Playing Pretend: A Single Dad Secret Baby Romance Page 13

  “… I want a grampa that likes me.” The somber confession twisted my heart, and I held my breath as I held Maggie to my side. She acted like it didn’t bother her, and I hated the simple fact that having no one was a norm for her. “Is he a good Dad? Like my dad?”

  “You know, Maggie- he was a really good Dad. I grew up without a mom, too. My dad got married to my step-mom, and she’s a really wonderful lady.” My admission earned me a shocked gasp, and Maggie grinned brightly as she wrapped her arms around my waist. Her cheek was hot against my breast, and I struggled not to frown before she cast her starry-eyed gaze at me.

  “We’re the same! Right? So, if you marry my dad- I’ll be just like you when I grow up!” I only nodded dumbly as regret forced my appetite down, and Maggie went red in the face from her emotions. Tiny tears welled in her eyes from her massive smile, and I stroked her head for a few, rapid heart beats before changing the subject.

  “So, are you excited to go back to school, Maggie?” The question set Maggie off about her friends, just as I knew it would, and I nibbled on the edge of my taco. Gulping down the sour taste on my tongue, I took a big bite of my taco before a shrill chime cut her off. Setting down my burden, I fished my dinky, flip phone out of my pocket. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Delainne. Guess what happened on my way to work?” Excitement laced Eric’s tone, and the pressure eased on my chest before he decided he didn’t want to wait for any reply. “Greg was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle. His dumbass followed me all the way to the police station. I’m friends with a few guys there, so I was able to tip them off.”

  “Really?” Jumping up with the force of my shock, my squeal echoed around the huge food court, and I blushed furiously as a hundred eyes landed on me. Eric’s laugh trilled inside my skull, and I could picture him nodded and smiling as I shuffled a few feet away from Maggie. “He’s in jail- really?”

  “He’s in booking, yeah- I don’t know what kind of criminal record he’s got, but it’ll be hard to talk his way out of driving a stolen vehicle.” Giddiness made me light as air, and I rocked back on my heels as energy flooded my system. “I can’t talk long, but I wanted to let you know. My friend at the precinct is going to keep me updated. Listen- also, if you wanted to call your father and let him know where you are, you can.”

  “Okay- yeah, definitely. What’s going to happen now?”

  “I mean, depending on what kind of priors he’s got, it’s hard to say. I’ll let you know, sweetheart. I have to get back, so enjoy yourself, okay? How’s Maggie?” Glancing over my shoulder, my smile broadened as Maggie shoveled French fries into her mouth. “Please tell me she’s not eating some junk fast food…”

  “I am guilty. It’s okay- I’ll make something amazing for dinner to make up for it.” Eric gave me a half-hearted groan, but I was too happy and relieved to care. “Okay- I’ll talk to you later, Eric.”

  “No more crap food, Delainne.” Getting the last word in, Eric hung up, and I slipped my phone back into my pocket to heave a gusty, hot sigh. Whipping around, I grinned silly as a pleasant relief swept through my chest. My elation couldn’t be hidden or understated, and I sat down next to Maggie to snatch my taco.

  “What are you going to make for dinner?” The question slowed my furiously turning mind, and I nudged Maggie’s shoulder as she took a long sip of her juice. Every morning, she and Eric worked out together before breakfast, but it was always the same thing. Eggs, bacon, 12 grain toast with peanut butter, and orange juice- I couldn’t understand how they ate the same thing every day.

  Then again, it was the only thing Eric could make well and consistently.

  “I think I’ll make vegetable lasagna- have you had that before?” Shaking her head furiously, Maggie smiled under deeply furrowed brows, and I nodded firmly. “You can help me. It’ll be even more delicious if we make it together.”

  “Who taught you how to cook?” Tony spoke up from around his taco, and he took a generous bite as Maggie nodded eagerly. Leaning back in my seat, I smiled fondly at the memories that bounced around inside my head.

  “My step-mother did, actually. She always told me that everyone needed to know how to cook for themselves. My dad could basically only make sandwiches, but he had someone come in and cook for us twice a week, and we usually had leftovers and stuff. The cook would let me watch, but my step-mom really got me involved. It was one of the things I loved about her- my dad made me a great worker, and she made me a great person.”

  “She sounds like a wonderful woman…” I could hear the same question in Tony’s tone that Eric had voiced, and I shook my head with a slight shrug. “So, are you going to call them or something?”

  “Yeah, but not right now. Right now- I’m going to finish this taco, and then, we’re going to go get your school clothes, Maggie.” Fishing my purse for the paper Eric had given me with the dress code, I scanned the points as I took a small bite of my taco. Maggie huffed in excitement, rushing to finish her food, and I glanced at Tony over the top of the paper. He powered through the pain, but we both knew that he’d feel it in the morning.

  “I can pick out my own clothes, okay, Delainne? I helped you, but I can do it myself.” Nodding with a smile, I inhaled through flared nostrils to scrub away the last of the stress that clung to my ribs. Today, there was no one to worry about. Today, I didn’t have to look over my shoulder. Today, I could eat without being sick with dread.

  Today was going to be good.

  Delainne

  “That was amazing, Delainne.” Blushing furiously at the praise, I worked through the dinner dishes expertly as Eric sidled up against me. His lips brushed my neck, and a shiver lodged between my shoulders at his groping hands on my waist. “Thank you. I know that shopping for Maggie is difficult.”

  “I loved it. It was a lot easier because the school doesn’t have a strict, uniform dress code, too.” Humming if pleasure when Eric ground against my backside, I set the clean plate in my hands in the drying rack to grip the edge of the sink. “Listen- Eric, about what we talked about…”

  “You’re my fiancée, Delainne-“ My breath caught at that, and fire engulfed my body as Eric’s warm breath fanned across my cheek. “Even if no one at the wedding cared about it… I care about it. No one called or anything to congratulate me, or us, but that doesn’t make it any less real.”

  “That’s what I’m saying… It is real- we are real… and I- I want to be with you- and with Maggie.” Eric slowly urged me to turn, and I gulped down the lump in my throat before his intense eyes met mine. “I- after… everything… I think I… love you, Eric.”

  Holding my breath in fiery lungs, my heart thundered so fast it couldn’t work properly, and a lightness filled my skull. Cupping my cheek, Eric smiled small and tender, but he didn’t kiss me. Staying very still, my body burned as he nuzzled my nose- just as he’d done the first time we met.

  “You say the darnedest things, Delainne.” Huffing softly, I blushed furiously at the raw emotion thickening Eric’s tone, and he stroked my cheek with his thumb gingerly. “When I proposed to you at the wedding, I knew that I loved you.”

  “If you’re going to fuck- don’t do it in the kitchen.” Tensing at Tony’s drawling voice, I turned to find him leaning on the door frame that led to the stairs and the laundry room. His wide, slick grin stretch under merry eyes, and my face flamed even as Eric snorted roughly.

  “This is my damn house- I’ll fuck her anywhere I want.”

  “This sink is going to overflow, idiot-“ Alarm rang in my skull, and I gasped loudly as I twisted. Sure enough, the sink was half-full of soapy water, and I slapped the faucet down sharply before wiggling out of Eric’s hold. “Speaking of your damn house, I was wondering if I could invite Cynthia and Esther over tonight. They didn’t even know I was back yet, and they’re pissed.”

  “You know you don’t have to ask, Tony.” Curiosity must’ve played obviously on my face, and Eric squeezed my butt with a greedy groan and smirk. “They�
�re his sisters.”

  “I could’ve saved them some dinner-“ My brows shot up, and my tone heightened in surprise as a thin thread of discomfort wiggled into my chest. Frowning between Tony and Eric, I crossed my arms over my chest with a huff. “You should’ve told me. Why do you two always make plans and not tell me?”

  “We’ve never had to tell anyone before- don’t take it personally. Besides, I don’t think either of my sisters has eaten a homecooked vegetable in years. They mostly eat out and stuff because they work so much.” Easing off his injured side, Tony rolled his jaw as he braced himself on the countertop heavily. “As for the last time, I like seeing the ol’ lady. She never shuts the fuck up, and she doesn’t expect me to keep the conversation going. Plus, I was gunna die after spending all day with Mags, and she massaged my leg. The poor broad is so lonely.”

  “Okay!” Halting the conversation, I clapped my damp palms hard before starting towards the stairs. “That’s enough of that.”

  “Delainne- come on… learn to take a joke.” Sputtering through his booming laughter, Tony’s mirth rolled down my spine, and I couldn’t help my own broad smile as I grabbed the railing. Heading up the stairs, I poked my head into Maggie’s room as Tony and Eric joked and talked downstairs.

  Her pink walls were shadowed, and her princess vanity reflected the unicorns and stars that glowed in the dark on her ceiling. Maggie was completely knocked out after the day we’d had, and I crept my way across her clean, toy-free carpet. The thick braid that held back her hair gave her a halo of little, curling strands, and my smile tenderized as I brushed them away from her cheeks.

  I’d never considered myself kid friendly, but Maggie changed that perception from the first glance of her I’d gotten at the park. It seemed like so long ago, and my life had suffered a catastrophic shift. Meeting Eric, and then Maggie, was a blessing despite the circumstances. Now, Greg was in jail, and he’d probably stay there for a while, at least.

  Leaning down to kiss Maggie’s cheek, I caressed her cheek for a second more before quietly backing out of her bedroom. Her school clothes sat, neatly folded in their bags, in the corner, and we’d go through them together in the morning. Eric would leave for work, and the day would be another, perfectly normal, day.

  “It feels good, doesn’t it?” Nodding as I shut the door, I sighed in content while Eric’s arms slithered around my torso. “With everything you’ve been through, I would’ve thought you’d dislike kids.”

  “I don’t like children… I like Maggie.” Wandering with matching strides into our bedroom, I mumbled an answer as Eric nuzzled my neck and jaw. “I never had the chance to find out.”

  “I think birth control would be a good idea.” Gumming softly, I tilted my head in acceptance as flames grew hotter, licking my abdomen higher. Gentle, savoring fingertips crept up under my shirt, and Eric nibbled my shoulder as he kicked the bedroom door shut. “You haven’t gotten your period since you moved here. Aren’t you worried?”

  “I’ve never gotten my period. I was told I can’t conceive without IVF.” Eric stiffened against my back, and I twisted to wrap my arms around his shoulders. His eyes bored into mine, face twisted in confusion, and his lips thinned as he grabbed my butt reflexively. “A side effect of my mom having cancer. I have all the parts, but there are holes in my fallopian tubes, and my ovaries are extremely underdeveloped. I had to take hormones to look like this.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” The surprise in Eric’s voice overshadowed any accusation, and I shrugged absently. Pursing my lips tightly, I kicked off my sneakers as he slowly rolled my shirt up.

  “You never asked, and I told you- my mom’s cancer was super aggressive. She got pregnant against her doctor’s orders. There were other things wrong with me when I was little, but I outgrew most of it.” Smiling at how shocked Eric looked, I lifted myself on my tip toes to kiss his lips. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

  “Wait- wait- why would you want to go on birth control or use condoms if you can’t conceive?” Even as he posed the question, Eric started nudging me back towards his bed, and his brows nearly flew off his face. “Were you expecting me to pressure you into not using protection?”

  “No- but I worried about it. Mostly…” Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I craned my neck to catch Eric’s eye even as they blazed intensely. “The doctors can be wrong- even if just one time. One untimely mistake- I don’t want to be another Sasha, Eric.”

  “The difference between you and Sasha is that if you did get pregnant, it wouldn’t be a fucking mistake, Delainne.” The harshness in his tone prickled my skin and made my heart stutter, and he pushed me back to straddle my waist. Knocking the air from my lungs, he held my hands on either side of my head, and I tensed at the conviction twinkling in his gaze. “An accident, sure- but not a mistake. I would keep you, right here, because you’re more than just an easy piece of ass, Delainne. Sasha can’t even compare to you in any way.”

  “I know that I mean more to you than she did. I meant… I don’t want to die. Any pregnancy I have would be extremely high-risk.” Eric jerked, like I’d slapped him in the face, and I reached to cup his cheeks to find them cold and taut. “I never told you because I just assumed you wouldn’t want more kids after everything you experienced with Maggie… and I don’t know that I would want kids- and I want to have this before it all gets… complicated.”

  “Oh, sweetheart.” His kiss tinged my mind pink, and I gripped his hands hard as a moan bubbled up from my depths. I wanted this to last forever- this feeling- this completeness- this happiness. “Condoms it is.”

  Delainne

  “You’re a good man, Eric.” My breathless mumble earned me a beguiling smirk, and I gasped when Eric squeezed my butt and spread my cheeks. “I thought guys didn’t like using condoms because it didn’t feel as good.”

  “It doesn’t… but it also depends on who you’re with. Idiot boys that don’t want to use condoms are only after the physical.” Ducking his face against my neck, he trailed hot kisses down my skin, and I buried my hands in his hair with a pleased sigh. Grinding against his shielded rod, I closed my eyes to savor the sensation of him so close. “I want all of you- mind, body, and soul.”

  “I’m happy with you.” Tight muscles rippled under my palms, and my gasp filled the room when Eric lipped my nipple expertly. Wrapping his strong arms around me, he leaned back to roll over, and a shiver slid down my spine. The comforter was cold against my pocked skin, but my body billowed heat like a furnace as he ground against my apex.

  “I’m deliriously happy with you, Delainne. Don’t ever doubt that.” Knowing fingertips that had explored every part of me caressed my cheek, and I tilted into the contact. “I appreciate you and everything you’ve done for me- and for Maggie.”

  Tugging his lips to mine, I spread my legs wider, and Eric’s tongue danced around my own sweetly. My juices slickened the latex glove protecting his hard length, and he reached between us to poise at my entrance. The coarse hairs on his chest teased my nipples, and I held my breath as anticipation ran rampant through my veins.

  Intense ripples of icy pleasure swept up my body and down my thighs when Eric thrust, and I moaned into his still mouth. The ridge of his head stretched my entrance, and my grip on his scalp tightened as my muscles went rigid. My heart rate slowed dangerously, but each, powerful beat sent a surge of euphoria through to tickle every cell.

  “I feel compelled to say that sex with you is better than any condom-less sex I’ve had.” Giggling faintly at the earnestness in Eric’s eyes, I bit down on my bottom lip in a futile effort to stop my grin from widening. Dropping to his elbows, he growled as the coarse hairs of his happy trail rubbed my abdomen raw. “You’re amazing.”

  “Eric…” Capturing my moan with eager lips, Eric thrust to caress my quivering walls, and he sucked the breath from my lungs. His hips clung to mine, and a shiver lodged between my shoulder blades as he groaned lowly. Gripping the comforter hard, I arched i
nto him as need zinged up my spine, and tiny tears welled behind my shuttered lids.

  Eric’s slow, deliberate movements rattled my very bones before he ripped his head back to breathe harsh, unsteady pants. His gaze shone down on me- more a feeling than anything else- like the moon on a clear night, and I clenched my jaw hard. The lump in my throat grew denser, and one, traitorous, tear braved the wall to drip down towards my ear. Against my sizzling skin, the small droplet threatened to evaporate, but he didn’t let it get far before collecting it on the tip of his tongue.

  A soft pop-pop-pop of stitches bursting echoed in my empty, fogged mind, and I gasped when Eric snapped his hips hard. The force of it made him grunt, and my eyes opened to boggle slightly as the head of his rod jammed against my spot.

  Or, maybe, it was my cervix- but the particulars didn’t matter.

  My squeak became strained, buried against Eric’s sternum as it dissolved into an earthshattering moan that rocked my very soul. Tightening around his length, I saw the entire universe above us; this time, it went beyond the stars.

  “Fuck-k-k yeah! That’s it, sweetheart.” Deep and rumbling, Eric’s voice shot from his chest and up the bridge of my nose, and my hands flew to his shoulders. The slap of skin on skin only added to the barrage, and his muscles rippled wildly under my palms. Spasms raked my entire body, and the cramps in my feet weren’t even painful.

  Riding the waves of my rapture, the heat from Eric scorched my skin where we touched, but he was hard- a rock- a gargoyle that had done its duty. There were so many comparisons that flashed through my mind that I couldn’t process any of them.

  Eric was incomparable, after all.

  “Don’t break something, Delainne.” The humor in Eric’s tone was shadowed by a tender, gravelly rasp, and I sputtered and heaved for air. Sinking into the bed, I trembled wildly as he caressed my cheek and neck, and my eyes wandered uselessly until they found his wry smirk. “Sitrep?”