Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Shep
Maya placed a few tiles before she got bored and ran off to get a snack. I continued to work, reflecting on the weekend.
I couldn't believe I'd made a move on Kinsley, and she'd been into me. I made her dinner, creating the romantic ambiance that I thought she'd enjoy, hoping for the best but not really expecting anything to happen.
I couldn't imagine why she thought I'd be into someone else. She was the only woman I'd spent any amount of appreciable time with. And I wanted to spend a lot more.
I was pissed that Derek returned Maya early because he wanted to watch a stupid game on TV.
If I had to watch a game, I'd include Maya in it. Get her to throw a ball with me outside, teach her a cheer, or whatever so that we could enjoy it together. And if she really didn't like it, I'd turn it off. A game didn't trump time with people, especially someone as special as Maya.
I cleaned up, ready to be done for the evening. I couldn't wait to spend it with my two favorite people. Tomorrow we'd be back at work and Maya at school. I cherished this time with them.
I'd have to find ways to make Kinsley feel special because she was not getting the signals I was sending out.
Maybe she wasn't used to feeling that way. I could see that if the last person she dated seriously was Derek. He didn't know how to make a woman feel good. He couldn't even connect with his own child. And worse, it didn't seem like he wanted to.
He was physically present but emotionally checked out.
I couldn't imagine having a child and ignoring them. Or not seeing how amazing they were. He was so lucky to have Maya, and he had no idea.
Some men got everything and didn't even know what they had. I'd never been seen as a good bet to be a husband and father. But Kinsley seemed to think I was, and that meant everything.
I jumped in the shower, washing off the grime of the day, before heading downstairs. I paused when I came downstairs. Sheets were strung across the living room, held in place with clips on chairs.
"We thought we'd build a fort and eat dinner inside. I told Maya about the oasis you created on the beach last night, and she wanted to experience it for herself. It's raining now, so I thought we could be warm and cozy inside."
I'd offer to let her go up to my TV room in the attic, but I wanted to experience the fort with Maya.
She winced. "I hope you don't mind that I used your dining room chairs. I promise we were careful."
"Grandma would love that you were using her chairs for your fort."
Maya's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Of course. She loved kids."
"Come see," Maya urged as she ducked into the tent.
"You don't have to—" Kinsley began, and I waved her off.
"I can't wait to see your fort."
There was a lantern in the middle of the space, the sheets dipping a bit in the middle. I held up a finger. "It's great, but it's missing something important."
"Stuffies!" Maya cried.
"That and one more thing. You grab the stuffies, and I'll get my thing."
Maya crawled out, and I followed her. I'd left the lights from last night on the trees, figuring we'd spend more time out there. But I had another string in the butler's pantry. I grabbed it and started to hang it inside the fort.
"Are you hanging lights inside the tent?" Kinsley asked as I worked.
"It will be a proper fort with lights," I said.
Kinsley dropped to her knees at the entrance and lowered her voice. "You don't have to play with Maya, you know."
I gave her a look. "And miss out on fort night? Not a chance."
"I'm back!" Maya dived into the fort with an armful of stuffed animals. There were tigers, bears, sharks, snakes, and even an avocado.
Kinsley moved out of sight. "Dinner will be ready soon, and it will be served inside the fort."
"Yay!" Maya said excitedly.
I wasn't sure if this was something that Kinsley usually did with Maya on a Sunday night or if she was purposely making up for Derek's shortcomings.
Maya helped me string the rest of the lights. It gave the space a warm glow. Then I went outside to make the fort a little bigger so we could all sit inside comfortably.
"I have a little projector. We could shine a movie onto the wall of the fort. It won't be perfect, but it's something. We could do popcorn and a movie."
"Please, Mom?" Maya called from inside the tent. "It will be so much fun!"
"How can I say no to that?" Kinsley asked.
Maya whooped, and I hoped she couldn't see us because I walked up behind Kinsley and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her neck. "Mmm. I can't wait to be alone with you again."
She covered my hand with hers. "Soon."
"I'm almost as excited for that as I am for our fort night."
Kinsley shook her head.
"You need help carrying the food to the fort?" I asked her.
"That would be great."
She'd made mini burritos that we could eat with our fingers. I stacked the plates on my arms and carried them inside the fort.
Maya clasped her hands together in excitement when she saw me.
"Hope you're hungry. I think your mom made a million of these."
Maya rolled her eyes. "Did you eat one already?"
I finished chewing and set the plates down. Then I covered my chest with one palm, acting shocked. "I can't believe you'd accuse me of eating a burrito."
"You eat all the food in the house." Maya took a bite of one of the burritos.
"Unbelievable," I said as I sat next to her.
Derek sure didn't know what he was missing out on, and it was his loss.
I was a lucky bastard, and I wasn't going to take this moment or these girls for granted. Not now. Not ever.
Kinsley joined us with cups of lemonade and lids and a bowl of strawberries and a bottle of whipped cream. "Dinner and dessert."
We ate and talked about our weekends. Maya had gone to a playground with her dad, but she was annoyed that it wasn't the one she usually went to, so she didn't see any of her friends there. Derek probably didn't do fun things like teach her how to fix or build things like forts.
We shared our progress in the bathrooms with her. When we polished off the burritos, Maya ran out of the tent to go to the bathroom. Kinsley popped a whipped-cream-covered strawberry into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed it, snagging the back of her neck to kiss her before Maya returned.
She tasted like strawberries and cream. We broke apart when the flap lifted and Maya burst inside. She bounced on her knees. "Can we make popcorn now?"
"I'll grab the projector if you can get the popcorn," I said to Kinsley. At her nod, I went in search of the projector. I'd used it before I had a TV.
I set it up, making the screen smaller than usual so it fit on the sheet while the popcorn popped in the machine.
The girls returned with bowls of popcorn and various seasonings.
I added nacho cheese and settled on the pillows to watch the movie.
It was a new live action about family and not leaving anyone behind.
I thought it would be a good one, and Maya said she hadn't seen it yet.
She settled on the pillow in front of me, and my heart grew bigger than it already was.
When Kinsley's gaze lifted to mine, I winked at her. I had her and Maya now. They wouldn't have to worry about anything. I was going to be the kind of man that Kinsley and Maya deserved.
I grabbed a strawberry and fed it to Kinsley. Her lips closed over my fingers, and heat licked through my body. As much as I enjoyed spending time with Maya, I couldn't wait to be alone with her mother.
At some point, Kinsley threw a kernel in front of Maya, and she grabbed a handful and threw it back at her. There were squeals and laughter as we threw popcorn at each other, and when we were done, we were out of breath.
"More popcorn?" Maya asked innocently.
"Only if you help me clean up this mess," I said to her.
"Fine," she grumbled but helped me pick up the kernels. I carried the bowls into the kitchen and fired up another batch of kernels in the machine.
I sighed, feeling content for the first time in a long time. I'd always felt like I was visiting when I first moved into this home. I never felt like it was truly mine until Maya and Kinsley moved in and put their touches on it.
I returned with the popcorn, handing Maya a smaller bowl but sharing one with Kinsley. It gave me an opportunity to brush her hand every time I reached for more. It sent tingles up my arm.
She blushed prettily each time I winked at her. I couldn't wait to be alone with her.
Halfway through the movie, Maya leaned on me and fell asleep. We finished watching the movie because we wanted to see what happened.
When the credits rolled, I picked up Maya and carried her to her room. Kinsley pulled down her blankets and tucked her in.
We tiptoed out of her room and closed the door.
"We should clean up the mess in the living room," I whispered to her, but she grabbed my hand and dragged me down the hall to my room where she closed and locked the door. Then she lifted her shirt over her head. "I can't wait."
"I can see that," I said with a smile, eager for where this was going.
She lowered her zipper and pushed her shorts over her hips.
I loved seeing her like this, so confident in her beauty.
When she was left in her lace bra and panties, I cupped her jaw, lifting her chin so that I could kiss her properly.
She'd given me hope for something different in my future, and I'd never forget that, no matter what ended up happening between us.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, her chest rubbing against mine. I ran my hands down her sides and over her ass. When she pressed against my hard length, I groaned. I'd never get enough of her.
She broke away to unhook her bra and said, "I'm yours."
I felt a little lightheaded as I processed her words. It made me feel possessive and protective all at once. She was mine. I lifted her, carrying her to the bed where I laid her gently down. I'd intended something far different tonight.
But her words slowed me down, made me want to cherish her and savor every moment that we were together. This wasn't quick and dirty sex. This was a woman I wanted to build a life with.
I stood at the edge of the bed, shucking my clothes off while she wiggled out of her panties and threw them somewhere to the side. When I was naked, I knelt one knee on the bed and moved over her, relishing the warmth of her skin against mine.
I wanted to feel every inch of her inside and out. I kissed her, my hands roving over her body, tweaking her nipples, parting her folds, and dipping inside her heat.
She widened her legs, opening for me. She was baring herself to me, and it was the greatest gift of all. She wanted me.
She reached between us, pumping my cock, and everything inside me seized up. "I'm not going to last long if you touch me."
Her lips curved into a tsmile. "It's my turn to tease you."
I wanted to argue with her, but she pushed on my shoulder, and I tumbled onto my back, helpless to resist her.
She squeezed and pumped, then sucked the tip into her mouth. I bucked into her mouth, needing so much more. I wanted to be balls deep inside of her. I wanted to thrust. But this was Kinsley, and I had to be careful.
She knelt next to me, her breasts enticing me to touch them. I rubbed her nipples, and her hips moved. She wanted more too. She was driving us both crazy.
When my fingers dipped between her legs, she moved to straddle me and slid down my length in one motion.
I stilled her with hands on her hips. "Protection."
She raised a brow. "Do we need it?"
"I'm clean, and I've never gone without protection."
"I'm clean too. And on birth control. I think we're safe."
My heart burst into a thousand pieces. Pieces that she'd have to pick up and tape back together. I was hers now, whether she wanted me or not.
I loosened my grip on her hips, and she moved up, then slid down again, engulfing me in her sweet heat. The feel of nothing between us increased the intensity. It was too much. My heart was beating out of control, and every muscle in my body was strung tight.
My body ached with the effort to hold back. This was her show, and I wanted to enjoy every second of it.
I reached up to cup her breasts, reveling in the feel of their weight in my palms. Her nipples were hard points, and I knew by now that when I touched them, it drove her desperate with desire. I wanted to drive her wild. I wanted to make her come apart in the same way I had.
I wanted us to put each other back together.
Her movements were less smooth, jerkier as she continued to lift and lower herself over my length. I gritted my teeth against the urge to thrust from below.
"Shep," she whined softly, and I knew what she needed.
I rubbed her swollen clit and watched as her head fell back and the flush overtook her trembling body.
While she was in the throes of her orgasm, I moved us so that I was on top and driving into her.
I chased my release like a man possessed.
I wanted to follow her into oblivion. Into that beautiful space between heaven and earth.
The one that transcended everything.
"Shep," she said again, her hand on my cheek as I gripped her thighs, thrusting harder. The orgasm took me by surprise, crashing into me with the force of a wave on the rocks. I thrust one more time deep and spilled into her.
She was slick with desire and my release. Her eyes were bright and her skin pink. I lowered my forehead to hers, our breath mingling as we came down from our highs.
"That was—" I said as I rolled to my side, not wanting to crush her.
"Incredible," she said simply, and I couldn't agree more.
I held her to me, not bothering to shove down the blankets or slide under the sheets. I was content to hold her in my arms, watching the fan swirl overhead.
Her breath evened out, and I didn't let myself think about what came next. I'd stay in the present moment, not daring to hope for more.