Chapter 3
BOONE
Skylar and Lyric were easy to entertain. I asked them questions, bought them gifts, watched them play, showed them pictures, and nodded at everything they said. I wasn’t sure if that was all parenthood involved or whether they were especially good kids.
Nova watched my every move until I started to buckle under the pressure. I thought winning her over with my daddy skills would be simple, considering their real father had been an abusive fuck.
“You don’t have to entertain them,” Nova said as she cleaned up, and the girls sat on the floor with Ramen.
“Is that true?” I asked, forgetting to censor myself. “If I were indifferent toward them, would you still want to date me?”
“Well, maybe not if you were indifferent. But you don’t have to be their best friend.”
“Would it be that easy to become their best friend?”
“They like people.”
“Were you friendly when you were little?”
Nova frowned as if I had poked at a sensitive spot. “What do you know about me?”
“You’re from Baton Rouge and then somewhere in South Dakota before that. You were married to a man who now sleeps with the fishes. You’re a great mom, a little shy, and exceptionally gorgeous. Oh, and I know you were shot. Did I miss anything?”
Nova ran through my words. I saw the exact moment when she zeroed in on “exceptionally gorgeous.” A soft blush spread across her cheeks, and a smile warmed her face. Suddenly, she went still and shook her head.
“Do you know about my parents?”
“No. Should I?”
Nova shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, we aren’t our parents, are we?”
“No, but my parents definitely influenced who I am today.”
On edge instantly, she asked, “Would you think less of me if I had bad parents?”
“No, if you had bad parents, I’d be more impressed with how well you turned out.”
Nova smiled softly. “My mom was mostly just disappointing.”
“And your dad?”
“He was worse than their dad,” Nova mumbled and gestured at the girls brushing Ramen. “Much worse.”
“To you?”
“No,” Nova said and exhaled unsteadily. “He was a criminal, but not like you. A very bad criminal.”
“But he didn’t hurt you?”
“No. I was little when he went to prison, but the few memories I have are positive. He didn’t seem bad. That’s what broke my mom. She couldn’t really understand how he was so fun and kind with us, and then so evil with other people.”
As a kid, I had learned in a rather casual way that my parents were criminals and hurt people. However, I also understood the people they hurt weren’t worth worrying over. I didn’t sense Nova’s father targeted the bad guys.
“Even the worst people have positive qualities. If that’s all you see, it can be difficult to believe in the bad sides,” I said and shrugged.
“I’m sure the people who got fucked up by my mom and dad didn’t think they’d be good parents.
They only saw their bad sides. But life is complicated.
We can only try to make the best choices and deal with the consequences. ”
Nova stared hard at me. “I didn’t know Chris was a bad man.”
“Okay, but even if you did, people make mistakes.”
“Have you made that kind of mistake?”
“Picking the wrong person, you mean?” I asked, and Nova nodded. “You’re the only person I’ve ever picked, and things are going well. Sorry if I sound like I’m bragging, but I’ve nailed my one and only relationship choice.”
Grinning, Nova shook her head. “You showing up unannounced didn’t give me a chance to panic.”
“Why panic at all? You know me.”
“I know you from a distance.”
Grinning, I admired her and pointed out, “And I know you from a distance, but I couldn’t help wanting to get closer.”
“We’re wired differently.”
“You’re afraid of being wrong. Maybe that comes from your dad or your ex-husband or life in general.
I rarely fear doing anything wrong, even after I spent time in jail.
But with you, I put more thought into stuff.
Offending you isn’t like saying something stupid to anyone else. I guess I might be nervous, too.”
Nova shuffled closer. “If this is how you behave when nervous, it’s a very good look on you.”
Unable to fight the temptation, I leaned down and kissed her cheek. My lips lingered against her soft skin.
Before I backed off, Nova turned her head and planted her lips on mine. This kiss was quick but promised everything.
Smiling, I murmured, “Look at your inner wild child coming out to play.”
Nova grinned and then said, “Skylar, Lyric, why don’t you find your favorite hat and glasses from your room to show Boone?”
The girls jumped up and ran down the hallway.
Nova’s smile widened. “They have a lot of favorites, meaning they’ll be gone for a few minutes.”
Quickly cradling her jaw, I covered her lips with mine. Nova sighed and wrapped her hands around the wrist of my hand caressing her face.
I deepened the kiss, flicking my tongue against hers and winning a moan. Nova’s hands left my wrist and slid across my shoulders. Her sexy body pressed against mine as her arms wrapped around my neck.
Without thinking, I lifted her and settled her sweet, round ass on the kitchen island. My arms wrapped around her, keeping her snugly against me as I kissed her like a man without a care in the world.
Despite their small sizes, the girls made a lot of noise as they ran down the hallway toward the kitchen. Hearing them coming, I bounced backward so abruptly that I nearly knocked Nova off the countertop. Steadying her, I tried to behave casually for the girls.
Skylar came to a halt and eyed us. Behind her, Lyric carried three different hats.
“I couldn’t choose,” Lyric said.
A suspicious Skylar asked, “Why is Mama on the counter?”
“I was tickling her,” I spat out before my brain told me to keep quiet.
Nova slid off the island and smiled. “Which glasses did you pick?”
“You don’t like getting tickled,” Lyric told her mom.
“That’s why I jumped back,” I said, unable to stop lying. “She was going to pinch me to make me stop.”
“You shouldn’t tickle Mama,” Skylar insisted and gave me a very impressive scowl that her little sister mimicked. “You can’t touch people if they don’t want you to.”
“That’s true,” I said and smiled at how she was putting me in my place. “I was being silly, but I’m sorry.”
Skylar eyed me as if I were up to no good. I appreciated her uncertainty. The girls had behaved like big softies. Based on the way they now studied me, these two were tough chicks ready to throw down to protect their mom.