Chapter Seven

 

Veronica

 

For the first time in years, I wake up slowly instead of being jarred awake by an alarm or Aiden. I climb through the levels of consciousness in increments until I’m aware of the soft bed beneath me and the warm body against my back. Neal’s arm is draped over me, and when I open my eyes, his hand lies near my face. Maybe I’m just tired, or still a little spaced out from the weed last night, but I spend a long minute just staring at it.

I’ve always had a thing for a man’s hands. And Neal’s are a great example of why. Large and strong, with long fingers. Absently, I slide my hand under his to feel his smooth palm and slightly rougher fingers. Those hands were all over me last night, touching me inside and out, until I was left in a blissed out fog of post orgasmic exhaustion.

I had no idea sex could be that amazing. I was seventeen when I got pregnant and I had only been with Clint, whose idea of great sex was kissing for two minutes then bending me over something.

Neal took his time, touched, kissed, licked, and drove me insane with more orgasms than I thought I was capable of. And I spent just as much time exploring his body, reveling in the moans and hisses he made, especially when my lips were around his cock.

His cock.

It deserves an award. I could write poetry about it. Ode to the perfect penis. Or maybe a Haiku. Isn’t it five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables?

 

Smooth and glorious

Grace my vagina again

With your stiff magic

 

Nah, that one sounds creepy.

 

Leaning to the left

Extravagantly swollen

I shall call you Rod

 

Yeah, that’s better.

I’m lost in my ridiculous thoughts when Neal’s arm tightens around me. It’s possible he’s awake because I was wiggling my ass against him, but in my defense, he started it with that morning hard-on prodding me.

“Good morning,” he murmurs, running his thumb back and forth across my navel.

“Morning.”

It’s painfully silent for a few moments while a war rages in my head. Last night wasn’t enough. I want him again, and we have time. But I’m also clear headed today and I know this has been a mistake we’ll probably regret later.

He rests his chin on my shoulder. “I can hear those wheels spinning in your head, V. Say what you need to.”

“Everything goes back to normal today.”

“Yes.”

“After a morning quickie.” There goes my ass again, pressing against him, being all greedy. I’ve lost control of it.

Chuckling, he plants a kiss on the back of my neck, and grabs my knee, pushing my leg forward. His hand trails down over my ass before he slips a thick finger inside me. I’m already wet and ready, so he doesn’t hesitate to add another finger. We stay right like that, on our sides with his body pressed to mine while he moves them slowly, in and out, his fingertips dragging over that sweet spot just right to make me moan and squirm. Damn, he’s good at this. Clint used to finger me like there was a lottery ticket in there he had to scratch off.

He withdraws his hand and shifts his hips until his cock is between my legs. In one firm thrust, he buries himself inside me, and I can’t help the cry that leaves my throat. It’s deep this way. Hot, licking kisses rain down on my neck and shoulders as he fucks me in a slow, steady, mind blowing rhythm.

I turn my head and find his lips, kissing him as my hand reaches back, running over every bit of him I can reach. “Neal.” His name falls from my lips, and his eyes burn into mine. The combination of the way he’s making me feel and the intensity of his gaze on mine is too much, too intimate, and I have to close my eyes.

“Does that feel good?” he murmurs.

“God, yes. Harder,” I plead.

Rising up over me a little, he grabs my hand that’s reaching for him and pins it, along with the other, to the bed. I’m trapped , rolled so far on my side I’m nearly on my stomach. Hard, fast thrusts send streaks of pleasure through me, faster and faster until they’re piling up, building to a height I’ve never felt and not sure I can handle. Just as I’m ready to plead for mercy, I’m rocked by a surge of spasms that reduces me to a incoherent mess. All I can do is grip his hand that still holds mine down as I ride out the wonderfully devastating attack on all my senses.

This man just owned me. Took my body and made it do things I didn’t know it was capable of.

Fuck.

Our heavy breathing is the only sound in the room as we both recover. He slips out of me, then pulls me back against his chest, holding me like I may make a run for it. It’s tempting, because I’m torn between asking him to fuck me like that every day until I’m old and crotchety, and hating him because this is supposed to be a one day casual thing, but he made me feel way too much. Stupid emotions will screw everything up. I don’t want to be that girl who can’t get laid without turning all psycho. And I could. The way I feel now, I want to climb his cock, plant a flag on top, and claim Mount Pecker in the name of Veronica, marking it for my own use only.

“Are you okay?” he asks, kissing my neck.

Space. I need space.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He releases me as I wiggle away, and I can feel his eyes on my back as I rummage through my dresser for clean clothes. “I’m going to take a quick shower before I have to pick up Aiden.” Without looking at him or giving him a chance to respond, I flee to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

One night. It was one hell of an amazing night, but it’s over, and I need to get a grip. Neal has been a wonderful friend to me, and Aiden is crazy about him and Bailey, so I can’t screw this up by acting weird just because we licked each other’s genitals.

It’s decided then. I won’t be weird. I guess that starts now since I just ran away and locked the bathroom door behind me, but I can’t have him in the shower with me. We did that last night and the sight of his sexy, lean body is already imprinted deeply in my brain.

As the water washes the smell of our night from my skin, I close my eyes, and try to get a grip. I’m twenty-three years old. I should be perfectly capable of having some casual sex without freaking out like a smitten teenage girl over an older guy.

I can do this.

Just maintain, girl.

My little self pep talk seems to help until I leave the bathroom and find Neal sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling on his shoes. He looks up at me with concern. “V, are we okay?”

“Of course.” I force a smile. “We had a little naked fun while the kids were gone. It’s no big deal. Everything is fine.”

Skepticism is written all over his face, but he nods anyway, and drops a kiss on my forehead as he leaves the room. “Bailey just called. Do you want me to pick up Aiden while I’m there and save you the trip?”

“No thanks. I have some stuff to do, so I’ll pick him up in a few.”

He stops at the front door, then strides back over and pulls me into a hug. My response is automatic. My arms tighten around him and my face burrows into his neck while I breathe in his scent that is suddenly so alluring.

My racing heart calms, and I can feel my muscles relax. He steps back and grins down at me. “I have to work tomorrow. How about we grill out after I get home?”

“Sounds good. I’ll make some baked macaroni. Bailey loves it.” See, everything is right back to normal. No harm done.

I release the breath I was holding as soon as the door falls shut behind him.

 

# # #

 

Neal’s car is still at the community center a few minutes later when I show up to get Aiden. My head really isn’t in the right place to talk to him again right now, but I have to act like everything is normal.

Noble, Jani, Wyatt, and Neal all stand together, talking with a woman I don’t recognize. Aiden and Eddie are racing around them, laughing. It looks like they’re getting along better, at least. Jani waves at me as I enter, and Neal gives me a smile that makes my stomach dip and rise.

As I approach, the other woman turns to me and crosses her arms. She looks at me like I’m tracking in dog shit or something. I don’t know what her problem is, but I am not in the mood.

“You’re Aiden’s mother?” she demands.

So, I guess we’re just skipping the niceties. “I’m Veronica, and yes, Aiden is my son.”

I barely get the words out before she points a finger in my face. Jani’s eyebrows jump up, and she calls to the kids to join her to get their stuff together, leading them away. She knows me well enough to know this won’t be pretty.

See, I’m the most laid back person you’d ever want to meet, but that doesn’t mean I take shit, especially when it comes to my kid. I’m not one of those parents that thinks my kid can do no wrong, and I make him apologize if he misbehaves in public or wrongs someone, but I don’t care if Aiden pissed on this woman’s feet, she has no right getting in my face.

“Well, you need to speak to your son! He told my Manny that—”

“First.” I interrupt, taking a step toward her, which makes her retreat a step. “Get your finger out of my face. Second, don’t tell me I need to do anything. If there’s been some disagreement between our kids, we can discuss it like adults, which usually begins with an introduction.”

Her lips purse, but I can see a bit of fear along with annoyance. “I’m Madison Blue.”

“What did Aiden do, Mrs. Blue?”

Neal, Wyatt, and Noble are all watching, and judging by the way they’re trying not to smile, this isn’t going to be good.

Mrs. Blue glances around at her audience and huffs, “Manny was trying to talk about Jesus and the story of Easter when Aiden began using foul language.”

Shit.

There’s some foul language for her. We aren’t religious, so whatever Aiden said to offend her was probably innocent, but I’m surprised he was swearing. He never does that.

“What did he say?”

Noble snorts, covers his mouth, and looks away as Mrs. Blue struggles to answer. Her mouth opens and closes multiple times.

“Feel free to spell it,” I invite. It’s so ridiculous. She’s like forty years old and she can’t swear?

Stepping closer, she hisses, “He said penis!”

It takes me a moment to process, since I was expecting an actual swear word, not a body part. “I-what did he say?”

“I’m not saying it again!” She glares at me.

“No, I heard you. He said penis. It’s the context I’m not clear on.”

“He was talking nasty. He told Manny that Jesus had a penis.”

Neal loses it, his body shaking as he tries to conceal it. It doesn’t help that Wyatt can’t stop smiling. He owns this place so I’m glad he’s not all pissed off over this.

Catching Aiden’s eye, I wave him over, and Mrs. Blue calls for her kid. I swear, there are some conversations you never think you’ll have to have. And not discussing religious figures’ genitals has to be near the top of the list.

“Aiden, Mrs. Blue said you were talking about penises,” I tell him.

His eyes widen, and he gazes around at everyone listening. I can remember that feeling from when I was a kid, how awful it was to get in trouble in front of people. Kneeling down to his level, I continue. “You aren’t in trouble. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on. What were you talking about?”

Aiden inches toward Neal, and his hand unconsciously attaches to the outer leg of Neal’s jeans. “You said that all boys have penises.”

We did have this conversation lately. He’s five. These are normal questions for him to have. I just should’ve made it clear it’s not an appropriate topic elsewhere.

“Manny told me that Jesus was a guy who came back from the dead for Easter. If Jesus is a boy, then he has a penis.”

This is what she’s all worked up over? I mean, technically, he’s right. Mrs. Blue gives me an expectant look, like she’s hoping I’ll tear into my kid.

“Listen, Ade, you’re right. Boys have penises. But there are some things that aren’t always appropriate to talk about.”

“Like vaginas too?”

There’s not a person within earshot that’s not laughing now, but I manage to keep a straight face.

“What’s a vagina?” Manny asks, speaking up for the first time.

“Don’t say that!” Mrs. Blue snaps, and he takes a step back.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know it was a bad word.” Poor kid.

“It’s not, a vagina is what girls have instead of a penis,” Aiden explains, as if he’s a pro on the subject.

“Nuh-uh!” Manny cries. “Girls don’t have nothing! Their butts just go all the way around!”

“Manny! Go wait in the lobby. Now!”

Swallowing back a chuckle, I grab Aiden’s hand and look him in the eye. “It’s not appropriate to talk about this stuff in public. If you have questions about private parts, you come and talk to me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you go hang with Bailey for a minute until I’m ready to go?”

Smiling, he nods and bounces off in her direction.

Mrs. Blue glares at me as she realizes I’m not punishing my kid for an innocent—and frankly, funny—mistake. “Maybe if you attended church occasionally, your kid would know how to act in polite society.”

This bitch did not.

I give her my best smile when I reply. “Maybe if you got some penis every now and then you could pull that giant stick out of your ass and not be such a prude. If you can’t get a real one, Scarlet Toys has a wide selection.”

Her jaw drops, and she glances around at everyone, clearly expecting someone to come to her defense. When all she gets are shrugs and snorts of laughter, she stalks away without another word.

“I’m sorry. I will talk to Aiden,” I tell Wyatt, who is wiping tears from his eyes.

“It’s fine. He’s a kid. It wasn’t a big deal.”

I join in the laughter as everyone loses it again.

This is my life as a mom.

Jesus penis.

For fuck’s sake.

“Stop in the office before you leave,” Wyatt tells me. “Cassidy wants to talk to you about something.”

Great. My kid has probably been telling people his penis sticks up sometimes, since that was another uncomfortable conversation that took place recently.

Leaving Aiden to hang out with Bailey for another minute, I find Cassidy waiting in the office. “Come in,” she calls with a smile. “How have you been?”

“Good, how about you?”

“Can’t complain. I wanted to see if you might be interested in sending Aiden to our Pre-K program. We’re going to start offering it year round, so it would work like a daycare through the summer, but they’ll still be learning.”

Sending Aiden to preschool instead of dragging him to work with me would make both of our lives better, but I know I can’t afford it. Even the cheapest daycare services charge almost half my salary, and I don’t have much to spare.

“That sounds great, and I appreciate you thinking of us, but I can’t afford it at the moment.”

Cassidy flashes a smile. “The program is new and we’re still finding our feet, but we want it to be a positive force in Morganville. Five spots are reserved for low income families. I’d like to offer Aiden one of those spots. There’s no cost. We’ll be open from seven a.m. to seven p.m. Monday through Saturday. So, he’d be welcome anytime between those hours.”

Her words permeate my tired brain, and I sink into the chair in front of her desk. “You’re offering me free daycare?”

“Yes. I spent some time with Aiden last night, and he really enjoyed being here. I think he’d fit in perfectly.”

My mind is spinning, and I have to push the burst of pride out of the way. The same pride that won’t allow me to accept welfare payments or food stamps. It killed me to move to Violent Circle because I knew the place was known for being the poor side of town, but there wasn’t any choice involved there. It was the only way to keep a roof over our heads.

Cassidy leans across the desk and lays a hand on mine. “I know what you’re feeling. I used to live in the same apartment you do, remember? We all helped each other, and I know from Jani that you do the same for neighbors who need you. This isn’t charity or a handout. You work hard, and your kid deserves an education and a chance to be with kids his age. Money shouldn’t get in the way of that.”

Swallowing hard, I nod. “Thank you so much. If you need parent volunteers—”

Her head falls back as she laughs and leans back. “Oh, we absolutely do. Once he gets settled in, I’ll get with you and we’ll see in what ways you can help.”

“Okay. What do I need to sign him up?”

“We just need to see his shot records to make sure he’s up to date on vaccinations.” She whips out a piece of paper and hands it to me. “Here is the overview of the program, how we’ll handle lunch and snacks, field trips, etc. He can start on Monday if you like.”

“He’ll be here.”

“Eddie is starting Monday as well, and they’re moving onto Violent Circle this week, so he’ll have a friend here his first day,” Cassidy remarks, scribbling on a paper.

Or a frenemy, I think, biting back a smile. Wait until Aiden finds out Eddie is going to be his neighbor as well. “Thanks again. I’ll bring the paperwork in with him on Monday.”

We manage to make it out of the community center without any further drama. Aiden climbs in the backseat, then groans when he sees the baskets full of laundry.

“Sorry, kiddo. It needs done. I brought your tablet and snacks.”

Usually, I hate the laundromat as much as he does, but Emily is working today, and I need to talk to someone.

At least the place isn’t busy. After I get Aiden settled in at a table with a bag of chips, juice box, and his tablet, I load up the washers with this week’s dirty clothes. What I’d give for a washer and dryer at home.

Aiden is lost in the world of his cartoons when Emily waves me over. She’s working behind the counter, ironing a stack of shirts.

“Hungover?” she teases.

“Nah, I only drank one beer.”

Her lips twitch as she runs the iron across a collar. “I saw Neal leaving your place this morning.” Yeah, I’m sure half the neighborhood did. She continues. “Is this where you swear he slept on the couch and you’re just friends?”

“No,” I sigh, glancing back to make sure no one is in earshot. “This is where I tell you he fucked my brains out, and all I can think about is having him again.”

“It’s about damned time.”

“It was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

“Is that you talking or him?” Emily sets down her work, grabs a soda from the table and comes around the counter to stand beside me.

“Both of us. We agreed it was a one night thing.”

“So, you’re both idiots.”

I shove her. “No, we both have kids we have to consider.”

Emily stares at Aiden. “Look, I can’t speak as a parent, but I’ve seen Aiden with Neal. He adores him. And I know Bailey is close to you.”

“And we can keep it that way. But if we tried to date and it didn’t work out, we could ruin that.”

Emily nods. “I see where you’re coming from, but, I think it’s too late for those kinds of worries now. You’ve already been together, you won’t be satisfied with a friendship anymore. I’ve been there.”

That’s what I’m worried about.

“I’m just going to act like nothing ever happened, and I’m sure he’ll do the same.”

“Let me know how that works out.” She grabs my arm and whispers. “That’s the guy I was telling you about. No ring, but always washes a bunch of kid’s clothes. Isn’t he sexy?”

He is. And his gaze searches out Emily. Smiling, he nods at her, and I swear she practically dissolves into a puddle beside me. “What do you know about him? Other than he wants in your panties?”

She swats at me. “He does not. I don’t know anything about him. I’ve never spoken to him, other than a passing hello.”

“So, go talk to him.”

She scoffs. “Yeah, because it’s that easy. I’ll just walk up and offer him some fabric softener. Besides, he’s probably got a brood of kids and he must have ten years on me.”

It’s probably closer to fifteen, but the guy is as fit as any twenty-five year old. The only real sign of his age is the gray that peppers his hair and beard.

“Have we decided we’re both just going to be spinsters and live with a load of cats, then?” I ask.

“It’s looking more likely. Uh…Veronica?” Emily tilts her head in the mystery man’s direction, and I see Aiden heading his way.

“Shit. I have to go before he starts talking about Jesus penis.”

Emily blinks and exclaims. “What?”

“It’s a long story.”