouble she was sure to bring behind her, he now questioned that decision. Moving to San Antonio brought him close to Tina’s family as well.
Coming back to the issue at hand, he half-ignored Lou Ellen as he took orders from other customers. After a few minutes, he stood in front of her again.
“Why are you here? You never come just to see your nephew. I don’t have time for your bullshit, so spit it out.” His eyes were probably shooting fire right now at how presumptuous she’d been. Strolling into his bar as if she had a right to be here, that’s where she’d made her first mistake. Lou Ellen must really be desperate if she’d sought him out.
“Momma’s sick and she wants to see Riley.” For the first time, he saw real emotion.
“And why should I care?” He knew his response was cold, but his duty was to protect his son. Didn’t matter if he hurt someone’s feelings in the process. Riley was the only thing that mattered, and he would not allow anyone to hurt him again. Not if he could help it.
Lou Ellen reared back in shock. “You didn’t used to be so cold. What happened to you?”
“Your sister. Your family. Take your pick.” They’d ripped his fucking heart out and tried to make his son feel unwelcome. He would never forgive them.
He eyed the woman sitting across from him. While her outer façade would be enticing to a certain type of man, she was the total opposite of Tina in coloring. As he continued to stare at her, her eyes darted across the bar. The similarities between the sisters was undeniable. The shape of their nose, the bow of their lips, the shape and color of their eyes. Maybe that’s why he was always so angry with Lou Ellen; she reminded him too much of the woman who’d broken him.
She took a deep breath and started again. “Well, I’m sorry about that. As I said, Momma wasn’t always well and she took it out on people she shouldn’t have. I’m just here to ask if you could bring Riley to see her in the next few months. I’m not sure she’s gonna make it much longer.”
He stayed silent for a long minute, both of them staring at each other, willing the other one to bend first. He’d be damned if it was going to be him. As soon as her eyes shifted to the left and she blinked, he answered, “Let me think about it.”
Pulling out a card from her purse, she slid it across the clean space. “I’m in town for a few days on business for the shop, but you can reach me anytime at this number.”
He picked up the card and slid it in his pocket. “Thanks. I’ll let you know.”
As she gathered her purse, he stood in front of her without speaking another word.
“Listen, Gavin. I know what you think about us, about Tina. But she loved you. She wanted a life with you.”
“Don’t care anymore,” he spat.
“But you do care. That’s why you’re still so angry to this day. You never tried to understand the situation. Hell, I don’t even know if we understand it. I keep telling you we didn’t know she’d been messing around on you. Not until Riley was born and that guy Eric came sniffing around, making noise. We had no idea she’d been fooling around with him that whole time.”
“Bullshit,” he’d heard this time and time again. And it still pissed him off whenever they tried to brush off the seriousness of what happened.
“Eric giving up his paternal rights to Riley was the best thing that could have happened and you know it,” she said with a snap in her tone. Taking a deep breath, she softened her tone and took another approach, “You can’t keep blaming us for what she did to you.”
Staring at her as she finished, he was determined to not get sucked back into this family. There was no way in hell he was putting his son anywhere near them. At the thought of Tina, he tried to pull up a vision of her face as she looked toward the end, face full and glowing as her stomach got bigger each week due to the life growing inside her.
He was shocked to realize that the face his mind conjured up was none other than Regina Perkins.
A vision of her glowing and pregnant with child—his child. She smiled at him as she beckoned him closer. If that wasn’t a sign, he didn’t know what was.
Tina was his past and it was time to move on. Damn her sister for bringing all this shit back up again, right when he’d been ready to move on with his life.
“Goodbye, Lou Ellen. I’ll call you with my decision.” He ended the conversation by walking out from behind the bar. He headed to the back of the building in the direction of his office.
Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was around two-thirty. Time for him to go pick up Riley at school.
Maybe he would catch a glimpse of his pretty teacher before their date tonight.
CHAPTER THREE
“Riley, stop running,” Regina called out to the precocious child flying by her in a flurry of arms and legs.
He skidded to a stop so fast, he almost fell over. “Yes, ma’am,” he called over his shoulder.
Laughing to herself, she watched as kids filed out of their classrooms and onto the main pickup area. These kids had so much energy bottled up inside of them, if she could tap into just an ounce of that, she’d bottle and sell it. She’d be a millionaire in a matter of weeks.
Her gaze took in all the activity going on around her. Boys playing tag, the girls clustered together and giggling, and the teachers trying to finish out a long day and head home for the weekend. As she looked around, she kept glancing at the area where parents usually pulled up.
She was waiting on someone to show up, but was trying not show it. After their call last night, she was on pins and needles thinking about the things Gavin said to her.
Could a man like him really want her? There was nothing wrong with her, and she’d had her fair share of boyfriends. But Gavin Carpenter? That man was in a league all by himself.
When she thought of the type of woman he’d go after, the picture that popped in her head was a slim blonde with blue eyes, not a thick and curvy brown-skinned woman.
Trying not to question things too much, she was determined to go with the flow. Whatever was going to happen between them, she’d allow herself to enjoy the ride. She was going to have fun while it lasted, even if it killed her.
The air was crisp and cool, and the kids knew spring was coming soon. Everyone was getting a little antsy, including the adults.
“How are you today, Ms. Perkins?” a deep voice said next to her.
She gasped and turned around, meeting the deep blue color of a T-shirt covering a very broad chest. Lifting her gaze, her neck tilted back as she looked into Gavin’s strikingly handsome face.
She could tell he’d shaven earlier, but his beard was starting to grow back. That’s just how close he stood next to her. The rugged look on him was very sexy and she wondered how his raspy beard would feel against her skin. She took a step back to increase the space and he shook his head.
“Now, why’d you move away from me like that? I kinda liked you being so close to me,” he said with a smirk.
Her breaths came fast and furious as she tried to get her bearings. Being so close to him was not good for a woman’s health, she mused. Unable to stop herself, she inhaled deeply, getting another whiff of his scent. He smelled deliciously good. Whatever cologne he had on, she’d invest her entire damn savings to make sure he had a steady supply.
Looking at him from the corners of her eyes, she knew he was still waiting for her to greet him. “Afternoon, Mr. Carpenter.”
Just then, Riley saw his father standing next to her and came running over.
“I’ll be seeing you tonight, Regina,” he murmured with a wink, just as Riley wrapped his arms around him.
“Hi, Dad. I’m ready.”
“Hey buddy, okay, let’s head on over to the truck,” he said as his son began walking in front of him.
“Tonight, Regina?” he prompted.
“See you tonight, Gavin.” She saw the smile come over his face and she sighed. For two people who’d kept things professional for so long, they sure did go from zero to sixty pretty fast.
Then again, they were both adults, with needs and wants and desires. Why should they hide from it and deny what they both wanted? He was right when he’d said they’d both been fighting their attraction to each other for too long.
Well, tonight was the night she would let her proverbial hair down and go after what she wanted for a change.
“Hey, Regina,” her fellow teacher Sharon greeted her.
She felt her skin heat with a blush when she saw Sharon look in the direction where she’d been staring.
“Hey, Sharon. How’s it going, girl?”
“Um, maybe you should tell me,” she inquired, as she raised her eyebrow.
Looking anywhere else but in the direction Gavin had walked, she tried to play it off. “I’m not sure what you mean.” Don’t fall for it, Regina, she lectured herself.
“Okay, is that your story?” Sharon asked.
Finally looking in her direction, she gave her a sassy smile. “Yes, it sure is.”
“Well, just so you know, when you’re ready to share details, I’m the first one in line,” she said with a laugh.
Regina couldn’t help but giggle. She’d known Sharon for the past six years, when the other teacher had moved here for a change of pace. Her husband had been stationed at the Army base and after he’d gotten out, they’d stayed around the area. Always ready with a joke, Sharon’s humor had won her over, and the two of them had become fast friends over the years.
“Sharon, you are a nut.”
“Yes, I am. But I’m serious. I’ve been with Bobby for, like, half my life. I don’t even know what it’s like to be with another man. The only way I can have fun is to live vicariously through you, and you’ve been slacking lately. I think Mr. Tall, Dark, and Delicious is just what the doctor ordered.” She bumped her hip against Regina’s and started singing “Bow-Chica-Now-Now.”
“Something is wrong with your brain. Don’t make me call your husband,” Regina retorted as they watched the last of the kids take off on the buses and with their parents.
“Too late. He already knows something’s wrong with my brain and loves me anyway.”
As they began walking back toward the school, Regina broke the silence. “I’m going on a date tonight.”
Sharon grabbed her arm and stopped her from walking. With a squeal that sounded like it was from a thirteen-year-old girl rather than a thirty-year-old woman, she began jumping up and down. “Really? Oh! Is it with you-know-who? The one that we shall not name?”
“I’m not telling you anything more,” she harrumphed and began walking again.
“Oh, no, you don’t. You’re giving me something. Is it him?”
Glancing at her closest friend, she tried to keep a stern look on her face, but failed miserably. The megawatt smile that came through let the big, fat cat out of the bag.
“Holy shit! It is! Where are you going? Is he picking you up? Are you gonna give him some and end your year-long drought?”
Regina shook her head, but couldn’t help the smile that came over her face. There was no way her friend was asking her these questions. Wait, yes, there was. This was Sharon, after all.
“I’m not telling you anything else. He’s a parent, Sharon. I have to be careful.” She verbalized her biggest fear.
Shaking her head in the negative, Sharon placed one hand on Regina’s arm. “Honey, listen to me. You are both two consenting adults. If it goes beyond one date into something more, then let the administration know. Just keep it on the up-and-up.”
She’d told herself those same things as she thought about what do about her attraction to Gavin. It just sounded better coming from someone else. “Fine. I’ll just go with it for now. Anyway, tonight’s the first date. Who knows, we may not have anything in common once we actually sit down and have a conversation.”
With a look of skepticism on her face, Sharon gave her a side glance. “Do you really think that’s going to happen?”
Shaking her head from side to side, Regina replied, “God, I hope not. That man is fine with a capital ‘F.’ I think the attraction has been simmering under the surface for too long.”
“Are you ready for what happens when you’re both ready for something more? If he’s been biding his time and waiting for the right moment to make his move, I doubt he’s going to give up.”
Biting her bottom lip as they walked down the quiet hallway of the school that had come to mean so much to her, Regina nodded in agreement. “I’m not sure if I’m ready, but I’m damn sure gonna get there.”
Sharon gave her a long look, as if looking for something more. “Then go for it, girl. I say have fun and don’t let anything get in your way. If this is meant to be, then I’m all for it. If it burns hot and fizzles, then make sure you create some hot ass memories.”
After they split to go their separate ways, Regina packed up her bag and exited the school. Just as she closed her classroom door, a text came through. Glancing at her phone, she saw that it was Gavin. Fumbling with her purse and laptop bag, she almost dropped everything to the floor trying to unlock her phone and read the message.
3:21pm – You looked beautiful today.
3:22pm – Thank you.
She stood in the middle of the hallway, holding her breath as she waited for him to send another text.
3:25pm – I can’t wait to see you tonight.
3:26pm – Me too. See you soon.
On cloud nine as she walked to her car, Regina knew she was in trouble. Just hearing from him made her want more. His voice did crazy things to her libido. She could only imagine what it would be like tonight. Just the two of them at dinner, alone, with no other distractions. Never before had she been so excited for a simple date. It’s just what Gavin did to her.
Maybe she sho
uld slow down. He was a man who could get any woman he wanted. The idea that he’d been waiting for her all this time was naïve. She was positive he had women lining up to date him. With that thought, she started her car and drove home. If she could keep that main thought in her head, she’d be okay.
Don’t fall too hard for his handsome looks. Damn, too late.
Okay, don’t let his voice seduce you. Yup, pass on that one as well.
How about this: Don’t drop your panties on the first date. Make the man wait until at least the second dinner. Okay, fair. She could totally do that.
Maybe.
Almost three hours later, Regina stood in the mirror and gave herself a once-over.
“I look damn good,” she whispered to the image starting back at her.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and she made her way to the front door. With a deep breath, she opened it to see Gavin. The sight of him took her breath away. He’d told her to wear something suitable for a nice dinner. She’d chosen a dark teal off-the-shoulder cocktail dress. It was close enough.
Good thing she decided to go a step above how she’d originally planned to dress, because he’d arrived looking as if he’d stepped out of a magazine.
His black suit was expertly tailored. He wore a forest-green shirt that was open at the neck. And his dark hair was brushed back away from his forehead. And lo and behold, no cowboy boots. If she hadn’t made a commitment that she wouldn’t drop her panties right here and now, she’d be pulling those bitches off at this very moment.
There was no way she was going to last all night and not offer herself up on a platter.
“You look beautiful, Regina,” his smooth voice greeted her. His smile was wicked and sultry.
And you look like I want to sop you up with a biscuit. “Thanks, so do you.” At the quirk of his brow and the tilt of his lips, she shook her head to clear out the fuzz. “I mean, you look very handsome.”
