Chapter 14 #2
She wiped at the tears and laughed shakily. "Let me get out of your hair. You certainly do not need an old codger like me crying all over you."
"It's no hardship." He gave her one of his rare smiles, lifting a hand to touch her damp cheek. "Drive safe."
He stood where he was for a few more minutes, simply staring at the empty doorway. He had inherited an instant family, one that he never expected and one that he was now drawn to. A grandmother and a son.
Shaking his head, he sat back down and went to work.
*****
"Grams!" He tugged at her hand impatiently. "You have to come and see my room. Suite," he corrected, flashing a grin at Rodney. "Mom said it's too big and that I'm not going to keep it clean. But I promise, right Mr. Rodney?"
He gazed at the man coming from the direction of his rooms, eagerly.
Rodney had told him twice that he did not mind being called by just Rodney, but the boy had told him his mother would have his hide. "Please don't tell her I said 'hide'. She'll have a fit."
"It would be our secret." He had been assured solemnly.
"And promises are meant to be kept, or they shouldn't be made at all." Rodney inclined his head, golden eyes swinging towards Eloise. "Welcome."
"Thank you."
"She might want to go and see your mother first." He chided David.
They had moved in the very day Melanie had been released from the hospital. Arrangements were already made for a driver to take him to school, since the bus was not on this route. Wedding plans were already underway.
"I'll just divert." Eloise assured him and allowed herself to be led down the hall. Rodney watched them enter the newly appointed suite before going back into the bedroom.
He had put the decorator to work here as well.
Instead of the purely masculine teakwood designs, the team had added some flounces. A window seat, lighter drapes, shelves for Melanie's clothes and other things.
The doctors still instructed her to take it easy for the next couple of weeks, and he was making certain of it.
"I feel like a fraud." She complained now, sitting up against the pillows. "I'm strong and eating on my own. No sudden trips to the bathroom. Rodney..."
"Your grandmother is here." He came and sat on the edge of the bed, examining her face. "I've asked her to stay the night. Mother is also coming over to talk wedding."
He cupped her cheeks, fingers gentle. "David and I are going to escape for a bit and go to the batting cage."
"You never touch me." She whispered, placing a hand over his to hold it longer against her skin. She could smell his masculine scent, and it was making her weak with need. "Why?"
"You've been ill." He started to withdraw his hand, but she held on. "I want to be kissed. It's been so long since we..."
"We have a guest and very soon, mother will be on her way."
Her eyes moistened. "Do I look that bad? Is that the real reason you no longer want me?"
She wasn't prepared for the kindling of fire from his eyes as he drew away from her and rose. "Not want you?" He exploded between clenched teeth. "Not want you? I cannot sleep from wanting you. Goddammit it! I want you so much, I'm dying."
"But if I touch you, if I kissed you, I wouldn't be able to stop. And you're not well. You're still too bloody thin. I would be a monster."
He turned away. "I'll let the housekeeper know mother is coming over." He glanced at his watch, his expression under rigid control. "We should be back by then."
She sat there staring at the doorway dumbfounded. All along he had been completely composed except that one time he had lost his temper at the clinic. And from then, he had been scrupulously polite and courteous, taking great pains not to touch her.
She had been having moments of doubt, thinking that he really didn't want her anymore. That the proposal had been a way to stand up to his obligations. She had been torturing herself into thinking that it was because of the visit from Carrie and the residual guilt that had prompted him to act.
And when he discovered she was pregnant, he had stepped up to do the right thing. She had taken one look at herself in the mirror and decided there was no way any man, especially one of Rodney's look and charisma could find her attractive.
Taking a deep breath, she felt hope and sunshine spreading inside her chest. He still wanted her! If that was the only thing, she could work with it. In time, she was going to gain his trust again. As long as the feelings were still there, she was fine.
But oh, she longed to feel him against her! It was getting to the point where she could not sleep either.
*****
"You're very good at this." Rodney murmured as he watched the boy swing the bat and hit the ball. The batting cage was empty, which was deliberate. It belonged to a friend who had agreed to have the place vacated for the hour they would be there.
"Mom used to do this with me." David slammed the ball and did a jig. "She's very good for a girl."
Rodney grinned at the sexist remark. "I bet you'd never say that to her face."
David grinned back. "Nope. She'd cream me." He twisted his wrists forward and backwards. "The balls need to reload. This is a cool spot. The one where mom and I used to go is kinda crummy."
"What do you mean, crummy?" Rodney hefted a bat and prepared to take his swing.
"There were drug addicts and homeless people hanging around."
Golden eyes met mahogany ones. "Really?"
David nodded. "One of the guys tried to get fresh with mom one time and she kneed him in the cro..."
He pointed downwards to his groin. "His thing."
"I see." Hiding a smile, Rodney swung and hit. "How big was he?"
"Big." The boy demonstrated by lifting his hand over his head. "He called her a dirty name. She told him there was plenty more where that came from and calmly went back to batting. She's cool like that."
"Sounds that way. And very brave too."
David nodded. "She's the best." He glanced at Rodney. "Are you mad at her?"
The blunt question had Rodney bobbling his bat.
Turning to look at the boy, he noticed the intense expression. "Why would you ask that?"
He gave a sheepish grin. "I heard her telling her friend Carrie that you don't touch her. But you do, I've seen you lift her up."
"Hmm." Rodney had to hide a smile. The kid was very observant and had a penchant for eavesdropping. "Does your mom know you have this nasty habit?"
Ducking his head, he kicked at the tufted grass. "She's always saying I have big ears. I guess that means I'm nosy. Are you going to tell her?"
"And rat out another guy?" Rodney scoffed. "I'm no snitch."
David gave him a wide eyed stare before giggling. "You sound weird."
"Do I?" Rodney slapped him on the shoulder. "And to answer your question, I'm not mad, not exactly."
"I love her." The boy blurted out passionately.
"Of course you do. She's your mom and the most important woman in your life. That is, until you're old enough to start noticing girls."
"Eeww! Girls are gross!" He declared.
"Wait another few years," Rodney advised him dryly. "You will be singing a different tune." He glanced at his watch. "We're running late for supper."
"Your mom is beautiful." David fell into step with him, trying to match his long strides.
"So is yours."
"The guys at my school think she's hot." He ducked his head again. "It's embarrassing."
Laughing, Rodney slung a hand around his shoulders. "That's not a bad thing. I happen to think she's hot too."
David wrinkled his nose. "How come you want me? Is it because of my mom?"
Rodney glanced at him and realized that the question was a very serious one. The wind had picked up and was flapping their jackets. Opening the passenger side, he helped David in and secured his belt.
Rounding the hood, he jumped in and started the engine to get the heat going. He had chosen a masculine jeep for the trip.
"At first." Resting his hands on the wheel, he stared out at the empty space, before turning to look at David. "I would have done anything to be with her. Then when I met you that day at the door and saw the way you were with her, I realized that you would do."
Reaching over, he rubbed David's shoulder. "You're a good kid. And any child who loves his mother the way you do is all right in my book. So, David, are we cool?"
The boy nodded. "I told my mom that I don't care that I did not have a dad, but I lied."
"All right. Why?"
"She would get worried about me not having one around and I did not want her to be sad."
"Now you have one." Rodney told him softly and felt his heart constricting at the sheen of tears in the child's eyes.