“That was an excellent story, Matthew.”
Kelly glanced over her shoulder and watched Roman close the storybook. He was nodding appreciatively.
“The illustrations are great.”
“I know what that means,” Matty crowed. “Look.”
She turned slightly, wiping her hands on a dish towel, and watched them. Matty took the book, dropped it to the carpet and got on his belly as the pages flipped. Pointing, he turned and looked up at Roman.
“This says who drew the pictures. Kiki told me. And this is the au-thor,” he carefully enunciated the way only a small child did.
Roman stretched out alongside Matty, leaning on an elbow as he looked to be closely inspecting the things being pointed out. Feeling a little bit like a forgotten outsider, she’d been reigning in a surge of jealousy ever since Matty decided the stranger in their midst was deserving of all his attention. He took to Roman like, well, like she didn’t know like what since Matty never took to anyone.
That’s what was baffling. If she hadn’t been there and seen with her own two eyes how Matty had reacted, first with a protective outburst, only to wind up being the stranger’s new best friend.
And what was she doing while those two bonded over boy things? Hmph. She was behaving like a green-eyed twit on one hand while entertaining all sorts of dirty thoughts on the other.
Was this normal? How she felt? How could it be? It didn’t seem feasible that a rational person with no interest at all in the opposite sex would suddenly turn into a rapacious sex glutton. But that’s how she felt. Roman couldn’t move without her eyes darting to his crotch. If he walked across the room, she was eyeing up his junk and wondering all sorts of stuff. Practical stuff like what does it feel like when it starts getting hard or her new favorite thing to ponder…sex or suck? Guys had a thing for blow jobs. Every magazine article, on demand movie and book, made it seem like oral sex was the thing to do. This endless musing led to being caught several times licking her lips while her eyes were glued to his bulge.
Normal? Shit. She had no way of knowing and it didn’t help one little bit that she found it so difficult to keep thoughts of her mother out of it. Debbie whored herself out to one man over the entire span of her adult life, and it ended up killing her spirit.
She couldn’t help but ask over and over if she was walking down the same path. And then Roman would look at her, and she’d see the intensity in his gaze. This was no passing fancy. If she was wobbling emotionally like a spinning top running out of steam, so was he. Kelly saw it in his expression. This thing hit them both like a bolt of lightning.
Flipping the light off over the sink, she gave the kitchen a final once over and went to join her two guys in the living room. Her foot caught an imaginary dust bunny, and she stumbled awkwardly. Her two guys? Oh my god. Presumptuous much?
Roman looked up first. And then Matty. One pair of eyes she knew like the back of her hand. The other drew her in and made her tummy do summersaults.
Matty had moved and was reclining with his head resting on Roman’s side. He was rambling on about something and wiggling about like any rambunctious preschooler. The big man appeared completely at ease.
He’ll make a wonderful father she reflected, and then just as quickly pushed the thought away.
Roman’s smile warmed when she approached. He even held up a hand for her to come and sit with him. She sat cross-legged near his head and offered a quick wink. Matty never stopped talking.
“We have a list! Ya’ wanna see?” With that, he jumped up and ran to the bookshelf where his storybooks were shoved in haphazard piles.
Roman quirked a brow and looked at her with amusement in his expression. She shrugged her answer. When Matty was a man-on-a-mission, it was easier to just get out of the way.
Kelly’s jaw cranked open in surprise when Matty returned and instead of walking around them, tossed stapled pages of paper on the floor and scrambled to climb over Roman as if he was a piece of playground equipment. The boy’s instant connection with the unexpected visitor baffled her. People he knew, like the librarian in Fairley, those folks he wouldn’t speak to, but this guy? He was all over him like fruit flies on a rotting peach.
An annoying suspicion grew in her head. Didn’t he keep insisting that he was more friend than employee to…that other guy? Maybe Roman Bishop was just wired to get along with Matty because of his relationship with…”
Roman was trying to focus on the stack of papers Matty was waving in his face. “Kik says I have to read all these books before I can go to school. She lets me do the checkmark. See?”
Matty couldn’t wait to go to school. He’d go right now if he could. She totally got it, because school was something she’d been denied. Getting him ready to learn and make friends was top priority. The book list was her way of keeping Matty moving forward.
The only thing missing from her detailed plans was what the hell to do about the house and land. The Dulbs would take advantage the second she left and not even Sam and Ginny had a decent suggestion for how to handle things.
“Time for your bath,” she declared from left field. Suddenly she was tired of thinking. Tired of having her brain overwhelmed with too many changes all at once. “Straighten up this mess,” she muttered irritably, “and I’ll go fill the tub.”
All but running out of the room, she darted into the bathroom and leaned on the sink. She had to think. Get her head straight before…
“What’s wrong?”
Two strong hands landed on her shoulders and started a slow, firm massage. Tension rushed from her body. She turned slowly and moved straight into his arms.
“I wish you weren’t part of this.”
“By this, I’m assuming you mean Liam.”
Nodding her head, she hid her face in his chest. He smelled so good, and she liked the way it made her feel to cuddle against him.
She felt his long, deep inhale and exhale under her cheek. He had her firmly around the waist, and his other hand gently smoothed her hair in long strokes.
“I’m overwhelmed.” Her voice sounded small, frightened and childlike. Not what she intended, but some things couldn’t be helped.
His arm tightened. The rest came out in a pained groan. “And Matty likes you better than me.”
He chuckled. She felt his amusement and heard it rumble from deep in his chest. “You have nothing to worry about, Carina. He adores you. The rest? It’s a guy thing. A boy needs a man in his life.”
She hugged him around his waist and put her chin on his chest. He cocked his head and looked down at her, expectantly. He knew she had something to say.
“Are you that man or are you just standing in until the other one can swoop in?”
“Nobody is swooping in, and I think you know the answer. He’s a great kid. You’ve done a fantastic job.”
She didn’t say anything right away and ended up being glad for the hesitation when he added, “I’d be honored to help you with him, Kelly. But you’re the decider where Matthew is concerned.”
Damn straight she was! Snickering, she ended the hug and jostled him with her elbow as she moved away. “Ha! The little shit. He’s playing with you. You do know that, right? Making you call him Matthew. The apple didn’t fall far.”
He enjoyed her tease and let her know by swatting her butt as she sidled by. “Smart ass.”
“My mouth or my butt?”
He grabbed her so fast she yelped and crashed into him with a thud. Then he claimed her mouth with his lips and tongue while rubbing her bottom.
“Kiki,” a little voice giggled a minute into what ended up being a voracious kiss. “Ewww.”
Pushing off with her hands on his chest, she tried to pass off the fact that she’d been giving the big man a throat exam with her tongue.
“It’s little boys wearing dinner in their hair and marker ink on their fingers who are ‘ewww.’ Run and get your jammies and I’ll put smelly bubbles in the tub.”
“Hey! Roman. Ya’ wanna take a bath with me? I’ve got boats and dinosaurs to play with.”
“Sounds awesome big guy, but Kelly is frowning, see?” He was laughing at her! “And besides, I’ve got to make a phone call. Maybe next time.”
She glared at his answer. Matty squealed. “Okay,” and off he ran. Roman took her by the neck as soon as he left and pulled her face to his.
“Hey! Carina,” he teased using Matty’s exact delivery. “Ya’ wanna take a bath with me? I’ve got something you can play with.”
If he planned on kissing her he was in for disappointment because she laughed so hard there was a real danger of her peeing herself.
“Oh my god,” she whined playfully and with loads of mock exasperation. “You’re impossible. Go make your stupid call and let me get Matty ready for bed.”
“I’m still hungry,” he growled.
“Yeah? Well, you ate half a cow for dinner. Cut me a break.”
“I wasn’t talking about food.”
“Oh.” She swallowed and took a deep breath. “Is this where I say I’m hungry too?”
Roman’s knowing leer and sexy eyes almost reduced her to a puddle. “So I figured, Carina. Your eyes have been singeing my dick all night with heat. A little curious, hmm?”
There were questions she wanted to ask. Like, how does that whole oral thing work? After all, he’s quite a handful, and her mouth didn’t seem like much of a match against an anaconda. And what was the deal with ball fondling? Is it an extra or part of the ground game?
“You make me think dirty thoughts,” she laughed. “It’s all your fault. Now be good and go away.”’
“I like this bossy thing you’ve got going on. We might need to unleash some of that under the covers.”
“Roman,” she bit out. Crossing her arms, she gave him the look. “I’m serious. Go. Away.”
His shit eating, very pleased with his bad self grin was way too cute, and she needed to get him out of the small space before she did something stupid. Popping his sexy balloon was a good place to start.
“Oh, and by the way. You’re on the sofa tonight.” With a very pointed look, she ended with one word, “Matty.”
Yep. That totally threw him. A stunned, disbelieving expression shot onto his face. Her announcement took just enough of his alpha away to give her five seconds of upper hand.
“Now, out. Shoo!” she demanded with a hearty shove. “Don’t you have a call to make?”
He was in the hallway, still gaping at her with his mouth open, when Matty dashed down the hallway waving his pajamas.
“Ready,” he squealed.
Kelly shut the door on Roman’s astonished expression, blowing a kiss at the last second. Matty was chattering on as he ditched his clothes. She sat on the edge of the tub and adjusted the water temperature as a cloud of strawberry scented bubbles grew bigger and bigger.
She glanced at the closed bathroom door and choked off a giggle remembering his face. Did he really think she wasn’t going to use him like a jungle gym later? Sheesh. Men!
Roman juggled the phone between his shoulder and chin as he rifled through the ready-bag he always kept stashed in his vehicle. Good thing too, because he had a thing about fresh clothes and man-grooming. Another of his quirks; the result of having spent way too much time at the other end of the spectrum.
He’d grabbed the bag from the truck after being dismissed by a girl younger than him. How the hell did she do that? Wield the upper hand with such ease? He suspected she had no idea of the power at her command. Teaching her a few ways to get maximum benefit and pleasure out of her drill sergeant ways could be hella’ fun.
“And of course the motherfucker rallied,” he heard Liam grumble through the phone.
The raw anger in his friend’s voice didn’t bode well for the rest of the conversation. The guy was already on fire and Roman hadn’t managed to tell him much.
“Is Rhi there? May I speak to her for a minute?”
Dead silence greeted his request. And then Liam barked, “Are you trying to fucking handle me?”
The outraged, stupefied tone made Roman grimace. And sigh. And rub the back of his neck. “Yes. Now shut up and put her on.”
“I should fire your ass,” Liam complained.
“Yeah, yeah. Tiny violins. Put the female on the phone, Liam, and nobody gets hurt.”
It was just the right amount of levity, enough to get a chuckle from the man on the other end of the call.
“Suck my balls, Bishop.”
Two seconds later he heard Rhiann’s soft voice come over the wires. “He’s being a handful tonight,” she chortled as soon as she got on. Liam was griping about something in the background. Roman smiled. “Say it again Mr. Ashforth, and you’ll go to bed with no dessert.”
More griping and a few of Rhi’s eye-rolling sighs later she came back and huffed. “You owe me. He hates being outmaneuvered.”
“Sorry,” Roman quipped. “No time for deft handling I’m afraid. We’ve got an issue,” he told her with a good deal of hesitation.
“Is it serious?”
He growled. “Fuck, yeah.”
“Hang on.”
He went back to pulling shit from his bag while halfway listening to Rhiann lower the fiancée hammer on Liam by telling him to scram. Beat it. Be gone. Imagining his boss mumbling and scowling as she dismissed him was pretty funny.
Hmmm. Isn’t that what Kelly just did to you, dumbass?
“Okay. I gave him a toy to amuse himself with. It’s your dime, Roman. Tell me what’s up.”
He yanked on the ridiculously long and stretched out phone cord and walked to a spot where he could peer down the hallway. The bathroom door was still closed. Good.
For a few seconds, he took the phone away from his ear and pressed it to his forehead while a jumble of thoughts bounced around in his mind. Liam was going to freak when he learned about Matty. Plus, telling him that he was going to end up with no say whatsoever in how things went from here was not going to be easy. Which is exactly why he wanted to talk to Rhi.
“You might want to sit down,” he told her. “Okay. Here goes. We’re going to do this like a band-aid. Quickly. Please wait five seconds to react.”
“Understood,” she murmured.
He took a deep breath. “Kelly has a brother.” Rhiann’s shocked gasp didn’t surprise him. “He’s a full brother, Rhi. Not a half.”
Five.
Four.
Three
Two.
One.
“Please tell me you’re kidding. You’re just messing with me, right? Roman? Oh my god. Oh my god. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Yes. Liam has a half-brother too. And Rhi? Brace yourself. He’s only four years old.”
“Ho-ly shit.”
“There’s something else. Something that um, Liam isn’t going to like. Don’t get mad, please.”
Rhiann knew him well enough to pick up on the seriousness in his tone.
“What did you do?”
“Um, shit. Rhi, I need you to stay calm, okay? I mean look, I’m freaking out big time, so that should tell you a lot.”
“I can’t imagine what you could possibly do that warrants such a serious tone.”
Fuck. She was in for a surprise.
“Oh god. This is harder than I thought.” He cleared his throat. “The girl is, um…what I mean to say is, Kelly? Yeah. She’s uh…my responsibility.”
“What?”
He sighed.
Rhi asked, “Does she know this?”
“Actually,” he drawled, “here’s the thing. Kelly James? She makes her own decisions thank you very much, and I’m pretty fucking sure if she heard me claim that she’s mine, I’d be wearing her handprint on the side of my head.”
“You work fast, Mr. Bishop.”
He laughed. “Fuck, Rhi. I’d like to think I was half that smooth but the truth is, she did the claiming and just like with you and Liam, I never stood a chance.”
“This is fantastic,” she giggled. “I can’t wait to meet this girl. And the boy? What’s his name? Is he part of the deal too?”
“He’s most definitely part of the deal. Kelly has raised him by herself. And in case you cling to doubts, his name is Matthew Liam James.”
“No fucking way! For real? Oh my lord.”
“So here’s my question to you, Ms. Baron-Wilde. Do you want me to tell him or would you rather do the honors?”
“He’s going to…”
“Yep. He is.”
The bathroom door cracked open, and the sweet scent of strawberry hung in the air.
“Look, I have to go.”
“You dick! Is that your way of dumping this on me?” Rhiann was having a good laugh.
“Bingo. I’ll owe you one.”
“Fuck off.”
Roman grinned from ear-to-ear
“Wait,” she yelped. “Don’t hang up yet. I want a selfie.”
“Wouldn’t be able to send it. No signal.” That sounded reasonable, right?
Rhiann’s amused laughter rang out. “Nice try. Take the damn picture, Roman. At some point, maybe at the airport, whatever…you’ll have a signal. Fair warning. If you show up here before I get a look at my new sister and brother-in-law, I will kick your Semper Fi butt from here to kingdom come. Got it?”
Rhiann collected selfies the way others gathered smiles. “Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled. “Consider it done.”