Handcuff Me to Your Bed (Single Moms Deserve Happily Ever Afters Book 1)

by Zoe Garcia

  Did he have a secret family or something?

  All I knew was that once again he was too good to be true.

  The doorbell rang, and I pushed up my sleeves and walked over there, determined not to cry in front of Jeremy, no matter what.

  I swung open the door and stared at him.

  “Hey,” he greeted me. “Are you okay?”

  He took a step toward me, and I held up a hand. “I know you lied.”

  Jeremy opened his mouth to talk. His perfect, beautiful mouth.

  I glanced away.

  He stood where he was. “Camila, let me —“

  “No,” I replied, my voice hard. “You don’t get to explain. The time for explaining was that first night at dinner. When I fucking asked you what school you had gone to. And I had even mentioned you looking kinda like another Jeremy I used to know!”

  He looked downright pitiful and ashamed, but I didn’t care. He tried to explain again, but I didn’t let him.

  He didn’t get to speak. I did. “You are the same asshole I used to know in high school! You humiliated me in front of everyone,” I said, taking a step toward him. I didn’t care how tall he was or the fact that he had the power to arrest me right then and there. I was gonna say my piece. “Because of you, my reputation was ruined, and I had to deal with that for three years.”

  “I’m sorry,” he managed. “I had no idea.”

  “Of course you had no idea,” I shouted. “You left! You got to graduate and leave. After saying those things about me and playing along with your stupid friends! You didn’t have to play along and do what they said, but you did. And you didn’t even have the balls to apologize to me. Then or now!”

  “I wanted to—“

  “Did you want to humiliate me again?” I demanded, my voice getting louder by the second. “Is that it? You told your dumb friends that I’d slept with you when I didn’t even know you. Did you just want to finally get me in bed? Go back and brag that’d you’d made a fool of me?”

  Jeremy shook his head, but I didn’t care.

  “I don’t want to see you anymore,” I said, my voice quivering. “Ever again.”

  “Camila, please,” he replied.

  Now my voice turned low and threatening. “I brought you into my life. I was thinking of introducing you to my daughter. I showed you pictures of her and told you about her, about me,” I realized. I’d opened up so much to him.

  And this whole time, he’d been lying to me.

  “You’re the same jerk that you always were,” I said quietly.

  He glanced down, his expression now blank.

  Behind him, I noticed my nosy neighbor staring at us, clearly offended that I’d dared to air my dirty laundry near her. I gave her a pointed look, and she went back to gardening.

  I turned around to go, but Jeremy said, “Camila, please let me explain. I don’t want to lose you.”

  I turned back around, now in the doorway. “You never had me,” I replied.

  Then I shut the door in his face.

  The truth was he had had all of me.

  All of me.

  That’s why this hurt so fucking much.

  16

  About twenty minutes later, Jeremy texted me, trying to apologize and asking if we could please talk.

  I didn’t reply.

  When he called, I blocked him.

  Then the tears came full force.

  I let myself cry in bed for a couple of hours, and then I wiped them all away.

  As much as I was hurting, I wanted to see Skye.

  She was my everything.

  I didn’t want her to know that I was in emotional pain, but I wanted to hug her all night while we slept.

  She had her own room, decorated completely in pink of course, but sometimes she still came to my room in the middle of the night, and I secretly loved it.

  Tonight, we’d have a little sleepover of our own.

  When I got to Mom’s, Dad was in the shower, thankfully.

  But Mom could see right through me.

  “I’m okay,” I said, trying to reassure her. I wasn’t ready to talk about it, and thankfully, she didn’t say anything else.

  Just gave me a big hug. “It’s okay, honey.”

  I grabbed Skye’s backpack and called to her in the other room so we could go.

  “Call if you need anything,” Mom said.

  I gave her one last hug, and we left.

  By the time we got home, Skye had fallen asleep.

  I carried her inside, did my best to brush her teeth while she lightly snored, and I pulled the covers over both of us.

  We were going to be okay.

  As much as it cut me inside to think she’d never have a father figure besides my own Dad, I knew we were going to be okay somehow.

  The next morning, I woke up feeling still pretty numb and sad but also resilient.

  Like I knew I could get through this just like I had gotten through everything else in my life.

  I had no idea what my life would look like one year or ten years from now, if I’d ever find Mr. Right, but I decided I was going to be happy either way.

  On my way to daycare after work that afternoon, I blasted “Independent Woman” by Destiny’s Child. An absolute classic.

  It had gotten me through a lot, and it was my go-to during difficult times.

  Somehow, I’d always managed.

  During tough times when I wasn’t sure how I’d pay bills and buy groceries and I didn’t want to keep asking my parents for help.

  Back when Skye’s father had made me believe that maybe he would step up and then decided he wasn’t going to.

  During all the heartbreaks I’d gone through since then, including this one.

  It was such a good song.

  Even so, I had to admit that my heart was still completely shattered over Jeremy. A big part of me ached for him, missed him so much.

  My eyes filled with tears again, and I blinked them away, reminding myself that I didn’t need him or any other guy. I’d gone this long without a significant other. As much as I’d fallen for him and gotten used to him so quickly in my life, I knew how to be on my own.

  I would get over him, just like I’d gotten over every other guy that had turned out to be wrong for me before.

  I checked the time on the clock on the dash and stepped on the gas a little. Ever since Jeremy had pulled me over last month, I hadn’t been late once, and I didn’t plan on starting again.

  Today, my boss had asked me to do one more thing for him before I left the office, and I had immediately said no. “Sorry. I can’t. If I don’t pick up my daughter on time again, she’s gonna get kicked out of daycare.”

  First, he’d done a double take like he hadn’t quite heard me correctly. Then the look of anger and indignance on his face made it seem like he was having a brain aneurysm.

  And then I’d left.

  But even so, traffic was crazy, and I was gonna be a little late if I didn’t hurry.

  I kept an eye on the speedometer. I was going five over the limit. That was fine, right?

  For a minute, I went back to that day Jeremy had pulled me over. It was on this exact road. The spot was up just ahead.

  Right away, my eyes began to tear up again as I realized this was the first time passing that spot since we’d broken up.

  I took a deep breath, only to see flashing blue lights in my rearview mirror.

  You had got to be kidding me!

  Another cop was stopping me at almost the same exact spot Jeremy had? Did the entire police department have it out for me now?

  I could’ve growled with anger. I was going to have to unblock him just so I could chew his ass out later.

  Then a familiar voice reached me via the speakerphone thing that patrol cars had. It was him.

  It was him…

  “Camila, just give me 2 minutes, okay? I know you probably hate me, but I just want to talk for 2 minutes, alright?” His voice was filled with regret, bu
t I didn’t care. He didn’t get to use his powers as a police officers for this.

  The balls on this guy.

  I pulled over, opened the door of my car, and got out, seething.

  He was about to get a piece of my damn mind.

  I walked over, hands fisted, and watched him get out too. He hesitated, and I stopped several feet away. This was as close as I wanted to get to him.

  “Camila, please,” he said, stepping out in front of his still open door. “All I want to do is explain. Just two minutes, and then I’ll leave your life forever if that’s what you want. You can go back to hating me.”

  Ugh. Why did he have to look so pained and sexy all at the same time?

  I stood there, arms crossed, raised a brow. “You have ninety seconds,” I replied, my voice carrying all the anger and hurt I felt towards him.

  He exhaled. “I lied to you. It was wrong. As soon as the lie left my mouth that first night, I regretted it. But I was too much of a coward to come clean and tell you the truth, that I’m the same asshole Jeremy who humiliated you. I was stupid then and I was stupid again now. When you told me that I looked like this jerk who had ruined your reputation in high school, I realized what I’d done to you. I knew you would hate me if I told you it was me. The truth is I was a dumb kid who wanted to look cool in front of his friends. Even back then, I regretted the words I said right after they came out of my mouth. You don’t know how many times since then I’ve wished that I could take them back, do it over. Then that day, when I stopped you on this road, I realized it was you. It was like the universe had given me another chance with you.”

  What did that mean? I let my arms fall at my side.

  He took one more step toward me. “We didn’t really know each other except for that one class we were in, and I know you were a few years younger than me, but I had the biggest crush on you. So I couldn’t believe that our paths had crossed again. And then I went and messed things up all over again. Caused you more pain.”

  I glanced away, not believing the words coming out his mouth now. No guy had ever been this honest and vulnerable with me, but even so I was still angry. I had no idea what to think.

  “You don’t know how hard I fell for you, Cami. You’re an amazing woman. I love every single part of you. I don’t want to lose you.”

  He paused, and I met his gaze. “But I understand if you just don’t want to do this anymore. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I couldn’t let you go again without apologizing.”

  More silence.

  I had no idea what to say. I crossed my arms again.

  “I won’t bother you again,” he finished quietly.

  Was this it? He was gonna leave my life for good?

  Was that what I wanted?

  I had no idea.

  This was happening too fast.

  I blinked.

  I knew what I wanted.

  Jeremy’s gaze met mine.

  Then, in about two seconds, I closed the distance between us and kissed him like I’d never kissed anyone in my life.

  He kissed me back the same way, like we’d gone without oxygen for too long, his hands holding onto me like he was never going to let me go.

  I pulled back a fraction of an inch. “You idiot,” I told him.

  Then I went back to kissing him like I couldn’t get enough of him.

  He put his hands around my ass and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him, not caring an ounce that we were really going at it on the side of the road.

  I needed him, wanted him like nothing else I’d ever encountered in my life.

  Several cars honked at us, and we finally pulled apart.

  He grinned. “I missed you,” he said. “I won’t lie. You’re a fireball, but I’m crazy about you.”

  “Are you sure you can handle this Latina, white boy?” I teased.

  His expression turned naughty. “Why don’t we see?” he replied.

  He set me back down gently. Pushed my hair aside. “Just know this. I’ll never hurt you again.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of his heartbeat.

  Part of me was still afraid, afraid that letting myself love Jeremy like this was going to hurt me later, even if he’d just promised he never would.

  But this, this was a risk worth taking.

  I wanted him, all of him.

  And I wanted to give him all of me.

  17

  So I was totally late picking up Skye from daycare.

  Thankfully, Jeremy escorted me the whole way, lights on and everything, while we sped to get there.

  Mrs. Winslow’s jaw practically fell open as he walked me in and apologized for making me late.

  She practically fainted at the sight of him.

  What could I say? The man was hot, especially in uniform.

  She waved a hand flirtatiously. “Oh, it’s fine. It’s no problem, officer,” she told him.

  “I’m so glad to hear it,” he replied, his charm at 100% capacity.

  Afterward, he had to go back to work, but he let me know he’d be stopping by my house after his shift was over. “I can’t wait to see you later,” he told me quietly outside.

  Skye was in the car, already buckled in.

  She’d been ecstatic at meeting a real life police officer. I had explained that Officer Thickett was Mommy’s friend, and my heart had practically melted when he had knelt down and introduced himself.

  He’d let her hold his badge and everything, and then she’d turned around and told me she liked my new friend before climbing into her car seat and watching Finding Dory on her iPad.

  I hugged Jeremy goodbye. “I’ll be counting down the minutes,” I said seductively. Then I looked up and winked at him, my hand on his chest for a second. “And keep that uniform on.”

  Jeremy grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

  A while after I put Skye to bed that night, my phone dinged with a message.

  Jeremy: ;)

  Then there was a knock at my front door.

  I opened it.

  Sure enough, he was still in his uniform. I pulled him inside, kissing him like I hadn’t just seen him a few hours ago. “I missed you,” I mumbled in between kisses.

  “Hm,” he managed, his hands all over me. “I’ve been thinking about this all afternoon.”

  Jeremy eyed the silk bathrobe I was in, and then he picked me up. He carried me straight to my bedroom, kissing me the whole way.

  He kicked the door closed behind us and then set me down gently.

  I let the robe fall to the floor.

  His eyes on me the whole time, he unholstered his gun and set it on my dresser. Then he took the handcuffs from his belt and came toward me.

  I bit my lip at the anticipation.

  He guided me to the bed, began kissing and touching me all over. Then he turned me around so I was on my knees with my back to him.

  Slowly, he took one of my hands and cuffed it to the other.

  Then his hand went to my hair, trailed up until he had a handful and pulled.

  His other hand explored the rest of me. Squeezed my breasts, touched me everywhere.

  It was too much. I moaned with pleasure.

  He pushed my hair aside and kissed my neck.

  Kept touching me, driving me crazy.

  He pushed me forward slightly until I lay face down on the bed with my hands cuffed behind me. He took my knees and spread them.

  He slipped two fingers inside me, and I bit my lip to stop from begging him to put his mouth on me.

  “Hmm,” he moaned.

  I raised my hips, needing him inside me, to fill me up. For his tongue to touch and suck my mound. “Jeremy,” I cried out, feeling myself go crazy. “Please.”

  An instant later, he lay down on his back with his face between my legs and pulled me down toward him. His tongue moved in circles around and over my clit. Flicked up and down while his hands cupped and squeezed my ass.

&nb
sp; I moved against him, not believing how incredible he felt, each second building with more and more pleasure.

  He kept sucking and licking, and I came like I never had in my life.

  The more I rocked against him, the harder his hands squeezed my ass, the harder his tongue worked.

  Either ten seconds or ten minutes later, Jeremy got back on his knees and slid his thick cock inside me.

  Then he gave it to me good.

  So good that if you had asked me my name in that moment, I wouldn’t have remembered it.

  Afterward, he uncuffed me and collapsed beside me.

  I stared at the ceiling, kind of numb.

  Jeremy chuckled, still breathless himself. “You okay?”

  “They teach you that at the academy?” I quipped.

  He laughed. “Something like that.”

  I turned so I lay on my side facing him. He did the same. He stroked my hair with his hand then came in to kiss me on the mouth.

  When he pulled away, my eyes fluttered open. “Maybe this is too fast, but if there’s one thing I know it’s that I want you in my life, Camila. I want you and everything that comes with it.”

  That familiar fear rose up in me. “Are you sure?” I asked him, my voice betraying how I really felt. “You know I’m a package deal.”

  “I’m sure,” he replied. “More sure than I’ve ever been about anything.” He smiled. “I’m in love with the whole package.”

  18

  “My friends are dying to meet you,” I told Jeremy as I took his hand and pulled him toward Ruby’s house.

  She was hosting a party tonight in honor of her twenty-ninth birthday.

  Her last one before the big three-oh.

  Needless to say, we were gonna party hard, no kids allowed.

  “I can’t wait to meet them,” he said as we rang the doorbell.

  Ruby answered the door, and I wrapped her in a big hug.

  A few minutes later, I introduced the Sexy AF Single Moms to Jeremy.

  He made a good impression because afterward, Oaklynn and Ruby pulled me aside. “Okay, not only is he HOT, he is also so sweet,” Ruby said. “Go you.”

  I glanced toward Jeremy, who was busy getting us drinks. I smiled as I took him in. “Yeah, he’s pretty perfect.”