Chapter Twenty-Five
Zeppelin
Ialmost told Misty I loved her on Saturday when we told Bernie about us. But when she sucked my cock, I couldn’t formulate the words. And then I remembered how skittish she is. Saying it might have scared her away.
Besides, is it really the right time to tell a woman you love her for the first time when she’s deep throating you? Probably not.
I step onto the porch after a two-day run as Bernie walks home from school on Friday, and she looks upset. Immediately, my mind goes to Sierra, and I’m tempted to call up a couple of the club kids to get this shit straightened out right away.
“Bernie!” I call when she avoids my porch. “Kiddo, what’s wrong?”
Bernie won’t look at me, and I hurry across the street. Something is really wrong, and I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit.
“Bernie, are you okay?”
Her tear-filled eyes look up at me, and I want to break something. Hard.
“I’m fine, Zep.”
“No, you’re not. Friends don’t lie to each other, remember?”
I take a seat on the porch and wait for her to sit beside me. She does, and she lets out a deep breath. “There’s a dance tonight.”
Okay, she’s in second grade. “You have dances in the second grade?”
If this is about not getting asked by a boy, I have nothing to offer for advice. This is a bit outside of my realm of understanding.
“Yeah. It’s a…”
“Bernie?”
“It’s a father-daughter dance, okay? And I don’t have a dad. Not one who ever comes home, and I just…”
And again, I hate this Ben fucker. “Bernie—”
“I just want to be like the other kids, Zep. You can’t tell Mom because I know it’ll hurt her feelings. She does so much and she tries so hard, but she’s not a dad. She’s a mom. And sometimes, I wish I had a dad.”
“I could go with you,” I offer.
Her head snaps up. “What?”
“I know I’m not your dad, but I am your mama’s boyfriend. And I’m old enough to be your dad. Kind of. I could take you if you wanted.”
“I… I don’t have a dress.”
“We could probably fix that.”
A wide smile appears on her face, and she jumps up to throw her arms around my neck. “Really? You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you, Bernie.”
Misty pulls up, and she steps out of her car with a smile. “What’s going on here?”
“Mom, I need a dress!” Bernie says and bounces on her toes. “Zep’s taking me to the dance!”
Frowning, she looks at me. “Dance? What dance?”
“The father-daughter dance at school. Zep said he could take me.”
“He did?”
“Bernie, can you give your mama and me a minute?” I ask.
Kissing my cheek, she grabs her backpack and hurries inside, the door shutting behind her. I can see the panic in Misty’s eyes, and I stand to walk over to her, my hands on her shoulders.
“Look, she didn’t want to tell you how upset she was not to go.
She knows you do your best, but you’re… well, you’re not a dude, babe.
Which I, for one, am very thankful for. And I’m not trying to be Bernie’s dad, but when she looked at me with those tears, I would have done just about anything to make her feel better. ”
“She always worries about my feelings,” Misty says, tears of her own springing up.
I officially hate both of these women crying. It tears me to fucking pieces.
“I know she and I pretty much grew up together, but I’m her mom. She should be able to tell me these things.”
“I think she doesn’t want to add to the load you already carry if she can help it. Sounds like she might’ve inherited that from her mama, don’t you?”
Her lip trembles, but she snorts. “Yeah, probably.”
“Look, there’s a store on Main to get her a dress. I’m sure you can find something there. I’ll get ready and show up to take her to the dance, okay?”
“You really are her best friend,” she whispers as she wipes her tears away. “She’ll be ready.”
“It’s going to get easier, Misty,” I promise. “I’m here. You don’t have to do everything alone. I want to help where I can.”
She cups my face and gazes into my eyes before kissing me. “Thank you, Zep.”
“Anytime, baby.”
I head back to my place to figure out the details, but first, I have to call Darla.
“Dresses by Darla.”
“Hey, Dar. It’s Zep.”
“Zeppelin Molloy, what on earth are you calling me for? Is your ma okay?”
I smirk. “Mama’s fine. I need a favor.”
“From me?”
“My girlfriend, Misty, will be bringing her daughter in to get a dress for a dance tonight. I want you to give them whatever Bernie wants. I’m buying. Just let me know what it costs, and I’ll cover it.”
“Misty, huh?”
Smiling, I shake my head. “Yeah, Misty. She’s pretty amazing. And she’s going to fight you to let her pay, but don’t give in, okay?”
“Want me to pick out a corsage to match the dress for you to give her?”
Yep, never going to a single formal dance has made me stupid in this area. “Yes, please.”
“Swing by around five, and I’ll have it all taken care of. I think I see them walking now. Brunettes?”
“And the bluest eyes you’ll ever see. Thanks, Darla. I owe you.”
“You’ll pay, too. Don’t worry.”
Misty
Zep showed up tonight with a corsage for Bernie after he paid for Bernie’s dress. He wore his nicest jeans and a button-down shirt. No kutte. It looks weird but still really hot.
It’s about ten when a kick on the door makes me jump off the couch. I open it to find Bernie passed out in Zep’s arms.
“What in the world?” I ask, laughing.
“She can’t hang,” Zep says with a smile of his own. “She was a dancing fiend. And then she fell asleep as we took a break. Not sure anything will wake her up.”
“Let’s get her to bed,” I say, leading him up the stairs.
Watching him carry her to bed has my heart melting. He took her to her first dance, and he made sure she had so much fun she couldn’t stay awake. He makes her feel as safe as he does me.
Zep lays her on her bed, and he leaves to head downstairs while I get her ready for bed. Changing her into pajamas and slipping her under the covers, I smile as Bernie turns over and snores slightly.
“Glad you had fun, baby,” I whisper before kissing her cheek.
Downstairs, Zep sits on the couch, his boots off with his head resting on the back of it. He looks almost as tired as she is.
“Hey,” I say, leaning on the banister.
“Kids are exhausting,” he says with a smile. “But we lived it up. Drank punch that could have used a splash of vodka, ate finger food I don’t want to think about what kid touched every one of them first, and danced like fools.”
“You had fun.”
He winks. “I always have fun when I’m with you and Bernie.”
The wall around my heart crumbles, and I walk over to take his hand. “I can’t believe you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Big tough biker taking a little girl to a father-daughter dance. That might hurt your image,” I joke.
Standing, he pulls me against his chest. “Joke’s on you. I don’t fucking care what anyone thinks. Except you.”
My lips claim his, and he lifts me into his arms. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I grind my body against his, loving how quickly he comes alive.
“You’re playing with fire, baby,” he growls in my ear.
“I’d rather play with other things.”
I almost squeal when he whips us around and carries me to my bedroom.
“You can play with anything you want.”
“I want. I really, really want.”
We strip out of our clothes like we’re in a race to see who finishes first, and then he’s in bed with me, his cock ready and willing. Just like me.
Kissing, I stroke him, and I almost laugh. I’d say this brings me back to my teenage years, but considering I got knocked up at fifteen, I kind of skipped the fooling around stage and went right for the sex.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a hand job,” Zep jokes as his fingers toy between my legs.
He’s one of the few men I’ve met who knows how to find the clit without a map, and better yet, he knows what to do with it.
“You’re amazing,” I whisper against his lips.
My thumb rubs along his head, spreading the precum, and he shivers. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
“Is that right?”
“Being gone on a two-day run has never been harder to get through than it has since we decided to make this thing between us real. I fucking missed you two.”
Releasing him, I cup his face. “I love when you say things like that.”
“Yeah? How about this one? How do you want it? Fast? Slow?”
“Make love to me.”
We’ve fucked. We’ve had slower sex. But we have never made love before.
His eyes darken as he rolls me onto my back and hovers above me. My request seems to spark something inside him, and his whole demeanor changes.
His kisses change. The way he moves his hips once he’s inside me changes. The touches and nuzzles and moans are all different.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long, Misty,” he whispers into my ear as he thrusts.
Every move he makes is deliberate and amazing. “Why haven’t you?” I ask, my voice low as a moan rumbles in my throat.
“Because I wasn’t sure you wanted me to.”
Looking into his eyes, I give him a sad smile. “If you want something, tell me. You’re allowed to want things, Zep. Certain acts may not be as easy to agree to, but this one is a no-brainer.”
“No-brainer?”
I smile. “You’re not used to being shown tenderness. That you matter, too. You matter, Zep. Your feelings matter, and your desires can be shared.”
“You make me feel like I’m worth something, Misty.”
Cupping his face, I kiss him gently. “You’re worth a lot more than something.”
Even though the words were never said, I think Zep knows how I feel. That I love him. And soon, I’ll find the strength to admit it to him.
To be brave enough to say the words.