by Tia Wylder
However, he couldn’t spend the rest of his life in fear. Kelly seemed to be warming up to his presence, after all. It seemed inevitable after all the time the two families were spending together that the two would eventually even out on good terms again. He hadn’t expected the shift to happen so soon, but he couldn’t find it in him to question it. Paul was simply happy that Kelly was allowing him into her life, at least in some measure.
“What’s with the goofy grin, Dad?” James asked, lips quirked in a sly smile of his own. Paul blinked, not realizing just how obvious his delight was in his features. He quickly tried to shift his expression into a more collected one, but the damage was already done. “Thinking about Miss Carpenter, aren’t you? You like her lots. Like, like like her,” the boy said teasingly, continuing to clack his silverware on the tabletop. Paul rolled his eyes, but felt his cheeks growing warm in spite of himself. So what if his son had already clued in on his feelings? It wasn’t as if James was particularly daft, and Paul realized he was being a bit more obvious than he’d intended. He’d have to cool himself down a bit if he expected things with Kelly to carry on in the same manner. Brushing a hand through his chocolate brown hair, Paul leveled James with a serious stare. The young boy raised a brow, crossing his arms daringly.
“You can’t tell Kelly… you can’t tell Miss Carpenter anything about this, alright? We’ve known each other for some time, even before my active duty. I can’t exactly give you all the details, but the short version is that I was rather cold to her before departing for my service, and… I’d give anything to make it up to her,” Paul explained weakly, feeling somewhat awkward as he explained his romantic woes to his son. James simply smiled, reaching out to pat his dad on the arm.
“Don’t worry. You two are getting along really well, and Jeffrey says…,” James began, but Paul was quick to shush him.
“I don’t want to know her business unless she tells me directly, you understand? I know you boys mean well, but don’t get wrapped up in something you don’t belong in, alright?” The older man said seriously, his ocean blue eyes growing intense at the thought of the woman he desired. In spite of his words, he couldn’t help wondering how Kelly felt about him. He wanted more than anything to allow his son to give him the inside details, but he knew that wouldn’t be fair to Kelly.
“Alright, Dad. Is it alright if I go outside and play with Jeff now? We might play ball or something, but I’m not really sure…,” James trailed off, resting his chin in his hand. Paul grinned, reaching out to clap a hand on his son’s shoulder.
“I have a better idea. Why don’t you invite Jeff and Miss Carpenter on an outing to the park with us? Maybe the shaved ice vendor will be there, and you guys can play on the slides,” he suggested, grinning at the look of utter delight on his son’s face.
“That sounds awesome! Come on, Dad! Let’s go ask them,” James intoned urgently, pushing away from the table and lurching to his feet. Paul moved at a much more leisurely pace, and it seemed that the boy thought it was just to torment him. “Come on,” he whined, drawing the words out as he lingered by the front door. Paul chuckled, jogging and pushing the door open. While it was as beautiful a day as any, it seemed the sun’s rays were somewhat less intense than they had been. There was a pleasant breeze blowing, and he paused for a moment to simply inhale a deep breath of morning air. James rushed ahead, darting across the yard towards their neighbors’ house. Before James could even knock on the door, Jeffrey yanked it open, smiling brightly.
“I was wondering when you would come!” Jeffrey grinned, his excitement obvious and infectious.
“Dad wants to take your mom on a date!” James said loudly, and Paul flinched visibly at the declaration. It was as if the discussion he’d just had with his son went over his head entirely.
“What?” Jeffrey gasped, turning into the house. “Mom, Mister Stalone wants to take you out on a date,” he called out loudly, before Paul could think and stop him. The boy received silence in response, though Kelly approached the door with a rather uncertain expression. She met Paul’s gaze with trepidation, and he laughed as he made an attempt to wave off the awkward situation.
“Actually, I was wondering if you and Jeff would like to join James and I on an outing to the park? It’s a beautiful day, and I thought the boys might be getting a bit antsy staying home all day,” Paul explained, nervously.
“Aww,” Jeffrey muttered, seeming disappointed that the date was not an actual date.
“Oh, Jeffrey, hush. You know mommy’s not ready to find someone,” Kelly muttered, glancing towards Paul with a small smile. “We’d be happy to join you. The park is just a short walk from here, isn’t it? I’ll grab a cooler and we can take some water and hoof it,” she suggested with a grin. The boys groaned simultaneously, but Paul nodded eagerly.
“Sounds good. Come on guys, if you get too tired when we’re done playing, I’ll carry you home,” he smiled. Jeffrey’s eyes widened, and as James laughed, he awkwardly smiled.
“Even me?” The green-eyed boy asked nervously. Paul reached down to ruffle the boy’s hair, his expression kind.
“Of course. You’re my son’s little bro, so that means…,” he trailed off, cutting himself as Kelly approached with a cooler. She seemed to catch the tail end of the conversation, watching them with a cautious expression. “Well, anyway. Let’s get going,” Paul said quickly, diverting the conversation.
The walk to the park was a short one, and the boys enjoyed themselves much more than they might have expected. However, nothing could compare to the look of delight in Jeffrey’s eyes as James pulled him towards the biggest slide in the park.
“Come on, bro! You’re going to have so much fun,” James declared. Kelly watched them go a bit nervously, clutching the strap of the cooler tightly in her hands.
“They’ll be fine, Kelly. My boy won’t let anything happen to yours,” Paul assured her, gesturing towards a bench in a well shaded area. She hesitated briefly before nodding, marching in the direction of the bench. Her dress swished around her ankles, and a sudden gust of wind had her pressing her arms down to make sure it didn’t rise at an inopportune moment. The sound of a wolf whistle could be heard from somewhere across the park, and Paul narrowed his eyes angrily. For her part, Kelly looked embarrassed by the peep show she had nearly given.
“They’re probably looking at someone else,” she muttered under her breath, sitting on the bench and grabbing a bottle of water. Paul sat on the opposite end, giving her space as the two of them tried to cool down. Kelly closed her eyes, moaning appreciatively as she pressed the cold bottle of water against her skin. Paul tried not to openly ogle her, but it seemed as if the man currently approaching them did not have such decency. Paul tensed, watching the old and portly gentleman approach them with what he likely thought a certain swagger in his step. Kelly was entirely oblivious to his presence until the man was nearly on top of her.
“Hey, sweetheart. I know a place you can come cool off. You could, you know, get under the air conditioner… maybe take off that cute little dress,” he grinned, his yellowing teeth seeming appropriate for such a sleazy figure. Kelly looked taken aback, shifting away from the man and closer to Paul.
“No, thank you. I’m here with my son,” she deflected, obviously hoping the man would leave well enough alone. However, the intrusive stranger didn’t seem quite done with his verbal assault.
“Come on, baby. This loser can watch your dumb kid, and the two of us can have some real fun,” he purred, reaching out to rest a hand on Kelly’s shoulder. His sweaty palm caressed her skin, moving towards the front of her dress. Paul was vaguely aware of their sons watching them from the slides, and as much as he didn’t want to frighten them with a scene, he decided enough was enough.
Lurching to his feet, Paul shoved the unpleasant stranger away from Kelly. The man stumbled, cursing loudly as he righted himself. Kelly gasped, reaching out towards Paul in an attempt to soothe him.
“It’s
okay, Paul, it’s not worth it,” she said urgently, trying to draw the navy seal closer as the stranger approached again, ill intent clear in the man’s gaze. Paul seemed to consider her words, and for a moment, he thought he might just let the situation slide. Then he realized the boys were still watching with fear in their eyes, their pleasant day at the park essentially ruined by some dirtbag who couldn’t keep his hands to himself. If anything else, Paul needed to teach him a lesson. The stranger seemed all too ready to learn from the school of hard knocks, after all.
“He’s not worth it. You are,” Paul muttered calmly, lurching towards the man and dodging a clumsy punch as it was thrown. He grabbed the man by the arm, overextending him before throwing the man over his shoulders in an impressive show of strength. The man hit the ground hard, groaning for a moment before trying to get back to his feet. Paul quickly pressed a foot against the man’s back, looming over him as the sleazy stranger squirmed under his boot. “Stay down,” Paul ordered, his voice harsh. The man went still as Paul applied more pressure on his back, nearly enough to crush a rib if he so desired.
“Get off of me, man. She’s just some dumb whore,” the man grunted, trying to wriggle away. Anger flared in Paul’s eyes, and he lifted his foot off of the man’s back. As the stranger lurched to his feet, Paul was quick to grab him by the shirt collar and lift him several inches off the ground. “Shit, man,” the stranger cursed, clutching Paul’s arms in his hands.
“Apologize to her. As a matter of fact, while you’re at it, apologize to our sons for ruining their day at the park. We just came here to have a good time, and we didn’t ask for some psycho to come accost my lovely friend,” Paul hissed. The stranger struggled for a moment.
“Yeah, man! Say you’re sorry!” James cried out as he rushed towards the scene. Jeffrey trailed behind him, looking simultaneously nervous and furious. He stood at his mother’s side, taking her hand in his own and squeezing it gently. He looked ready to face the sleazy old man in a fight of his own, but fortunately, it wouldn’t come to that.
“Alright! Alright! I’m… sorry, Miss. You look like a real… nice lady. I shouldn’t have been so, ah… crude,” the man stammered out, whimpering as Paul tightened his grip on his shirt.
“And…?” Paul prompted.
“I’m awful sorry for messing up your fun, kiddos. When you get older, you’ll understand, but..,” he began, cut off by a surprisingly derisive laugh from Jeffrey.
“When I get older, I want to be like Mr. Stalone. Not a jerk like you,” he spat, venomously. The man’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but Paul gave him a quick shake to bring him back to his senses.
“I’m going to put you down, now. You turn tail and get your ass out of this park while my family and I enjoy the rest of our day,” Paul hissed. The man nodded, sweat rolling down his fat neck. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he rushed in the direction of the parking lot as quickly as his feet would take him. Paul exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, caught off guard by a pair of arms wrapping around him and tightly embracing him. He tilted his head down, surprised to see Kelly with her cheek nestled against his chest.
“Thank you, Paul. For… for standing up for me. You didn’t need to do that,” she muttered.
“Of course, I had to. He was being a pig,” Paul muttered, stroking a hand through Kelly’s hair. The boys whooped and cheered, causing Kelly to startle a bit and jerk away. Her face was alight with red, but she couldn’t stop smiling in spite of the situation that had just taken place.
“Well… I’m glad Jeffrey is able to see what a real man acts like,” she paused. “He’s gotten really attached to you,” she admitted, and Jeffrey reddened at his mother’s confession.
“Mom,” he hissed, looking utterly embarrassed.
“I think that’s just fine, considering how close the four of us have grown. Like I said, Jeffrey. You’re my son’s little brother, which makes you my unofficial son, right?” Paul grinned. Jeffrey looked elated, nodding his head eagerly at the declaration. For her part, Kelly looked torn between doubt and delight.
Though he would not voice the thought, Paul couldn’t help thinking it was a shame that Jeffrey wasn’t his flesh and blood. Perhaps in another lifetime…
Chapter Five
Paul found himself growing more and more enamored with the woman he had once called his own, tempted by his own traitorous thoughts of attempting to court Kelly again. He knew it would likely end as disastrously as the first time they’d gone out, though he liked to consider himself a better person, reborn during the time he’d been away. He still couldn’t shake off the pain of knowing she had found another man in his absence, though it was clear that Jeffrey’s father was long out of the picture. As much as his heart ached for her, he still wished he could find it within himself to simply be a good friend. He knew that Kelly had found some measure of happiness on her own, that she didn’t need him anymore.
Had she ever needed him to begin with?
It wasn’t a thought he wanted to consider too deeply. If anything, he preferred to enjoy the way her eyes had started to twinkle again in his presence. The anger that she had first turned upon him seemed to have dissipated, replaced with a feeling that he wished he could place, but just couldn’t quite bring himself to. It was easy to get his hopes up, but he was confident that if he allowed himself that privilege, he would only find himself crushed once again.
Then again, she had hugged him with all the ferocity of a lovestruck child when he’d, according to her, ‘saved her’ in the park. He hadn’t really considered it a particularly monumental task, Kelly certainly deserved someone who would stand up for her. He simply couldn’t imagine how anyone could be as callous as her heckler had been. She was beautiful, utterly enchanting, with curves so luscious it was all that he could do to keep from sinking his teeth into her.
Getting aroused at three in the afternoon, however, wasn’t going to get him any closer to the woman. If he popped a stiffy while taking his son next door, well, there was no doubt there would be some suspicion as to his intentions. Frowning to himself, he sat upright in bed and glanced towards the window. He wouldn’t spend all day brooding, not anymore. He wouldn’t allow himself to waste that much time. In spite of everything, he couldn’t shake the all-encompassing desire to win her back
If there was no chance of winning her back, and she firmly asserted as such, he would be willing to let her go. However, there were so many what ifs that hung suspended in midair. If he were to make an attempt to court her, would she allow it? He would be damned if he wasn’t even going to try and find out.
With that thought firmly in mind, he threw his legs off the side of the bed and rose to his feet. The sheet fell away from his nearly nude body, and he hummed as he stretched his arms out over his head. It was a brand new day, with brand new possibilities to explore with his new neighbors. Well, not entirely new in either case…
Slipping to the bathroom, he didn’t allow himself to get caught in the trappings of self-doubt. Turning on the water in the shower, he idly bounced on his heels as he waited for it to warm. In the meantime, he shifted to the sink and considered his reflection in the mirror. Offering himself a grin, Paul quickly moistened his face before applying ample amounts of shaving cream. He swiped the razor smoothly along his scruffy face, careful not to cut too harshly. Little nicks wouldn’t look particularly attractive in a clean-shaven paramour, and he wanted to present the image of perfection for his intended partner. Fortunately, he managed to escape with nary a cut, washing his face off.
By that time, the water in the shower stall had warmed enough for his tastes. He winked at his reflection, slipping into the shower and allowing the water to cascade down his nude form. Finding himself in a rather out of character good mood, he gripped the shower gel, singing some old rock and roll hit into the bottle before globbing a bit into his hand. Paul continued to sing as he washed his body, swinging his body from side to side as he turned his face upward
s into the shower stream.
Dipping his head, he quickly shook it to rid himself of a few water droplets. He snagged the bottle of two in one shampoo and conditioner, squirting some into his hand before quickly sudsing up his hair. His scalp tingled pleasantly at the sensations, and he found a smile forming what seemed a permanent position on his face.
“She’s gonna go wild for ya,” he half mumbled, half sang as he ducked his head under the water again. It was a sort of nonsensical song, the sort that you formed when you were in a singing mood but had no real melody in your head. The words simply spilled out in a rather musical way. It had been some years since Paul had felt happy enough for such a sensation to overcome him. It must have been since…
