“Absolutely not. I had Mickie come down and take him up to the farmhouse until it was all over. He was perfectly safe. Maddie, what do you think? That I would leave him alone in the house when I didn’t know what the situation was? I know I don’t have much experience with this ‘Dad’ business, but please give me some credit.”
“Okay. Just wanted to be sure. It’s not that I don’t trust you, Ross, but it was Nickie’s first night at the farm, and he could have gotten scared if he woke up and was alone.”
“I’m well aware of that, and Nickie was never left alone. As to his being in danger, those guys were just a couple of low-level jerks who got paid by some other low level jerks to steal some semen—not ‘cement’ mind you. I don’t know how they thought they could use it given The Jockey Club’s stringent registration requirements, including DNA profiles for all foals, but you know some people always think they can beat the system.”
“So…you’re okay, too?” He could see she was concerned for his safety as well as Nickie’s. It warmed his heart to know she cared about him.
“Both Mike and I are fine. My knuckles are a little scraped. That’s all,” he said ruefully.
“Let me see!”
“Really it’s nothing.” When she came over to inspect his hand, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, coaxing her lips open as he plundered her mouth. He drew his lips down her soft throat and nibbled behind her ear. He could feel the ripples of sensation cascading down her spine. He drew in her scent like a stallion getting ready to breed. She intoxicated him. It was getting harder and harder to respect her boundaries. He hadn’t been with another woman since the night he had first seen her again. He had no desire for another woman. This was the one he wanted, and this was the one he was going to have.
* * * *
Madison was shaken to her very core by the passion of his kiss. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold him off, or herself for that matter. She struggled to recover as the aftermath ruffled down the nerves of her spine and trickled down deep in her belly, dampening her panties. Her reaction to him was unsettling to say the least. It seemed she didn’t have any more resistance now than she had had at eighteen, and just look where that had gotten her. She pushed out of his arms. “You’re too much! Go play with your son while I make us some lunch. And don’t think you’re going to get me into more trouble with your ‘cement’!”
Madison had just finished making sandwiches in the kitchen and was putting chips on the plates when the guys came back in. She was wearing the “Kiss the Cook” apron again, and she just grinned at him when she saw the look in his eye. “Don’t get any ideas, big guy.”
Ross laughed, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her soundly, drawing a small sigh from her as she relaxed against his chest momentarily. He looked down at Nickie. “What do you think, Nick? Is it okay if I kiss your mom? I really like to.”
Madison was appalled. She really had not intended to get her son’s permission to kiss Ross. She found it was getting harder and harder to resist his charm. She had not been immune to him in the past, and it seemed she wasn’t immune to him now. She just didn’t want to make another mistake, not that she thought of Nickie as a mistake though. She had made a choice and was going to be raising that choice for many, many years to come. Three futures depended on her exercising good judgment now.
Nickie thought that was just hilarious and started galloping around the kitchen making kissing noises. Madison felt her cheeks flush, and she tried to struggle out of Ross’s grasp, to no avail. He just tightened his hold and wrapped his arms around her waist. Finally, Nickie looked thoughtful and said, “I think it’s okay if moms and dads kiss each other,” then he dove into the bag of chips like a member of the starving hoard, and that was the end of the discussion.
Ross gave her a bear hug and kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re adorable when you blush.”
Chapter Seventeen
Summer vacation ended, and Nickie started third grade. He was an excellent student and loved to learn. He had been reading since pre-school. He enjoyed school and was thrilled to be making a number of new “best friends,” having missed the ones he’d left in New Jersey.
Ross and Maddie continued their Wednesday night dinner and Friday afternoon riding program as September advanced. Ross took over the parenting rituals on Wednesday and Friday nights and helped Nickie with his homework.
After dinner, while Maddie cleaned up the kitchen, she said, “Why don’t you help Nickie with his math homework? I left that for you. I have to admit it was never one of my favorite subjects!”
Ross wrangled Nickie into finishing his homework, into the shower, and finally into bed and joined Maddie on the couch for a cup of coffee. He had determined that he was going to push the situation with Madison. He was tired of waiting. His patience was starting to fray around the edges, and he wanted all of them to move on with their lives. He put both their cups on the table and took her into his arms. He brushed his lips down her throat and across the tops of her breasts. She melted into his arms for a moment before she broke away. He could see she was going to continue to resist her attraction to him, and he was frustrated. “How long are you going to keep me at arm’s length, Maddie? Surely you can see that we both still feel the same as we did before.”
“As long as it takes to be sure this is the right thing for all of us. We have more to consider than just our hormones. We aren’t kids anymore. We have Nickie to consider. Suppose it didn’t work out, and then we were uncomfortable with each other. That would be very hard on him.”
“I realize that. But we seem to be as compatible as we were before. I don’t think we need to see each other for years to know if it’s right.”
“Well, it’s been nine years since the last time we dated, and we were little more than kids then. Now we’re both adults with different responsibilities. All I’m saying is that we need to take it really slow.
He kissed her again hard. He ran his big, competent hands down her back and over her bottom. She whimpered and then pulled back. “No…Nickie’s in the next room.”
“Well, he’s going to have to get used to seeing his dad kissing his mom because I have no intention of stopping. Not ever, so give it up, Maddie.”
She sighed. “It’s getting way too hard to resist you. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“Give up, give in, get naked?” Ross laughed.
Ross looked up and saw Nickie standing in the doorway. He had apparently come out for a drink of water and to see if he could stretch bedtime a little more.
Ross smiled down at her, and he ran his big hands up and down her back before he gave her butt a friendly squeeze and let her go. “Discussion to be continued,” he said, grinning widely. He definitely thought this was going his way.
Chapter Eighteen
The next Saturday after Nickie had spent the night with Ross again, Madison made lunch for the three of them. After lunch, Ross and Nickie went outside to play some more catch and ride his bike. When the daily afternoon thunder showers began to gather on the horizon, they came inside to play video games and watch a movie. Madison kept an ear out but let them have the time together while she did a few necessary chores and put a chicken pot pie in the oven for dinner. She thought she’d throw a salad together and make some of Nickie’s favorite peanut butter cookies for dessert. She was pleased that Ross and Nickie had fallen into a comfortable relationship. She wanted a normal life for Nickie more than she wanted anything for herself. When she looked into the family room and saw Nickie sprawled out on the couch leaning against Ross’s chest while they watched the movie, her heart gave a happy bump. She and Ross really needed to have a talk. She didn’t know exactly where her own relationship with him was going, but she knew she had to get a handle on the situation before it got away from her again as it had so many years ago.
“Nickie, please pack up your PJs and some toys. You are going to stay over at Mom Mom and Pop Pop’s house tonight.
Your dad and I have to have a family meeting and talk.”
“No! I don’t want to! I want to be with Dad. That’s not fair.”
She could see Nickie was winding up to a tantrum and, trying to short circuit the process, said, “That’s enough. How about if we all go out for an ice cream cone before we walk you over to their house.”
“No! You’re not being fair!”
“I don’t have to be fair. I’m the mother! Come on. I’ll help you pack your bag. Pop Pop told me he has some new movies for you guys to watch.”
“I want to stay here with you and Dad.”
“Don’t sass your mother, young man,” Ross said sternly.
Nickie looked rebelliously back at him, as if daring him to do something about it. Madison wanted to step in but thought it might be better to see what happened and how Ross would handle the situation. He had not had the need to assert any parental authority over Nickie yet, but it looked like it was about to become necessary. So far all their interactions had been fun and games.
“Do it again and you’re going to feel the palm of my hand on the seat of your jeans,” Ross said. “And that’s a promise.”
Nickie, still looking rebellious, stomped off to his bedroom, presumably to pack his overnight bag. They could hear him muttering in his bedroom and slamming drawers.
“Keep that up, Nicholas Ross Hamilton, and there will be a spanking in your future and no ice cream,” Ross called out. The sounds from the bedroom became quieter but did not cease entirely. He was definitely a Hamilton! They didn’t give in gracefully.
Ross’s unconscious use of the surname Hamilton shocked her. She had not thought about changing Nickie’s last name, but apparently it was something that she would have to think about and be prepared to address. He had been Nicholas Ross Snow for eight years. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that to change.
“I was wondering how long it would take for you to decide to be his father and not his best friend. It’s a fine line sometimes. You know, if you threaten something, you have to follow through once in a while, or it’s all just noise to him.” Maddie could see Ross was conflicted. He probably did not want to damage the new relationship that was blossoming between father and son by raising the specter of discipline.
“Best friend is good. Sometimes worst enemy is okay, too. I had my butt warmed a few times, and it didn’t stunt my growth.”
She laughed. “Obviously not. I’ve had the full responsibility for Nickie for eight years. It’s nice to have some backup. Personally, I use the ‘count to three method’ of child management. He usually flirts with two and a half, sometimes two and three-quarters, but he knows if I get to three it’s too late to negotiate, and he’s in trouble. God, I can see so much of you in him. That Hamilton gene pool is very strong. Sometimes I think I was just the brood mare. The ‘stallion’ genes are usually the strongest, aren’t they?”
“Genetically that’s true, but not in this case. I can see some of you in him as well. Particularly the ‘stubborn’ streak.”
“That’s not fair. Let’s call it the ‘determined’ streak.”
He pulled her into a strong hug and just held on. Then he gently pressed his lips to hers in a tentative kiss that slowly strengthened into a sensual demand. “I like the idea of a family meeting. We really do need to talk.”
When Nickie came out of his bedroom with his little bag packed and a hurt look on his face, Ross scooped him up in his arms, held him tightly for a long moment, and then he whispered in his ear, “I love you, son, but I’m the dad. It’s my job to make sure you grow up to be the best you can be, and smart-mouthing your mother isn’t going to fly. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” he said reluctantly.
“Now, let’s go get that ice cream,” Ross said before he squeezed him tight and put him back down.
Chapter Nineteen
After Nickie had been dropped off with his grandparents for the night, still grumbling but not quite daring to press the issue, Maddie put on a pot of coffee and put some cookies on a plate. She took them out to the family room.
She sat in the corner of the comfortable couch, poured the coffee, and handed Ross a cup and some cookies. Maybe if his hands were full they would be able to have a sensible adult conversation. She took her own coffee, pulled her knees up under her, and settled back into the fluffy couch cushions. “Are you happy with how things are going with Nickie? I think they are going remarkably well, all things considered. I know he was a little scared before he met you all, but things seem to have smoothed out, despite his little temper tantrum tonight. He’s just so excited to have a dad, and he’s afraid he might miss something.”
“I’m very happy. He’s a wonderful son, and you’ve done a great job raising him so far. I really want to be involved from now on, Maddie. I’ve missed so much, and we have a lot to make up for. I want to be here for the fun stuff and the not so fun stuff, like tonight. Don’t think that I’m so desperate to stay in his good graces that I’ll neglect discipline. That’s part of the ‘dad’ job description as well. I know it’s not all fun and games.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Ross. I knew that he was missing a steady male influence. My brothers tried to take up some of the slack, but they have their own families, and Dad has a hard time saying ‘no’ to him. It hasn’t been easy, but he’s the light of my life. I wouldn’t have missed the ride for anything. I just wish things had been different at the beginning.”
“I’m here now, and I’m not planning on going anywhere. About what I said before…I would like you to consider changing his name legally to Hamilton. Or maybe Snow-Hamilton. I really want my son to have my name. I’m not going to push you on this right now, but please think about it.”
She sighed. “I’ll think about it. And what about us? What are you looking for from me? Are you sure you want me for myself and not just because I’m Nickie’s mother? I think trying to build a relationship on that alone would end up hurting him more in the long run. I don’t want to start something that is destined to fail. That would be far more damaging to Nickie than not starting it at all. Can you forgive me for not telling you about Nickie? I would never try to shut you out of his life. I didn’t go away to hurt you.”
Ross put his coffee cup and plate down and reached for her. She went willingly into his arms, and he just held on tight. “I know that. Maybe it was meant to be that way. Who knows how we would have handled it at that age. It is what it is. We have to go on from here and do the best we can, for Nickie as well as for ourselves.”
“I want to go on from here. I’m just a little scared.” At least this time she was prepared. She had made the long-delayed visit to her gynecologist and gotten on birth control pills just in case. She wasn’t about to get caught a second time! That was one worry she could put aside.
“Maddie, I’ve done a lot of thinking and remembering. I think we had something special nine years ago—something that would have matured into a strong, permanent relationship if we had been given the time and luck had been on our side. I don’t think it’s too late to salvage that relationship. I want to try. I want you, in bed and out of it. Right now, I really want you in it,” he said, flashing his devastating grin.
“You are incorrigible. Your son has a lot of your charm and some of your other really good characteristics as well.” She snuggled into his strong chest. It felt like coming home, although she was nervous, and her stomach was jumping a mile a minute. Oh my God. It had been nine years since she and Ross had been intimate. She hoped she hadn’t forgotten how. Not very likely, but one never knew. Use it or lose it. She had had a few dates during those years. Grammatha had encouraged her to try to have a social life, but it had just never felt right, and she had never met anyone who measured up to the Ross who lived in her memory. Now he was back in her arms. Was she strong enough and sure enough of the woman she had become to reach out and grab for the happiness she wanted again? She thought she was. She stood up, took Ross’s hand, and headed for
the bedroom.
* * * *
Ross was delighted but a little nervous as well. He had been waiting for months to make love to Madison again. He knew that she had not really dated much while they were apart. He was cognizant of the gift he was being given—a second chance at happiness with the woman he loved, as well as a chance to have a family and the son he adored. As eager as he was, he was determined to make this special for Maddie. He would not rush the moment although he was hard as steel and could not wait to bury himself inside her. When they stood beside the bed, he turned her into his arms and kissed her with a soul-shattering thoroughness that he hoped would allay any misgivings she might have.
His lips softly began the slow journey down the silky column of her throat past her collar as he began to unbutton her shirt. He unbuckled her belt and pulled the tail of her shirt out of her jeans as he slid it off her shoulders. He slid her zipper down, pushed her jeans down, and she stepped out of her sandals. When she was standing in just a pink demi bra and bikini panties, his breath rushed from his lungs. She was stunning. She had matured, and her body had filled out although she was still slim and long legged. She was a gorgeous woman, not the beautiful, coltish girl she had been. He stripped her out of her underwear, and when she was completely naked with her long, dark hair falling around her shoulders and down her back, he stared at her in appreciation. She still had the delicate pink-tipped nipples he remembered, but her high, round breasts were full and lush. He buried his face in them then he sucked first one and then the other, swirling his rough tongue over the sensitive tips.
She reached to unfasten his buttons and push the shirt off his shoulders. He had to steady her as her knees began to weaken. He hastily stripped out of the rest of his clothes and, pulling her to him, toppled onto the quilt-covered, antique, mahogany four-poster bed. He ran his hands over her body, trying to memorize every inch. Her high, round bottom had looked great in jeans but looked even better without them. His hands itched to cup that luscious ass as he drove his throbbing cock into her, but he held back, determined to bring her as much pleasure as possible.
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