“That’s Romeo, buddy.” Lucas leans down and speaks at eye level with Theo. “This is Jess and Abby, friends of Daddy. Will you say hi?”
Theo doesn’t look up but does mutter hi before going back down to the floor to pet Romeo.
“Looks like we’re crashing your brunch, if you don’t mind?” Lucas asks and looks at me without blinking. I give him a soft reassuring nod.
He flops himself onto the chair and indicates to the waiter.
I feel someone tugging my shirt, and I look down to see Theo. Immediately a warm natural smile forms on my face.
“Hey there,” I greet the boy.
Theo points at Romeo. “He doesn’t say woof.”
“Not now, no. He’s a little tired, and Romeo knows to use his inside voice since we’re inside,” I explain.
“Does he eat French toast?” Theo continues to question.
“He loves French toast. Is that your favorite food?”
Theo nods.
“Abby is a veterinarian, buddy. Do you know what a veterinarian does?” Lucas asks as he watches our interaction, which is understandable.
Theo shakes his head no. “She is a doctor like Daddy, but for animals.”
Theo exclaims in excitement, “Do you-do you help lizbards?”
I have to smile. “Lizards? Yeah, I do help the occasional lizard. They’re like miniature dinosaurs.” His face lights up.
We go back and forth about animals until the waitress brings food to our table. Theo stays busy between eating, coloring a menu, and petting Romeo. All the while, I can’t help giving soft eyes to Theo’s father who touches my thigh on the occasional basis under the table, which zaps newfound energy and excitement through me.
“He is adorable, Lucas,” Jess mentions as she eats her eggs.
“Definitely a future heartbreaker, for sure,” I have to add with a half-smile.
Lucas leans back in his chair with his orange juice. “Probably. But I’m not letting him date like ever. Anyhow, how was Matchbox last night?” Obviously, Lucas had to stay home with Theo.
“Good. I only stayed for two drinks. Liked the band, though, hopefully Nate gets them to come back,” I say as I push my empty plate to the middle.
“Random guys left you two alone?” Lucas gives me an equally entertained and concerned look.
Jess pipes in. “This one was sending off market vibes.” She points to me with her thumb.
“Oh, good to hear,” Lucas replies.
I feel a tug on my shirt again and look down with a smile.
“Romeo wants French toast. Can he have some?” Theo asks.
I ruffle Theo’s hair. “He can have one piece.” I hold up a finger to indicate one. As soon as I finish the sentence, Theo goes to his plate to grab a piece of toast and returns to Romeo.
I shake my head in enjoyment and look up to notice a warm smile on Lucas’s face.
“Hey, Theo. I heard you have a spaceship room,” Jess tries to grab the boy’s attention.
“Yeah, uh-huh. It has stars on the wall. I hope I have it at my other house,” Theo speaks.
Lucas rubs his son’s hair. “What do you mean, Theo?” he casually asks.
“My other house. When you move back then I won’t need two rooms,” Theo mentions, and the adults at the table all look at each other instantly.
Lucas sighs. “We talked about this, buddy. You’re going to have two homes now,” he reminds him.
“Oh… will you have a dog?” Theo asks somberly.
Lucas looks relieved that Theo seems to be resilient and moves on to more important topics. “Maybe one day. What kind of dog do you want?”
Theo points to Romeo who cocks his head up then falls back down.
Lucas grins to himself. “Maybe. Maybe.” His eyes peer up to catch my gaze, and even I know we are sharing a moment of understanding.
In that moment too, I know that my desire for my own child still hasn’t kindled, but little Theo is warming my heart next to a spot where his father already started a flame.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucas
“Yes, oh yesss,” Abby moans into my ear as she straddles me in the backseat of my car.
There is steam on the windows of my parked car and we are in the middle of nowhere. I wanted us to look at the stars tonight, and we did. But we decided my backseat with some mood music playing would be a better idea. Now her shirt is a rustle of opened buttons and she has her hands on my shoulders to support her as she rides me up and down.
This was a great idea.
The last few weeks since I moved to my new house have been a flurry of conversations, dinners, and sex. I couldn’t even say when the conversations ended and the sex began, everything is a blur. A wonderful haze.
She tightens around my cock as she gasps, “I’m almost there.”
“Good girl,” I pant as my hands grip her ribs to help guide her pace and to take me with her.
I may go delirious and my face finds the valley between her breasts to kiss. I’m a man nearly unhinged as my body doesn’t respond to thought anymore, only moves to what it wants.
“Lucas I’m ohhhhhh,” she trails off into my own yes and oh as I come. Her head nuzzling into the crook of my neck as I kiss her hair.
“Fuck, Abs, we are getting good at this. Really good at this,” I mention softly. She answers with a drowsy laugh.
She drags herself off me and pulls up her jeans before falling into the seat next to me.
After a minute or two of resettling our breath, we look at each other before giving one another a kiss.
“Can we do this all weekend?” she requests.
“Would love to, but it’s a Theo weekend,” I remind her. Abby has been amazing at respecting my time with Theo, and I know at some point if we carry on the way we have that we need to take the next step.
When to take that next step is a question that has been dancing around in my head the last few days. Theo and Abby accidently meeting a few weeks ago has been on a loop in my head. It warmed my heart and gave me a flicker of hope that this could all go somewhere.
Because at the end of the day, if Theo can’t accept Abby, then we have a big roadblock. Then I wonder if it’s better to figure out that roadblock now or later?
But the bigger stop on our train is identifying what we are. What are we doing?
That is the next moving piece, and I want to take that step, but I need to know she’s coming with.
I re-angle my body and my hands find her sweet face. The light of the car ceiling giving a dim glow.
“Abby, I’ve been thinking,” I begin to nibble her neck and let my mouth drag around her still-hot skin. “Maybe it’s time for our next step?”
Her hands find my wrists and she looks at me intensely. “As in?”
“What are we doing? Is it just fun or maybe we…?” I pull back and sit next to her, interlacing our fingers and hands. “This is something, no?”
The corner of her mouth moves and a gentle grin forms. “I would like to think so.” It comes out feathery and delicate.
My own face must be spreading a satisfied look as I love her answer. “Me too, so I want to take the next step.” I kiss our connected hands.