I curl into a ball on the bed and let the tears fall. I hear Evan downstairs. He agreed with her, but he’s caught up in this, in us being real while there is still a threat of Misty’s parents. I can’t let myself be mom and have it taken away. I just…can’t. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.
When I wake a little while later, I feel warm lips press against my neck. “I don’t want to fight with you, McKinley,” Evan says softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t correct her. I will in the future. I just…I don’t want to fight with you, baby.” He sounds broken. “I don’t like finding you in our bed with your cheeks wet from tears. It breaks my fucking heart. I just want you happy. Today was amazing and I want that back,” he says.
I roll over to face him. “Today was amazing,” I confess. His thumb traces my lips. “I love her, Evan. I love her so much, and I just…don’t want to confuse things---confuse her. I know she’s just a baby and she won’t remember today, but can we…”
“I’m sorry,” he says, pulling me tighter against his chest. “Let’s go back. If she does it again, we’ll just ignore it or tell her your name. Hell, I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing with her.”
“You do. It was impulse from the day we were having. I’m not angry and I don’t want to fight with you either.”
“Thank fuck,” he mumbles as his lips take mine.
Within minutes, we’re both naked and he’s reaching into the nightstand for a condom. As soon as he slides in, we hear Lexi whimper over the baby monitor. “Great timing, baby girl,” he chuckles, resting his forehead against mine.
“She can wait a few minutes. She’s not crying and…” I raise my hips.
“Yeah?” he asks.
I nod. Lexi whimpers again. “Hard and fast,” I say, biting my bottom lip.
“But this is make-up sex,” he pouts.
I smile. “It’s with you, Evan, that’s all that matters. Now get busy before Miss Lexington decides we’re missing the party.”
That’s all the motivation he needs before he slides out and slams back in. I wrap my legs around his waist and grip onto his back, holding on for the ride. “Help me, beautiful,” he pants. I nod and slide my hand between us. The sensation of touching myself while he pushes in and out of me isn’t new for us. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to work around Lexi’s sleep schedule.
A few rotations of my two fingers and I’m close. “So close,” I breathe.
“Me too,” he tells me as he sucks a nipple into his mouth. The sensation has me screaming out his name. This, in turn, causes Lexi to scream as well.
Evan stills; then he’s resting his weight on me.
“She’s not impressed.” He grins.
“No, she’s not, but we usually run right to her. She’s a little spoiled,” I admit.
“Yeah,” he agrees, lifting off of me. I run to the bathroom and clean up while he discards the condom, throws on some shorts, and goes to soothe a pissed off Lexi.
When I step out of the bathroom, I find them lying in bed. “She looks happy.”
“Yep, as soon as I stepped into her room, her tears stopped. I think you’re right about being spoiled.”
“Yeah, but we wouldn’t have her any other way,” I say, lying down beside them.
“Can you watch her for a minute while I clean up?” he asks.
“Sure, we’ll just go downstairs and look for something to make for dinner.”
“Why don’t we just order pizza? That new little market down the road delivers to us now. Let’s try it out.”
“Perfect. Do you have the number?”
“Yeah, there’s a menu hanging on the fridge. Just order whatever. I’m easy, but I’m starving.”
“Got it.” I gather Lexi and the few toys she was playing with and we make our way downstairs. I put Lex in the pack-n-play while I order the pizza.
A few minutes later, the three of us are on the couch watching Shrek. Evan was flipping through the channels and, as soon as the green ogre popped on the screen, Lexi’s babble stopped and her eyes were glued. “Who would have thought?” Evan says.
I laugh. “All kids love cartoons. We need to get you some princess movies, Lex,” I tell her. She doesn’t budge at the sound of my voice. “Looks like we take a backseat to the talking donkey,” I laugh.
The doorbell rings. “Shit. My wallet’s upstairs. Can you get the door and I’ll run up and get it really quick?”
He’s already up and moving. I pick Lexi up and she babbles on, reaching for the television. I’m afraid she’s going to cry until she sees we’re walking toward the front door. The girl loves being outside and going bye-bye, that’s for sure.
“Da da da,” Lexi says, grabbing my attention as I open the door.
“Sorry, my husband’s getting his…” I stop talking when I look up and see who’s standing in front of me. “W…what? H-how?”
“Sorry, man, how much…what the fuck?” Evan exclaims as he pushes Lexi and I behind him.
“They told me you were dead,” he says, matter-of-fact.
“Hi, Evan. Can I come in?” Misty asks.
“No! You’re not coming anywhere near her,” he seethes. “Baby, take her inside,” he says to me.
I do as he says, not wanting Misty to get her hands on Lexi. She was supposed to be dead. What the hell is going on?
Chapter 52
Evan
This cannot be happening.
“Evan, I need to talk to you,” Misty pleads.
I hold my hand up, stopping her, and she clamps her mouth shut. Shit! I can’t let her in. I don’t want her around Lexi, but I need Kinley. I need her by my side for this. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I call Aaron. “Hey, man, where are you?” I wait for him to answer. “Can you come and get Lex? I’ll explain when you get here, but I need you to come and get her, sooner rather than later.”
“I’m not here to take her, Evan,” Misty says quietly.
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m not letting you near her. You can wait out here until Aaron gets here,” I seethe.
I send McKinley a text.
Me: Hey, I called Aaron. He’s coming to get Lexi. Can you get her bag
ready?
McKinley: Yes, everything okay?
Me: I don’t know, baby. I just don’t want her near her.
McKinley: Okay.
Aaron pulls in a few minutes later. His eyes grow wide when he sees Misty standing on my front porch. “Turns out she’s not dead after all,” I say in greeting.
“I can see that. Where are the girls?” he asks.
“Inside. McKinley has her bag ready. Thanks for taking her, man. I don’t want her here for this.”
“No problem, bro. McKinley?”
“I need her here with me,” I say honestly.
He nods in understanding.
I open the door. “McKinley, Aaron’s here.” Not a second later, she appears with a smiling Lex in her arms, carrying the diaper bag. When Lexi sees Aaron, she reaches for him.