Page 81 of An Unexpected Turn
“Some dream.” I shoved his arm when he laughed. “I’m faculty. A chaperone.” I shook my shoulders in a mock shiver. “Depressing.”
“I could take you.” He tightened his hold around me.
“Really?” I crinkled my nose. “You’d want to? Don’t get me wrong, the idea of you in a suit is too sinful to contemplate, but you’d really want to waste a night in the high school gym?”
“No night with you is a wasted night. You could live the dream, I’ll get you a corsage and even put out at the end of the night. You’ll get the whole experience.”
The idea of walking anywhere on Jake’s arm, even to a high school prom, sent a thrill through me.
“We’ll see,” I said, my gaze drifting to another picture of Mike on the end table behind Jake. A grin split his chubby baby cheeks while he sat on Jake’s lap.
“That’s a great one.”
Jake craned his neck around, laughing to himself as he lifted the photo off the table.
“He was my baby. Why I drive him a little crazy. He’s my only one. Who else can I hover over?”
“You didn’t want more kids?” I panicked when he squinted back at me. “I mean, it’s none of my business, of course, but you’re so good with Mike. I’m surprised he’s an only child.”
“I always wanted him to have a brother or sister, but ...” He shrugged. “Timing was never right. We wanted to wait until he was two for another one, but by then, we were fighting all the damn time, so bringing a baby into all of that wasn’t a good idea. I wish things were different, but he has his cousins and has made a nice group of friends up here. Certain things can’t be planned for.”
“You’re probably done, right? You wouldn’t want more kids at this point?”
Where the hell did that come from? Sure, we’d moved at warp speed since the end of October, but even the idea of this conversation was too soon.
“Why? Because I’m old?” He pinched my side. “How old have I seemed to you since I brought you here?” He traced his finger along the collar of my shirt—his shirt—before pressing a kiss to my throat.
“I didn’t ask because I thought you were old.” I squirmed away. “Trust me, I can barely keep up with you there. I just thought that with a fourteen-year-old, starting over from the beginning wouldn’t be something you’d be interested in doing.”
His brow furrowed, as if he were mulling it over. His hesitation triggered an ominous pang in my gut.
“My nieces are almost a decade apart. Emma, the one who’s dying to meet you, surprised the shit out of my sister. But we love that she’s a baby we can all enjoy without the first-time kid fears and mistakes.” His lips curved as he drifted his hand up and down my thigh. “If I’m lucky enough to have forever with someone and a baby came along, I’d love it.”
My heart fluttered in excitement and relief. Hearing Jake say he’d love it if it happened filled me with a pure if confusing joy.
Maybe Jake hadn’t called me his forever, but I already knew he was mine.
THIRTY-TWO
JAKE
Even before Mike moved back in with me, I was an early riser. I’d work out for a while in the basement and ease into the rest of my day, even on the weekends.
But since I’d brought Peyton home with me, I had trouble getting out of bed. I had no clue when I’d fallen asleep or what time it was now, my eyes still adjusting to the light and unable to make out the numbers on my alarm clock.
Peyton mumbled in her sleep, grabbing the sheet and pulling it over her shoulder without opening her eyes. I smiled when she buried her head into the pillow and groaned.
“You’re grumpy when you get up in the morning,” I teased, running my lips over the exposed inch of her shoulder. “I wouldn’t have guessed.” I smoothed her hair off her nape and dragged openmouthed kisses down her back. I’d feasted on her all night and still woke up hungry.
She leaned into me, rubbing her sweet, naked ass against my cock.
I still couldn’t believe she was here. It felt like the craziest dream yet so damn natural at the same time. I’d thought spending the weekend with her would make it easier when we had to part ways, but I already didn’t want to let her out of this bed, my house, or my sight.
She belonged here. With me.
I’d said we’d tell Keith together, but it was taking too long. I planned to stop there alone this week, let him say or do whatever he needed to so we could move on. I didn’t want to ruin a friendship I’d had for most of my life, but aside from my son, Peyton was before anything. Who she was related to didn’t matter more than who she was.
Mine.
