“If she’s not, Steven, I’m trusting you to call me.”
“I know,” he mutters, tucking his hands into the front pocket of his jeans.
“I’m picking up Shelby at five, and we’re all going out to dinner.”
“Dinner?” he asks, looking in the direction of his sister’s voice talking to Penny.
“Dinner with her and Hunter. That okay with you?”
“Yeah, that’s okay.” He nods.
“Good. Now go help your sister get Penny settled and tell her the plan. I need to head to the station for a bit.”
“Okay, Dad.” He nods again, and I pat his shoulder then watch him walk off toward his sister, wondering what the hell the smirk on his face meant.
Chapter 7
Shelby
“Night, Mom. Today was fun.” Hunter smiles tiredly at me, and I pull him in for a quick hug, whispering, “I’m glad, kiddo.”
With that, I kiss the side of his head before letting him go and pushing him toward the stairs. Watching him drag his backpack behind him, I wait until he’s out of sight before heading for my room and right for the shower, where I get in and let the hot water run over my sore muscles. I’m completely exhausted, and all of my muscles ache after spending the day hiking around Child’s Glacier with Hunter, who seemed to have an endless amount of energy. Finally getting out, I wrap myself in my robe and head for the bed, where I collapse face-first.
Closing my eyes, my mind goes to Zach, and I growl in frustration into the pillow. I don’t want to fall for him, but I can feel myself doing just that. It doesn’t help he’s being so nice to not only me, but to Hunter too. Rolling onto my back, I look up at the ceiling and let out a deep breath.
Yesterday, I tried to sneak out of work early to avoid him, but when I walked out of the bank, he was waiting for me out front, leaning against the side of his truck with a smile on his face. A smile that said he knew what I was up to. I was still annoyed with him from our talk that morning and let him know it, and then got even more annoyed once I realized he found my mood entertaining. After I reluctantly got into his truck, we swung by his house and picked up the kids, who were all waiting for us, including Hunter. Then we drove to the harbor.
While we were on the way, Aubrey explained excitedly that the restaurant we were going to was only open during the summer, and then went on to tell us how difficult it is to get a table unless you happened to be her dad, a movie star, or the president of the United States. I was so happy to have Aubrey talking to me and acting normal that I felt my mood shift on the drive and knew Zach felt it to when his hand found mine.
When we got to the Harbor, I realized Aubrey was not just bragging about how amazing her father was. The lot was packed with cars and there were people waiting outside to see if they could get a seat. The restaurant was a gorgeous log building that sat facing the sound, with two giant front decks that overlooked the water. Once we finally got inside and were seated, the kids, mainly Aubrey and Steven, maneuvered themselves around the table so that Zach and I were next to each other with Hunter between them. As I sat there with the beautiful view of the ocean, dusk touching the horizon off in the distance, Zach and the kids laughing and having a good time I knew I wanted that moment and moments just like it for the rest of my life.
After eating we went down towards the beach where Aubrey and Steven pulled Hunter along with them to watch the otters and seals that were swimming near the shore, which left Zach and me alone. We didn’t talk while we stood there, but his hand did find mine and there was something significant and beautiful about holding his hand while watching our kids together. Before I was ready he called the kids back up and told them it was time to go so we all piled back in his truck and headed for his house since at dinner Aubrey mentioned she baked a cake and didn’t want it to go to waste when she and Steven left for their mom’s for the rest of the weekend. And that was how one of the best nights I ever had ended, Zach the kids and I sitting in Zach’s living room eating delicious cake while putting together one of gramps puzzles.
Hearing a tap, tap, tap, I come out of my head and frown, looking at the bedroom door, which is closed. When the tap sounds again, I realize the noise is coming from the deck. Sliding out of bed, I move across the room quietly and pull the blinds back an inch, wondering if Louie is outside. Instead, I’m greeted by the sight of Zach standing in a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved thermal shirt with the buttons at his neck undone, and sneakers.
Pushing the blinds back completely, my eyes lock on his as I unhook the latch. Once the door is open, I don’t even have a second to ask him what he’s doing here before his hand is in my still wet hair and his mouth is crashing down on mine. Leading me back into the room, he uses his free hand to slide the door closed behind us, and my body melts into his while my hands wind around his neck. The instant he licks across my lips and his taste explodes on my tongue, I shiver.
“Jesus,” he groans, sliding his hand up the back of my robe before gliding his palm over my bare ass and up my spine. My head falls back and I whimper, feeling the stubble along his jaw scrape the skin of my neck while his tongue touches there. Wanting to feel his skin, I push his shirt up. His hands leave me for a moment so he can reach back over his head and pull off his thermal. Once it’s gone, and my hands have free rein of his smooth skin, I take advantage, running my nails down his chest, over his abs, and then do the same with my mouth, tongue, and teeth.
“Give me your mouth, Shel.”
I nip his chest, ignoring him, but then whimper when his hand in my hair tightens, pulling back, and he takes what he asked for, thrusting his tongue into my mouth. He leads me across the room and pushes me back onto the bed, covering my body with his while spreading my robe open.
“Please, Zach,” I pant, as the space between my legs floods with heat, and his hand sweeps up my calf and thigh, pulling it around his waist.
“So perfect.” His words vibrate against the skin of my chest as his lips close around my nipple and he sucks deep, causing my back to arch and my nails to scrape down the skin of his back.
“Oh, God.” I squeeze my eyes tight, feeling his fingers trail between my legs in a light touch. Moving one hand between us, I go to touch myself, but then cry out in frustration as his hand latches onto my wrist.
“Don’t.”
My body stills as he lets my wrist go and moves his fingers back to where they were, plunging two deep inside of me.
Lifting my head, I latch onto his shoulder with my teeth as his thumb circles my clit, and I feel an orgasm build in my lower belly. “Please don’t stop. I’m close,” I murmur, running my hands up his back, into his hair, and holding on there. “Please, I’m so close.” I bite my lip, and then I feel it happen as it takes me by surprise, sending me into a tailspin over the edge, and I cling to him as I go.
“Wet, so fucking drenched,” he growls, before his mouth is back on mine and his fingers are back at me, pulling me closer to the edge once more. Nipping at my bottom lip, his mouth leaves mine and his lips trail down my neck then over my breast.
“What are you doing?” I panic, as his lips move down over my stomach.
“Gonna eat you.” He nips the skin there, and I try to sit up, but his hand presses down on my belly to hold me in place.
“You don’t have to do that.” His brows draw together, making him look almost dangerous. I try to sit up again then arch my back as his fingers move over my sensitive clit.
“Relax,” he commands, but I can’t. I don’t like oral sex, not anymore. I want to enjoy it like every other woman in the world does, But I can never relax enough to get myself there or at least I haven’t been able to for the last fifteen years.
“Please, just come up here,” I plead, then whimper as his fingers flick over my clit again.
“Lie back.”
I shake my head no, but then fall to my back when his hand moves up to my breast, pulling my nipple hard enough to send a shot of heat to my clit. Before I can say mo
“Zach.” I press my head back into the pillow and move my hands to grip the sheets underneath me, moaning his name as I come hard. Before I can recover completely, his body is covering mine, and my taste mixed with his is on my tongue as he kisses me deep and hard. Moving my hands between us, I unhook the button of his jeans then push them down enough to wrap my hands around his long hard length.
“I need to be in you,” he groans, bucking his hips in my hand when I slide down then up.
“Yes,” I pant. He shifts to the side, kicks off his shoes and jeans, moves over me once more, and then slides my robe off my shoulder. Feeling the heat from his body as it covers mine, I moan and wind my legs around him.
“Are you ready?” He leans back, wrapping his hand around his cock and sliding it up and down over my clit. My hands roam up his sides as I nod. Then, he’s in me, sliding deep in one quick thrust that takes my breath away and causes my back to leave the bed as a moan slips out from between my lips. “How could I forget?” he asks, although I don’t think he’s talking to me. I don’t care, though, because when he’s in me, I feel like I’m whole for the first time.
Rolling to my side, I feel nothing but the bed under me, and my eyes pop open. Sitting up, I look around the room and my heart begins to pound as I wonder if last night was just a dream. Something I made up in my head. Then the toilet flushes and Zach steps through the doorway of my bathroom, wearing absolutely nothing but a soft smile.
“What time does Hunter get up?” he asks, walking toward me. I feel my mouth go dry as I take him in. He’s beautiful in clothes, but in nothing at all, he is beyond perfection, with tight muscles, a scattering of hair on his chest, and a line of hair from his navel right down to his perfect cock, which is long, thick, and pointing right at me. “Baby,” he calls, and I tilt my head back to look him in the eye then lean over the side of the bed to check the alarm clock on the nightstand.
“About an hour or so, maybe a little longer. He was tired last night when we got home,” I reply, pulling the sheet up to cover my breasts, suddenly feeling shy about being naked around him, which is absurd, since he saw everything—absolutely everything—last night.
“Good, got time to make out before I need to go get ready for work.” He smirks, ripping the sheet out of my grasp and crawling up the bed, pushing my legs apart and settling his hips between mine.
“I think we need to talk,” I say, as his mouth moves across my jaw and down my neck.
“Talk away,” he murmurs, licking up the column of my throat making my body come alive once more.
“I don’t think this is smart,” I moan, lifting my legs to wrap around his waist while running my hands up the smooth skin of his back.
“You’re wrong.” His reply is immediate and firm as his hand skates down the back of my thigh to my ass, lifting my hips into his.
“I… oh, god,” I breathe, when his hand cups my breast and his thumb slides over my nipple.
“This is right, baby. You can try to convince yourself it isn’t, but you and I both know you’re lying to yourself.” His words vibrate against my neck, and then he leans back to look at me. “I saw the look in your eyes at dinner. I know what it meant, because I was feeling that same feeling in my gut, sitting there with you. With our kids. We were meant to be here, right now in this moment. We were meant to find each other again.” His words have the oxygen in my lungs burning, as I hold my breath so I can fight back the tears I know are coming.
“I don’t want to get hurt,” I tell him honestly, and his hands move to hold my face gently.
“I can’t promise things will be perfect. What I can promise you is that I will never hurt you on purpose, and I will work at making you happy, work at making you feel safe.”
“Don’t you think we have too much history between us?” I ask before he can say more, and his face softens then dips toward mine, and he kisses me gently before leaning back.
“The only thing I think—the only thing I know—is I’ve carried around an empty place in my soul for the last fifteen years, and the moment I saw you standing outside in the rain, that empty place filled up.” His words cause the tears in my eyes to spill over, and he quickly swipes them away with the pads of his thumbs.
“It’s not just us,” I try again, not knowing why I’m even bothering. I want this, I want him more than my next breath.
“You’re right. It’s not just us. I’m not saying we’ll get married tomorrow or move in together next week. All I’m saying is I want this, and will work at making you want it just as badly as I do.”
I want to tell him that I already do want it, but I can’t put myself out there like that. Not yet anyway.
“Slow,” I say, and his face changes again.
And then he’s sliding inside of me, filling me up once more, whispering, “Slow,” against my neck.
“Not back together with Zach, hmm?” Paul questions softly from my side, and I turn my head to glare at him, only to see the smirk on his face turn into a huge smug grin.
“No, we’re not together.” He raises a brow and I blow out a breath, rolling my eyes. “Fine. Yes, we’re seeing each other, but right now, we are taking it slow,” I say, knowing my version of slow and Zach’s are completely different.
We haven’t told the kids about us, but I have no doubt they know something is going on, judging from how Zach acts toward me, even when they’re around. Not inappropriately, but still, his face will change when our eyes meet, his fingers will graze mine, or his hand will move to my lower back if we’re standing next to each other. I know they see it. They have to.
Hunter hasn’t acted like he notices, which I can’t decide if that’s good or bad. He’s never seen me with anyone but his father, and I don’t want him upset. Aubrey just looks happy whenever she happens to glance between us, and Steven—well, Steven always looks conflicted. I know it’s not that he doesn’t like me, though. I know it’s because he loves his mom, and is loyal to her in a way that actually makes me proud of him.
“I’m glad to see you happy.”
Coming out of my head, I wrap my arms around my waist and hold my breath, watching him take a puff off his cigarette. I am happy. Happier than I’ve been in a very long time, and that scares me, because I don’t want my happiness to be wrapped up in Zach. I want it to be something separate, something I can take with me if there comes a time when we don’t work out. I should have done that with Max, but I didn’t. I put the responsibility of my happiness—our happiness—on his shoulders, and that wasn’t fair to him. In the end, it became too much for him to bear.
“You should really stop smoking,” I scold, and he laughs, blowing out a large cloud of smoke a second later.
“I know, but old habits die hard.” He smiles then tilts his head to the side. “Glad you came over.”
“Me too. I really like Joe. She’s perfect for you,” I say. His face softens and his eyes grow warm at the mention of his wife’s name.
“I didn’t do right by her when we started. I was with her while holding her at arm’s length, trying to keep myself safe, and I acted like a dick.”
“What changed?” I ask, turning to look into the house, where Zach and Joe plus all of the kids are sitting around the table where I left them talking so I could follow Paul out while he smoked.
“She told me she was pregnant with Denver and that she couldn’t be with me anymore. She told me she didn’t want to raise him with a man who was only around when it was convenient for him to be there, and then told me she was going to find a man who would love her the way she deserved to be loved. I knew then that she’d find that man in someone else. As pretty as she is and as sweet as she is, I knew it wouldn’t take
“Smart woman.”
“Strong, so damn strong… and stubborn.” He grins and his beard shifts. “Took all of her pregnancy for her to come around. It wasn’t until she was giving birth to Den that she told me she was willing to give us another chance. I don’t know what I would have done if she didn’t take me back.”
“You’re a good man. She would have come around eventually.”
“Sometimes, a woman is hurt so badly there is no repairin’ that damage. Lucky for me, I was able to fix the parts of her I broke.”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I know exactly what he’s saying, because even though Zach didn’t break me, there are parts of me still gaping wide open.
“You two will figure it out,” he says gently, and my head turns toward him. “I have faith that somehow we are led to the exact place in our lives that we are meant to be, and I have no doubt you and Zach are meant to be right here, so now it’s up to you two to figure out how to make it work.”
“I’m scared,” I admit. “I didn’t have the best marriage, and we’re not the same people we were years ago. We both have baggage.”
“You just have to figure out how to share the load with each other. There will be times when you need to carry it all around, and times when he does too. That’s the point of relationships. Give and take. Making sure the other person is content.”
“Joe sure has made you smart.” I smile, and he grins back then takes a long drag from his cigarette.
“Your granddad would be happy. He always wanted you two back together,” he says, surprising me.
“You know, he never talked about Zach or the kids with me.”