by Ali Parker
Blushing, I returned Jeremy’s affection by pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek before I stepped away from him. “I have to take care of a few more things in the kitchen. You two keep Arcadian company, and I’ll be right back.”
Austin’s laughter as he played with Arcadian echoed through our apartment as I finished getting dinner ready, surprised to find Jeremy had set the table when I stepped out of the kitchen to do it myself. He didn’t say a thing since Austin was busy telling him about some dog on a TV show who had superpowers. I nodded my thanks and cast a smile his way.
He was seated on the carpet beside Austin and Arcadian as he listened attentively and glanced up with a wink. Just that, and flutters spun in my belly, need coiling tightly. With a shake, I forced my attention off of my body’s needs.
Jeremy had been here less than an hour, and Austin was already blossoming under his attention. His cheeks were flushed as he talked and told Jeremy all about every little thing that had happened to him since he’d last seen him.
“Okay boys, come and get it,” I called, hating to interrupt. Austin scrambled into his chair and started eating, only keeping quiet when he absolutely had to chew.
“I have my first tee-ball practice tomorrow morning. Will you come watch me?” he asked after he’d gotten about halfway through his dinner, his earnest gaze on Jeremy.
Only because I knew him so well could I see the hint of the fear of rejection in his eyes. My heart gave a little squeeze. It meant so much he was brave enough to ask. Kids were resilient like that. Life could knock them down time and time again and they wouldn’t give up hope.
I tried to hang onto that way of thinking whenever I noticed it in Austin, but it was easier said than done. Jeremy broke eye contact with Austin to look at me, a question in his eyes. Presuming he wondered if it was okay with me if he attended Austin’s tee-ball practice, I nodded slightly. Only then did he reach over and ruffle Austin’s hair.
“Sure buddy, I’d love to be there.”
“Woohoo!” Austin exclaimed, launching into a detailed explanation of the game that I was sure was completely unnecessary for Jeremy, but he didn’t tell Austin so. He asked questions and threw in subtle pointers here and there.
Jeremy and I had precious little time to talk during dinner, but I didn’t mind. Seeing how excited Austin was to have him there meant everything to me. When dinner was done, we did the dishes together with Arcadian lying in the corner of the kitchen. It was a cozy and comfortable family scene, so out of the norm for me and so unexpected that I nearly burst out crying when I took it all in.
Jeremy elbowed me lightly, giving me a sidelong look as he dried a plate and passed it to Austin for his part in the process.
“My drying job isn’t bad enough to induce tears,” Jeremy murmured to me, one corner of his mouth curled up. It was so surreal seeing him in my kitchen, especially since to any outsider we’d look like the perfect happy little family right now.
You wish, my subconscious chided me snidely, and I had to agree. Beating back my negative thoughts, I returned Jeremy’s nudge and replied softly, “Oh, I don’t know about that. If we didn’t have Austin on inspection, I don’t know what would’ve happened to those poor plates.”
“Inspection is an important job,” Austin piped up, beaming at us.
It was also a job made up especially for him that night, but neither of us said it. Jeremy nodded seriously. “It is, buddy. Your quality control of my drying skills is giving your mom such peace of mind.”
“So true,” I said with a grin, rinsing out the sink when we were done. “All done. You get half an hour of TV before it’s time for bed, honey.”
Austin knew the drill, but his brow furrowed. I knew that look. I sensed he might fuss now that his impending bedtime also signaled the end of his evening with Jeremy and Arcadian. I should’ve known better. Austin was such an agreeable kid most of the time, but we didn’t often have company for dinner and he liked Jeremy. “Fine, but can Arcadian watch with me?”
“If you can get him there,” Jeremy told him, his eyes twinkling as he looked over at the dog sleeping soundly in the corner. Jeremy and I exchanged a look when Austin walked up to him, petted him on the head and said his name. Arcadian woke with a shake of his head and followed Austin into the living room.
“Well would you look at that?” Jeremy mused. Hooking an arm around me when we heard the TV click on, he pulled me closer until I was flush against him and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“What do the adults do during the half an hour of regularly scheduled programming?” he asked, lowering his head to nuzzle my neck. That same shiver of desire I’d ignored earlier returned full force, racing through my entire body. It took everything I had to push him away even just a bit.
“Usually, I watch with him. Want to join us?”
“You sure that’s okay?” he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. I knew he was worried about stepping over a line or overstaying his welcome. “I could just grab Arcadian and we could get going.”
“No, that’s okay. Stay. If you want to.”
He grinned, grabbing my hand and leading me to the couch. “I want to.”
The two of us settled on one couch, while Austin and Arcadian lay curled up together on the carpet at the base of the other. It was super cute and sweet to see them lying together like that. When a soft snore escaped Austin not ten minutes in, I realized he’d fallen fast asleep.
Jeremy glanced at me, keeping his voice low. “That usually happen so fast?”
“Never.” I shook my head. “He’s had a tough week. I think having Arcadian here really made him relax. Thank you for that.”
“I should be thanking you,” he replied. “Arcadian loves Austin more than he loves me, evidently.”
I smiled softly before rising from the couch. “I should probably get him to bed. Give me minute?”
“Let me help.” He stood and crossed the room before I fully understood what he was planning on doing. Bending over, he scooped Austin up gently in his arms. He was so smooth about it that Austin didn’t even wake, relaxing into his hold easily.
“Be right back,” he mouthed at me, carrying Austin to bed.
I was dumbstruck, completely in awe of how good he was with Austin and how natural he was with him. Coupled with how comfortable I already was with him and how powerful the attraction was between us, I knew I was approaching the danger zone. But I had absolutely no desire to stop.
Following them quietly, I watched as Jeremy lay Austin down on his bed. Carefully tucking him under his blankets, my heart nearly melted when Jeremy planted a small, soft kiss on Austin’s forehead and whispered good night.
As soon as he stepped out of Austin’s room, he wrapped his arms around me again. “You’re looking at me like that again.”
“Like what?”
He grinned, promptly sending my belly into flips. “Like you have no interest in getting any sleep tonight.”
Rising up on my tiptoes, I looped my arms around his shoulders and for once, I was the one to walk him back until he was up against the wall. His eyebrows lifted as he waited for me to continue, his gaze heating as his eyes locked with mine.
I leaned up, tilting his chin down with my fingers so I could capture his mouth. Swiping my tongue along his lips, I gasped when he threaded his hand in my hair and angled my head sideways. Inside of a hot second, he was devouring my mouth.
We were both a little breathless when the kiss finally broke. “What if I don’t have any interest in getting much sleep tonight?” I murmured against his lips.
“That can be arranged.” Moving swiftly, he slid an arm under my hips and lifted me against him, carrying me to my bedroom.
Chapter Seventeen
Jeremy
Laying Marie down on her bed in the darkness without having been in her bedroom before was tricky, but not impossible. Light from the outside spilled in through her open windows, her gauzy curtains not enough to keep it out completely. Th
e room was cast in a hazy, dim glow.
She’d worn a flirty sundress for our dinner, a rich emerald color that matched her eyes and contrasted with her creamy skin. Spread out on her white bedspread with the dress riding up her thighs, her lips slightly parted and her dark hair fanned out on her pillow, she looked fucking gorgeous. I wanted to rip her dress off. Stat.
The mattress dipped under my knees as I crawled onto the bed and stretched over her, crushing my mouth to hers. Our kiss a moment ago had barely scratched the surface of my need.
A ragged gasp escaped her lips, her legs curling around my hips as she arched into me. Lust raced down my spine while our kiss got hot, wet and messy.
Cupping her cheek with my palm, I kissed her harder, hungrier, our tongues tangling as our mouths fused. I needed more of her. Now.
She was panting when I broke the kiss, her hair a tousled mess and her lips swollen. She looked so damn hot that a low groan ripped from me, my eyes roaming down her body. My own was humming with anticipation, my cock so hard it ached, barely held back by my zipper.
Fingering the straps of her dress, I whispered, “I fucking love this dress.”
“I think it’s in the way right now. I thought you might like these better,” she murmured with a sly grin, reaching for the hem of her dress and shimmying her hips until it rose above her panties. I didn’t know how anyone could call what she had on underwear—they were a scrap of black silk and not much more with little bows on the sides.
Heat surged through me. My breath caught in my throat. “You planned this?”
“I was cautiously optimistic,” she purred, her voice breathy. Goose bumps rose on her skin as I trailed my fingers over it.
Leaning in to kiss her again, I whispered between kisses, “I like your brand of cautious optimism.”
Our kiss grew heated, frenzied. My hands got busy, sliding her dress up and breaking free from her lips to tug it over her head. Her sheer black lace bra had a little bow in the center. I caught it in my teeth and growled when it unraveled, her breasts tumbling loose. “I never cared too much about underwear,” I said, my voice raspy. “But damn, you just might make me reconsider.”
Her eyes met mine in the hazy light, dark with desire. Her tongue darted out to swipe across her lips. “Good thing because I had you in mind.”
“Oh did you now?” I murmured as I tugged on the bows at the sides of her panties, nearly groaning when they came undone. This was like unwrapping the best gift ever and it wasn’t even my birthday.
“Saw it in a window display the other day. I couldn’t resist,” she said in between gasps as I skimmed my hands up over her skin, thumbing a nipple when it puckered tight.
“Remember that thing I said earlier about not getting any sleep tonight?” I muttered as I shifted down, tugging the silk free from under her hips. Her pussy—pink, wet and glistening—was there waiting. I nearly lost control at the sight.
Her gaze was hungry on mine. “Yeah?”
“You won’t be getting much sleep,” I growled before dipping my head and dragging my tongue through her slick folds. She cried out, her hips arching into my mouth.
My control was at the end of its tether—with the musky scent of her arousal surrounding me, the sound of her pants and cries, and the feel of her—it’d be a damn miracle if I didn’t come without getting inside of her.
“I want you inside me, Jeremy,” she gasped. “Now.”
Lifting my head, my cock strained at the sight of her bare before me—her skin flushed, her hair a wild tangle around her face, her lips swollen, and her nipples taut.
“You can have me,” I growled, rising up and kicking off my jeans. Fumbling for the condom in my wallet, I gripped my cock in my fist, sliding it up and down as I looked down at her.
“Oh god,” she moaned, her pitch rising as she stared at me. “I need you. Now.”
I didn’t have a problem taking orders. Sheathing myself with the condom, I stretched out over her.
I was on fire for her. Grabbing her hips, I positioned myself between them, rubbing my cock against her slippery pussy. She moaned my name. I pushed into her, trembling as her body welcomed me.
Being inside Marie was fucking paradise. She was so snug, so hot and so wet—she clenched around me so tightly as I filled her. Her hands slid up my sides and curled around my back, her fingers digging into me.
I thrust into her, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. It was a phenomenal feeling, sliding in and out of her—every stroke deeper than the last. Her grip tightened, her nails raking me as she flexed against me.
We rocked into each other, fucking and thrusting until we were both teetering on the edge. Marie bucked against me, low sounds thrumming from her as she trembled and shuddered through her orgasm. My own climax seized me then, crashing into me like a storm and ripping through my body as I groaned incoherently.
Collapsing against her, I immediately shifted my weight to the side, rolling her atop me. With my heart thundering, I pulled her closer to me.
“I should go,” I said, stroking her hair with her head resting on my chest. Warm and tangled up in bed with her naked and sated, I didn’t want to move, much less leave. Yet, I knew it was for the best for Austin’s sake that he didn’t wake up to find me here.
Marie was trailing her fingers over my chest, looking up at me with sleepy eyes. “Not yet. Stay. Please? Just a little while.”
“Okay.” I couldn’t deny her, not when she cast that sleepy, sexy smile and looked like she was on the verge of falling asleep. Tucking my free arm behind my head, I adjusted my grip on her so we’d both be more comfortable and let my heavy eyes drift closed.
Just before I fell asleep, I nudged Marie and lifted my upper body off the mattress to get to my discarded jeans on the floor. “Just have to set my alarm.”
“Hmm mmm.” She didn’t move as I located my phone, half way out of my pocket from where my jeans fell. I quickly disposed of my condom in the small wastebasket by the nightstand and set the alarm for an hour before Austin was supposed to wake up. Marie didn’t seem concerned with him coming to look for us in the middle of the night, so I pushed that worry away and succumbed to sleep.
My alarm went off what felt like thirty seconds later, and I jerked awake, silencing it as fast as I could before it woke Marie. I knew she hadn’t been sleeping well, but she was definitely out now and I didn’t want to wake her.
It was still dark out when Arcadian and I quietly slipped from the apartment, dawn approaching as we headed home. I had a couple of hours before I had to meet Austin and Marie for tee-ball. It didn’t matter that I’d just left her bed, I already couldn’t wait to see her again.
I’d been surprised, but also honored when Austin invited me. I knew it meant something to him for me to be there, and that was cool. It made me feel a bit like a superhero, which I would never, ever say out loud but that didn’t make it any less true.
After breakfast, I took Arcadian for a run, went a few rounds with the punching bag and grabbed a shower before it was time for me to leave. It was a warm, clear Saturday morning, and just like I’d expect, the people of Cypress were out in full force to enjoy it.
No one stopped me to chat when I picked up coffee for Marie and me, but I saw lots of familiar faces and said hi to most of them. By the time I got to the park, tee-ball was just about to start. Austin was already off with his teammates, but he spotted me as I made my way to Marie and waved enthusiastically.
I waved back, giving him a thumbs up just when I reached Marie. “Good morning.”
She took the coffee I handed her with a grateful smile, shielding her eyes from the sun as she tilted her face up to meet my eyes. “Thanks, I needed this.”
“Thought you might.” I knew I did. I’d nearly fallen asleep when I was eating breakfast, but the night with her had been absolutely worth it.
“I brought us a blanket,” she said, nodding to a blanket folded at her feet. “I didn’t know I was supposed to bring
a cooler though.”
I chuckled at the sight of her furrowed brow as she glanced at the parents around us, most of whom were seemingly kitted out for the long haul in the park for the day. Reaching out to smooth her forehead with my thumb, I was itching to plant a kiss there too. But this wasn’t the place for that, not yet.
“It’s not compulsory,” I said instead. “You have some water, right?”
She nodded, holding up a little cooler bag filled with water and snacks. “I’ve only got this.”
“That’s perfect. More than enough. These practices don’t take that long. Most of these other folks are probably camping out for the day.” Or, if they were like my mom, had five kids to feed. A little bag wouldn’t have gotten her very far, but it was plenty for Austin.
“Okay,” Marie said, still not looking entirely convinced.
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she sat down on the blanket and folded her legs under her. Fuck me. This woman slayed me. The sight of her teeth denting into her bottom lip sent a bolt of lust through me. Not the time or the place, dude. Get a grip. On the heels of a deep breath and a few seconds of counting the kids racing around the field to take my mind off of the temptation of Marie’s lips, I sat down beside her, close but not too close. There was the fact I needed to keep my body under control, but also I didn’t want the many people likely eyeing us to read too much into me being here with her.
“Did you play tee-ball when you were little?” she asked me as we watched the kids warm up. Some, like Austin, were listening carefully to what their coach was saying while others were looking everywhere but at the coach or fooling around.
It was as chaotic as I remembered it being. Memories of messing around with my brothers in this same park on Saturday mornings came flooding into my mind. “I did.”
“You’re smiling,” she said, her own lips curling into a soft smile. “I’m assuming that means you enjoyed it?”
“It was a ton of fun,” I agreed. “Austin’s going to love it.”
