Chapter 13 #2
He placed his plate down on the counter and grabbed hers, repeating the action of putting it out of harm’s way.
He wanted to kiss her, and he didn’t want her food all over the ground.
“I’m really sorry that I didn’t message you.
I finished at the fire and got home in time to change to go to work. Then my phone died.”
“It’s fine, Brodie. I understand.”
“I don’t think you do.” He massaged her scalp beneath the fall of her silky hair.
“I know what I said last night probably freaked you out. And maybe I said it all wrong, used Finn as a reason, but I want you to know that I want to date you. Even without Finn being a factor, I want to get to know all about you. I like you—a lot.”
All the tension seemed to escape out of her and she relaxed against him. “I like you, too, and I, umm . . .”
She tried to look away but he kept his hand at the back of her skull. “What?”
“I made a decision today too.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I decided that I wanted to date you too.”
He pressed his lips against hers, unable to stop himself from wanting to taste her. He’d been craving her all the drive over from his place. The need to see her dissipated his tiredness and energized him.
This desire to see another person every day wasn’t something he’d ever experienced, but he couldn’t deny he liked it. Perhaps because it was Cerise that had him feel this way.
Brodie adjusted his stance so that he could deepen the kiss. Express everything he was feeling for her in his kiss.
A sound penetrated the fog he’d fallen into the second his lips had crashed down on Cerise’s. Softening the kiss until his lips barely touched hers, he glanced up and found Finn in the doorway, a look of fear on his face. “Finn.”
Cerise pulled out of his embrace and whirled around, rushing over to the boy, pulling him into a hug. The boy resisted and Brodie cursed himself for forgetting that the boy was in the house and all the things he’d gone through with this aunt every time she got a new boyfriend.
He hoped he hadn’t created a huge problem for Cerise and for their fledging relationship.
Finn was like a brick wall in her arms, and she wished she could turn the clock back just a little. Not completely because she loved being in Brodie’s arms. But enough to break the kiss before Finn saw them.
“It’s okay, Finn. I’m not going to send you back. I know you’re having trouble believing me but please trust me. I love you, Finn. I would never hurt you.”
“Aunt Poppy told me once that she loved me, right before she told me to pack my bag.”
It took everything in her to stifle the anger at the cavalier way Poppy treated her nephew.
“I’m not going to ask you to go pack your bag.
” She released her iron grip on him and squatted down so that she was at eye level with him, grabbing his hands so that he knew he wasn’t totally alone.
“Finn, look at me,” she said quietly. Behind her she sensed Brodie coming up to stand with her.
He laid his hand on her shoulder and she appreciated his support. “Finn?”
After a moment the boy looked up. His teeth worried his bottom lip ,and she reached out to stroke his face.
“I meant it. I love you. You are an amazing boy, and I feel privileged to have you in my life. I want you to know that Brodie and I are going to start dating. We like each other and want to get to know each other better. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t important to me. You are.”
“To me as well, buddy. I know I haven’t known you that long, but I want you to know that I would never make Cerise send you away.”
“And I would never let him. Anyone who wants to date me has to understand that, for as long as you live with me, they’re basically dating you too.”
His little arms almost strangled her as he hugged her. “I want to live with you forever, Cerise.”
She closed her eyes and hugged him tight, aware that Brodie’s arms were also enclosing around them. Making them a unit. A family.
If only that was the case.
“I will do everything to help you keep him safe. He needs you, Sparkles. Just like I need you.” Brodie whispered the words in her ear and her whole body shuddered in response at the implication of what he was saying.
All she could do was nod to acknowledge she’d received his message and understood it.
“How about we eat dinner now and then, after, maybe you and Brodie can do some more of your LEGO? But you’ll have to go to bed on time because you have school tomorrow.”
“Okay.” He disentangled himself and went back into the living room. The fact he didn’t fight her told her how much seeing her and Brodie kissing had affected him. Even with her saying that nothing was going to happen with his current living arrangement, he must still be struggling to believe her.
Brodie held out his hand. She placed hers in it and, with a slight tug, she was back on her feet. “It’s going to take a while to make him understand, isn’t it?”
How was he able to see and understand so much? Every little thing he did reinforced in her mind that Brodie was a good man. The type of man she could imagine a future with.
“Yeah, and I don’t know what I can say that will make a difference. I guess I’ll have to keep repeating myself. I can’t tell him that I’m going to try and adopt him, because it may not happen, and then he’ll be even more devastated.”
Brodie nodded and he sucked in his cheeks as if thinking over the problem and coming up with the same conclusion as she had. “We’ll just have to make sure Finn understands that as our relationship progresses, it will be status quo with his living arrangements.”
“Easier said than done.”
Brodie dropped a kiss on her forehead. It was the sweetest gesture. “I have complete faith in you, Sparkles. Somehow, someway, you’ll make this happen.”
“I hope so. But Brodie?”
“Yeah.”
“If you’re going to help me with this, I won’t deceive Daphne or Gordon, my lawyer.
I’m going to tell them that we’ve started dating and you want to be involved with the process.
It may help us or it may be a hindrance.
I just wanted you to know where I stand on this, in case, you know, this changes your thoughts in any way. ”
“I’m not going to change my mind. We’re in this together and I don’t have a problem with you being truthful about our status.
I think that’s the best way to move forward.
If we’re dishonest about it, it’s going to bite us in the ass.
I won’t jeopardize your chances to adopt Finn. We’ll take it one day at time.”
Having him support her was wonderful, but at the same time, she wondered if it was too much of a risk, and if it would be better if they didn’t date. Yet, the thought of not seeing Brodie was something she didn’t want to examine too closely.
“Come on, let’s eat. I don’t know about you but I’m starving.”
In response her stomach growled and they both laughed, easing the tension that had fallen over them. They grabbed up their plates and headed for the living room. Brodie’s kiss, his words, and what they were about to embark on was never far from her mind as she went through the motions of eating.
The television played in the background, but her focus was how perfect the evening was. Her, Brodie and Finn eating dinner together. God, she wanted this so much. But she couldn’t get her hopes up because whenever she did, she was always let down.
“Brodie, are you finished eating? Can we do some of the LEGO?” Finn’s voice sounded from the doorway. Lost in her thoughts she hadn’t seen Finn leave the room.
“Sure am, buddy. Let me go wash my hands. Have you washed yours? You don’t want to get the pieces all sticky.”
“Nope. I haven’t.”
“Let me take my plate to the kitchen and then we’ll go wash our hands together.”
“Okay. Cerise, can I take your plate?” Finn asked, acting so mature and considerate her eyes welled up. He really was an amazing little boy.
“That would be wonderful. Thanks, Finn.”
He grinned happily and took her plate. Cerise rested her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes.
Tomorrow she would contact Daphne and let her know of the change in her relationship status.
She hoped the caseworker would believe that it wasn’t just to help with her application, and that she really did like Brodie and wanted to pursue a relationship with him for herself and not for Finn.
And she did. Very much so. She wanted Brodie more than she’d ever wanted a man in her life.