Chapter 10 #2
I lean against the doorframe and watch him try to wrestle it closed before dropping into a squat beside him.
“All right, little man. I don’t think you need the entire Paleolithic era with you this weekend.”
Theo looks up at me with those big round eyes, and I know exactly what he’s doing with that look.
Not happening, dude.
I point a finger at him. “Nope. Don’t give me that.”
He blinks. Slowly. Innocently.
Oh, he’s good, but I’m still not buying it.
“Pick three,” I tell him. “And don’t forget, you’ve got a dozen waiting for you at my place.”
His gaze flicks to the bag, then back to me, doing the math.
“That’s what… fifteen total? Plus, your game system. I’d say that’s more than fair.”
Theo chews his lip, considering this life-altering decision, and sighs. “Fine.”
The trials and tribulations of being six.
He unzips his backpack, returning the dinosaurs to the shelf one by one, as if they’re made of glass instead of plastic.
Kid treats them like they’re Fabergé eggs, which is wild, because when I was Theo’s age, I broke damn near everything I touched. Probably explains why I make a living fixing things now.
Theo finishes and hands me his backpack. Of course he does.
“Let’s say goodbye to Mom.”
We return to the greenhouse where the late sunlight filters through the glass, turning everything golden.
Theo runs to Deirdre’s side, throwing his arms around her neck.
“Have a good time this weekend, alright? You’re my little man, right?”
He nods, serious as anything. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” she says, tapping the end of his nose. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I hang back, watching the two of them. Deirdre’s an amazing mom. She always has been, and I’m so damn lucky that Theo has her. Hell, we’re both lucky.
I capture her gaze over Theo’s head and mouth, “Thank you.”
She nods, sinking back into the bubbling water. “We’ll set something up. Don’t have too much fun tonight, boys.”
I’m not sure if she’s directing her sarcastic comment at Theo, who overindulged in ice cream last weekend and returned home with a stomachache, or at me and my new girlfriend, but I choose to let it slide.
Theo’s already halfway to the truck by the time I round the corner on the porch, but he keeps glancing back at me.
Oh, I know that little bounce in his step. Now to figure out what he wants.
Hopefully, it’s not a last plea to stow away a few more dinosaurs.
By the time I get him buckled into his booster seat, he can’t hold it in anymore. “Dad?”
I climb into the driver’s seat and glance at him in the rearview. “What’s up, bud?”
“Are we gonna see Miss Kiki?”
There it is. Seems my kid misses her as much as I do.
“Well, I wasn’t planning on it, Theo. I figured you and I would grab some pizza tonight. Just us guys.”
“I like pizza,” he replies, fiddling with the dinosaur in his hands. “But I like Miss Kiki too.”
“I know you do, bud. I like her too.”
Truer words have never been spoken. In fact, I’m crazy about her, and the feelings grow exponentially every day.
And it’s so much more than the sex, although goddamn, that woman can move her body like nobody’s business.
I’m happy around her. Totally content with my life. Already missing her before our time together has ended.
Yeah, I’ve got it bad.
Not telling her that, though. At least, not yet.
I back out of the driveway, tossing a glance in the rearview. Theo’s still watching me, hopeful as hell.
I blow out a breath, already knowing I’ve lost this battle.
Totally fine since I’m thrilled with his decision.
“Well, what do you think? Should we pick up a couple of pizzas and head over to Miss Kiki’s place? See if she wants to hang out with us tonight?”
Theo’s entire being lights up. “Yes!”
“Your wish is my command, kid.”
It doesn’t matter that I’ve seen her three times already this week. I never tire of her… and that idea scares the hell out of me.
I stop by the local pizzeria, grabbing a large pie, an order of garlic knots, and—because I apparently have zero self-control regarding the two people currently running my life—three oversized brownies for dessert.
Yeah, Theo’s going to sugar crash hard later, but it’s worth it. You’re only a kid for a minute.
It’s a quiet drive up into the hillside, and the dark settles in thick once we leave the town behind. Trees crowd in on both sides of the road, and a thin layer of fog clings to the ground, drifting across it in slow, ghostlike swirls.
Theo presses his face to the window, taking it all in. “It’s really dark out here.”
“Sure is,” I reply, turning onto the gravel road that leads to Kiki’s place.
By the time I kill the engine in front of her cabin, Theo’s gone quiet, his eyes wide as saucers. This is all new to him. Unfamiliar sounds. A different kind of darkness.
He reaches for my hand the second I help him out of the truck, and I hate to turn him down.
“Hey, bud, I have to carry all the food, so you’re gonna have to walk in front of me, okay? Just don’t stop short unless you want to eat pizza off the ground.”
He nods, his expression serious as he clutches his backpack of dinosaurs to his chest.
Who knows? Maybe that plastic stegosaurus will stand guard if something jumps out of the woods.
I bite back a smile at the thought and nudge the truck door shut with my hip.
The front porch light flickers as we edge closer, cutting out for half a second before kicking back on.
Yeah, I need to fix that.
Of course, it’s hardly the first thing. Whenever I come here, there’s a laundry list of repairs—a loose board, a sticking door, a lightbulb that needs replacing.
Kiki never asks, but I fix things for her regardless. That’s what you do when you care about someone, right? Make their life easier.
Every time she tries to pay me, I refuse her offer and negotiate something else.
In the beginning, when we were just friends, it was a beer at the bar or control of the remote.
Now… it’s something far, far better. Yep, I’m definitely the one coming out ahead on that deal.
We climb the steps, and I shift the food to one arm so I can knock.
“Okay, remember,” I murmur to Theo. “This is a surprise. Kiki might be busy.”
He nods, bouncing a little on his toes, his excitement palpable.
I give a sharp rap on the door, and it opens a few seconds later.
Kiki stands there, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, wearing soft leggings, an oversized shirt, and a smile that undoes me every damn time.
“Hi!” Her eyes widen as her gaze volleys between Theo and me. “What are you two doing here?”
I lift the pizza boxes. “We were missing you. Thought maybe you’d be up for pizza and a movie.”
The second her face lights up, I know it was worth the trip.
“Well, I love pizza,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest, her gaze flicking back into the cabin. “But… I’m not alone.”
My heart drops to my stomach. What the hell does that mean? We had this conversation. We agreed we’re not seeing anyone else.
I glance down at Theo and back at her, desperately trying to maintain a neutral expression while my thoughts race.
But Kiki pays me no mind. She crouches in front of Theo, her voice soft as she brushes a lock of hair from his forehead. “I have someone really important I want you to meet. Do you like dogs?”
Theo nods enthusiastically. “I love dogs.”
“That’s what we were hoping you’d say. This is Gus.” She steps aside, and a big brown and white dog waddles into view, tail wagging.
There’s no mistaking the years on him—gray dusting his muzzle, cloudy eyes—but the second he spots Theo, his whole body shakes like he can barely contain himself.
Theo drops his backpack without a second thought, his dinosaurs completely forgotten, and bursts into laughter as Gus barrels into him, licking his face as if they’ve known each other forever.
Meanwhile, I’m so damn relieved there’s not another man in my woman’s house. I really didn’t feel like kicking the crap out of someone for getting too close to the woman I love.
Wait, what? Back up, man. Back. Up.
But still…
Kiki straightens, returning her gaze to me. “I got him from the shelter. Nobody wanted him, and he was out of time.” She shrugs. “He’s old and a little beat up, but he’s the sweetest thing ever.”
She bends to scoop up Theo’s abandoned backpack and nudges me with a gentle hip check. “You two are a really pleasant surprise. I didn’t think I’d see you this weekend.”
I lean in, stealing a quick kiss. God, I love this woman’s mouth. “We missed you.”
A teasing glint sparks in her eyes. “I guess I kind of missed you too, but I really missed Theo.”
The thing is, she means it. She loves my kid as much as I do, and that’s something. Hell, it’s everything.
She’s everything.
I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, I figured as much. I’m just a bonus.”
“One hell of a bonus. Come on. Let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”
The warmth of the cabin wraps around us as I follow her inside, a warm, woodsy scent from the stove blending with the garlic knots.
Theo is a puddle on the floor next to Gus, exuberant sounds of playtime tickling my ears.
Kiki glances toward the kitchen. “Can you grab a few plates from the cabinet?” She motions to her shirt, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I need to put a bra on.”
Jesus, why is she telling me that? My dick is all about playtime now and that is so not happening.
I shift my weight and nod. “No problem.”
She’s gone for all of two seconds when I glance at Theo, who has forgotten I exist.
“You good, bud?” I ask, earning a squeal of laughter as Gus licks his face.
Yeah, they’re fine.
I walk the few steps to her room and push open the door. Kiki spins, tugging her sweatshirt into place. “What are you doing in here?” she hisses.
I don’t answer. I have about thirty seconds of her to myself, and I’m taking full advantage.
Pulling her to me, I claim her mouth, brushing my tongue against hers. A low groan rises from my chest as my hands slip beneath her shirt, cupping her breasts and dusting my thumbs across her nipples. Fuck, it was supposed to be a quick kiss. Just to whet the appetite.
There’s no such thing where Kiki is involved, and if I don’t stop now, I’m tearing all her clothes off and sinking into her right here.
Yeah, not a great idea with Theo on the other side of the door.
“I just needed…” I shake my head, leaning in again, capturing her lower lip between my teeth. “One taste.”
A hum of approval escapes her mouth. “Oh, you definitely missed me.”
“What if I did?”
What if I more than missed you?
“I love knowing that fact, but...” Kiki glances toward the door. “Right now, we’ve got a hungry boy and a hungry dog, and you have no business making me hungry too.”
She steps by me, her nails grazing over my cock.
It’s the lightest of touches, and yet, it’s all I need. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You can’t do that.”
She winks over her shoulder, offering me a hip shake. “You started it, mister.”
Then she’s gone back to the kitchen, leaving me alone to gather my thoughts and calm my dick into submission.
Game face, man. No matter how much you crave her, it’s not happening tonight.
When I return to the kitchen, Kiki’s helping Theo wash his hands. As always, she’s so good with him. Effortless.
But everything’s easy with Kiki.
Maybe it’s because we started out as friends, learning each other’s peccadilloes before stepping into something more. Maybe it’s because she’s the most low-maintenance woman I’ve ever met.
But I know both of those reasons are bullshit.
You love her.
Nope. Not going there. Not yet.
But as I join them for pizza, it hits me.
What if I am in love with her?
What if she’s everything I never knew I needed?