Wes shakes his head. “Honestly, I’m not sure how to go about that. There are guidelines and rules, but most of them have already been met since you already live here, and I know you get along.” He shakes his head.
“Do kids his age understand dating? He knows what it means to be married, well, kind of.”
“If I told him you were my girlfriend, he’d know it was important. He doesn’t really seem to get that Quinn and Archer aren’t married yet since they live together.” Wes shakes his head. “Sorry I don’t have a better answer.”
“Don’t be sorry. It makes me feel a little better for being clueless. In the movies, they always do things slow. Date for a while, make sure things are getting serious before the kid even meets whoever is dating their mom or dad. But like you said, Jackson already knows me.”
Wes pulls on boxers, and I’m disappointed to see that gorgeous ass covered up. “As much as I like to have a plan and know what I’m doing, I think we should wing it.” He turns, smile on his face. “We kind of already function like a couple.”
“Yeah, we do.” I smile right back.
Wes dives back onto the bed, snaking his arms around me, tickling me and making me laugh. He presses his lips to mine. “But now I get to do this whenever I want.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Weston
Scarlet and Jackson are back at the house by the time I’m done talking with Mr. Williams. I’m not officially divorced yet, but the process has started. And it feels so fucking good.
My heart lurches in my chest, and I can’t stop smiling when I step onto the porch carrying a pizza. Jackson’s sitting on Scarlet’s lap on the couch, and she’s reading him a book. His eyes are heavy, and he looks like he’ll fall asleep at any minute. They haven’t noticed me yet, and I stop to watch them through the window for another few seconds.
Jackson rests his head against Scarlet’s shoulder, and she brings her hand up, running her fingers through his hair. His eyes start to flutter closed, making me almost feel bad for coming into the house and waking him up. It’s impossible to sneak in and out with our current alarm system, which is why I have it set up the way I do.
I unlock the front door and step in. Scarlet smiles the moment she sees me, and Jackson is more excited about the pizza. I set it on the coffee table and tell Jackson to go wash his hands before we dig in. The second he runs into the bathroom, I pull Scarlet into my arms.
Feeling her body against mine sends a rush through me, and I can’t kiss her fast enough. She hooks her arms around my neck and leans in, lips parting. I bring my head down, lips crashing against hers. Once I start, I can’t stop. My cock jumps, and I want to carry her upstairs, stripping her out of her clothes and burying my cock inside of her.
“I take it things went well with the lawyer?” Scarlet asks. Her arms are still around me and my hands are still firmly planted on her waist. Jackson will be out of the bathroom at any second, but even one more second with my lips on Scarlet’s is worth it.
“Yes,” I growl and go in for another kiss, which isn’t the smartest idea because I’m starting to get a hard-on, and now I’m thinking of how good it feels to make love to her. As if she can read my mind, she brings one hand down, sweeping it over my chest, and cups my balls.
“Jackson is pretty tired. He was up late at your parents’ last night. I think an early bedtime would actually do him some good.”
“It’ll do me good too.” I push my pelvis against her hand and she closes her eyes, moaning. “You’re killing me, Scarlet.”
“That’s all part of my master plan.”
“Oh, is it now?”
“Mh-hm.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What happened to me being too big to chop up and bury?”
“Now that it’s getting colder out, I’ll wrap you in a tarp and keep you in the shed.”
“I’d rot and would start to smell in a few days. It’s not cold enough yet.”
“Dammit.” She shakes her head. “I forgot you were a cop and know how these things work. So tell me, Officer, what’s the perfect murder?”
I laugh, but before I can get any words out, Jackson calls for help.
“What’s wrong, buddy?” I ask.
“I had to go potty, and I missed.”
Scarlet slides her other hand down my chest. “Good thing you’re home.”
“Fine. I’ll clean up the pee.”
“You’re a good dad.” She gives me a smile and steps away, going into the kitchen to get plates and drinks while I clean up the floor as well as Jackson, who requires new underwear, pants, and socks.
Finally, we gather in the living room, eating pizza while watching a movie. When we’re done eating, Scarlet scoots closer to me on the couch, and I drape my arm around her. Jackson gets a blanket and sits close to Scarlet, leaning against her. Scarlet helps him fix the blanket, draping it over both their legs.
“Are you comfortable?” I ask Scarlet, aware of how uncomfortable it can be when Jackson decides to use you as his personal pillow. Though at the same time, having him close like that is the best thing in the world. There really is nothing like snuggling up with your child.
“Yeah,” she says, turning her head to look at me. I sneak in a quick kiss, pressing my lips to hers. She puts her hand on top of mine and leans back against me. Sitting here with Scarlet and Jackson is such a simple thing, yet it means so much. We just admitted our feelings last night, finally hooking up after weeks of ignoring the spark. It’s not like we’re going out and getting married tomorrow, but I know I want her to be part of this family.
“Every time the weather turns, I question why I live in the Midwest.” Scarlet zips up her coat. We just got to my parents’ for Sunday dinner, and freezing rain is falling down on us. “And it’s not even winter yet.”
“I used to want to move out west. Though spending years in the desert kind of changed my mind. I like snow.”
Scarlet makes a face. “Not me. It’s too cold.”
“Come sledding with us this winter and maybe I can change your mind.”
She opens the back door to the Jeep, getting Jackson out of his car seat. She puts his coat on before he’s even out of the car, zipping him up and making him wear his hood.
“We’re walking fifty feet from the driveway to the house,” I tease. “We’re not going to die of hypothermia in that time.”
“You never know.” She snaps the top button on Jackson’s coat and takes his hand. She’s so good with him, and he’s so responsive with her. Seeing them together makes me so fucking happy, and I can’t stop smiling right now.
I let out a snort of laughter when I see the magnet on the back of Owen’s truck that reads Big Truck, Small Penis.
“What’s so funny?” Scarlet asks.
“Owen and Logan must be at it again,” I tell Scarlet, pointing to the magnet. “They put ridiculous and usually vulgar magnets on each other’s cars and see how long it takes before the other notices.”
She laughs. “That’s actually hilarious. I wonder how long that’s been on.”