Chapter 22 #2
We strip bare, and Bruce hauls me up, laying my back against the pile of pillows as he kneels between my spread legs.
“Goddamn, you look better than I ever imagined. So beautiful.” His eyes slide over me, a palpable caress, and though some small part of me is nervous about my body not being the younger version of myself he used to stare at hungrily, that inner wanton woman he brings out preens proudly as he groans in appreciation.
It helps that his hand is stroking his hard, proud cock slowly as he looks at me, like he could get off just seeing me laid out like a feast for his eyes.
My eyes are drawn to that up and down movement, but I trace his entire thick body with my eyes too, appreciating the broadness of his shoulders, the V lines of his waist, the bumps of his abs, and every dip and bulge of muscle.
I study not only the tattoo on his arm but the black linework on his chest, including a small, script MT.
My heart breaks that he lost his mother and that I wasn’t here to love him through that, but I’m here now.
“Bruce —” I say, but he interrupts me.
“I’m going to take my time tonight.” His voice is deep and dark with promise as he makes that vow. One I know he’ll keep, one I want him to. I want to fall into this . . . whatever this is . . . with him.
It’s too fast, too crazy, too stupid, but damned if I don’t jump off the cliff anyway, trusting that he’ll catch me before I crash-land.
But first, I want to enjoy the freefall, the flight with the wind through my hair and the air rushing up to buoy me like I’m floating.
That’s what tonight is. The rest I can figure out later.
I’m going to luxuriate in him, let him indulge in me, bring that dream we both once had to reality because I think it’ll be better than we ever thought possible.
The night outside fades away until it’s only the two of us in existence—his lips on my skin, our fingers mapping each other’s body, and him filling a void inside me I didn’t even realize existed.
As we collapse, exhaustion overtakes us and one other piece of those younger dreams comes true as we fall asleep in each other’s arms.
It’s even better than I’d imagined.
I stir the eggs, adding a bit of pepper as they scramble. Bruce grabs two plates out of the cabinet, setting them next to me at the ready. The bacon’s crisped and the bread’s toasted golden brown, so I start making plates with those as Bruce grabs juice.
He’s half in the fridge when the front door opens and Cooper comes running in. “Mom, guess what I got! Mom!”
Time stops, freezing in an instant.
Distantly, I’m glad I’m not naked. Bruce and I had put on the barest stiches of clothing to cook when he pointed out that bacon grease is a known boner killer.
I’d laughed and let him slip his shirt over my shoulders, and he’d pulled on his boxer briefs.
Now, I’m so ridiculously grateful for the risk of splattering hot oil because otherwise, I’d be naked when my son comes in.
Bruce unfreezes first. “Hey, Cooper! What’d you get?” His voice is casual, but as I look over, I can see that he’s carefully examining both mine and Cooper’s reactions from behind the refrigerator door.
This is bad. Unbelievably so.
Mitigate. Mediate. Deescalate.
“Hey, honey! Yeah, what’d you get?” I echo, knowing my voice is too high-pitched.
Cooper’s looking from me to Bruce, though. He’s a smart kid, which scares the bejesus out of me right about now, especially given the question he asked before my date. “Did you come over for breakfast, Coach B? Uh, why don’t you guys have clothes on?”
Michelle comes in right then. “Oh! Shit! He’s quick, got out of the car and was running before I even got it in park,” she says apologetically.
“Allyson, Cooper got you something . . .” She tilts her head, urgently pointing with her thumb like she’s trying to give me a topic to address other than the near-naked state Bruce and I are in.
I give Michelle a ‘duh’ look because I obviously already tried that, but I try again. “What’d you get, Cooper?”
I guess the third time’s the charm because he blinks and brings his hand out from behind his back to show me a teddy bear. It’s pale blonde and fluffy with a heart on the white belly. “I won a bear for you.”
“Oh, my gosh! It’s adorable!” I squeal, dropping to my knees beside him. I hug him, turning him slightly so he’s not waist-level with Bruce. “Thank you so much. Have you named him yet?”
Cooper smiles, giving me a slight reprieve from the horror of being busted. “Not yet. I thought we could name him together. I got the lightest one they had so he’d match your room.”
Tears pop to my eyes. “That’s . . . that’s so sweet, honey. Thank you.” I hug him again, but the moment’s gone as far as he’s concerned because he’s doing that infamous kid shrug-cringe combo to let me know I’m overdoing it on the affection.
“Want me to put him on your bed?” Cooper asks innocently.
“NO!” My voice is too loud, too sharp, but I cannot have Cooper going in there when the bed is still mussed from Bruce and me having sex, last night and again this morning.
I’ll need to wash the sheets or at least make the bed before he goes in there.
That’s normal, right? I make a mental note to read up on that.
I adjust my voice to a more normal manner of speaking, correcting myself. “I mean, let’s just set him right here on the counter while we eat breakfast, okay?” He nods and points to a place by the coffee pot.
Bruce clears his throat, his back going straight. “Uhm, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go take a leak.”
I blink, not used to the crassness, but I guess it’s better than saying he’s going to go get dressed. I definitely don’t want to call any more attention to our lack of clothing.
He steps toward the doorway, but Michelle doesn’t move, instead daringly staying right in his way. Bruce looks down at her, one brow raised, and greets her with a cocky smirk. “G’morning, Michelle.”
“It is a rather lovely morning, Coach B. Even with the chill from the fridge, a quite lovely morning indeed.” She’s fighting back laughter, and I swear Bruce turns the faintest shade of pink, but to his credit, he doesn’t slink away down the hall.
No, he damn near struts like a peacock. He’s got the right to because Michelle’s not wrong. Even with the cold of the fridge shrinking things, Bruce is well-endowed enough that those boxer briefs don’t hide much.
Michelle’s eyes follow him, even going so far as to lean back so she can catch one more glimpse. “Hey!” I snap.
She looks back at me, grinning like the Cheshire Cat as she mouths Huuuuge. Pervert.
Cooper’s voice interrupts the talking to I want to give Michelle. He’s trying to drop it down lower than his little boy tenor, quoting near-verbatim. “Excuse me, Mom. I’m gonna take a leak.”
And with that, he runs off down the hall.
I freeze, and then slowly, my head turns to find Michelle’s mouth hanging open too. Then we both burst into giggles.
“If he teaches Liam that, I’m blaming you,” she says through her laughter. And then her eyes go wide and she grabs my shoulders, shaking me. “Oh, my God, Allyson! I texted you like thirty minutes ago so you’d be ready in case you had company. Guess you were too busy to see the message?”
I think I may have to get a new phone because I never heard it make a peep. No text message alert, not even a buzz. Once is a glitch. Twice is a problem.
“I never got it. This is bad, isn’t it? I mean, Cooper’s probably scarred for life and I’m going to get the Worst Mom award. I think the only thing worse than your kid walking in on your mostly-naked morning-after would be his walking in on your actually having sex.”
I’m panicking, verging on hysterical. But I’ve never done this, never even thought about doing this, and have not read the handbook on introducing your kid to a new guy. But I’m sure it recommends not doing it with the guy in his underwear and you in his shirt.
“He’s fine, or he will be. Just talk to him.
He didn’t care at all that you were going on a date.
Allyson, remember that he’s got friends whose parents are married, divorced, and dating.
Kids are flexible and accepting. If you don’t treat it like a big deal, he won’t either.
” She seems pretty sure of herself and it’s helping me calm down.
I nod. “Okay, that sounds good. Kids are flexible,” I parrot, engaging the fake it ‘til you make it methodology. “Act like it’s no big deal.”
She nudges my elbow, asking the million-dollar question. “It is, though, isn’t it? A big deal? Inquiring minds want to know.” She looks so hopeful, her hands folded beneath her chin, begging for details.
I take a big breath, knowing that saying the words to her will make it so.
It’s the truth, but admitting it is major, especially when it’s all so fresh and new.
I’m not even sure what label I’m slapping on this, but it’s more than I thought it’d be.
“It’s a big deal,” I say on a blissed-out sigh.
“And not just his dick, which I don’t appreciate your staring at,” I admonish her.
Even to my ears, I sound possessive. I might as well be grunting ‘don’t look—mine, mine, mine. ’
She doesn’t look the least bit remorseful. “Like you wouldn’t have looked.” She leans back, checking down the hall. “Do you want me to take Cooper for a bit longer? I can if you need me to, but just for a little bit. I got called into work and Liam’s already at the sitter’s house.”
I shake my head, wishing I could have a few more minutes in this fantasy with Bruce but knowing it’s time to face reality. “It’s fine. Go to work and I’ll handle this . . .” I wave my hands around, indicating the now cold eggs and the two guys down the hall. “I have no idea how, but I’ll manage.”