Knocking, I continue the deep, calming breaths as I wait for what feels like hours but was probably only minutes. The sound of footsteps approaching was music to my ears, causing my breath to catch in my throat.
The door opened, and the person behind it was not the one I wanted to see. “Savannah.” I nodded a hello to her.
She turned around and yelled, “Lover boy is here!” I couldn’t help but chuckle. She used to call me that back when we were in school, too. “Okay, she’s probably almost done, so I’m going to make this quick. If you hurt her, I will sneak into your bedroom at night and, swear to God, I will make your death look like an accident.”
I smiled at the feisty little woman standing in front of me. “I’m glad she’s got you, Sav. I have no intention of hurting her. I came back for her and, now, Ben. I want them both, and I plan to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
The corners of her lips tipped up, and she nodded her approval. “Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” She turned away from me. “Annagayle Rafferty, you have two minutes to get your cute little butt down here before I come up there.”
“I’m coming.” She yelled back at Savannah, and those words, yet again, hit all the naughty thoughts spinning around in my brain.Stop it.
“Wait here. She’ll be out in a minute.” The door shut for a single moment before it was flung open again, but not by Anna or Savvy this time. No, this time, I was looking at the miniature version of myself. God, I swear it was like looking in the damn mirror.
“Hey! I ‘member you from the ice cream shop. Whatcha doing here?” He looked up at me with the inquisitive look and enthusiasm of a child, and I couldn’t help but smile. I still couldn’t believe he was mine.
“I’m here to take out your Mom, bud. Is that okay with you?”
He mulled it over for a few seconds before speaking again. “You have to make her happy.” Ben waved at me to stoop to his level, and he leaned up to whisper in my ear. “She’s been crying a lot lately. I think she’s lonely. You can keep her company, okay?”
I grinned. He was a tiny version of Annagayle; always worrying about everyone else. He had a heart of gold from what I could tell, and I was happy to know we made such an amazing kiddo. I know all of the credit goes to Anna. She’s really made a home and life here for her and Ben. I really hope she’ll leave a hole so I can fit myself in. “Yeah, buddy. I’ll make her happy, I promise.” And I meant to keep that promise. It was the first thing my son asked of me, and I wouldn’t let him down.
The door opened once again, and it was as if I'd stepped into a vacuum, the air sucked from my lungs as everything around me disappeared. My knees weakened, and I had to swallow before the drool fell out of my mouth. There she stood, in front of me, wearing a stunning summer dress like the ones she used to wear when we were together. I’m glad she hadn’t lost her style. It was her very own.
There was a little bit of whispering before Ben disappeared, and he was replaced by my gorgeous Annagayle. I couldn’t stop staring.
The dress cradled her large breasts and hugged those sexy, more mature hips she now sported. The hem line may have been conservative, but conservative thoughts were the last things coming to my mind, especially when I saw those heels accenting long, gorgeous legs.
I stood there and stared in complete silence before remembering I needed to speak. “Wow.” It was the only word that could possibly describe how I felt looking at her right now.
A rose blush crept up her cheeks as she looked away slightly. “Surprisingly, I find this more comfortable than jeans and a tee shirt these days.” Her comment came out of nowhere and told me that she was just as nervous.
“Shall we,” I said, turning and offering her my arm. “My lady, your chariot awaits.” She slipped her tiny hand onto my elbow but then stopped, an audible gasp falling from her lips. I turned back to see what she was staring at, and I realized it was the car.She remembered.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen it out and around.” I didn’t know if Dad drove it around or not, but I could imagine he did. It was a beautiful ride, and I was lucky as fuck to own it. The walk to the car door was slow. When I turned to help her into the car, I noticed she had her lower lip stuck between her teeth.
“You okay?” I could hear the concern in my own voice.
She cleared her throat. “I guess… I’m nervous tonight because I don’t know what to expect.”
“I’d say it’s fair, since instead of just coming home and finding you, I find out that you have a child and have been hiding him away from me.” She flinched at my words, and I didn’t blame her. It was a little harsh, but a part of me was still ticked.How could she do it?
I wanted the truth, the full truth, but I wouldn’t talk about this in front of her house where anyone could hear it, especially Ben.
The engine roared to life again just like the pulse in my ears as I cranked it and headed toward the house where I was staying. Silence consumed the car ride, and I wanted to say something to break it, but I didn’t trust myself. The need to be understanding in all of this rode me, but I swear to God, it was fucking hard.
I didn’t miss the gasp that slipped from her lips when she saw where I was staying. It was the house we’d always talked about growing up. It sat far enough away from the others to have a lot of privacy, but it was also the furthest away from Main Street.
I pulled into the garage and turned off the car. We sat there for a moment in total silence before I reached for the handle on my door, the sound of it opening mimicked to my right as she followed my lead.
They shut at the same time, and there we stood, standing on either side of the car, just sizing each other up. Who knew what would come out of tonight, but I knew one thing. I wanted her, and I wanted our child. Even if she let me be Ben’s dad, I figured it would take a while for her to come around. I knew she wouldn't keep me from him, though.
I trailed behind her, watching that beautiful ass wiggle with each step as we headed toward the door to the house. Once inside, I turned on the lights and the electric fireplace for some ambiance. We will sure as hell need it. I had already gotten a bottle of wine out to chill. Alcohol would lend her liquid courage. I wasn’t trying to get her drunk by any means, but I figured it’d take off the edge.
My eyes trailed her as she walked around the living room of the house. “I always wondered what this place used to look like on the inside. It’s a lot different from how I imagined it to be.” It was a rental property, so most of the things were pretty generic to owning a beach house. There was nothing personal here, not yet, at least.
Soon, I hoped there would be pictures of Anna and Ben, hell, maybe even me and Ben.
She turned to look at me, uncertainty hinted in those gorgeous eyes. “So…”