We sat down at the table, and Mom put a plate of cookies between us. “So, that lawyer was here today.”
“Mr. Struthers? The guardian ad litem?” I asked, taking a chocolate chip cookie. Mr. Struthers had been making the rounds, calling my employees, getting character testimony from my friends. He had arranged to come back to the house next week so he could finish his report.
“Yes, that’s him. He seems nice. Had a cup of tea, asked about you and Katie, watched her with your dad in the garden. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.” Her eyes wandered to her granddaughter, who was currently dumping dirt onto her grandfather’s hands. Then she looked at me again. “How have the visits with Josie been going?” Her face hardened at the mention of Katie’s mother.
“Tense,” I admitted. “Josie doesn't have a clue how to interact with Katie.”
“That’s not surprising given that she’s never bothered to figure out how to be a mother.” My mom’s opinion about Josie was set in stone. She could turn into Mother Teresa and my mother wouldn’t believe it.
“I guess she’s trying.” I took another drink.
“But why is she trying? What’s this all about?” Mom demanded her tone hard.
“I know you don’t like her, Mom, but I don’t want to speculate—”
“I ran into her at Martin’s yesterday. It looked like she was there picking out some new clothes for herself. She was very happy to see me.” Mom’s mouth pinched.
“Oh, okay—”
“Do you know she didn’t talk about Katie. Not once. She only asked about you. And how surprised she was that you and Whitney got married. To her, it seemed to come out of nowhere, and she asked whether I thought it would last between the two of you. That’s all she cares about, Kyle. She’s made that very obvious.” She took a bite of her cookie. “I made sure to tell that to Mr. Struthers, just so you know.”
I groaned. “Mom, that just sounds petty, and of course, you’re biased. Don’t bad mouth Josie to the guardian ad litem, please. It’ll make us look worse for it.”
Mom frowned. “He needs to know what she’s really like and what her true motivations are.”
“We don’t know that’s her motivation—”
“Of course it is. You and Whitney need to be on guard; I don’t trust her.”
I didn’t try to defend Josie. She didn’t deserve it. I don’t know why I was bothering. Habit, I guessed.
Mom put her glass of iced tea down and took my hand. “I’m happy for you, Kyle. You and Whitney seem to have something special.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling like a loon. “Yeah. We do.”
**
“Wakey, wakey,” Whitney purred in my ear.
I rolled onto my back, and Whitney straddled me. I opened my eyes, still half asleep. I had crashed when Katie went to bed at nine. I looked at the time on the clock; it was a little after eleven.
“How was your night?” I croaked, my voice hoarse.
“It was good. Meg was a little cranky, but her ankles are the size of watermelons, so I gave her some slack,” Whitney responded a little breathlessly as she quickly discarded her shirt and jeans and chucked them on the floor. “But I missed you. I missed Katie. I wanted to be with the two of you all night.” She leaned over me, kissing along the length of my jaw, her hair tickling my face.
I ran my hands up her back. “We missed you too.” Her lips moved down my neck, sucking on my collarbone. “You missed out on two hours of Barbie magic.” I groaned as she playfully bit down on my nipple.
She slithered her hand beneath my boxers, wrapping her fingers around my erect cock, her thumb rubbing the tip. “Sounds like a good time,” she whispered, kissing a trail down my body.
“It was—fucking hell, woman,” I cried out as she pulled my boxers down and took me in her mouth.
“Mmmm,” she moaned as she sucked me back so far that I hit the back of her throat. Then slowly, she eased her lips upward, licking the slit at the tip before deep throating me again. She massaged my balls all the while she moved up and down my dick.
I gripped her hair. It was so dark in the room I could barely see her. Just feel her mouth and her hair tickling my belly.
“I’m gonna come,” I warned her, feeling the imminent explosion.
She didn’t stop. She worked me harder. Faster. Then I was coming in her mouth. And damned if she didn’t swallow every drop. She sat up, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.
God, I loved this woman.
She crawled back up to lay beside me, both of us facing each other, her hand cupping my cheek. She opened her mouth, and I braced myself. Hoping. Praying. Wanting so much to hear the words I thought she was about to say.