Fool Me Once

by Brittany Crowley

  “I promise to be good.” I bat my eyelashes, earning an exaggerated eye roll. With a hard pull, he eventually falls into the shower with me. I’m not sure he put up that much of a fight.

  I wind my arms around his shoulders and jump up, wrapping my legs around his hips. He feels hard between my thighs, and I want him so bad. I rub my bare pussy against him, and he grips my thighs harder.

  “Lexi,” he warns.

  “Just go with it, please. You say this isn’t special, but it is for me. We just said I love you and I want to show you how much.” I bite the edge of his ear then everything happens so fast.

  Nate growls out a “fuck it” and undoes his pants just enough to free his erection. He’s buried deep inside me in a matter of seconds, holding his hand over my mouth as I scream out in ecstasy.

  “I’ve imagined this happening a million times, and it’s nothing compared to the real thing. Nothing.” His mouth crashes into mine as his hips begin to work his length in and out of me. I feel the slickness of my juices around him from my arousal. I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

  Nate pushes my back up against the shower wall, and his thrusts get deeper, more delicious. I’m clawing at his back, and when I feel the telltale signs of my impending orgasm, I rip my mouth from his, needing oxygen before I pass out.

  “Oh, God.” I manage to keep quiet enough. “Harder.”

  He grants my wish. After an angle adjustment and deliberately slow thrust, I’m thrown over the edge. I know a groan is bubbling from my throat and can’t be stopped. My teeth sink into Nate’s right shoulder as I ride out each and every fantastic wave of my climax.

  “God, you feel so good. I need to feel you squeeze me again.” I’m ready to take a nap when Nate begins to jackknife in and out of me, waking up my hormones just when she thought she was off the hook. His fingers pinch my hard nipples causing a few more tingles to shoot to my pussy.

  “I can’t.”

  “Oh yes, you can. Give it to me.” His mouth latches on to my breast, and I whisper his name as I come for the third time. This one knocks my world off its axis with the strength of it.

  “Yes, just like that Lex. Fuck,” he groans beginning to release inside of me. I feel his hips jerk as he buries himself to the hilt.

  A few minutes pass, and I realize the waters run cold. My teeth begin to chatter and Nate realizing I’m under the spray, turns and shields me from it.

  We step out of the shower and towel off. I can’t help but laugh when I see his soaking wet jeans still at his knees. It’s most likely uncomfortable for him, but for me, it’s a fantasy. Beaded water across his chest, tattoos I’ve just held onto while he fucked me good. When he looks down, he joins in laughing as he shucks his pants from his legs. Nate in all his naked glory sobers me for the moment. My eyes devour every inch of his beautiful skin and then some. Yup, naked Nate seems to be my favorite, even more so than soaking wet jeans Nate.

  I just had that.

  This beautiful man is mine.

  Chapter 21

  “Stop looking at me like that, especially since we need to check on Hazel.”

  “I’m sure she’s fine. I didn’t hear one peep from her,” I say knowing I won’t get anywhere with him.

  We quickly towel off, then Nate opens the bedroom door to make sure there are no unwanted visitors so we can walk out and get some clothes. Nate makes sure to have a towel around his waist, so he doesn’t scar Hazel for life. He planned on grabbing his clothes then changing back in the bathroom, in true gentleman fashion.

  “Where’s Hazel?” I question noticing she’s not in her makeshift crib anymore.

  Nate picks up a note on the nightstand near where she was. “It seems mom took poor little Hazel away, so we didn’t traumatize her.”

  “No!” I shriek. “It does not say that!” I reach for the note and am completely horrified to find that it’s exactly what it says.

  “I told you to be quiet.” Nate shrugs his shoulders.

  “Whatever.” I quickly get dressed and follow Nate out of the bedroom. His brothers sure to be here already, that took up more time than I thought.

  We walk down the stairs and head for all the noise. I’m excited to meet Nate’s brother, and all the laughs must be a good sign, especially Hazels fits of laughter. Maybe being home is helping his brother already.

  I walk through the doorway of the living room and see a crowd of people scattered on the couches. I notice Nate’s parents, Hazel, and another man, who has his back towards me.

  “Mama!” I hear yelled. Hazel drops from Tracey’s lap and runs for me. I bend over picking her up and snuggle my nose into her neck. When I look back at the room, everyone’s eyes are on us, and Nate’s parents give us a knowing look.

  “Honestly, you’d think you could contain yourselves for two minutes so poor Hazel won’t need therapy.”

  “Mom, she’s two,” Nate half-heartedly argues.

  “Whatever. It gave me some more bonding time. Oh, look who finally made it! Lexi, this is Nate’s older brother Andrew.”

  I smile, excited to meet Nate’s older brother. It falls from my face when Nate’s brother turns around.

  Andrew.

  Andy.

  As in the Andy, that’s on Funny Guys with Carter.

  What’s going on right now? Am I somehow on another segment? This has to be some sort of sick joke.

  Then I remember Nate’s earlier remarks about one of his costars getting into a horrible accident and dying alongside his family. Was it Carter? My heart starts beating a mile a minute at the thought. Andy recognizes me right away, and he starts to worry his bottom lip between his teeth. I’m not sure how to proceed. Do I pretend to know him or act like we’re strangers?

  “Andy, this is my girlfriend, Lexi. Lex, this is my big brother, Andy.” He stands in place unmoving, and I do the same. But really, what am I worried about? So, what if I know him. I’ll tell Nate I’ve met his brother before and have to finally divulge who Hazel's father is. Christ, my palms are starting to sweat.

  “Sorry about that, it was my agent. Where were we Hazel? I think it’s your turn to hide.”

  Oh no. No, no, no, no.

  It happens in slow motion. A man from my past I had no intention of ever seeing again comes walking around the corner looking at the ground, placing his phone in his pocket. Andy looks from him to me, then back to him and stands to block me with his body.

  It doesn’t matter, the second Carter looks up it’s straight at me as if our eyes are magnets forced to meet.

  “Lexi?”

  Chapter 22

  “Lex, do you know Carter?” Nate asks looking perplexed.

  “I…” I need to get out of here is what I try to say but my throats suddenly dry and nothing else comes out.

  Hazel’s still in my arms, and my feet are almost at the front door when Nate catches up to me.

  “Lexi, what’s going on?”

  “I need to get out of here,” I all but shout at him, reaching for the door handle.

  As I push through the door, Carter shouts my name, but I don’t stop until I’m outside the house. My lungs fill with fresh air, and it calms me momentarily. But only a little. I feel like I’m on the verge of an anxiety attack and know I shouldn’t have Hazel in my arms right now.

  “Can you take her?”

  Nate snatches her from my hands in an instant, and I sit in the grass with my head between my knees. Did I imagine him being in there? No, I heard Nate say his name clear as day. How could this happen? I’m finally happy again, my hearts finally been placed back together after what Carter did to me, and now here he is. It feels like just yesterday I was waiting for him to show up out of nowhere and profess his love to me, admitting he was ready to be a father. To be the man I knew he could be.

  God, am I having a panic attack?

  “I don’t know. Maybe I should call an ambulance?” Nate says in a hushed tone to someone sounding extremely nervous. “Here, can you take Ha
zel back inside for me? I don’t want her to get scared.”

  That pulls me from my freak out. Hazel can’t go back inside. Carter’s inside.

  “No, keep her out here.” I look up from between my legs and beg Nate with my eyes. After several deep gulps of air, I finally get my breathing under control. “She can’t go back in the house. She can’t see him.”

  “See who?” Nate asks, but he keeps Hazel in his arms and tells his mom she’s okay to go head back inside.

  I look up and see the curtain move in the window. A second later I see Carter’s worried face staring back at me. Nate catches on and looks to where my eyes are focused.

  “You know him?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “How?”

  “I didn’t want to have this conversation. Ever. Hazel’s father isn’t someone I like to talk about.”

  “Wait a second. Carter is Hazel’s dad?” His voice gets slightly elevated, and I shush Nate, so nobody can hear him. “How can this be happening?”

  “Can we go for a drive? I can’t be here right now. I’ll tell you everything as long as you get me out of here.”

  “Okay baby. Are you okay to take Hazel? I need to run back into the house to grab my keys and tell everyone you’re okay.” I nod my head and hug my daughter close to my chest.

  Carter saw Hazel, he was playing with her when we were upstairs. Had he put two and two together yet that this is his daughter? I’m not ashamed to say I’ve envisioned them meeting since the day she was born. It was supposed to be beautiful, and this is never how I saw it going down. Not in a million years.

  “Let’s get out of here. I’ll put Hazel in the car.” He reaches out his hands, but I stop him.

  “It’s okay. I’m better now, I can do it.” I quickly buckle Hazel in her seat. Once we back out of the driveway and start heading away from his parents’ house, I know I need to start explaining.

  “Almost four years ago, Carter was in town filming for his show. It’s actually crazy how we met, he was pulling a prank on me…” I remember the day perfectly, everything that was said, and the punch heard around the world. “He asked me out, but I declined because well if you saw the episode, you’d know why. He pursued me and finally wore me down. We hit it off from there and over the next couple months that he was filming, I fell in love with him.”

  “Wow, that hurt more than I thought it would.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “No, I can handle it. I need the whole story.” I notice Nate’s knuckles turn white with how hard he’s squeezing the steering wheel.

  I nod my head and continue on. “He went back to LA, and I stayed where I was with the promise to visit and talk all the time. He convinced me we could make it work and I believed him. The morning I was flying out to LA to see him I found out I was pregnant. It was nerve-wracking but I was also excited. We had a whirlwind romance, and I naïvely fell hard for him without really knowing who he was.” I thought he was the one, but I don’t say that part out loud. There’s no reason to cause Nate unnecessary pain. “My pregnancy came out at one of their live shows when I couldn’t take shots during a drinking game. Carter reacted horribly and ended up telling me he didn’t want kids. This came after knowing he didn’t believe in marriage I should add. I left to go home but ended up back at his house where he proposed to me.”

  “Christ.” I see Nate’s fingers tense further on the steering wheel and notice his knuckles are slightly swollen and cut in a few spots.

  “What happened to your hand?”

  “When I went to grab my keys, Carter got in my face, so I laid him out. I’m glad I did now. Keep going, I think I know how this ends, but I need to hear it.”

  “Why don’t you pull over, it’s probably safer for all of us.” He agrees and pulls off on the side of the road, placing the car in park but continues to look straight ahead.

  “I said no obviously. Carter was only proposing because I was pregnant and the whole world knew he knocked me up. Long story short, I intended to go home so we both had time to think things through, but he had other plans. He ended our relationship that night. Ultimately, he didn’t want kids, and I couldn’t force that on him.”

  “So that’s why you won’t talk about Hazel’s dad?”

  “Carter broke my heart, but I couldn’t hate him if I tried. He gave me Hazel, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that. It took me a long time to realize it wasn’t my fault, it was his. He’s missed out on knowing my daughter because he chose to.”

  “How can someone ignore their child and act like they don’t exist?”

  “I don’t know. The thought of up and leaving Hazel leaves an excruciating pain deep inside me. I don’t know how he coped or moved on with his life, but it’s not my job to care.”

  “I’ll ask this once and never bring it up again.” He looks over at me, and I wish I could wipe the look of pain from his face. “Are you over Carter? Do you still have feelings for him?”

  “I’m not going to lie, I had a really hard time after Carter. You’re the first guy that’s come into my life since, someone I see my future with. You’re everything to me, Nate. Carter is just a memory. But now…”

  He urges me with his eyes to keep going.

  “He’s seen Hazel. What if this changes things for him?” There it is. My real fear at seeing Carter for the first time in four years. “What if he wants to be in Hazel's life?” A sob tears from my lips that I can’t stop. Nate pulls me over the center console and into his lap. With my head pressed to his chest, I cry at the scary thought of having to share my daughter. She’s been mine for almost three years, and selfishly, I want to keep it that way.

  “We’ll figure it out. I’m behind whatever decision you make Lexi, always.”

  “It’s silly to worry over. If he wanted to be a part of her life, he’d have shown up at some point since she was born.” I look in the backseat and see Hazel babbling to herself.

  She’s a special little girl, and anyone that meets her falls in love with her.

  What happens if the same has already happened with Carter?

  ***

  By the time we get back to the house, thankfully Carter’s gone. I don’t need to explain the situation to Nate’s family because after we left, Carter took off and Andy explained everything to his parents. I was expecting them to look at me with disappointment and discourage their son away from me, but they were nothing but understanding. If anything, the tables were turned, and I saw the extreme disappointment on their faces whenever Carter’s name was mentioned.

  After I put Hazel down for the night, I walk downstairs and hear hushed whispers between Nate and his family. Having had enough emotional chats to live a lifetime, I decide to bypass them and sit out back on the deck. It’s so quiet and peaceful, perfect for pulling my thoughts together to process what happened today. I haven’t had a moment to myself to run it all through my mind.

  I hear the door slide open and turn expecting to find Nate… but it’s Andy.

  “We probably have five minutes before Nate comes and kicks my ass for being out here with you.”

  “Then you better get back inside.”

  “Come on Lexi, I’m not Carter.”

  “This whole situation is too much to handle Andy. Can’t you see that?”

  “Yeah. Carter’s checked into a hotel, so you don’t feel uncomfortable with him being around. He did ask me to talk to you though.”

  “I’m not sure I want to hear it.”

  “He wants you to talk to him.”

  “Talk to him,” I repeat. Talk to him now.

  There have been three years to talk, and he’s been nothing but silent. Kept his distance. What on earth could he possibly have to say to me now?

  “He knows he fucked up, Lex.”

  “You’re saying I should dump your brother and go back to Carter because he realizes the error of his decisions?”

  “No, I don’t know. You know what, I’m going to t
ell Carter I’m out of this situation. I love Carter, but blood is blood. I know you make Nate happy and I don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize that.”

  “Nate means a lot to me. Carter made a massive mistake, and he has to deal with the fallout from his actions.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The slider door opens, and Nate walks out. He walks over and sits with me on the swing. “Can you give us some privacy, Andy?” he asks.

  “Sure thing. You know where to find me.” He walks away, and as he’s closing the door, he sticks his head out and looks at both of us. “I have one thing to ask, don’t shun me because I’m associated with Carter. I came here to hang with my family, and that includes getting to know you guys as well.” He shuts the door without hearing our answer if he even wanted one.

  After he leaves, we sit in silence for quite some time. I guess we both need time to think things through.

  “I…” I hear a crack in Nate’s voice, and it nearly does me in. “I took her fishing for the first time, helped her fly a kite on the beach and was at the hospital when she got sick. I sat there worried out of my mind, even though logically I knew she was going to be okay. I know we’ve only been dating for four months, but I’ve seen her grow over the past year. I love you girls.”

  I thread my fingers through his. “God Nate, I don’t want you to ever doubt your meaning in Hazel’s life. She idolizes you.”

  “I feel like you’re slipping between my fingers,” he repeats his fears.

  I get up from my seat and sit on his lap. “This is unfamiliar territory. I never thought Carter would ever come back into my life. Just know I’m kind of crazy about you.” I smile and kiss his lips.

  “I’m crazy about you too baby.”

  He kisses me briefly then tickles my ribs, making me giggle.

  I actually giggle. Despite all the surprises today has sprung on me, this man knows how to make me feel better. Knows the right thing to say to take my mind out of the moment, even if it’s something as silly as tickling me.