The few times Rusty had gathered the nerve to ask Sylvia about what Down Syndrome meant in terms of what Danny could do had usually turned into a scolding about how her son was special. Rusty and Greg both already knew that but somehow it got Sylvia out of actually answering their questions to berate them for even asking.
By the time they entered high school, Rusty figured out that Sylvia took his questions as some form of a slight against her… or Danny… or both. Who knew what she thought? By then the three of them really didn’t even care about Down Syndrome or heart conditions anyway and were more interested in pushing the envelope every chance they got.
Unfortunately, the fact that currently neither of them were getting any younger, combined with Danny’s longstanding medical problems, had made Rusty worry about how much Danny could or should do… physically. So he’d asked Carla about Danny’s different medications, heart problems, and where to look for more information on how to help him out now that he was a middle aged adult.
Carla had several suggestions for both Danny and Rusty. When Carla finished her list of do’s and don’ts and handed the phone back to Greg, Rusty was pleased when Greg reluctantly admitted that Carla made him eat that health food crap and exercise too.
Rusty wanted to give Danny all those freedoms he’d not experienced while Sylvia had been alive but not if it meant harming him in any way. So a better diet and evening walks it was. Aging sucked in more ways than one.
After they finished securing the board across the broken window, they loaded up in Rusty’s car and headed to Amy’s apartment. Rusty’s stomach was in knots over the memories of the last time he’d been in her house. With Danny content to listen to the radio and sing along to the song playing during the short two block drive, Rusty was free to relive every single moment of his last visit with Amy.
God but she was a sweet little thing. Try as he might he could not push the vivid images out of his mind of her taking his hand and guiding it back to the wetness between her legs, or the flush on her cheeks as he’d pushed into her exquisite body.
Not only had she broken a five year dry spell where sex was concerned but she had busted through his fears of not being able to get past the scars in his mind long enough to even perform. Her whispered words of encouragement and outright begging for satisfaction combined with the feel of her orgasm clenching around his dick…
If he didn’t watch himself he’d be showing up on her doorstep fully aroused and ready for more… which certainly couldn’t happen again. Hell, he had to be at least ten years older than her if not more. Not to mention women who looked like Amy were typically high maintenance and could most certainly have their choice of well off business tycoons to pamper them.
Men with a lot more money and less baggage and years on them than Rusty had.
“How old is Amy?” he finally asked, unable to stave off the need to know all he could about her and just how badly his behavior toward her had been.
“She’s not very old… not as old as us,” Danny replied.
The look Danny wore told Rusty that he didn’t know for sure how old Amy was. It was sad that the man was in his forties and just now getting to know his only sibling. However, Rusty’s need to punish himself was greater than his pity for Danny’s current struggles regarding his sister, so Rusty thought of another way to ask the question he needed an answer to.
“Was she in school when we graduated from high school?” he tried again.
“She was only in the first grade then! She had a red backpack with stars on it. Her mom, Diane, sent a picture of her with my dad once, for me to keep in my photo box. Amy was just starting school when we finished school… isn’t that funny, Rusty?” Danny smiled.
Rusty staved off the groan he felt since that bit of information was far from what he wanted to hear and definitely not funny. What if she got pregnant from his complete disregard for the very same rules he’d laid out for the men he’d been in charge of over the past couple of decades?
He was trying not to be cynical and think that she had lied to him about being on birth control but there was always a chance her protection could fail and like he’d always told his men… doubling up certainly couldn’t hurt. Always take backup with you and use it… every time. As for catching something… if he did… it would serve his dumbass right. Shit!
“Can we get a root beer from the gas station? I’m thirsty from fixing the window and I have money in my wallet now. Martha says it’s good to keep some of my money in there… in case I need it.” Danny said.
Rusty made a pit stop at a gas station up the street and while Danny browsed all three snack food aisles and the entire drink cooler section, Rusty picked up a six pack of beer and a box of condoms. Not that he was planning on using the condoms or anything, but he also hadn’t planned on being unable to resist one sugar coated angel either.
In fact… he’d nearly given in again when she’d shown up at his house offering him more an hour afterward. In the unlikely event that he wasn’t man enough to resist her this time… just in case… he’d take his own advice for once.
Who the hell was he kidding? Too young or not he wanted her more than he wanted a beer, peaceful sleep or even his next breath. If she messed with him now that he’d gotten a small but phenomenal taste of her, she’d practically have to fight him off.
She was like a lifeline to him… he could only attempt not to cling to her so desperately that she either went down with him… or had to let him go in order to save herself.
Once Danny made his own purchases and they were back in the car again heading to Amy’s house, Rusty forced his thoughts to the other issue on his mind. Though the broken windows appeared like random vandalism, his gut told him it was Les . The asshole’s idea of paying them back for getting him fired.
Proving it was Les would go a long way in putting the man where he belonged… behind bars. It was usually pretty good odds that people who were mean to animals, kids or people like Danny, were just one step away from doing something really bad.
That intuition made Rusty want to install a security camera at the cupcake shop to go along with the existing alarm every bit as much as he wanted Amy’s legs wrapped around him once more.
Upon pulling up to Amy’s apartment, Danny got out without any prompting, leaving his snacks and soda behind, and made a beeline for the apartment. Gathering up both Danny’s purchases and his own, he followed behind.
Danny opened the door and went on inside without knocking so Rusty followed as well, somehow managing both bags, the door and fending off a yapping Grudge. Looking around he noticed Danny hugging Amy and kissing her on the cheek.
“It’s okay now, Amy. We fixed the window at AmyCakes. Now there’s no reason to be afraid anymore… see? But if you are scared… you can come to Rusty’s house with me and stay in my room,” Danny offered.
Where Amy had glanced at Rusty as he let himself in her apartment and warded off Grudge, at Danny’s words, she pulled back from his embrace and stared at her brother. Rusty could actually see the resemblance between them when they stood facing each other. Their blonde hair wasn’t what he noticed though… it was the look of amazement on Amy’s face as she stared at Danny.
“How do you… always know what I’m thinking? Earlier I was remembering how you would wait for me outside the bathroom door at your house because I was so afraid… how do you do that, Danny?” She asked him quietly. “How do you know that?”
“I’m your big brother, Amy. Not your babysitter,” Danny replied and then released her to pull out a box of candies from his shopping bag which he then offered to Amy. She glanced at the box of candies and once more looked at Danny in amazement.
“These are my favorites…” she said with a smile very similar to her brother’s yet interpreted by Rusty in a whole different manner.
“I know.” Danny smiled victoriously.
“Maybe you’d both feel better staying at my place tonight. You’re both welcome…” Rusty offer
ed when Amy continued to stare at Danny in bewilderment.
That brought Amy’s seductive hazel eyes back to him and he felt a burning start low in his belly at the look she gave him. He coughed in an effort to force the feeling away.
“Yeah… you either come with me to Rusty’s house or I can stay here with you, Amy,” Danny insisted, crossing his arms over his chest in a show of how serious the matter was to him.
Not more than an half an hour later Rusty heard Amy exit her bedroom, close the door behind her and then walk down the hallway of her apartment. A few seconds later she entered the living room and approached where he sat on her couch.
“He and Grudge are both out like a light. Thank you for bringing him out here tonight,” she said and then sat down gently on the sofa.
Then, for no apparent reason, she laughed. She didn’t look like she planned to tell him what she was thinking. So, standing up, he went to the kitchen, fished out a beer from her refrigerator, brought it back into the living room and handed it to her.
“What’s so funny?” he asked after she took the beer from his hand.
“All this time I’ve been so worried about not taking good enough care of him and how much responsibility this will be for me and how I wasn’t ready for it… only to realize what he needs most is to take care of me. Or to at least think he’s taking care of me,” she said and then swiped at a couple of tears that were making tracks down her cheeks. “That’s what he knows… how to take care of people… Danny style. He did it for Sylvia for years when she became sick and he did it for me when I was little… I remembered that today while looking at some of the stuff in his room. Photos mostly.”
Rusty held his hand out to her and said, “Show me?”
She grasped his hand and he helped her up from the couch. Then she led him back the hall quietly. Amy opened the door to another room and looking in, Rusty was shocked at just how much stuff she’d crammed into such a tiny space.
The spare bedroom was smaller than some people’s walk-in closets. There was no space left for anything, let alone a bed, chest of drawers, chair and record player that were essential to Danny’s happiness. If Amy’s apartment was the size of Rusty’s house, then maybe there would be space for all of Danny’s stuff, but not in this little room.
“What about a storage unit?” he asked.
Then he thought better of his question… no matter how much Danny wanted to be near Amy. Danny would never truly be content until his bedroom contained all of his things, organized just the way they should be in his mind.
The exact same stuff Rusty could remember from Danny’s youth was packed tightly in the small room… his books, his clothes, his pictures and the rest of his record collection. The look Amy shot Rusty told him that she knew that storing this stuff wouldn’t work either.
“He also wants to spend time with you though,” he tried to appease her. “You just need to find a compromise he can deal with.”
“I know and for the first time since I became his guardian… or whatever… I want to spend time with him too, Rusty. I really do. I’m just not sure what kind of compromise I can live with myself,” she said.
“This stuff would fit in the room he’s using at my house. He can stay with me for a while if that would help you out… for as long as you need to get things… situated… for you both. It has to be cheaper than that home. Plus… you can visit him there just as easily as you can visit him at the home,” Rusty said.
“What about… me… us?” she asked, closing the door shut and then leaning back against it.
“You and I both know that should never have happened. Hell, I’m practically old enough to be your dad. Don’t let any fears of awkwardness between us prevent you from asking for help where Danny is concerned though. I can make myself scarce if necessary when you do come to see him,” he said, unable to even look at her.
“At twelve… you could have been my dad?” she asked sarcastically. “Are you just not interested? Is that it, Rusty? You don’t want me? Be honest, I can take it.”
“No… of course I want you! Who wouldn’t… it’s not like that. Look… I’m just not relationship material, Amy. I never have been… even when I was younger… and now that I’m older that’s even truer than it ever was. You need a man closer to your own age who can keep up with you. You’re going to make some lucky man very happy though… that I can promise.”
He realized too late that she wasn’t hearing a word he said. She was watching his mouth move, but only as part of the full perusal of his body. God give him strength. He’d never in his whole life had a woman who was so feminine, sweet, and young possess such an appetite… for him. It was time to go before he yet again took her where she stood.
“I should go… I’ll come get Danny in the morning. We have a job not too far from here,” he croaked out and prayed she didn’t notice the inflection in his voice.
The mention of Danny’s job seemed to do the trick in getting her to let up with her five star attempts to seduce him. The teasing look on her face vanished as quickly as it had appeared and she stepped away from the door and opened it for him. He walked back down the hall to the living room and his eyes immediately went to the small bench in front of the window.
“I don’t want him working, especially at a job that is probably physically demanding. I appreciate you offering to let him stay with you but absolutely no on the job. I’m adamant about that part, Rusty. I mean it. He has a heart condition and… just no,” she said sternly.
Turning around to face her, he could tell by the look on her face that not only was she serious but he risked Danny not getting to stay with him if he pushed her on this. It made Rusty angry that she wouldn’t relent on the job at all.
She could have put all kinds of stipulations down but instead… much like Sylvia had always done… she’d just shut down the whole thing. He’d fight his battles one at a time with her, just like he had with Sylvia. For now, getting Danny out of the home that hired workers like ‘Les’ was a bigger and more import fight in his eyes.
“Fine…” he huffed. “At least let him hang out with me while I work then.”
“Why don’t you take him to the rec center while you’re working? He has a membership there and they are open from eight until four weekdays. They have art classes, offer transportation to the library and various other activities that he enjoys. He has friends that go there,” she replied. “Or I’ll take him up there before I go to the shop and you can pick him up when you get done with work. He has a couple of outfits back there in that room and I have an extra toothbrush he can use.”
Danny was a man, not a young child, a teenager or even a young adult. Rusty of all people knew what it felt like to not have a purpose… to have nothing to offer. It took the pride right out of one’s sails and he recognized that in Danny. It was in much smaller quantities in Danny than it was for him but it was still there.
Danny wanted a job so he could feel like he was contributing just like any other man. Buying candy for Amy with his own money should have shown her that but obviously not.
Rusty never wanted Danny to feel as worthless as he felt some days. To go from being a decorated soldier that people saluted and highly respected, to working as a maid, which often made people frown and in some cases roll their eyes as though he was a loser… it was hard to handle. Hell no would he allow Danny to ever sink to that level of frustration about his life.
Rather than arguing with her though, Rusty instead said, “Whatever you say. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he left without another word, even though Amy’s mouth had gaped open as though she couldn’t believe he was upset at her for not allowing her brother to make his own way in the world. If that wasn’t bad enough, he slept like crap once he finally did make it home, so by the time he picked up Danny from the rec center the following day, he was in a real mood.
“I need to go to AmyCakes and make sure that Amy is okay, Rusty. Can you drive me there?” Danny asked
Rusty as soon as he got in the car.
Sure, why not?
Rusty’s day had been hand delivered from the devil himself. Why not add icing to it by arguing with the hottest woman he’d ever had the pleasure of being with. Then he could roll around for the second night in a row, in misery over wanting something he should have never had in the first place.
The previous night had been torture of another kind. Instead of being awake in the middle of the night fighting memories, he was awake battling himself over not giving in to his need for her. Leaving her to find someone better suited for her was the right thing to do. It was getting harder and harder to convince himself of that though.
At least he could look around for a good place to install the security cameras he’d picked up after work from a buddy who was a video and audio genius and who sometimes did contract work for Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Parking in the back, Danny was again out of the car with no prompting and almost to the bakery door before Rusty even managed to get out of the car. Rusty released a sigh of frustration upon watching Danny just open the unlocked back door and go on inside.
Needing a minute to get himself together before facing the woman who had spent all of last night in his dreams, he walked the perimeter of the building looking at the outside cameras and the angles for each.
He quickly figured out why there hadn’t been any video of the person who’d busted out the windows. Security video recordings were grainy on a good day but from that high up and at night… they had probably been completely useless. The responding deputy’s comment about there not being anything useable on the video provided by the maintenance company for the building made complete sense now.
Having friends in law enforcement only went so far… lack of evidence was an adversary not easy to defeat… for anyone. Rusty would have to see about convincing the maintenance and security company of some necessary changes and perhaps do some of the work on his own to fix the outside camera situation.
Maid to Order (Man Maid Book 4) Page 13
