Chapter 17
HARDY
Ineed to just do it. What am I so fucking scared of? What’s the worst that could happen when the worst has already happened to you?
Blowing out a deep breath, I walk into the kitchen and see Avery sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal while she watches a video on her tablet. Shit, I thought I put that away last night.
“Can we talk, baby girl?”
“Okay, Daddy,” she says, still glued to the screen. I wave a hand in front of it, and she looks up at me as I hit the power button to turn it off.
I have no clue how to start this. Before things go any further with Bella, I need to know that Avery is on board with it.
Taking a seat next to her, I look into her green eyes. Fuck, she has her mother’s eyes. I inhale deeply, willing myself to continue. “Do you remember what we talked about the other night?”
“About washing my hands after using the potty?” she asks nervously, like she forgot to do it again.
“Not that. About Daddy having a girlfriend,” I say hesitantly.
She turns back to her cereal, taking another bite as I stare at the rainbow-colored milk swirling around her bowl. “I don’t want you to have a girlfriend,” she says softly, still chewing.
There’s a lead weight in my gut and I clasp my hands together, resting my elbows on the table. “Why not?”
She continues chewing as she thinks about her answer. “I don’t want you to leave me.”
I reach out and scoop her up, pulling her into my lap as I hug her against me. “Avery, baby girl, I’m never going to leave you.”
“Mommy said that too,” she says softly, and I can’t hold back the tears. Fuck. My heart physically aches, and I squeeze her against me, as if hugging her could physically heal both of our broken hearts. She wiggles against me, moving up and wraps her arms around my neck.
“Mommy would’ve stayed with you forever,” I whisper, trying to speak evenly around the tears. “And I’d stay with you forever if I could. But sometimes things happen that we can’t control. But I promise you I will do everything in my power to stay with you as long as I can. Do you understand?”
I feel her nod against me as I rub a hand along her back, trying to soothe her sobs as her chest heaves rapidly with each breath.
“I know you miss Mommy. I miss her too, every day. No one could ever replace her. But it’s also okay to let new people into our life.” I wrack my brain for examples. “Like Miss Carlisle and all your new friends in class.”
“And Isaac?” she asks, pulling back to look at me.
“Exactly. None of those new people replace your mom. And they bring joy and love to your life, right?”
She nods as I wipe a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “I like Isaac. And Miss Carlisle. Can she be your girlfriend?”
Inwardly my heart is doing flips, but outwardly I remain composed, afraid to get her hopes up. “Would you like that?”
“Yeah, because then I could see her all the time. And she makes you laugh.”
“She’s really funny, isn’t she?”
“Yup. And I like that she helps with the Christmas stuff.”
Shit, I didn’t realize she’d picked up on how much Bella was helping.
“With our school project?”
“Yeah, but the other stuff too. The tree, and the cookie houses, and wrapping gifts. And the ice-skating. That was my favorite.”
“I guess I needed help with some of that stuff, huh?”
She nods and then reaches up to hold my cheeks in her hands. “Can we make cookies?” Her excitement and the way her eyes light up are infectious, and I nod.
“I’ll ask Miss Carlisle when I see her today.”
“But it’s Saturday.”
“I’d let you come with us, but I need to go out and buy your Christmas gifts. But I promise to spend time with you today too.”
“Is Maggie coming over?”
“She is.”
“Can Giraffe make cookies with us too?”
“I’m sure Isaac can.”
“Can I get down now?” she asks, already wiggling out of my lap. And then she’s running up the stairs shouting about something she wants to show Maggie.
——————
When I pull into Bella’s driveway an hour later, I can’t get inside fast enough, and it has nothing to do with how cold it is outside. I knock on the door, and as soon as she opens it, she pulls me inside, closes the door, and pushes my back against it.
She grabs my cheeks and pulls my lips to hers. We’re stumbling back as I kick off my shoes, bumping into the closet door in the process.
“Isaac?” I ask between kisses.
She laughs against my lips. “Never thought you’d call me my son’s name when your tongue is in my mouth.”
“Jesus. I mean, is he here?” My hand glides up the front of her shirt, as I palm the cup of her bra.
“His dad’s,” she says, arching back, pushing her tit into my hand as I massage it through the fabric.
“How’d it go with Avery? Good, I take it?” she says as she peppers my neck with kisses.
“All good,” I say, pulling her back into me as I cup the back of her neck and lick along the seam of her lips until she opens for me. There’s a fervor in our movements that I’ve never experienced before, as though we can’t move fast enough, can’t kiss deep enough.
She jumps into my arms, and I spin her and push her up against the door right as a knock comes from the other side.
“Fuck,” I groan as I drop my head on her shoulder. This is the second time something has stopped us from taking things further, and I’m starting to think it is a sign.
“It’s not a sign,” she says, somehow mind-reading. She extracts herself from my arms, then peeks through the peephole. “It’s a delivery?”
“Is that a question?”
She opens the door to a man I don’t recognize. “Ned? What are you doing here?”
“Have a delivery for ya. Where do ya want it?”
“Want what?” she asks just as two men come around the corner carrying a very large, very ornate Santa chair.
“That was supposed to go to the school,” she protests, and the two men carrying the chair stop.
“It’s not a problem,” I say, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I can run it up there later this week.”
“Want us to put it in the garage?” Ned asks.
“Yeah, lemme move my car,” Bella says, grabbing her keys and shoes, leaving me with Ned.
“I hope you guys get some good use out of this. I’m happy to see it have a new home,” Ned says.
“You aren’t using it this year?” I ask.
“Nah, we haven’t had nearly enough little visitors to make it worth hiring a Santa.
Kids just don’t believe like they used to.
But I think putting it up at the school is the perfect spot for it.
Maybe it’ll help reinvigorate the magic for them,” he says, clapping a hand on my shoulder as he turns to leave.
I slip on my shoes and walk outside to the garage, just as the guys are taking off after Ned.
“Ugh, I hope Amber doesn’t hear about this. She already came to my classroom earlier this week to give me shit.”
“The fuck?” I ask.
She waves me off. “It’s fine. I handled it. Are you sure you can get this to the school by yourself?” she asks as she sinks into the massive chair.
“Not a problem. I can bring it up there this week.”
“Really? I feel like you’ve been doing all the heavy lifting with the workshop, and I’m just telling you what to do.”
“What if I like it when you boss me around?” I say, closing the garage door as she follows me with her eyes, swiveling in the seat to watch me.
I stalk back over to her slowly, my movements deliberate as the garage door slowly lowers, the only light in the space filtering in from a small window in a door in the corner.
“Is your garage light out?” I ask, looking up at the operator mounted to the ceiling.
“The light burnt out a couple years ago. I keep meaning to replace it, but I don’t have a ladder.”
“I’d be happy to help with that,” I say, looking down at her as I hook a finger under her chin and tilt it up to me.
“You would?” she rasps as I tuck a loose hair behind her ear and then slowly sink to my knees. “What are you doing?”
“Well, you are sitting on a throne.” I run my hands up her thighs as she slowly parts them. When I find the waistband of her leggings, I pull them down as she lifts her ass. “It’d be a shame to waste an opportunity to worship your pussy on a literal throne.”
She kicks off her shoes and wiggles her feet a little when I get her leggings to her ankles. Once they’re clear, I toss them behind me and spread her legs.
“No panties?” I quirk a brow.
“I told you, I’m an optimist.”
Hooking my hands under her thighs, I pull her to the edge of the seat and bury my face in her cunt. As soon as her tangy taste hits my mouth, I groan in appreciation and eat her with enthusiasm, licking, sucking, and nipping her clit as she rocks underneath me.
“So fucking good. I’ve been dying for another taste. Are you going to squirt for me again?” I crook a finger inside her pussy as I stroke her G-spot.
“Oh shit!” she cries. “I am if you keep doing that.”
Lowering my head, I devour her. She’s so wet, making a mess on my face as I keep a steady pace, lapping and flicking her clit while I continue stroking her inner wall in a come-hither motion.
Her head falls back, a moan escaping her lips as she bucks harder against me.
I want her to use me and take what she needs until she can’t hold back anymore.
And then I want to lick her clean. This woman makes magic wherever she goes, and I’m going to repay the favor, one orgasm at a time.
An ache builds deep in my balls as I watch her fuck my face like her own personal toy, climbing higher and higher toward her climax.
“Oh God, yes. Yes, Hardy. Fuck. I’m coming!” she shouts as she squirts all over my face. Her scent is addicting, her taste perfection. I gently lick her clean, careful not to overstimulate her sensitive clit as she comes down.
There’s no way I could ever walk away from this. Now that I’ve tasted her again, I know I will never want anything in my life more.
“You’ve come on my face twice now. I think that makes you mine.”
“I’ll be anything you want me to be if you promise to keep doing that.”
Her breath is still coming in quick pants as she brushes her silky blonde hair out of her face.