by SJ McCoy
He opened the front gate and walked up the path to the front door. He hadn’t slept well; his brain had been filled with jumbled images of him and Elle naked, interspersed with images of little Skye smiling at him. They both trusted him. He had to live up to it.
He knocked on the front door, and when she opened it, he had to wonder how long he’d be able to trust himself. Elle stood there smiling at him in a pair of short denim shorts—damn, they were long, tanned legs!—and a strappy tank top that showed off bare shoulders and exposed just enough cleavage that he longed to sink his tongue into it.
“Hi.” Her eyes shimmered green and gold as she smiled at him.
He had to clear his throat before he could speak. “Hey.”
“Come on in, Skye’s on the phone with my mom.”
He followed her through to the kitchen and could hear Skye chattering away in the living room.
Elle turned and leaned back against the counter, resting her elbows on it. The gesture set her chest jutting out to tease him. Or at least, that was how it felt.
He sucked in a deep breath and had to close his eyes. He opened them again at the sound of her laughter.
“What? What’s up?”
She gave him what could only be described as a naughty smile. “Sorry. I had to know.”
“Know what?”
She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, making him shove his hands in his pockets to give himself more room as all the blood rushed to the front of his pants.
“I had to know whether you found me attractive.”
He narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. “You’re kidding?”
She shook her head slowly. “I … I was surprised that you left when you did last night.”
“I told you … I’m a gentleman.”
She made a face. “I know, but …” She blew out a sigh. “I can’t say I know how a gentleman really behaves. I mean, of course I know it’s supposed to mean that you’re honorable and wouldn’t try to do anything a girl didn’t want you to. But …”
“But what?” His heart was pounding in his chest. This was backfiring on him badly if she honestly thought he wasn’t attracted to her. That he wouldn’t want to …
“But I guess I’ve always thought that when a man wants a woman, he doesn’t stop until he gets her.”
He nodded slowly. “I don’t think you’re wrong about that. Well, partly. He won’t stop until he gets her or until she tells him no. He won’t rush her, though.”
She nodded. “Not even if she wants him to?”
He glanced back over his shoulder. Skye was still chattering away happily. That was all he needed to know. He went to Elle and closed his arms around her, bringing one hand up into her hair and tugging her head back so that she looked up into his eyes as he rested all his weight against her. “Are you saying you want me to?”
She nodded breathlessly. “Of course, I do! Part of me thinks I shouldn’t. I’m supposed to be off men. I’m supposed to be protecting Skye from any more heart break. But damn, Donovan. I want you more than any guy I’ve ever known.”
That made him pause. “You have to know that I want you, Elle—in the physical sense. But when I said a guy won’t stop until he gets her or until she tells him no, I didn’t mean—in the physical sense. I’m not talking about getting you into bed, I’m talking about getting you into my life.”
Her eyes widened as she looked into his.
“As my girlfriend.”
She nodded and ran both her hands up over his chest, making him push his hips against hers.
“Is that a yes?”
She nodded again. “I spent most of the night trying to talk myself out of it. I lay there wishing that you hadn’t gone home. I managed to convince myself that you just weren’t that attracted to me. And I promised myself that if you really did come back this morning, I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“About what?”
“About anything. I decided to tell you the whole truth. And the truth is, if you only want me in the physical sense, that’s fine. I’d like that, too. You don’t have to get caught up in my life.”
“But I just told you I want to—to get caught up in your life, to make you and Skye part of mine.”
“I know, and that’s probably the scarier thing. You’ve already told me that—made it very clear that you want … to get involved. I’m scared silly, but I’d like that, too.”
There was fear mixed with the honesty in her eyes as she looked up at him and that hurt his heart. He never wanted her to have to be afraid of anything. And it slayed him to think that she was afraid of him. “I promise you, Elle. I’ll be good to you both for as long as you want me.”
She smiled. “You don’t have to promise that. As long as you’re good to us for as long as you want to be, that’s fine by me. Just be kind to Skye when it’s time to say goodbye, and it’ll all be okay.”
His jaw clenched at the thought of what that sweet little girl had already been through. He shook his head. “I won’t be the one to say goodbye, Elle. That’ll be up to you.”
She searched his face, and he could feel her heart hammering in her chest. There was so much he wanted to say. He lowered his head, and her hands came up to meet him. Her fingers sank into his hair, sending electric currents shooting down his spine. He brushed his lips across hers, they were soft and sweet. Then she nipped his bottom lip and sucked it into her mouth, and he was lost. He crushed her to his chest as their tongues tangled and she melted against him. He just hoped that she could hear everything he was trying to tell her.
~ ~ ~
Elle quickly got the answer to her musings about how his lips might feel. Damn! The man could kiss. His arms surrounded her, the warmth of him seeped into her and the way he kissed her made her cling to him. He was a big, solid presence. He made her feel safe and somehow, cared for. But at the same time, his mouth claimed hers, his tongue explored her, and his hands moved over her—he only touched her hair, her neck, and her shoulders—but damn! He made her long for him to touch her everywhere. If he wanted to push her shorts down and take her against the counter, she wouldn’t be able—wouldn’t want—to resist.
It wasn’t a wild kiss; he wasn’t a wild guy. But it was confident, he was so damned sure of himself—but not in the cocky, flashy way she’d been used to with Tristan. No, Donovan was all man, and he made her feel like a woman.
When he finally lifted his head, she still clung to him. He cupped her face between his hands and looked down into her eyes. He looked so intense, so … her breath caught in her chest. She couldn’t remember a guy ever looking at her the way he was. She ran her fingers over his shoulders, down over his chest, and back up. Her body was still quivering, wanting to see the muscles she could feel under his shirt, wanting to touch them—wanting to feel them naked against her. But there was so much more going on here than that—than just the physical as he’d put it. She reached up and pecked his lips, needing to break the intensity of the moment. He’d asked if she wanted to be his girlfriend. Hell, yes, she did. But looking up into his eyes, she knew that he wasn’t talking about anything like she’d ever known before. There was a real connection between them. She wanted it, of course, she did. But she had no clue how something like that worked. She knew all about physical attraction, she knew about playing the field—and getting played. But Donovan—
“Mommy!”
How could she have gotten so carried away? Skye had been talking to her mom, she must have finished and hung up.
Donovan’s hands dropped to his sides and he made to step away from her, but if they were going to do this, it was better if Skye just saw it as natural. Elle slid her arm around his waist as Skye came toward them, wide-eyed.
“Did you kiss Dondervan?”
Elle nodded happily. “I did.” She smiled up at him and tightened her arm around his waist.
“Are you his girlfriend now?” Skye’s little eyebrows knitted together as she looked from her to Donovan and back again.
“Yes.” Elle smiled at them, wanting them both to know that she was happy about it.
“And you’re her boyfriend?”
Donovan squatted down in front of Skye. “I asked Mommy if she wants me to be. Do you want me to be?”
Skye gave him a long look, her little lips pressed together, which Elle knew didn’t bode well. Her heart sank. She’d thought that since Skye liked him so much, she wouldn’t have a problem with it. She turned to Elle and frowned before looking at Donovan again.
“No.”
Elle closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, Donovan was smiling at Skye. He didn’t seem worried in the least.
“Why not?” he asked. “I thought we were friends.”
Skye nodded and her bottom lip slid out. Elle squatted down with them when her daughter’s chin started to wobble. Whatever her problem was, Elle wouldn’t put her through it. Donovan was wonderful, but Skye was her world.
“I …” One fat tear spilled out and ran down her little cheek. Elle reached for her, but Donovan beat her to it. In one swift move, he was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Skye in his lap, all wrapped up in his arms. It wasn’t the time to be thinking it, but Elle almost envied her.
Skye sniffed and rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. “You are my friend, Dondervan. You’re my best friend.”
Elle had to swallow back tears of her own.
Skye nodded. “You share bread, and you share crayons and you … you’re nice and kind.”
“But you don’t want me to be Mommy’s boyfriend?” Donovan obviously didn’t understand her reasoning, but Elle had a nasty feeling that she did.
Skye buried her face in his neck and reached both arms around him before she spoke again. “If you’re Mommy’s boyfriend, you like her, but you don’t like me.”
Donovan looked at Elle. He was lost. Elle thought she understood, but she really didn’t want to explain.
Skye lifted her head and looked up at him. “My daddy was my mommy’s boyfriend, and he didn’t like me.”
Elle brought both hands up to cover her mouth and nose and wiped away tears with her fingers. What could she say? She couldn’t tell Skye that her daddy was an asshole, and her mommy was so sorry. But that was the truth.
“Skye.” They both looked at Donovan when he spoke. Elle could see a muscle twitching in his temple. I don’t know your daddy, but if he didn’t like you, then I don’t like him.”
Elle tensed, not sure that was the right way to go.
Skye seemed to relax a little. “I don’t like him. He was mean.”
“I’m not mean.”
Skye smiled. “No. You’re nice.”
“And you know I like you, don’t you?”
She nodded slowly.
“And I’ll still like you if I’m Mommy’s boyfriend. In fact, I’ll like you even more because I’ll get to spend more time with you both, and the more time I spend with you, the more I like you.”
Skye’s smile was growing bigger as he talked. “And we can go on ventures?”
“We can.”
“And you’ll still play with me even after you play with Mommy.”
Elle brushed away more tears. Why had she put up with it for so long? Tristan used to take her into the bedroom and close Skye out, telling her that he wanted to play with Mommy. Elle hated it. She’d tried to fight him a couple times, but … This wasn’t about her. This was about Skye. Her poor daughter had played by herself while Daddy played with Mommy. And afterward she’d look at him hopefully, ask him if he wanted to play with her. But he never did. He’d either tell her to be quiet—and Elle would take her into her room—or he’d say he was going out instead.
Donovan was such a decent guy that it didn’t even occur to him what Skye meant. “I’ll play with you, and I’ll play with Mommy. We can all play together.”
Skye shook her head rapidly. “Not in the bedroom. Only Mommy’s allowed to play in the bedroom.”
Donovan’s jaw clenched, and he didn’t look at Elle, but she had to wonder what he must think of her. She hated herself for the life she’d let Tristan drag her and Skye into. She wouldn’t be surprised if a guy like Donovan hated her for it, too.
“Of course.” He recovered his composure quickly and smiled at Skye. “We can all play together downstairs, and outside, and at the park.” He looked around as if trying to think of more places they could play.
“And at the beach?” Skye asked eagerly. “Grandma and Grandpa took me to the beach. Can we go?”
“Sure.” Donovan looked at Elle. “We can go whenever Mommy says it’s okay.”
“Please, Mommy! Can we go now?”
Elle looked at them. Her beautiful little daughter, and the wonderful man holding her. They hadn’t made any plans for today—just said that they were going to hang out. Why not? Skye loved the beach.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
Donovan smiled at her. “Do you want to take a picnic?”
“Yay!” Skye shouted.
“We could, but I’ll have to stop at the store first. I don’t have much in. I usually get groceries on Mondays.”
Donovan got to his feet, scooping Skye up with him and sitting her up on his shoulders. “We don’t want to go to the grocery store, do we, Skye?”
“Noo!” Skye giggled. “We don’t like it.”
And didn’t Elle know it! But if he thought that she was going to go by herself and leave Skye with him—
“Do you guys want to come over to my house, then? I stocked up yesterday. I’m sure I can make us a decent picnic, and from my place we can walk down to the beach.”
Elle stared at him.
“It was just an idea.” He gave her an apologetic smile.
Oh, the poor man. He was so careful about what he said around Skye and the first time he’d spoken freely, he thought she was mad at him.
“I think it’s a great idea.” She grinned at him, then looked up at Skye. “Don’t you?”
Skye bounced up and down on Donovan’s shoulders. “Yay! Let’s go to Dondervan’s house. And to the beach. And to …” She was so excited she was giddy. She looked around for something else to say. “And on ventures. Mommy and Dondervan and meee!”
Donovan brought her down to sit on his hip and held his other arm out to Elle. She stepped closer and he hugged them both. Skye wrapped one arm around Donovan’s neck and the other around Elle’s. Elle had to close her eyes to keep in a fresh wave of tears at how wonderful it felt.
Chapter Nine
When they got back to his place, Donovan parked the truck out on the driveway. It was a squeeze to fit it into the single garage, and he wanted plenty of room to get Skye out of her seat.
He opened the back door and she sat there grinning at him, holding her little arms up to him.
“Want out, Dondervan.”
He smiled and unfastened her, swinging her out to sit on his hip. Elle hovered behind him.
“Here, I’ll take her.”
“That’s okay.”
Skye clung to him while he found the front door key and let them in. He let Elle go ahead of him and followed her down the hallway to the kitchen. She stopped when she got there and turned around.
“This is a great house. Have you been here long?”
“Only a few weeks. You know when everyone came over? That was my official housewarming.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize. I thought it was just a work thing—if I thought anything.” She looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Honestly, I thought that you were just some guy who worked with Cal who’d invited people over.”
He smiled back at her. “And who do you think I am now?”
She glanced at Skye. He probably shouldn’t have put her on the spot like that.
“Now I know better.”
For some reason, her answer left him disappointed. He didn’t know why. What had he expected her to say? That now he was her boyfriend? If he was honest, that was exactly what he wanted. But he’d only just aske
d her—and she had told Skye that he was. He didn’t need to rush either of them.
Skye wriggled to get down. “Gotta go potty.”
“Here.” Elle held her hand out to take hold of her as Donovan set her down, but she shook her head and turned around to go by herself. “I know where it is, Mommy.”
Donovan watched her go with a smile, then turned back to Elle. “I didn’t think she’d remember.”
Elle laughed. “Neither did I. I still want to go after her, though.” They both hurried down the hallway and she stuck her foot in the door just as Skye pushed it shut.
Donovan chuckled. “You’re good at that.”
“I have to be. She can just about reach to turn the lock, but then when she can’t get out, she panics and can’t manage to unlock it again.”
Donovan left her there and went back to the kitchen. She gave him a puzzled look when he returned, and he held up a screwdriver. “I’ll fix it so she can’t lock it.”
Elle stared at him long enough that he started to feel uncomfortable. Eventually, he raised his eyebrows. “Unless that’s a problem?”
She shook her head and let out a short laugh. “Problem?”
“Yeah, you didn’t look too sure …”
“Oh, my God! I’m sorry. The only thing I wasn’t sure about is if you’re for real.”
He frowned, wondering if he was missing something.
She laughed and put her hand on his arm. “I mean, that you’d think to do that for her … for me.” She shook her head in wonder. “You’re awesome!”
A wave of relief swept through him, and it wasn’t just relief, it was tinged with … pride? She thought he was awesome? That was progress.
