Of course, it’s not the only reason, and that’s a big fucking problem.
“Just drop me off at my place.” She opens her purse like she’s searching for something and I can’t help but get the sense she’s just trying to busy her hands. “Where the heck is my phone? What did—”
“Gemma,” I say to stop her.
“Yeah?”
“Look at me.”
She lifts her head and I cast her a fast glance. “It’s not settled because we need to set some ground rules. That’s all I meant. I want you to stay at my place.”
Her eyes brighten. “Oh, what ground rules? You mean because we don’t want Kaitlyn to think….” She nods. “Right, I’ll take the sofa, and it’s hands off.”
“Wrong.”
“Wrong?”
I arch a brow playfully. “I want hands on.”
She nibbles her bottom lip. “You do?”
I give her a look that suggests she’s dense. “Is this the first time you’ve met me? Are you new here?” I tease, using David’s words, and she bursts out laughing.
“So how do we handle this?”
“I want you in my bed.” I take the exit off the highway. “I’m one-hundred percent certain of that.”
“I want that too, Callan,” she says quietly, but confidently.
“Ground rules, we’re careful in front of Kaitlyn. We don’t want to give her the wrong idea, but when we’re alone, clothes off, hands on.”
“Hmm,” she says all smug as she gets comfy in the seat.
“What?”
“What if I don’t agree with that?”
My throat squeezes. Shit, now I’m the one who’s asked for too much. “You want different rules?”
“What if I wanted to wear clothes? Sexy clothes.”
The air I’ve been holding leaves my lungs. “I’m pretty sure I can get behind that.” A little whimper catches in her throat and I know her thoughts have gone in the exact same direction as mine. My cock thickens as I revisit yesterday morning, when I got behind her in the shower and put my cock where it always wants to be…even right now.
“Are you going to tell the guys at the station you’re in a relationship?” she asks. “Like we talked about.”
“If you’re okay with it.”
“You did it for me, why shouldn’t I do it for you?” We go quiet for a long time and then she laughs quietly, her thoughts elsewhere.
“Something funny?”
“I was just thinking about Amanda. Do you really think she heard us having sex that first night?”
“You weren’t very quiet,” I say and she whacks my stomach.
“Hey, I wasn’t the only noisy one.”
“Pretty sure you were,” I tease and take her hand to bring it to my mouth for a kiss. “But I like that. I like knowing when I’m doing something that brings you pleasure.”
“If you like it so much, maybe you should go a little faster so we can go to your room and I can show you again.”
I laugh. “It’s on, but I do need to stop at the grocery store first. I missed grocery day on Saturday.”
“I don’t mind coming with you,” she says.
“You sure? I could drop you off.”
“Positive. Besides if I’m staying with you, I want to pick up all my favorites. Wait, does this mean you’re going to cook for me while I’m Kaitlyn’s nanny?” she asks.
“Of course,” I say, embracing this strange new lightness inside me. “I’m going to show you all my mad cooking skills.”
“Sweet,” she says, and it brings on a laugh.
“I’m also going to fuck the nanny,” I say.
Her laugh curls around my chest, squeezes like a soft hug. “Sounds like that’s some fantasy you’ve been harboring,” she teases.
“Yeah, the second you suggested it, a million fantasies popped into my head.” I grin. “Any chance you’ll wear one of those little French maid outfits at night for me?”
She laughs, like I’m crazy but then says, “Of course, I will.”
With a new lightness about me, I focus on the road, and twenty minutes later we’re strolling through the grocery store, with Gemma putting all her favorites into the cart, most of it junk food.
“I’m trying to teach Kaitlyn about eating healthy,” I tell her.
“It’s summer, cut the kids some slack,” she says with a smile and a dismissive wave.
“Jesus, Kaitlyn is going to love having you around.”
So am I.
“I put some apples in there. Look, it’s a big bag.”
I shake my head. “Wait until you have your own kids,” I say. “You’ll see how hard it will be to get them to eat an apple when they have cupcakes in the cupboard.”
She goes quiet, and averts her gaze as we round the corner. Shit, I didn’t mean to suggest she’d be a bad mother. I think she’ll be great with kids, she’s a great teacher and volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, and I can only hope down the road she finds a guy that wants what she does. “I was just kidding, Gemma.” I nudge her playfully and she nearly knocks over a cookie display. “You’ll be a great mom.”
“Thanks,” she says, and I put my arm around her and drag her to me. Without even realizing we might have an audience, I press my lips to hers and she melts into me. Someone clears their throat and my heart sinks into my stomach when I see my sister-in-law staring at me, her eyes so big, I’m sure they’re going to pop out of her head.
“Callan,” she says, her gaze zinging back and forth between Gemma and me.
“Hey, Melissa,” I respond, my mind racing. How is she going to feel about seeing me with another woman? Guilt eats at me, and I brace myself. “Do you remember Gemma?”
“Gemma Davis, yes of course. How are you, Gemma?” she asks, as she leans against her cart.
“I’m great, Melissa. How are you?”
“I’m good. If Callan called more, he’d know that.”
Guilt once again invades. Zoe and I spent a lot of time with Melissa, and while I drop Kaitlyn off at her parents’, and Melissa always calls to talk to her, I’ve not spent a whole lot of time with her.
“I’m sor—”
“Oh, stop, it’s fine,” she says. “I know you’re a busy single dad, so I’ll cut you some slack, and I’ve been busy myself getting my food truck business off the ground.” Her smile is big and genuine, and my shoulders relax. “Things are good, though.”
“You have a food truck?” Gemma says, clearly impressed.
“Yeah, come on by. We’re over on High Street, and we’re doing street tacos, and some really great food.”
“I can’t wait to try it.”
Melissa smiles at Gemma. “I hear you’re teaching at Kaitlyn’s school.”
“I am.”
Melissa checks her watch. “I have to run. Tami will be wondering where I am.” She glances around and leans into us conspiratorially. “We haven’t told Mom and Dad yet, but I asked Tami to marry me.”