13. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Esmerelda – Two Days Later
“Okay, buddy, are you ready to go?” I ask Aiden, who grins wide at me from his stroller and nods excitedly causing his hair to fall into his eyes. I smile gently and push it away for him as he kicks his legs, eyeing the front door and I lick my bottom lip.
“Okay,” I whisper as I stand, then shake my hands as nerves fill me and they begin to sweat.
I’m so scared I’m going to disappoint Damian. He’s slowly becoming everything to me, something I never thought I’d have at this point in my life, but it is there, and it is strong, and the fact I gave him my body so early on in the relationship – something I never do – just proves how much he’s coming to mean to me.
I’m falling in love.
“Now, my daughter wouldn’t be nervous now, would she?” Dad asks with a sense of humor.
I look towards the kitchen nook to see him smirking from where he’s leaning against the counter and I narrow my eyes, which only makes him grin before his eyes go to my collarbone, and his smile softens at the dove with the word mom written along the wings.
Mom used to call me her little dove, and asking Damian to tattoo me only cements our connection. I’ve wanted the tattoo for a few years but never felt comfortable seeing someone and explaining why I wanted it. With Damian, he understood, and he was amazing.
After he made love to me, and I asked him for the tattoo, he didn’t hesitate. He got his gear ready and disinfected the chair because, well, yeah, that was a no-brainer. Then he did the tattoo as gently as he could, all while reassuring me before he took me to his apartment, made me a homemade pizza, then made love to me again. This time in his bed and thankfully with a condom that time, and the two times after that.
The first time, I wasn’t thinking, something I don’t usually do in that situation and never did with both Mark and Cody, but with Damian, all sense disappears. All I could feel was him and the fact I’m not on birth control because it doesn’t mesh well with my body… I’m glad he pulled out.
I’m not ready for kids. If anything, I want to be married and have a few years under my and my husband’s belt first. I can’t believe I’m even thinking this, but I hope it will be Damian.
“I’m meeting his friend today, so of course I’m a little nervous. He’s known her since he was ten or something, and she is married to his best friend.” I admit getting Dad's attention again, and he nods.
“She’s going to love you, sweetheart. You have one of the kindest hearts out of anyone I know,” he says, and I smile slightly grabbing Aiden's bag.
“You have to say that, you’re my dad,” I reply, making him grin. Sighing, I admit, “I’m falling for him, Daddy. I stayed at his and did not come home to help with Aiden is proof enough of that, and I’m scared.”
Dad smiles gently as he pushes off the counter and walks my way before wrapping his arms around me. I melt into him, and he rumbles, “Falling in love is normally scary, sweetheart, but it can also be thrilling and exciting, so hold onto those feelings and allow him to be the one for you. Allow him into your heart.”
I nod, lean back, my eyes shining, and ask, “Do you think Mom would approve?”
He grins and admits, “She never did like Cody for you or Mark in that way,” I snort, unsurprised. He continues, “Your mother wanted someone who only saw you, someone who looked at you like you were his world. More importantly, someone you looked at like he was your heaven, and you get that from him, sweetheart so yes she would approve and so do I.”
I sniffle and wipe away the few fallen tears before taking a deep breath and stepping back before confirming, “Okay, I’m ready.”
Dad nods with a grin and asks, “Is Damian meeting you there?”
I nod again pulling the stroller my way and reply, “Yep. Apparently, his friend will be driving herself, and Damian will bring us back here for dinner.”
Dad nods again, kisses my head, and murmurs, “Have fun, sweetheart, and try not to let your brother convince you he deserves another cupcake.”
I chuckle and say over my shoulder, “But he’s too cute to say no to and besides, they’re sugar free,” as I walk out the door, his laughter following me.
“Okay, Aiden, let’s go make some friends,” I mumble then add, “Hopefully,” and walk down the pathway with my heart in my throat as Aiden sings some nursery rhyme he’s learning at daycare.
I chew my bottom lip reaching the play area ten minutes later. My eyes land on Damian's matte black truck, which sits next to another truck like his but in dark red, and my heart rate picks up.
“Okay, my nerves are now hiking up again, Aiden,” I whisper and roam my eyes over the play area.
There are quite a few kids, but it doesn’t take me long to lock eyes on Damian’s form pushing Levi in a swing. I can’t help but melt. Even though several women are staring at him, which I must admit makes my jealousy build—something I’ve never had before—the man is just wow.
He makes it look so easy. He’s wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, biker boots, and hair that is no longer than the top of his shoulders, is up in his normal man bun.
“Dam-Dam,” Aiden squeals, and I look down and smile to see him clapping his little hands, watching my boyfriend while kicking his legs with excitement.
I think I’m no longer his favorite person, yet I can’t complain because he’s definitely becoming mine.
Shaking my head, I look up to see Damian looking my way, his head tilted and a big smile on his face that I can’t help but return as butterflies swim in my stomach.
I see a woman beside him, looking between us with a furrowed brow, and I swallow hard.
She’s gorgeous, of course. Her dark red hair in a messy bun and she’s in jean shorts, and plain T-shirt making me feel better because we’re dressed similarly except I’m wearing a strappy top because of my new tattoo, but it doesn’t stop my nerves.
Taking a deep breath, I push Aiden over to them, only making my little brother squeal louder. I can’t help but grin because as soon as we stop in front of them, Damian bends and unclicks him before throwing him in the air, making him giggle. Then, he puts him on his hip, focuses on me, and I smile as my ovaries pull because damn that is a sight.
“Hey, stranger,” I say, and he replies, “Angel, I think someone’s missed me…”
I roll my eyes and remind him, “You only saw him yesterday, but it’s good to know where his love is.” He shrugs as he rounds the stroller and gently caresses my lips. Of course, I melt because, hello, who wouldn’t before Aiden says, “Levi!” with excitement.
Damian chuckles against my lips and pecks me a few times before looking at the woman and says, “Scar, this is my girl, Esmerelda,” the woman’s green eyes, like Levi’s, widen in shock, but he ignores her reaction and looks at me, “Scarlett is my best friend Ace’s wife,” the woman sucks in a breath confusing me but again, Damian ignores her and says, “I’m just going to put Aiden in a swing, Hannah is with her Grams.”
I pout at the thought of Hannah not being here but nod, and he looks at me momentarily, his eyes racing between mine. I give him a soft look so he knows I’ll be okay before he looks at Scarlett and whatever look he gives her, she swallows but nods before moving to the swing.
“How uh, old is he?” the woman Scarlett asks, and without taking my eyes off Damian putting Aiden into a swing, I smile and reply, “He’s three.”
She hums, “The same as Levi.”
I nod and admit, “Yeah, when they met last month, Aiden was instantly attached to him, it was cute.”
Scarlett hums again, and I can’t help but notice her standoffish attitude, but I try to ignore it. I get it. She thinks Aiden is mine, and I’m dating her friend, but even if he was, it wouldn’t matter, and she shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Which is what she is doing, it’s what everyone does.
“Is uh his dad still involved?” she asks not so subtly, and I can’t help but laugh, gaining Damian’s attention as he pushes Aiden.
He raises a brow, and I say, “Scarlett wants to know if Aiden's dad is still involved.”
He groans, “For god’s sake, Scar…”
I shake my head and say, “It’s okay, everyone always presumes.”
Damian shakes his head and snaps, “That isn’t the point, angel,” and I raise a brow at his tone, making him wince while Scarlett watches. “I’m sorry, baby,” he says softly, “but I’ve seen people turn their nose at you. And honestly, Scar here is the last person who should be turning her nose when she’s twenty-one with not one but two kids and her first kid was born out of wedlock.”
I look at Scar, who winces but nods and says, “I’m sorry, he’s right. I uh, I’m just protective of him is all.”
I tilt my head and furrow my brows when I see Damian subtly shake his head before he looks at me and sighs, seeing my confusion.
“Look, I’m sorry. Let’s just have a good time with the kids.” Scarlett says, but I don’t take my eyes off Damian.
No secrets, that is what we promised each other after we slept together.
He nods, knowing I need some answers—answers he knows I won’t let go of—and admits, “Her ex-best friend is my ex, who also happens to be Ace’s sister.”
Well, that makes sense then. I nod because that is all I need to know.
“Okay,” I reply, causing Scarlett’s eyes to widen, but I ignore her shocked look and appear at the boys as Aiden shouts, “Sissy!”
“Wait, did he just say…” Scarlett’s words trail off, and I grin at her. She groans, dropping her head, and my grin turns into a chuckle as I walk around the stroller and over to my brother.
“Push me.” he demands, and I raise a brow at the little terror, and he adds, “Pwease,” extremely sweetly.
“Only because you said please,” I say, gently grabbing hold of the swing and pulling him out before letting go. I do the same for Levi, who giggles and squeals, making me smile before I feel Damian come up behind me and wrap his arms around me.
Instantly, I melt into him and smile while I gently push the boys, and Scarlett moves in front of them.
We lock eyes as she apologizes, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”
I shrug and admit, “You aren’t the only one. I work in a bakery near college, and every time one of my peers sees him because he is with me a lot, they think he’s mine as well. We’re a spitting image of each other.” I swallow hard and admit, “My uh, my mom passed giving birth to him so I’m the only female influence he’s had so far.”
Damian's arms tighten around my waist as he puts his face into my neck, gently skimming his lips against my skin. Scarlett’s eyes soften as she murmurs, “And you’ve basically raised him.”
I nod and add, “With my dad, who is my hero,” Damian cuts in, “And my biggest supporter,” making me snort and look up at him because he’s not wrong.
He looks down and smiles before gently rubbing his nose against mine, and I melt further into him.
The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow them, knowing it is way too soon. I gently kiss his lips before Levi shouts, “Joke-Joke,” and Damian tenses, confusing me.
Wait, did Levi call him Joke?
I frown, but he shakes his head, quickly relaxes, kisses me, and murmurs, “Looks like I’m on kid duty so you and Scar can get to know each other,” he looks at Scarlett and demands, “No more adding two and two making five.”
She winces and he looks at me as my eyes race between his. He’s keeping something from me, I just can’t figure out what.
I nod knowing I won’t get any answers right now and despite the confusion still surrounding me, I kiss him making him smile before he moves over to the boys and takes them out of the swings, one kid in each arm and walks towards the sand pit with giggling boys dangling.
“Do you uh want to sit on the bench over there?” Scarlett asks and I hum, looking at Damian for a few seconds before walking with Scarlett. “Seriously, I didn’t mean any offense,” she says as we sit. I smile her way before looking back at Damian, not able to take my eyes off the man.
He’s keeping something from me. I just don’t know what, but can I demand to know when we’ve only been together for a month?
“Honestly, it’s fine,” I reassure, “I treat him like he’s my own anyhow. Even my dad says I was basically a mother to him, but now I’m trying to go back down to the sisterly role, I guess.” I admit, “I’m hoping my dad is able to find love again, someone who will love him and Aiden as much as my mom did.”
“That’s really noble of you to want that. Most kids don’t want their family to move on,” Scarlett mumbles, and I shrug and reply, “I’m not most kids. My dad deserves the world. After Mom passed, he was the glue, and now it’s time for him to be happy.”
“But what about you,” she retorts, “Shouldn’t you be happy and get to live your life?”
I look at her and smile wide admitting, “I am living it,” then look back at Damian and she gasps.
“You’re in love with him,” she confirms, and I nod, admitting, “With everything that I am, I’m just not ready to say it yet.”
Scarlett nudges me, making me chuckle, causing Damian to look my way and tilt his head. I smile wide, causing him to smile in return, and Scarlett announces, “Well, it looks like he’s in love with you too. If he wasn’t, we wouldn’t have met.”
I nod, not taking my eyes off the man who has become my everything, and mumble, “Good to know.”
I hold onto her words and hope with everything I am that she’s right because I’m never letting this man go, not for anything.