Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Max
Before I opened my eyes, before I was fully awake, the awareness of Natalie’s lush round ass against my morning wood spread through me.
My arm wrapped fully around her then and I cupped her breast with my hand, the satisfying plump warmth of her scrambling whatever thoughts of reality might have been forming with my sudden wakefulness.
The bliss shattered the second I heard the squealing laughter and sound of Tori and Trish coming for my room. Sitting bolt upright I leapt from bed to pull on my boxers as Natalie sat up, clutching the sheets to her.
“Oh no, she croaked. I should have set my alarm.”
“It’s alright—I’ll head them off.” I came around the bed to find my pants and was pulling them on when Tori crashed through the door. I hopped to position myself to block Natalie from their view and zipped my pants with barely enough time to catch them as they launched themselves at me.
“Daddy, daddy the sun is up.”
“Daddy, can we have pancakes?”
“Daddy, there’s a lady in your bed.”
Shit. I scooped them up. “That’s Natalie. Let’s let her sleep.” Carrying them out of the room, I looked over my shoulders to see her making funny faces at the girls as they giggled.
“Okay, but only for a little while,” Trish said. “Then she has to get up and have breakfast with us.”
“How come you had a sleepover, Daddy?” Tori said. “Mommy never lets us have Mikey sleepover.”
I heard Red laugh as I managed to pull the door closed behind me.
“You know the rule, angel. Daddy gets to do whatever he wants.”
She squealed with delight and they joined in a whole list of things I couldn’t do. It was a game we played. My way of teaching them responsibility, making them aware of the need to do things even if they didn’t want to, and to not do things even when they wanted to.
Sitting the twins on their special stools at the counter, I smiled as I got out the eggs and milk, remembering Natalie’s funny faces.
I should have known she’d see the rude interruption of our lovemaking as an opportunity to have fun with the girls, should have known she’d be unflustered by their crashing into the room.
When she joined us in the kitchen before I had a chance to crack the first egg, fresh-faced and hair up in a pony-tail, my eyes raked her body in appreciation of the way she filled out the simple cotton dress she wore, not minding the wrinkles in the least.
Flashing me a quick smile, she went straight for the girls to hug and kiss them good morning, not that she had a choice as they clamored for her attention.
And she gave it to them, heaped on all the kid friendly charm, listened to them and even answered their possibly embarrassing question about why she’d been sleeping with Daddy instead of in the guest room where grandma and Aunty Peggy stayed.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Trish asked.
“No, but I was chilly and your Daddy helped keep me warm,” she said. Trish nodded and Tori told her she was silly.
“Let me go see if I can help your dad with the pancakes,” she said. “I think I might have a special extra for you.”
The way she turned everything from awkward to fun fast made my head spin and my chest clench. She came around the island then to stand next to me and slipped her hand in mine while I flipped some pancakes with the other.
“Hey you’re pretty good at that,” she said.
“Hey you’re pretty good yourself,” I murmured. She blushed and I was surprised. I’d not seen her blush before and hadn’t thought of her as the blushing type. My cock stiffened in approval.
“Do you mind if I add my own touch?” Rummaging through the cabinets, she didn’t wait for an answer as she moved to the pantry. “Aha—found what I need.” She came back with a bag of chocolate morsels and a priceless grin.
“I didn’t even know I had those. Mel must keep them for when she bakes cookies—she’s the housekeeper—cook—and all around caretaker, master of the household.”
“Oh yes! Chocolate chip pancakes!” Tori yelled and Trish laughed and they bounced in their chairs.
My kids weren’t the only ones who were excited to have breakfast with Natalie.
The energy in the air was fueled by more than chocolate chips and maple syrup.
It was Red’s vitality and playfulness that sparked the air, so that breakfast was even more than the usual lively meal with my girls.
She was an x-factor in full force, but instead of exhausting me like the twins sometimes did, she rejuvenated me, made me feel like I didn’t need coffee.
But she handed me a cup and I took it as she then helped the girls from their seats, promising them she would help them pick out their outfits.
We were all in the kitchen, Natalie on her knees holding their hands, discussing their clothes, when my ex came in through the garage and straight into the room.
In some ways, I felt like I was cheating on Liz, not because I’d spent the night with Natalie, but because Natalie was here bonding with our daughters.
It was crazy to feel that way since Liz had a man living in the house with them playing the role of secondary dad whenever the girls were there.
But somehow this felt different. Or maybe it was the crushed look on her face as she took in the scene, before the girls noticed her—maybe the fact that it took a few seconds for them to notice her.
The girls noticed their mother right after Natalie did, when she jumped to her feet as if she were guilty of something, as if she’d been found stealing.
I put my arm around her immediately as the girls ran to greet their mother the say they always did.
The moment of guilt dissipated then, Liz laughed and hugged her girls.
“I should get going now,” Natalie whispered to me. She pulled away and went for her bag, retrieved her phone and punched in a number. No doubt for a ride.
I would have introduced Natalie, but Tori did the honors, pulling her mother by the hand closer to where we stood at the kitchen island. Liz took in the remains of the pancake breakfast and I noticed the moment when she saw the chocolate chips. She snapped her head to me.
“This is Nattie, daddy’s friend. She had a sleepover—“
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Liz. Max’s—“
“Nice to meet you too. I was just leaving. I better get my things.” Natalie turned to me for a quick look, her face unreadable and rushed down the hall toward the master bedroom.
“Excuse me a minute,” I said to Liz.
“What’s the matter, Daddy?” Trish said.
“Noting, Sugar Cup. I’m going to help Natalie. Be right back.”
I found her gathering her things, slipping on her shoes in a hurry and looking flustered for a woman who never seemed to be flustered.
“I’m sorry, Natalie. Liz never knocks—or she never did—“
“Don’t worry about it, Max.” She stood with her bag over her shoulder looking ready to bolt. “I’m a big girl. Besides, the worst is over. Tori let the cat out of the bag for us.” She tried smiling but her green eyes were wide as if she were in shock.
I went to her and wrapped her in my arms. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I didn’t know what there was between us, torn between consoling her and needing to protect my girls from temporary affairs. Was this temporary? Heaving a sigh, I had no idea how it could be anything else.
Stepping away from me, she said, “I need to go. My ride was only a few minutes away.” I followed her out of the room and to the front door. Liz and the girls came from the kitchen when they heard us.
“Don’t go Nattie,” Trish said running to her. Even Tori looked sad to see her go. She blew them kisses and made funny faces at them as she said good-bye and the girls were back to giggling.
She looked at me over her shoulder. I was smitten--and torn. But I did the right thing and said good-bye to Natalie. Then she walked out and closed the door behind her.
“Go wash up and brush your teeth, girls,” Liz said in her less than playful voice. They looked at me and I nodded. Tori stood her ground, but Trish took her sister’s hand and cajoled her back down the hall to the bathroom. Out of earshot for this conversation.
“I guess it’s finally over between us,” Liz said.
“It’s been over for a while.”
She shrugged. “You know what I mean. You’ve moved on, Max. Found someone else.” Her eyes teared up and I shouldn’t have been surprised. We’d been on good terms in spite of everything and she’d had the luxury of having me at her beck and call for the girls.
“You’re being a bit premature, Liz. Let’s not jump to conclusions. I don’t think--”
“I know you, Max.” She sniffed. I turned away from her. “Don’t turn away. We need to have this conversation. For the girls’ sake. She—Natalie must be important to you.”
I sighed, knowing she was right about needing to talk. Liz was easy to talk to now. There was no more tension between us since the divorce.
“I don’t think so, Liz. You’ve misunderstood.
Natalie is all wrong for me. Besides, I’m in no hurry to commit to a relationship.
The last thing I need is some young chick with starry eyes, a bold mouth and more fun than a three-ring circus complicating my life any further.
” I absently picked up the mug of coffee said circus had left for me.
“She’s the one alright, I can tell.” Liz sniffed again.
I picked up the box of tissues and held it out to her.
She grabbed one and blew her nose. Tori and Trish came bounding back down the hall and straight to Liz.
They held onto her, worry and fear in their faces, caught between me and their mother. Once again.
“Why don’t we talk about this later,” I said, forcing a smile and squatting down. I held open my arms to gather the girls in for a last reassuring hug before they left.
“Come here you two.”
Their unsure faces lit up with smiles and they thrust into my arms, giggling and happy once again. I wished to hell all life’s problems could be so easy to solve.