“Back to my place, it’s not far from here,” she said, “and I’ll drive you back whenever you want.”
“After an hour,” I repeated.
I wasn’t committing myself to leaving on the hour, period. I was just trained to hold people to expectations and their word; giving leeway was a good way to get run over, and DOM agents never allowed that.
“I just want to talk to you, get some information about your health.”
“My health?”
“So I can know about Charlotte’s future, if there’s anything to worry about. Is that fine?”
She was still on edge. I was too.
“I mean, I’m in good shape,” I said, trying to balance not sounding like a wimp afraid to say anything serious while also not pushing her comfort boundaries. “I don’t have any genetic diseases I’m aware of. I don’t think—”
“What about your parents?”
“I don’t know much about them, or anything before them.”
“You can’t call?”
“They both died when I was young. I don’t know anything about them.”
Kelly went silent. I could tell she felt sympathy, but perhaps fearing the same thing I did—looking too weak—she didn’t say anything else. I turned my attention back to the road, content to let the silence settle for a bit as we headed back to her place.
She pulled into a private drive, one that seemed to stretch out way further than your typical driveway. Even by Breckenridge standards, when properties could be set way back from the road, this one seemed absurd.
“Pretty far back, huh?”
Kelly said nothing.
“Are you sure you’re not going to off me in the middle of the woods for being an ass?”
Kelly shot a look at me—somewhere between amused, annoyed, and curious. For some reason, that look reminded me of something. It reminded me of the look the first time we fucked—the only time we fucked, I suppose—when it almost seemed like she doubted how much I would take control. It reminded me of how hard I’d slapped her ass. How hard I’d taken control of her.
Would it be good to go back to that? I mean, it would physically feel good. But was that really such a good idea, all things considered?
The thought receded to the back of my mind as Kelly’s place finally came into view. No, place wasn’t the right word. Palace seemed more appropriate.
“Jesus,” I said, admiring the size of the mansion. “You live here? This is your home?”
The questions seemed to throw Kelly a bit, who was blushing and still didn’t respond. It wasn’t until we were close enough to see the front door’s steps that she answered in the affirmative.
“This used to be my great-grandparents’ home, on my father’s side,” she said. “They made their fortune here mining in the late nineteenth century. Great-grandfather did quite well for himself.”
“Yeah, I can tell,” I said, in stunned disbelief.
I knew Kelly had money—fifty grand, agreed upon without hesitation, clearly said as much—but there was a huge difference between figuring she had maybe ten million in the bank versus what had to be at least five times that, maybe more. I did not think this was how the day would go, for multiple reasons, but let’s be honest, who the fuck would have ever thought that?
To say my life had been flipped on itself in the past few days was an understatement. What was an unexpectedly oversized house going to do that the previous couple days hadn’t?
She parked the car, and I got out. I stepped in front of the car and looked around.
It was a beautiful scene, that was for damn sure. The snowcapped Rockies, the trees all around, the snow on the ground…it was as beautiful a residence as I had ever seen.
“How much property do you have here?”
“More than I need,” she quipped as she reached in to grab Charlotte. As soon as she pulled her out, Bucky hopped out of the car.
“Well, good for you…two.”
I didn’t say awkward things often, but boy, I sure felt like a fucking idiot saying that. And it wasn’t helping matters that as I looked at the house, I started to imagine all the different rooms I could take Kelly in…all the different spots I could have my way with her…the trouble we could get into…
Keep it together.
And then, as if she could sense my distraction and wanted to pull me back to the present, Charlotte made a cute baby coo sound. You’re not just a man who sees an attractive woman. You’re a father. Remember that.
From my vantage point, I could see my child—my child—in her mother’s arms, safe and secure. I wanted nothing more than to hold her, to hug her, to comfort her…
Quite a bit of change from how yesterday had felt.
“Thanks,” Kelly said, reminding me that I’d said something to her just moments ago. “Are you going to just stand there and gawk at my house, or can you be a gentleman and grab the groceries?”
I grunted, went to the rear of the SUV, and grabbed four bags. Kelly looked at me like I was going to drop the bags, but I gave no visible reaction back. Instead, I paused when I saw her and Charlotte again.
Bucky, who had gone off to do his business, was now standing next to the two of them, forming something like a family photo. And, whether intentionally or not, Bucky had left an obvious space for the father to stand.
For me to stand.
It was a beautiful sight. It didn’t take much of the imagination to picture myself standing there, holding Charlotte, perhaps even being friendly with Kelly. Certainly, at least, being attracted to Kelly.
It was also a dangerous one. I’d imagined such a sight before. It hadn’t ended well.
“Let’s get inside before the good stuff gets cold,” she said. “Follow me.”
Chapter
