New Title 6 (9 page)

 “Just
tell me one thing before I give in to
you,
” he whispered.

 “Um.
Okay.” I nodded.

 “You
want this, between me and you?”

 Shit.

 “Uh...Oh.”
He thrust against me again.

 Damn it, clothes, begone!

 “Tell
me, kitten,” he said and kissed my temple. “Tell me,” he ordered and kissed my
nose.

 Dear God.

 “Oh,
all right.” I sighed. He smiled a smile of pure satisfaction. The prick. And
then rolled to my side, bringing me flush against him.

 “What
do you want to know about Cody?”

 Okay, clothes, you can stay
.
“Everything,” I uttered. Like, who the heck was his mum, and were you still
seeing her?

 “He's
a smart kid, quiet, but I think he'll grow outta that soon. His mum and I don't
have the best relationship. We used to; we were wild together.”

 A
pang of jealousy hit me.

 He
picked up a strand of my hair and tugged it gently. Then scoffed and said,
“Then she turned into a bitch. She had friends and family that saw themselves
as better than anyone else. And eventually, taught her I was scum. After Cody
was born, she left; said she didn't want him growin' up around me and the way I
live. Funny thing though, she used to live this way as well and loved it. So
now she's livin' the high, fancy fucked life with her new man.”

 I
shouldn't have asked. To me it sounded as though he still had feelings for her.
It hurt.

 I
cleared my throat. “Uh, what did Cody mean last night, that she was busy?”

 “They
had some friends over. Cody hates it. They always want him locked in his
fuckin' room. I'm sure he came over just to piss her off. Can't say I blame
him.”

 Poor Cody.

 “It
seemed to me he'd like to stay with you.”

 He
went up onto one elbow and looked down at me. “And I'd have him. But she won't
have it. I've tried. I fought her, been through the courts. They always take
one fuckin' look at me and say 'hell no'.” He took my hand in his, fingers
entwined.

 “Um,
are you still getting weekends with him?”

 He
nodded. “Every second. This one comin'.”

 “Good.
I'd like to get to know him.”

 Something
flared in his eyes as he looked at me. I liked what I saw, but I couldn't trust
it. He still loved his ex. The mother of his child.

 “He
and I would fuckin' love that. Now—” He looked over his shoulder to the clock.
“We still got time, kitten, to fool around.”

 “Uh,
no.”

 He
arched one brow.
Am I the only loser who can't do that?
“Kitten,” he
whispered.

 “This,
uh, shouldn't happen between us.”

 “Christ.
What is going on now? You'd just said you're—”

 “Wait.
That wasn't me talking; that was...ah, my...um, fandola.”

 “You're
fuckin' what?”

 “You
know. My—” with my eyes I gestured to my privates, “—down there.”

 He
smiled, and then burst out laughing. “Fuck me. You can't even say pussy,
vagina, cu-”

 I
jumped him and placed my hand over his mouth. Which brought me to lie across
him. His arm tightened around my waist. “No. That word is not to be used in
this house.” I glared.

 He
grinned behind my hand, his eyes turning warm.

 “And
anyway, we can't have anything between us when you still love your ex.”

 Shit, shit, shit.
I shouldn't have said
that. His eyes turned hard and scary. I thanked the high heaven when his phone
chose that moment to ring. He sat up; I landed back on the bed.

 “What?”
he hissed. “Right.” He hung up and turned toward me, leaning down so our noses
just touched.

 Damn
it, I should have taken that time to bolt for the door.

 “I
don't know where you got that fucked up idea in your head, but it had better be
gone when I get back.”

 “Um.”

 “No.
No ‘um’; I do not still love that bitch. If I did, I wouldn't be pursuing you
so I could have your nice piece of ass in my bed. I don't play games, kitten.
Now, kiss me.”

 “Huh?”

 “Kiss
me, kitten. I have to go deal with shit.”

 “Uh,
I have to go get Maya.”

 “I
know that. So fuckin' hurry up and kiss me and I'll see you tonight for
dinner.”

 “What?”

 “Dinner,
I assume you eat it. I'll be over 'bout six.”

 “But
Maya will be here.”

 “I
also know that, babe. She’s gotta get used to the idea of us two; may as well
start tonight, and then she can meet Cody when I get him tomorrow after
school.”

 “But—”

 “Fuck
it, you're takin' too long.” Then he kissed me a toe-curling, pantie-dripping,
tongue-bathing kiss. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against mine. “I
reckon you'll be worth it. See ya tonight, kitten.” And then he left.

 What in the hell just happened?

I
had no time to process anything. As soon as Talon left, my door
swung open and in piled Deanna, Mattie and Julian, holding a plate of crackers,
cheese, and dip. While we ate, I told them what went down.

 “Oh
my fuckin' God,” Deanna said when I got to the part about him coming back for
tea, and Maya, and Cody, and every—freaking out—thing.

 “I
know, I know.” I sighed and paced the room while munching on some crackers. “He
thinks it's time to play family. I haven't even slept with the guy. What
happens if he's no good, or he thinks I'm no good and runs a—”

 “Shut
the fuck up,” Deanna said in her most mild-mannered way from where she sat on
my bed, once again.

 I was really starting to get sick of people telling me to shut up.

 “You
are both gonna rock each other’s world; no doubt about that shit. And I reckon
he's right. If he don't step up and get the kids involved, you'll run a fuckin'
mile scared outta ya brain again.”

 Oh,
that was low, and cunning, and how come I never thought of it that way?

 “I
think, hun, what this chica meant when she said 'oh my Gawd’, was regarding you
thinkin' Captain America still loves his ex.” Julian smiled from the bed.

 “Oh.”

 “Yeah,
oh—” Deanna began until I held up my hand.

 “Before
you start telling me what an idiot I am, can we leave it, 'cause I have to go
get Maya?”

 “You
know I would have said more than idiot, but I shall delay my knocking some
sense into your dumb-witted brain until later. Let’s scat people; we got a
devil-child to pick up.”

 I
rolled my eyes. Maya wasn't a devil child; she was just born thirty and smarter
than Deanna most times.

 “Hey,
where'd Vi and Warden get to anyway?” I asked as I exited my room.

 “Some
PI crap. Said they'd catch ya sometime. Oh,and don't come in to work tomorrow
since it’s Friday. Start back Monday,” Deanna informed me.

 I
turned to face her once we were in the lounge room. “That's nice of her. But I
need to keep my mind occupied, and work will do that.”

 “I'm
sure Gladiator will keep you busy enough tomorrow.” Julian grinned and then
looked to Mattie and back to me saying, “Hey, nut crackers, how 'bout you two
go, and we'll make a start on dinner.” Julian did some weird gesture with his
eyes.

 It
took me a second to figure out what he was meaning. But then it clicked, Mattie
was nervous about meeting Maya for the first time. Of course, it was better to
have that moment between just the family. I smiled and nodded my understanding.
Actually, I was excited to bring Maya home to meet her uncle. She’d seen photos
of him from when he was younger, but I didn’t have any recent ones. I wondered
if she would recognize him.

 A
pang of hurt hit me.

 How
was I going to explain to my six-year-old that she'd never get to meet her
grandparents? I knew it would be harder for me to tell her than what it would
be for her to hear.

 Oh, God.

 Before
I was allowed to wallow in worry, Deanna pulled me toward the door and reminded
me of yet another situation to worry about.

 “Don't
forget Zee's human vibrator will be joining us tonight.”

Spotting
Maya in a crowd was easier than getting Deanna not to swear. Honestly, many
things were a lot easier than stopping Deanna from cussing. Maya came bounding
our way with a big smile on her face and her long, dark, curly locks tied in a
ponytail on top of her head.

 I
looked behind me at our tail. Talon had obviously asked Pick to follow us
wherever we had to go. He was standing a few paces away, leaning against a car,
waiting and watching. All Deanna wanted to do was go to the drug store and pick
up some condoms, tampons, and pads, then call out to Pick and ask him if they
were all okay. Thankfully, we didn't have time.

 “Hi,
Momma. Aunty Deanna. Guess what we learned today?” Maya grinned as she reached
us and handed me her backpack to carry.

 “Let
me guess, that all boys have cooties?” Deanna asked. I smacked the back of her
head.

 “No-o-o.”

 “Your
two times tables?” I asked, as we made our way home with Maya skipping beside
us. And Pick following; I didn't understand why he wasn't just walking with us.
On the way to school I went to ask him, but before I even had a chance to take
a step toward him, he barked out a 'no' and 'keep walking.'

 Maya
turned to me so I could see her eye roll. “Ma, I learned that in prep. You're
never gonna guess, so I'll tell you. Do you know what lots of geese are
called?”

 “No,
baby, I don't.”

 “A
gaggle.”

 “Wow,”
Deanna said dully.

 “What
about asses?” Maya asked.

 Deanna
laughed; I hid mine with a cough. “I think you mean donkeys.”

 “That's
what Mrs. Faith said, too. But Donny said they're also called asses, and 'cause
she's a teacher she can't lie; so I asked if that was true and she said yes. So
do you know what a group of them are?”

 “Men,”
Deanna muttered.

 I
shook my head at her and said to Maya, “No, I don't have a clue.”

 “A
pace.”

 “That's
interesting stuff, Maya. I'm glad you learned something today.”

 “Me
too. So what's for dinner, Mum?”

 Was
every child on the face of the planet programmed to ask that question after school?
I think they were.

 “Not
sure just yet. But I have a surprise for you,” I said as we walk up the front
steps to the porch.