“No.” She shook her head and looked away from him. “Car accident in England somewhere.”
“Does she know?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Though, she doesn’t ask about her dad. I know that sounds weird…”
“Ever?” he asked, and she sighed, rolling away from him and onto her back. He rolled to his side to look at her.
“She started preschool at four. The third week there she asked me why every child in her class had a dad but she didn’t. I told her, her dad loved her in his own way, but he couldn’t be there for us because he was in Heaven. She had had a rabbit Gabby got her when she was like two that had just died, so she kind of understood the concept.” He stroked her hair, watching her look up at ceiling as she lost herself in her own thoughts. “One day she’ll ask, and I’ll tell her. But I think… I like to think the reason she never asks is because she knows her and I are a team. Add in my sisters…”
“She’s covered.” he surmised.
“Yeah.” She rolled to her side, her hand under her cheek as she looked at him.
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret what? The one-night stand?” she asked raising an eyebrow.
“That changed your life.”
“It did.”
“You’re not in radio, your career is in a different path than you…”
“Dreams change Marc. At the moment, you know when I saw the positive sign on the pregnancy test, I was scared out of my mind. I felt so stupid. I wanted kids, just not that young and in that way.” she admitted and he could see it. He could picture her, young and alone, her life about to change. “I never wanted to be a single mom like my own. Yet, Lexi was the best thing to happen to me. Made me jump and take a chance with writing. Made me grow up.” her hand caressed his face and he closed his eyes at her touch. Loving the warmth of her hands on him.
“Dreams change… I like that.” She had no idea that how much Lexi and her had already started to change the foundation of his own dreams.
“You’re the first man I’ve dated she has met.” She blinked and kept talking. “Not that I’ve dated a whole bunch these last six years. I haven’t really had the time, but well… I just need you to know this all is…”
“New?”
“On so many levels,” she whispered.
“I didn’t give you much of a choice in introducing her to me, did I?” He regretted the way he’d pushed her, yet was glad at the same time.
“You didn’t.”
“I want this, Grace.” He leaned in to kiss her softly. Pulling away, he stroked her cheek, his heart warming as she leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. “This pull to you. I don’t want to give it up. I want this. You in my arms, every night I can manage it. And I’m selfish enough to ask you to at least think about giving it to me.”
“How is it selfish?”
“My life can be…”
“Chaotic?”
“Yeah,” he mumbled, wondering how much of a mess he was going to bring into her life, but she just smiled at him, her eyes more than understanding.
“I’m a single mom, Marc.”
“I know that.”
“Which means, not much scares me.” She kissed him this time, her tongue swiping his lower lip before she pulled away to look into his eyes.
“I hope that’s true. The paparazzi, my schedule—”
“Shhh…” She kissed him a little deeper this time, and he went with it. “You want me to trust you. You have to do the same,” she genially whispered against his lips. A smile still played on her lips as she got on top of him. Her softness and beauty surrounded him.
After two great orgasms, one in bed, one in the shower, he didn’t think he would have had the stamina to go another round.
Thankfully, she proved him wrong.
***
He shifted on the couch, sleep slowly fading away, and woke to a small, beautiful creature standing in front of him. Her face was slightly serious.
“Hey.” His voice sounded raspy with sleep.
“Hello.”
“Umm.” He cleared his throat and tried to rub the webs of sleep out of his eyes. “You okay?” he asked gently. She shrugged.
“I think so,” she whispered. He sat up, rubbing his face and moving to one end so she could sit next to him.
“What's up?” he asked her.
“Are you really Mommy's boyfriend?” Lexi asked. He smiled.
“Yeah,” he answered softly and looked at her sitting next to him. Her hair in a messy ponytail, she looked toward the TV, while he looked around for a clock to figure out the time.
“You feeling better, Lexi?” he asked, wondering if she was up this early because she was still feeling sick. Shit. Was it really only six in the morning?
“Much better. Thank you for asking,” she politely answered and turned her sweet face to him. He knew he was in trouble before she opened her mouth to speak. “Are you going to marry her?” she asked innocently, and he swallowed hard.
Marry Grace? The image of her walking down the aisle toward him, then wearing his ring, played in his mind. Adopting Lexi, was the very next thought, and something struck him deeply.
There was a rightness to those thoughts as they settled in his mind. No panic. Just that sense of rightness. He couldn't imagine a more beautiful life than that. He stared at her, lost in his own thoughts. He could step up and be a dad. He’d had a great role model. He’d always wanted kids. Would Grace want more kids? Their kids?
“I, umm...” He cleared his throat. “You hungry?” he asked, trying to distract her with food, because even though the idea felt right to him, he had no idea what would happen between the two of them.
“Is that a subtle way to avoid my question?”
“Umm…”
“I told my two best friends at school about you.”
“You did?” His eyes widened. Not that he cared who knew.
“Yeah.” She sighed and shook her little head. “They didn't believe me. They said I was too obsessed with superheroes and making stuff up.”
“Oh.” He didn’t like them not believing her.
“Then Jordy, he's a boy and my friend, but not like my boyfriend, asked me if I had asked you about your indentions.”
“You mean intentions?”
“Yeah. I guess. Those.” She shrugged. He sat up straighter and fought his lips from smiling, because as cute as she was, he could see she was being serious.
“He has this grandpa who thinks he knows everything about everything.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, especially with love stuff.”
“Why is that?” he asked out loud. She sighed again.
“I guess because he was married to Jordy's grama for like ever before she died.”
“Oh… I can see why he would think he knows a thing or two about relationships.”
“Yeah. But he’s kinda caveman-ish, at least that’s what Tia Gloria says.”
“Caveman-ish?”
“Yeah. See, Jordy has it stuck in his head that I’m the love of his life.”
“Oh.” He frowned. Lexi was six.
Wasn’t that too young for love and boys? Did Grace know about this Jordy kid?
“His grandpa told him when you know, you know, and you man up.” Man up, huh?
“Oh. What did you tell Jordy?”
“I told him I had to focus on myself and become an independent woman before I could think about settling down.” Gloria’s influence, he figured and was grateful.
“How did he take that?”
“He said that was fine. He isn’t going to go anywhere. He says when a real man finds his one, he waits. That his know-it-all grandpa says a real man waits and fights for his woman.”
“Oh.”
“So?” she asked again, her green on him, lines on her brow.
“So?”
“So, what are your indentations.”
“Intentions.”
“Yeah, what are they?”
&nb
sp; “Umm…”
“Mom has my Tias. They watch after her and me. And they’re great. But she always says that me and her are a team.”
“You are.”
“In teams, you watch over one another. She takes care of me, so I have to take care of her. Watch her back, like Jordy said. So I need to ask you what your intentions are.” He smiled at her successfully saying it correctly. He smiled at how sweet and brave she was to ask a man she didn’t really know yet, but kinda trusted, a question he didn’t even think she understood.
“I like your mom.”
“I know that.” She rolled her eyes, smirking, and he laughed.
“You’re pretty awesome.”
“Duh.” He chuckled at her sassiness.
“I want to get to know her… And you,” he added, because it was very clear to him that his circle of people had grown by two. Two very sassy and beautiful ladies. His chest warmed over. He wasn’t exactly sure of how his life had changed so drastically. But he was fucking glad it had.
A little over a month ago, his life was a mess with a stupid fight and the tabloids. Now he was right where he was supposed to be. Without a doubt in his mind.
Then it hit him.
It hit like a light bulb turning on.
He was in love.
Real love.
Jordy’s grandpa was right. When a man knew, he just knew. To the center of his bones, to the furthest depths of his soul. He just knew. No question about it. He was in love with Grace Rivera and falling for Lexi.
He looked down at Lexi, whose head was tilted, as if trying to somehow read his thoughts. Her sage green eyes watched him intently. He glanced at Grace’s bedroom door and wished he could go in there, pin her below him, and tell her. Tell her he was all in, no bullshit, no games.
Games.
Shit. Fuck! That stupid fucking bet with his brothers and Donnie.
He’d just tell her.
Man up like Lexi had said. He hadn’t known Grace, not really, when he’d been talking shit with his brothers and Don.
She would understand.
She’d get he was just talking shit out of his ass and it didn’t affect what he was doing with her.
Wouldn’t she? Hmm. Maybe he should give her some more time, bring her close, then tell her? How is she going to find out? A voice deep in his mind chimed, and he wondered if he even had to tell her.
“Marc?”
“I like your mom. A lot. I wish I could tell the future, honey, but I can’t,” he started off, but he didn’t like how unsure that left him. “But I will tell you that all I want is to make your mom and you happy. I’ll do everything and anything to make that happen.” He wondered if he kiddified it enough and watched her closely. Her green eyes squinted at him, and he was suddenly nervous. What if Lexi didn’t want him around?
She got up and held her hand out at him. He took it. “Pancakes would make me happy.”
“Pancakes?” He couldn’t stop the smile that fell over his face at her answer.
“Yeah. Mom likes pancakes too. She just says they’re a lot of work. We should make her some.” She grinned at him, and the worry faded away. With a silent chuckle, he stood and let her lead him to the kitchen, where they made pancakes.
Chapter Twenty
Grace
“Mmm… You smell good,” he whispered into my ear, and my entire body warmed as it shivered in many different places.
He hadn’t shaved, and even if Gloria had rolled her eyes when he’d come to pick me up, commenting under her breath about something or another, I liked the way he looked. Scruffy, his hair a little longer. He was usually hot, but in a dark black suit with a crisp white dress shirt he was sinfully beautiful.
I turned my head up and back to look at him and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Ready?”
“Shouldn’t you be waiting in the living room for me?” I asked him, turning back to look at the top of my dresser and picking up my other earring.
“Mmm…” His mouth went to my neck, to a spot that made me weak in the knees when he touched it. “Probably. But Lexi is watching a movie in her room, and Gloria kind of scares me,” he whispered against my neck. I pressed my lips together.
“Wimp,” I quipped, looking at his reflection in the mirror, his ultra-marine eyes on mine. His beautiful, strong, tall body was behind mine. I was surprised at how we looked together.
“Maybe.” He grinned, straightening, but I didn’t look away. My thoughts still on how we looked together.
The fact that he was in my room.
In my life.
“How did this happen?” I asked without thinking, looking at his oceanic eyes.
“What?” His smile faltered for a moment, and he looked at me, trying to figure out what I meant.
“You. Here. In my room. Me getting ready to go out on a date with you,” I clarified and swallowed, feeling a little overwhelmed. His hands moved to my shoulders.
“Gracie…”
“No one calls me that. Not since I was eleven.” The volume in my voice moved noticeably higher. I sounded panicked in my own ears.
“Baby, breathe.” He leaned down so that his chin rested on my shoulder and his cheek pressed against mine. “I’m just Marc.”
“You’re Mr. Right!”
“No. I’m not. At least not in the way you’re saying it, at least.” I frowned, my heart rate slowly picking up its pace.
“Marcus, you look like you do, and I…”
“You’re beautiful,” his deep voice rumbled before he kissed my temple.
“Is this a game?” I stupidly asked, my heart racing with a weird fear. A fear I hadn’t felt in a long time. One of not being able to measure up to expectations, mixed with dread because I wanted to. Badly.
“No,” he confidently said, his eyes never wavering from mine in the mirror as he held me tighter.
“Would you tell me if it was?” And there it was. My fear.
He was an actor, a great one. He could be a superhero one moment and a drug-addicted junkie the next, only to switch up and be a historical period-piece leading man. He was ruggedly beautiful, disarmingly charming, and beyond talented. Would I know the difference?
“I write make-believe, happily-ever-afters, Marc.”
“I know you do,” he gently said, like he was worried about scaring me away.
“I don’t live them.”
“Now you do,” he adamantly said.
“I’m falling for you,” I blurted out like a crazy lunatic. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the door swung open and Lexi came in with a book I had promised her I would read.
“Mom! You said you would read me a story before you left!”
“How about I read it to you, so your mom can finish getting ready?” Marc asked, not letting go of me, just loosening his hold on my waist as he turned to look at her. I watched my girl beam a huge smile as she shook her head.
“YES!” She gave Marcus a high five, and I couldn’t help but giggle at her reaction.
“Okay. Come on.” He kissed my temple again before letting go of me and took her hand to lead her out, giving me a wink before he closed the door behind him that made my heart seize.
Looking at myself in the mirror, two thoughts battled in my mind. A) I was in over my head; and B) I had to be careful. Lexi knew him and was getting attached. I had to play it smart. Touching the spot on my neck he’d kissed, I heard his voice in my mind as if he’d just spoken.
Not just the ones from that moment but all of them since he’d shown up on my doorstep. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I was going to go with my gut and believe that life could be just as good as some of my books.
***
“This place is beautiful,” I told him with my hand in his as we sat next to one another in a deep mahogany booth.
“It’s a great spot,” he murmured sexily as my lips landed on his.
“Great music,” I kept blabbering, not knowing why, since it was obvio
us he was okay with sitting close and peppering my neck with soft, teasing kisses.
“Mmhmm…” His nose nuzzled my neck, and even though I wanted to protest, I moved closer to give him better access. “Have I told you how beautiful you look in that dress?”
“Mmm, I think you’ve mentioned that.” I winked at him and gasped quietly when his tongue peeked out and swiped at my skin. I held in a lusty moan that wanted to escape.
We were at a jazz club somewhere in Hollywood. He’d managed to reserve a romantic, darkened booth that looked out to the stage, where a band played as a sexy, tall, curvy woman with midnight skin sang huskily.
We’d had a full steak dinner and our sinful looking chocolate cake dessert had just been brought out to us. Neither one of us had touched it. Merely looked at it.
We had sat close throughout dinner, stealing glances and touches. Well, he stole touches here and there, his hand grazing my outer thigh right where my dress had ridden up, or his hand on my lap, or hand in hand, and I happily let him. Every inch he touched seemed to be sparked with a jolt of electricity and desire.
Now that dinner was done, we were even closer. His face was nuzzling the side of mine, slowly moving down to my neck, and I was glad I had worn a little black wrap dress. It had a deep V-neck, so I usually wore a camisole beneath, but had decided to bare cleavage, and the lacey push-up bra beneath was definitely doing its job. It had a three-quarter sleeve and fell about two inches above my knees. It might not have been short and skimpy, but it hugged my curves just right, flaring out in just the right spots. It was flattering. It made me feel sexy and powerful, and I had paired it with sexy black peep toe three-inch heels that had cute bows on the back. My hair was down in long, soft, curly waves. My make-up was a little heavier than usual, but nothing too dramatic. The entire presentation of it made me feel good. And the way Marc looked at me as I stood in the doorway of Lexi’s room when he finished reading her a book was even better.
Now, in a darkened, soft leather booth of a sexy jazz club, a fine meal and fantastic conversation behind us, I looked at him and had to admit I was even more mesmerized than before. Falling deeper and deeper by the minute.
His black suit jacket was draped over the far end of our booth. His white dress shirt was crisp and fit him to perfection; the top two buttons were undone, showing a hint of his chest hair below, and I couldn’t help myself.
LIE (Right Men Book 1) Page 18
