Our fingers entwined, he squeezed my hand, then reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His lips ghosted my cheek, my ear, and back to my cheek.
“I like this. Talking with you. Hashing things out. I probably shouldn’t say this, but Cass and I never did this. Never saw anything the same or even listened to each other. I threw money at every problem, just like my dad always does.”
“We always listened to each other,” I said, wishing his lips were back on me. Instead, I drank some more wine, took a bite of filet, and continued to listen.
“We did. And I don’t want you to think that I’m doing the same with my kids. Throwing money at them, like my dad. I just want them to have fun, be kids, not worry. I try to give them attention and affection too. I’m learning.”
“You’re doing just fine. And like you said, you’re going to beat all these allegations. They will be fine too.” As I said it, though, I knew I was saying it more for myself than for him.
His lips found my cheek again. “Thank you.”
And then we went back to laughing until dessert.
“Milly’s up to no good,” he said over coffee.
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know?” He raised an eyebrow.
“No, I don’t. How would you know? Through Mike?”
I truly had no idea what Aston was getting at, but he’d never liked Milly much.
“Eh, forget it. It’s probably just club gossip.”
“Now, I remember your PI saying something . . .”
“It was nothing.”
I was liking my chocolate cake too much to think about it anymore. After all, club gossip was only true about ten percent of the time.
Later, we pulled up in front of my house. Instead of getting out right away, we sat in the car, the engine idling and our minds racing.
“I want to come in,” Aston said, speaking the words of a teenager with the determination of a grown man.
Shaking my head, I said, “We can’t.”
“Denise will stay with the kids. They’re fine for one night.”
Turning to face him, I was brutally honest. “This has nothing to do with your kids, Aston. How dare you?”
“Piper and Tyler will adjust. We have to move forward.”
Throwing my door open, I wanted to get the hell out of the car and forget this night ever happened.
“Wait,” Aston said, taking my arm and holding me in place. “Tell me what I said wrong.”
“You’re so goddamn presumptuous. Always have been. Yeah, I fell into bed with you at the engagement party, and look what that got me.”
“What? A beautiful daughter? Now I’m here, wanting to be a permanent part of your life. Can’t see how that’s a bad thing, Bex.”
Moonlight shone softly into the car, lighting his perfectly blue-blue eyes, his white shirt as bright as the moon itself.
“Forgive me for questioning this all,” I said sharply, “and not being a sure thing after an expensive dinner.”
“Don’t do that. You always go to money.”
“Well, your dad ripped us apart once. And now you might go to prison.”
“I told you I’ve got that covered.”
“And there’s this little thing . . . Piper’s a young woman,” I shrieked, and then lowered my voice as I shut the car door to give us more privacy. For all I knew, she could be watching from the same window I’d waited in not too long ago. “She can’t see me hooking up with men. I don’t bring men back to my bed when the kids are home. Scratch that—I don’t bring men home to my bed, period.”
“I’m her father, for fuck’s sake.” Aston pinned his gaze on me. His stare was hard, the complete opposite of his gentle palm caressing my thigh.
“No, just no. Aston, accept it. Kiss me good night and let me go inside.”
If I were being truthful with myself, what had me going was how much I wanted him to come in. To take charge of my body, in my bed, both of us sweaty and sated, falling asleep in each other’s arms.
“That’s what I want,” he said. “More than anything.”
“What?” My eyes flew open wide. “Did I just say that out loud?”
He nodded. “Look, I hear what you’re saying. I didn’t get it . . . I’ve only been a parent to a teenage girl for a few days. I don’t know all that involves. Right now, I’m going to kiss you, go home and smoke a cigar, and go to sleep. Probably after handling my own business, which I’m too old for. But know this, Bexley. It’s not going to be long before I’m in your bed every night.”
I tried to formulate a response, but Aston didn’t give me time. He leaned over the console and placed his lips on mine. His kiss scorched my mouth and my body, sending past memories colliding with more recent ones. With his tongue teasing mine, he gathered me closer, making me believe in a future together.
“I’ve loved you all my life,” he murmured. “If it takes me forever, I’m going to earn your forgiveness.” He pressed his lips more firmly to mine, and I reconsidered not allowing him to come in.
“We have to stop, or we won’t,” I finally said.
“That would make for an interesting sight.”
“Uh, yeah. I don’t think so. Thank you. Don’t worry about walking me up. Let’s leave this casual with the kids and all that,” I told him as I got out of the car.
“Bexley,” he called to me, and I turned around on the sidewalk. “You don’t have to say it back. I know you still love me.”
I simply turned back around and walked to the door. There wasn’t any response I could say to save face. He was right.
Bexley
I’d stopped at the store on the way to school pickup from work, filling my trunk with frozen waffle fries and hamburger patties, yet I still felt the need to ask the kids for permission.
“Hey, guys. Aston, Mara, and Little A are going to
