4. Jeremiah
Chapter 4
Jeremiah
F uck, she looks even more gorgeous than I remember. It took everything in me not to flirt with her the first time I met her, but she was still just a kid, and I was twenty-one. She was too young, and I knew it. If I touched her, I'd be in jail, not to mention losing my military career. Amberlee was also my best friend's little sister, which firmly placed her in the touch her and die category.
I just wished I'd contained my hormones better and not fucked Sylvia that day. She was a poor substitution for her. The only good thing that came from it was my princess, my beautiful little girl, Angelica. She’s truly my angel in every sense of the word.
I was young, horny, and she was willing. If only I knew then that she was a lying bitch looking for her meal ticket out of the small town she was in. She used me and split not even six months after Angel was born. All she did was leave a note and signed legal paperwork giving up her custody rights. Last I saw of her was in a porno I was watching which instantly made my dick go limp.
When Ryan said his sister was moving here and she was single, I felt like a giddy teenage boy all over again. But then, he went into his whole rampage of having to make sure everyone knew she was off limits, and I knew my second chance with her was dead before it could even start. He's my best friend and he and Maddy have been a lifesaver when it comes to Angel. There's no way I can go against his wishes, even though his “sweet little sister” is of age now.
Life fucking sucks sometimes.
I couldn't take my eyes off her body. She was standing in front of the sink with her back to me, but I'd recognize her anywhere. Though now, she has definitely grown up. Long legs and luscious thighs her shorts just barely covered her plump, bite-worthy ass. When she turned around and her pebbled nipples were visible through her sheer tank top, I could feel my dick coming to life. When I go to bed tonight, I know I'll be jacking off to this new version of her.
She raced out of the room so quickly, I wasn't able to say anything else.
“She must've been embarrassed about you seeing her in her pajamas,” Ryan says as he hands my still-sleeping daughter over to me. She takes after her mother in that way. That woman could sleep through an earthquake.
“It's okay. I bet the both of you are tired after that drive. I don't know why I didn't ask earlier, but do you need any help unloading everything tomorrow? Angel has an appointment in the morning, but then I'm free the rest of the day,” I offer, hoping like hell he says yes.
“Honestly, I don't even know what she has in there. She had everything but her bed and couch packed when I got there. I know she'll have to put some of the stuff in storage if she packed up her whole apartment. She has a lot, especially books. I know she had four large bookshelves in her office, two in her living room, and another in her bedroom. There's no way she's fitting all of them in that tiny apartment.” Ryan still hasn't answered my question, so instead of asking again, I tackle it a different way.
“Okay, so when we’re done with the appointment, I'll come over. Angel can play with RJ; I can help the two of you unload the truck, then we can rent a storage unit and whatever needs to be stored, we can unload there. That way, you don't have to worry about paying another day for the U-haul. I know it can't be cheap.”
“Sounds good. Thank you.” He sighs and runs his hand through his hair.
“Okay, we're out of here. Thanks again for letting her stay longer.”
“Shit, anytime man. We love her. You know that. Hell, you could have just let her stay the night and went out to have some fun. It's time you met someone, a good girl. Angel needs a mom.”
Here we go again. Mr. Matchmaker, always wanting to marry me off. Honestly, I'd love to have someone. But I was burned once and the one woman I want is off limits. So, I might as well stay single, living a life filled with love for my daughter.
“I know, but I like having her at home with me. As for a mom, she needs a good one. I won't just settle for anyone.”
“Jeremiah, I regret every day introducing you to her. If I knew she was like that, I wouldn't have.”
“I know. Good night, man. I'll see you tomorrow.”
I step out of his house into the muggy night air. We've had a heat wave for a week now and I'm ready for some rain. Or a vacation. Yes, a vacation. I’ll convince Ryan we all need one before the twins come and Amberlee starts her new job. We have a four-day weekend in a couple of weeks which will be perfect. I can spend some time with Amberlee, so we can get to know each other better.
After that night seven years ago, she’s avoided me like the plague. But Ryan knows I'm a good guy, so if she does have feelings for me, maybe he'd change his mind and let me date her.
Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. Operation four-day vacay is on.
I head for my Expedition and open the back door, careful not to jostle Angel too much, before placing her in her booster seat and buckling her in.
Tomorrow is suddenly looking better. I'm going to re-acquaint myself with Amberlee, then when I know if she feels the same, I'm going to talk to Ryan. I'm his best friend. Surely he'd know I'd take great care of his sister and treat her like the queen that she is.
“Ready to go see RJ again, Angel?” I look in the rearview mirror at my little girl sitting in her car seat. She's been singing at the top of her lungs. She pouts when I turn the music down, but at the mention of RJ, that quickly turns to a smile.
He's her best friend, and she makes sure to tell me that every day, along with the fact that she plans on marrying him. That one kicks me in the gut every time. She's far too young to be talking about marriage. But if it's going to be about anyone, RJ is one of the good ones. I just need to make an appointment to have a chastity belt made for her like they did in medieval times.
“Yes, Daddy, can we play in the pool? Please?”
“I don't know, we'll have to check with Auntie Maddy to see if she can sit outside with the two of you. I'll be busy helping Uncle Ryan move his sister into the apartment above the garage.”
“RJ's Aunt Lee Lee? RJ and me wanted to scare her, but she locked the door.” She crosses her arms over her chest and pokes that bottom lip out.
“I'm sure she did it to keep two nosy little ones out of there. She was really tired from driving to get here. Make sure you don’t bother her today, either. She's probably still tired.”
“Is she old? Only old people sleep all day.” I can't help but laugh at her logic. I took her to a retirement home to visit some of the vets and she had question after question for them, and when some of them kept falling asleep, she came to the conclusion that's what you do at that age.
She even dared to call me old one day after a twenty-four-hour shift when I slept all day. Kids have absolutely no filter. What crosses their mind comes directly out of their mouth.
I turn the music back up and she goes back to singing as loudly as she can and I can't help but join her. She loves old school hair metal music just like her daddy.
Before I know it, we're pulling into Ryan’s yard and my eyes automatically start scanning. I don't see her at first, but then she comes out from the back of the truck, box in her hands. Her back is to me. She didn't even turn at the sound of us pulling in. Her ponytail sways back and forth as she makes her way up the steps. She's in some tight-as-sin biker shorts and a fucking sports bra. I'm going to kick Ryan's ass for letting her walk around like that.
Her body's on display for everyone to see what's mine. My fists tighten and a growl rumbles in my chest. I want to cover her so no one can see her.
No, wait!
She's not mine. Not yet, at least. I've got a lot of work to do to make that happen and the biggest hurdle of all is Ryan. Dating his sister is forbidden. Even in our old unit, when the younger guys would see her picture, they would beg for a chance to go home with him. We knew what it was for. Her.
Even now, men will be beating down the door, but they'll have to get through me and Ryan to get to her. She disappears inside the house and the small voice from the back seat pulls me from my thoughts.
“Why are we waiting in the car, Daddy? I want to go play.”
“Okay, okay, Angel. Let me come around and get you.” Turning off the ignition, I open the door and step out onto the paved driveway. She's already unbuckled her seatbelt when I open her door and I give her a stern look.
“We was stopped, Daddy.” She throws her hands in the air and gives me that killer smile, flashing her dimples. Yep, she has me wrapped around her little finger one hundred percent. I admit sometimes I overindulge her to make up for not having a mother in her life. She's started asking questions about her, especially being in school and seeing the other kids with mothers. I keep skirting around the topic, but one day I know I'm going to have to sit down and explain it to her somehow. I never want her to feel like she was unwanted.
I've just set her down and shut the door when Amberlee steps out onto the balcony and her eyes land on me.
“She's purty, Daddy. Is that RJ's Aunt Lee Lee?”
“Yes baby, it is, and you're right, she is very purty. Let's go.”
I lead her over to the truck as Amberlee slowly walks down the stairs. I can't help but notice how she's biting on her plump bottom lip and damn if it doesn't catch the attention of my cock.
Not now, boy. We can't have a hard on now. We have work to do.