Chapter 8 Bryce
“You know, we’ll have to talk to Cameron again later.” Penelope says as we lay in my bed. In our bed.
I trace the words ‘I love you’ on her back. Her soft skin is quickly becoming addictive.
“I know,” I say. I don’t want to talk about it. It feels like a complicated conversation, and I just want to stay with Penelope in this bed forever, making love to her always.
For us to move to a more secure space as a couple, I need to talk with Cameron and get us all on the same page. A page where he knows Penelope is mine, and I won’t let her go. Cameron will have to understand our feelings and accept our relationship.
I kiss her shoulder and turn her, so she faces me.
“Would you like to go on a date with me?” I ask.
A shocked expression covers Penelope’s face, but she smiles.
“A date?”
“Yeah, a date. We haven’t been on one of those, and I think we should. So, what do you say, Pen? Want to go out with this old man?”
Penelope giggles, and I swear it makes me love her even more.
“Yeah, I’d love to go out with you,” she says, and I lean in to kiss her.
While she’s in the shower, I call the restaurant and make a reservation for tonight. Then I head to my closet and pick out a suit. I don’t really date anymore, so most of my suits are for work. They’re basic: black, brown or blue. My wardrobe is meant to convey a no-nonsense and clean-cut image. Series clothes that aren’t fun to wear or the least bit casual. Like a work version of a tux.
I push away all those clothes and try to find something in the back. I reach all the way in and pull out a brown blazer with matching pants on a hanger, along with a white button-down. I place it on the bed and inspect it. I don’t remember owning this, but it feels nice as I run my fingers over the fabric.
I bring it up to my nose, and when I inhale, I remember this suit.
This is the suit I was wearing when Cameron was born. The memory hits me like a ton of bricks, and the jacket curls in my fist. It was an amazing day. My ex was in labor for hours. I was there the whole time as she gripped the sheets and pushed our little boy out of her like a superhero.
I was in awe.
I expected the memory to fill me with guilt as I hear Penelope sing in the shower, but I don’t feel any. Because my feelings toward Penelope aren’t related to Cameron. They’re separate. Penelope is my love, and Cameron is my son.
I love them both, and the relationship those two have is between them and doesn’t involve me. Sure, Penelope’s original game plan was to sleep with me to get back at him, but even then it didn’t have anything to do with me.
I walk to the nightstand and pick up my phone, dialing my son’s number.
He doesn’t pick up the first time, but I don’t give up easily. I dial again, and he picks up after the third ring.
“What do you want, Dad?” he grumbles over the phone.
“I want to talk to you,” I say, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah? ‘Bout what?”
“About you,” I tell him, “About what you saw and about us. I know we don’t have the closest relationship, but you’re still my son. I care about you.”
He doesn’t speak, but at least he doesn’t hang up.
“I know you and Penelope have a complicated relationship, and I’m not taking sides, but I don’t want us to drift farther apart. I know most of that has been my fault. I didn’t try hard enough. But I”d like to start fresh if you give me a chance.”
Finally, Cameron speaks.
“Did Penelope make you say this?”
“No, son. This isn’t about her. This is about us.”
The silence on the phone feels like it goes on forever until Cameron speaks.
“Okay. I guess we can do that. Listen, Dad, I’m really sorry about how I handled things with Penelope. Before and at the house. I did an idiotic thing I can’t take back. But if you really want to do this, then I guess I owe it to Penelope to try.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know. Penelope always wanted you and me to get along. She didn’t understand why I was so distant from you. She got me to try and call you lots of times.”
“I had no idea,” I said.
“Yeah, anyway. If you want, we could get some coffee sometime. Maybe next week?”
“Yeah, son. I’d like that,” I reply.
“Okay, cool. Um, bye.”
“Bye,” I say.
We hang up the phone and exhale a long breath, and after rubbing my eyes, I look up to see Penelope standing in the doorway to the bathroom.
“How long have you been standing there?” I ask.
“Just a few seconds. That was Cameron?”
“Yeah. I just called, and we’re getting coffee next week.”
“That’s good,” she says and comes over to me.
“Are you okay?” she asks, kissing my forehead and cheek.
“Yeah, I’m just not used to… feeling this much. I mostly focus on work and shit. This is new. I don”t know what to do with the tension between you and Cameron. I don’t like that he hurt you, but….”
“He’s still your son,” she says.
There’s no hurt in her eyes. No tension. Nothing. Just empathy.
“I get it, Bryce. Though I won’t be comfortable around him for a while, you can still mend your relationship.”
“Thank you,” I say, “I think I should. Maybe if I’d done it sooner, he wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“Yeah, maybe. But this is how it is now.”
She leans in and takes my lips in a heated embrace. We make love one more time before getting on with the rest of the day. We spend it together, going for a hike and then returning for lunch. We head back to Penelope’s apartment to get her fresh clothes and go shopping.
She wanted a new dress for our date tonight. I thought it would be a pain, but sitting on the couch as Penelope paraded around me in sexy dresses was quite fun. It was even more fun when I got into the changing booth with her and fucked her from behind. I had to cover her mouth so she wouldn’t give us away, and the heat in her eyes made me spill my seed deep into her.
When we returned, it was almost time to go. We got ready separately. Penelope said that we might never get to the restaurant if she got naked in front of me. I was okay with that, but Penelope wanted to go, so I took my shower alone.
The dress she picked was a long silk black number with a deep V and padding cupping her breasts nicely. She put her hair in a twisted up-do, exposing the back of her neck. As I put on her coat from behind, I leaned in to kiss her tempting skin.
She giggled and wiggled her butt against my crotch.
That little giggle has become my new favorite sound. Second only to her cries of pleasure when she comes.
“Come now. Don’t want to be late, do we?” I say and head out to the car.
It’s snowing, so I pick Penelope up as we head to the car so she won’t have to get her high heels damp. Then I immediately turn on the heat.
“I guess this isn’t exactly the kind of attire one should wear in February,” she says.
“Nonsense,” I say and lean in to kiss her cherry-red lips. “You look too fucking hot to let a little weather get in the way.”
She hums against my mouth, then pulls back.
“Well, we should probably go,” she says, and I reluctantly start the car.