TWENTY-EIGHT
“YOU’VE BEEN AMAZING TODAY.”
“I’m amazing every day,” Darroch said, stacking the latest box on top of another.
“You spoke to both landlords, helped me pack, listened to more than one of my meltdowns.”
“It’s my job, Cherry, as the designated guy in your life.”
And he hadn’t lost his shit or sulked once. Maybe coming from such a large family taught him the art of diplomacy… and patience.
“It’s almost midnight,” she said, glancing down at her phone screen. “You got any juice left?”
“Juice for what?” he asked with an intrigued double brow bob as he swooped down to the floor beside her. “You talk to my mom today?” Wasn’t that just the question. And a hilarious one. How often had that been on his mind? “I heard you on the phone before dinner.”
“When you were taking a shower? Were you eavesdropping?”
“Maybe a little bit. What did she say?”
“You’re eager as a schoolboy,” she said, draping her arms around his neck when he pulled her into his lap. “Yes, okay, I spoke to your mother. I said we were getting frisky last night and I put a stop to it because I was worried about losing your affection.”
“And she told you her boys weren’t like that, she’d been wrong about my father, and reminded you I’m crazy about you.”
“No,” she said, rocking against him. “Actually, she said I did exactly the right thing.” He frowned. “She used the words ‘never prouder,’ I think she’s considering adopting me too.”
“Ah-ha,” he said in a false laugh, his arms closing tight around her. “You had me ‘til then. She knows how desperate I am to knock you up, she’d never pass up a chance of having babies around.”
“Knock me up, huh?”
“You wanted a son…” Slowly, deliberately, he laid her down. “I can make that happen.”
“My hero.”
“I will be.”
“How do we always end up here?” Her fingers combed through his hair. Wrapped in each other, admiring, basking, dreaming. “Our duties aren’t done yet, we still have to take the bed apart.”
“I know an excellent way to do that.”
“Mr. Breckenridge…”
“Less of the formalities with the father of your future children.”
Their mouths found each other, tilting to taste deeper. Both wanted to explore this, whatever it was between them. Was it smart? No. After spending the day with him, dealing with one apartment and another, they were a team. He didn’t take over, his consideration bolstered rather than stifled.
Turning her head, she broke the kiss. “We have furniture to dismantle.”
“I’ll do it in the morning.”
“You can’t do it alone.”
“Brothers, baby.” He kissed her cheekbone, the corner of her mouth. “Let me worry about the heavy lifting.”
“So I should just lay back and let it happen?”
“Couldn’t have said it better.”
As her muscles relaxed, her eyes closed. He really had the technique down, a gentle kiss, a caress, the brush of his tongue.
“Mmm, Darroch.” Her hips rose and his body pushed back, accepting the challenge. A fingertip tucked into her neckline, drawing it down, exposing sensitive flesh that he teased with his tongue. “Mm, you’re good at that.”
And that encouragement took the indulgent weight of his body from hers just long enough for him to rid her of the top completely. Her own fingers wandered beneath his tee-shirt as he cupped her jaw to join their mouths again.
Now it wasn’t enough. “Darroch,” she whispered again as his lips descended to her throat.
Gathering his tee-shirt at the back of his neck, she wanted rid of the fabric keeping their skin apart. They’d waited long enough. Hadn’t they? Couldn’t they—shit, she didn’t have Alice’s strength, any strength.
“Cherry…”
“Yes,” she said, yanking at his tee-shirt to get it over his head. “Did we pack the condoms?”
He kissed her quick. “Do we need one?”
Her phone rang, startling the moment. Clearing her throat, there was a good chance her voice might fail her.
“Don’t—”
“Hello?”
She didn’t know who she expected. Not reading the screen was probably a mistake, definitely a mistake, when his voice broke through.
“Sav?”
Coughing again, the hoarse quake in her throat scratched with lingering desire.
“Jeremy?” she asked, pushing Darroch aside to stand up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I miss you.”
“No, you don’t,” she said, closing her eyes and covering them with a hand, blocking out the interruption, and his voice, at least she tried to. “Why are you calling?”
“Heard you were in Blaze the other night.”
“Heard from who? Who are you talking to about me?”
“Just came up. You win a prize at work or something?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” she said, not owing him any explanation. “What do you care?”
“I could come over.”
“You could,” she said, unimpressed. “You wouldn’t get in but knock yourself out.”
Another good reason to move. She might just omit Jeremy from her list when sending out change of address messages.
“Don’t be like that, sweetie.”
“Don’t,” she said. “Are you drunk?”
“No!” Offense joined the word, she doubted it was completely honest. “I want to come over and see you.”
“You want to come over and have sex with me.”
“That too,” he said on a chuckle that shook her head. “You know how good—”
The phone was plucked from her hand.
“Listen, asshole, you’ve got a problem, a serious problem. You call this number again and that problem will visit your doorstep, you understand?” He turned away when she eventually caught up to what was happening. Darroch, on her phone, talking to Jeremy. Shit. “That’s right. New guy, only guy. And believe me, man, I have the power to make your life hell.” Her jaw loosened. “You’ll lose your job, your apartment, and never get laid again. You so much as think about Savanna and your problem will become my life’s cause. Lose this number.” He hung up and threw the phone onto the couch. “I can’t believe that jerk called you.”
“Happens sometimes,” she said to his back as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Better never happen again.” He spun around, his brow low. “Block his number.”
“I don’t think I need to.” Over the surprise, she licked her lips. “I can’t believe you spoke to him like that.”
“I’ll speak like that to any guy who propositions you. He’s got some fucking nerve, the way he treated you makes me fucking sick, but the fuck still thinks—”
“It’s okay.” Resting her hands on him, she boosted onto her tiptoes. “I’ve never heard you swear so much.”
“I’m mad.”
“Okay,” she said, heat rising within her. “Let’s do something with that energy.”
Except as she slid her hands up to his neck, he resisted her pulling him down. “No.”
“No? You don’t want to…?”
“No!” he exclaimed, easing her away. “Definitely not. Hard no.”
Oh, right, yeah, Jeremy still had that effect on her love life. “Oh…” Now it just felt weird and awkward. A few minutes ago they’d been getting hot and heavy, ready to give in to what they’d resisted since they met. “It’s getting late.”
“Yeah.”
“You should go.”
She couldn’t even look at him. It made sense. Why wouldn’t he be mad? Finding out her ex still showed up for booty calls? He had to think the worst.
“No, I don’t want to go.”
She tucked her hand behind her when he tried to touch it. “I’d like you to go.”
“Cherry—”
“I appreciate all your help today. It’s late and I have work tomorrow so…”
“What happened to not sleeping well alone?”
“I’ll get by,” she said, catching a quick glance up at his frown. “I got by before you.”
And she’d be fine without him, didn’t it always work out that way in the end?
“Baby—”
“Please,” she said, crouching to pick up his shirt to hand it over. “Go home, Darroch.”
Without giving him a chance to say anything else, she went to open the front door. What was the point of dragging it out? Just the idea of putting his hands on her was repellant to him. All it took to find that out was the right call at the right moment.
Maybe she should thank Jeremy for revealing that truth.
Though he muttered something else, he strode past her and into the hall. Goodnight, Darroch. Was it goodbye too?