Page 34 of Tight Ends & Tiaras
BEN
I unloadthe Target bags from my Rover and pray this doesn’t go sideways. Sienna’s been through a lot lately, and I hate putting this on her too, but she promised this wasn’t a big deal.
Janelle smiles at me as she bounces Lily on her hip.
I can’t deny this situation feels surreal. This right here, a family with Janelle, is everything I thought I wanted in high school. Someone I could devote my heart and soul to, someone who would have my back.
Not having my parents and sister in my life fucked me up, and I guess I figured having a family of my own would fill that hole.
But when I look at Janelle, that brick wall I erected after she dumped my sorry ass is bigger than ever.
I feel... nothing. Not anger or hatred or pain or affection. Just this empty space she used to inhabit when we were kids driving country roads and sharing our hopes for the future. Who says apathy is bad? If it’ll protect me from this woman, I’m down for apathy.
My only worry is that I won’t know how to let anyone else in. Like my daughter.
When we get to Sienna’s front door, I knock, and Janelle gives me a look.
“Don’t you have a key?”
A key would be helpful in making this convincing, wouldn’t it?
Before I can respond, the door opens, and Sienna gives me a wide smile that brightens my whole day.
“Damn, you look... beautiful as always.” I want to say ‘edible.’ ‘Stunning.’ ‘Mouthwatering.’ But this is supposed to be fake, and I don’t want to weird out my friend.
Sienna’s sporting some skintight yoga outfit, which reminds me that Winston is a dumb motherfucker. The bandage on her head is gone, and her hair is up in a ponytail that hides the stitches. And the shiners are gone, which must be makeup because when I checked in with her yesterday, she still had bruises under her eyes.
The final result definitely has my attention.
Even my dick sits up and takes notice of Sienna.
She’s lean and toned everywhere. Sleek. Her breasts might be on the smaller side, but it fits her gorgeous body. She’s like a sculpture. A goddess. All I can think is that I’d like to take her sweet nipples in my mouth and lave them with my tongue.
I can only hope she knows what Destiny said was bullshit. Because her body is perfection. Much like her sunny personality.
Here’s the truth. A lot of women are beautiful, but it’s what’s on the inside that takes someone to the next level.
There I go, sounding like some Hallmark shit.
Sienna’s smile widens, and she steps up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek, but I don’t notice until the last moment and swing around to enter her house, which lands her mouth on mine.
Our eyes connect, and hers widen for a split-second before she closes them and runs her hand through my hair. “Missed you,” she mumbles against my mouth, obviously for Janelle’s sake, but damn. I can’t deny how much I like being greeted by her like this.
It’s a quick kiss, but her soft lips on mine are enough for me to wonder what it would be like to really plant one on her without an audience.
Sienna plays off the awkward situation like a champ. Like we do this all the time.
Then she notices Lily. “Oh, my goodness. Is this your daughter? She’s such a beauty!”
Lily jams her thumb in her mouth and buries her face in her mother’s neck.
Sienna smiles at my ex. “Hi, you must be Janelle.” Sienna’s naturally friendly demeanor doesn’t exude even a hint of cattiness, which I appreciate more than words can say, because I have a feeling Janelle has more than enough attitude.
Janelle gives her a tight-lipped nod.
When she doesn’t say anything, Sienna ushers us in. “So you knew this guy in high school? Was he a hottie then too?” she asks with a chuckle, and for some reason, my ears get hot.
Janelle gets a blasé look on her face as she bounces Lily again. “As example A suggests,” she says as she waves her hand over our daughter, “he was good in the sack.”
