“I’m sorry,” Brad says. “Your ex-husband is a fool!”
I’m startled by the comment. “Why?”
“Leaving a beautiful woman like you.” He stares at me as if he means every word.
My insides shiver. A nervous laugh escapes my lips. I do that a lot when I’m nervous. I’m hot all over. With trembling hands, I pick up my iced tea and take a huge sip. Big mistake. It goes down the wrong pipe, and before long, I’m coughing like mad.
Brad hurries to my side and thumps my back. As my throat clears, he rubs my back in a circular motion, shifting my bra every time. The slight movement makes my nipples harden.
“Better?” he asks.
I shake my head. I’m not ready for his hand to leave my back. His other hand touches my bare arm. Arousal sparks, awakening longings I had long forgotten. My thighs tremble, and my pussy quivers. I have never experienced such lust for a man.
“Thanks, I’m better now,” I say, my voice weird.
I’m so hot for him, it’s embarrassing. I gulp the rest of my tea and mark time until it’s a decent enough interval to leave. I need to relieve the rising itch in my pussy.
Chapter 4
Mila
The house is sparkling clean, and I make sure that by the time quarter past three rolls around, I’m outside in the garden. I need to catch a glimpse of Brad again. I pluck non-existent weeds from the flower bed. How have I turned from a mature woman to a lusty teenager in a few short days?
There’s no time to think further as Brad’s SUV pulls up in the driveway. I stand up and smile at him.
Isaac gets out of the car and comes to say hello. I ruffle his dark hair, so like his dad’s. A cell phone shrieks. It’s Brad’s. He speaks as he gets out of the car.
“Hey, Debbie, did we leave something?” He frowns.
I multitask, speaking to Isaac about his day and looking at his dad.
“No problem, don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out,” he says.
He comes to where we’re standing and shoots me a smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“How have you been, we missed you yesterday,” Brad says.
I’d gone to the store and stocked up on sketchbooks and pencils. I’d spent all day lost in my work like an excited child. I had forgotten the sheer joy of drawing for enjoyment. My sketchpad was a quarter way filled with caricatures of Brad and Isaac.
Before I can answer, Isaac asks his dad for the house keys.
“Are you okay?” I ask him. He’s a stranger, and yet he’s not.
“Just babysitting issues. They crop up now and then,” he says.
“I can help,” I tell him. I really don’t mind. Isaac is a darling, and I enjoy his company.
“My colleague’s wife usually picks up Isaac and keeps him home for two and a half hours until I can pick him up. She has to take one of her own kids to the doctor tomorrow after school.”
“I can watch him until you come home.”
He looks hesitant.
“You can check me out. No criminal record and I love kids,” I tell him with what I hope is a reassuring smile.
“That’s easy to believe. Isaac is always talking about you,” Brad says. “I’ll just say yes and hope that I’m not imposing,” he says, sounding resigned. My heart goes out to him. It must be difficult to juggle single parenthood and a full-time job.
“I’ll call Debbie back and ask if she can drop Isaac here,” he says. He makes the call, and from his responses, I figure that they agree.
“Great, that’s set then,” I say when he tells me that Debbie will drop Isaac off at a few minutes past three.
He looks uncertain. I save him the trouble of how to exit. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yeah. Okay. Thanks so much, Mila. You’re a lifesaver.”
***
The following day, I sit outside on the lounge chair well before quarter past three. At exactly three-fifteen, a white minivan cruises into the driveway and comes to a stop. I stand and approach it as the driver’s window is opened.
“You must be Mila?” a pretty dark-haired woman says. “I’m Debbie; I came by to drop Isaac off.”
“Yes, I am, and thanks for dropping him.” I don’t know why I say that. As if I’m Isaac’s relation.
“You’re new here?” she says.
“Yes, but Isaac, his dad and I are like old friends now, isn’t that right?” I say to Isaac as he comes to my side and wraps his hands around my waist. My heart swells with love for him. I already love this kiddo. You can’t not love Isaac. He’s just sweet.
“Well, I better get going before we miss our appointment,” Debbie says, though I can tell that she would like to know more about me.
“It was nice to meet you,” I tell her, and we stand there watching her back out of the driveway. “Let’s go in. I’ve made something yummy for you,” I tell Isaac, and we walk into the house hand in hand.