After picking up Jack from Char’s house, I don’t know which one of us is more excited to go over to Faye’s. Granted, I was reluctant to leave him with Char while I was out of town, but Faye convinced me to do it, and it all worked out okay. “Did you and your mom have fun, buddy?”

“Yeah, we didn’t do any shopping, Dad. We built Legos and watched movies. It was fun.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

“I can’t wait to hang out with Braxley.”

“Yeah? You miss him?” He nods his head, and I’m glad the boys have each other. They’ve become the best of friends. Checking my phone at a stoplight, I still have not heard back from Faye. I texted her hours ago asking if she needed anything on my way, and her silence is beginning to make me nervous.

As we pull up to her house, I put the car in park and tell Jack, “Before we go in, I gotta show you something.”

He unbuckles his seat belt and walks with me to the back of my SUV. I open the hatch, and when he sees the huge oversized beanbag chair, he jumps up and down. “Is that for me, Dad?”

“Yours is at home, but this one is for Braxley. You think he’ll like it?”

“Yes! Is mine the same color?”

“Yup, both are gray, buddy.”

I grab the monstrous beanbag out the back of my car, and Jack runs inside the house. He’s so comfortable here; he doesn’t even bother to knock anymore.

“Knock, knock,” I say, following him inside. But I don’t see or hear Faye.

“Isn’t it cool?” Jack says with Braxley next to him, and I set the beanbag down. The boys jump on it together and sit there for about a half a second before running off. “Where’s your mom?” I yell after them, and Braxley responds, “Painting.”

I walk up the stairs to the studio, and I can see Faye in front of a canvas as soon as I reach the top. Quietly, I stand in the doorway and just watch her. She’s painting something new, and right away, I know why she didn’t text me back. She’s in her flow; her arm is moving continuously as she brings another amazing painting to life.

“Is it the beach?” I ask her, and she jumps, her paintbrush flying in the air.

“Shit, Thane, you scared me.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her with a grin on my face, as I pull my usual chair up next to her and hand her the paintbrush. She shyly smiles at me, and I wonder if it’s because of what we did on the phone last night.

I don’t want her to be shy around me, so I try and lighten the mood. “Hey, has anyone ever asked you to send them nudes?” My tone is sarcastic, and she smirks slapping my shoulder.

“What? It’s a legitimate thing, that’s what all the cool kids are doing these days.”

“I don’t even want to know how you know that.”

“So has anyone?” I ask her again.

“Just this one guy?”

“Did you do it?”

She nods and rests her head on my shoulder, no longer shy, and I run my hands through her hair before cupping her face, loving that we’ve broken through the barrier that was holding us back for so long.

“You been painting all day?”

She places the brush in the cup of water and lets out a deep sigh.

“Uh huh.” Something is bothering her. I want to turn her towards me and force her to let me in, to tell me what’s the matter, but I’m also scared. I respect her and don’t want to push too hard, too soon…so I wait.

“I took Braxley to the cemetery today,” she finally says, and my stomach churns. I couldn’t imagine doing that. I can’t imagine what she’s gone through, or what it was like for Braxley. He’s so young and trying to process it all has to be a lot.

“Oh, God, Faye, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I needed to do it and surprisingly…he’s stronger than I thought. Hell, he’s stronger than I am. But…it was still so hard to do. When we got home, I knew I had to stay busy, or my mind would spiral, so here I sit.”

“Can I ask why you decided to take him now?” From our past conversations, I know he hasn’t been since the funeral, and she was okay not taking him until he was older.

“He woke up missing Ben and asking questions. I felt in my heart it was the right thing to do.”

“Fuck, Faye, you are so amazing, you know that, right?”

She shakes her head, and I pull her tightly against my chest. She nuzzles up to me, and I don’t push her. Instead I just let her be. Enjoying her in my arms.

From the hallway, we both hear some commotion. She looks at me wide-eyed, and I stare back at her wondering what in the world the boys are doing. Then our parental instincts kick in when we hear a thud, and she darts out into the hallway. Looking down the stairs, the beanbag is on top of Braxley. He’s laughing as he’s lying on his back and Jack is barely holding on to the top.

“Oh my God! What happened and where did you get that thing?” Faye asks them, and I slip around her, taking the beanbag from Jack’s hand.

“Thane brought it for me. Isn’t it cool?” he asks her as he stands to his feet. She looks up at me with a disapproving glare, and I walk off, carrying the chair into his room.

“It’s huge!” she exclaims as they all follow me, and I give her a half-crooked smile. It does kinda swallow his room whole, but oh well. “I know it’s big, trust me, I know,” I say, and she catches right on to my innuendo, shaking her head, her face flushed. The boys are both sitting in it as they start to play their video game again, not paying attention to me, and I tip my head directing her out. Clearly, Braxley isn’t hurt from the fall; he was laughing after all.

“Where did you get that thing?” she asks me as we head downstairs.

“I have a client who I fly privately for, and he just bought into a beanbag company.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yup, and he asked if I wanted one. So I got two, one for Braxley and one for Jack.”

“That’s so sweet of you, Thane.”

“Even though it’s so huge?” I ask her as she leans back on the kitchen counter and nods her head. I can’t help letting my mind wander as I watch her chest heaving up and down. Her lips are plump, and my cock throbs watching her.

Jesus, I want her.

Stepping up to her, she looks me in the eye, so trusting, and I hold on to the countertop next to her hands. She breathes her sweet breath all over mine, and I grab the back of her head, keeping every single thing that I do so slow, painfully slow, but I want to give her the time to tell me to stop if I’m pushing too fast.

My heart slams inside me—since the moment I met her I’ve wanted her. Then as tenderly as possible, I kiss her. I fear rejection in this moment, but she doesn’t stop me. She threads her fingers into the back of my hair. I groan and press my body fully against hers, letting her feel me, letting her know what control she has over me.

As her tongue teases mine, our hands explore one another and then suddenly, she pulls away, breathless, but I can’t stop, and I move to her neck. She whimpers while I kiss and nip on her hot skin.

“Stop,” she tells me, and I freeze, knowing deep down it was too good to be true. It’s not that I expected to fuck her right here, right now, but I’d hoped she wouldn’t suddenly ask me to stop.

“What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing! Please don’t think that. I just didn’t want us to go too far with the boys right upstairs.”

“Are you sure?” I ask her.

“Yes.” I look deep into her eyes, reading her, wanting to make sure that she’s being honest. “I promise,” she finally tells me, clearly sensing my worry.

Leaning into her, I peck her lips, again and again, needing the reassurance, and she kisses me back. Once I stop with my forehead resting against hers, I tell her, “I could kiss you all night long, Faye.”

And I could, but I hope she’ll give me more because if she will, I’ll cherish every single second that I have with this amazing woman.