Authors: Cat Mason
“
R
ae’s here
,” Camaron says as she enters the room, brushing her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Daisy, can you hit he button for the gate?”
Daisy nods and starts toward the hallway. “I should get lunch started anyway.”
“Bran wants to go help Miss Rae with her stuff,” Jazzie says, chucking a tennis ball across the room. Bits barks, his short legs spinning on the wood floor to gain traction as he chases it.
“How would you know that, Jazz?” I ask, pushing to my feet. “Poor kid can’t get a word in edge wise with your jabberin’ jaws runnin’ non-stop.”
Standing to her feet, Jazzie fluffs the front of her purple tutu and hitches a hand on her hip. The pint sized diva stares at me like she’d rip off my lips and make me eat them. I don’t doubt she would for a second. “Bran doesn’t need to talk to anyone else. He tells me all his seeeeeeeecrets,” she shrugs. “He’s irrelevant.”
“That’s an awfully big word, Jazz,” Chase says, staring at the little girl over her iPad. “Do you know what irrelevant means?”
Jazzie grins, proudly swaying her hips back and forth. “Yes. Uncle Mack was saying it to Lacy. He told her that she was irrelevant. I like Lacy, she’s fun. Does irrelevant mean fun? ‘Cause Bran is fun when he isn’t crying or sleeping, then he gets on my nerves.”
“Jasmine, I think we need to have a little talk,” Chase says, setting the tablet on the table beside her. Standing to her feet, she walks over and takes Jazzie’s hand and leads her toward the hallway. “Then I’m gonna have to talk to Uncle Mack again about being child appropriate.”
I grin down at Brannon when he reaches for me, wiggling his chubby fingers. Bending down, I lift him into my arms. “You want to go outside and help Rae with her stuff?” I ask him. He smiles a toothy grin and claps his hands, but says nothing. “All right then, you don’t have to shout,” I tease, tickling his belly.
Saying that I was honored for Daisy and Grayson to name him Brannon Henry is an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, I was nervous to add kids to the mix. They are unpredictable and need stability, something this life doesn’t have a lot of, but we manage. For now. With Jasmine starting school in the fall, I have no clue how we will handle things without having to spread ourselves out, and I don’t like that idea at all.
Shaft isn’t as strong when we aren’t all together, and when there is weakness, you are left susceptible to losing control over the situation.
That is something I won’t allow.
Opening the front door, I walk out with Camaron just as a cab stops beside the ‘Burban. The driver climbs out, but I beat him to it, opening the door for Rae myself. The minute she climbs out, my eyes are fixed on the purple satin bow tied in her long brown hair. The lengthy caramel strands brushing over her tightly encased denim clad ass tease me. Hell, I know they are taunting me. Luckily, no one can read my mind as I drag my eyes up and down her body. Between her dark wash jeans and the white t-shirt that is almost sheer in the Tennessee summer sun, I can’t tear my eyes away from how they mold to her body like a second skin.
She’s fucking gorgeous.
But, she’s also off limits, Henry. That’s my top priority: making sure Mack doesn’t fuck with her and ruin the upcoming trip.
“You don’t have a car?” I blurt, attempting to find something to talk about. Her eyes fly to mine the minute the comment leaves my lips, her eyebrow raises slightly as she stares at me.
“Don’t need one, I don’t drive.”
“Oh. Well, that’s absolutely fine,” Camaron says, slapping my arm. “Henry and Mack drive us everywhere, so it’s not like you’ll need to. We don’t leave the grounds without one of them. Ever.”
Brannon swats at my glasses, causing me to shift him in my arms. “Hi, Brannon,” Rae coos, holding out her hand. Without hesitation, his eyes shoot to hers and he grabs her fingers. “We’re gonna have so much fun together.” Her voice is soft and yet has an edge to it that grips me by the balls. My cock twitches in my jeans, more than ready to take advantage of her invitation.
Calm down, she was talkin’ to the kid, not you.
“How about we head inside and get you settled in your room?” Cam asks, lifting the lid on the trunk and grabbing a bag.
“No, no,” I say, handing Brannon to Rae. “Here. Why don’t you take Brannon and while Cam shows you around, I’ll get everything inside.”
Taking a step toward Camaron, Rae settles the baby on her hip. “Thank you, Henry,” Rae says, her name on my lips has my dick twitching again.
What the hell is it about this woman that has me feeling like a horny teenager?
Turning away before they notice my growing hard on, I grab the rest of her things from the trunk while Cam starts talking up a storm as they head toward the house.
“She left this in the seat.”
The cab driver hands me a black case, almost the size of a make-up bag. Shoving it down into a partially unzipped duffel, I thank him and make sure he’s been paid up. Walking up onto the porch, I take a deep breath and head inside.
A remote control jeep with a rawhide tied to it flies by my foot, diving off the porch. Bits is literally right on its ass. He barrels between my legs and dives onto the walkway, barking like mad, while Hunter laughs. “Watch that fucker run!” he whoops, shuffling by me with Mack working the remote control. “Careful, man, don’t run his fuzzy ass over the concrete. The poor bastard’s balls slap the ground when he runs.
“That wouldn’t happen if you neutered him, you know?” I ask, knowing that everyone has gotten tired of that asshole humping everything that isn’t off the ground. Fuckin’ dog destroyed the Christmas display every day to ass rape Rudolph.
Mack’s face turns a shade of green and Hunter’s smile fades, his lips pressing into a hard line. “How do you think you’d feel if we shoved you in a crate and took you to get the tow hitch clipped?” he asks, arching his brow. “I’m sensible, Big Man, but there has to be some kind of code that says it’s forbidden for a guy to take another guy to have his berries picked. Besides, having his balls removed would give him a complex.”
“Don’t compare me to the frankenfucker, Hunter, you can’t handle the beast, let alone tame it.” I chuckle, arching my brow right back at him. “On the other hand, if that horny asshole tries to hump my leg again, I’ll take you both out to the garage and snip you with my bolt cutters.”
Instead of giving me a smart ass comment like I expect him to, Hunter shoves out the door with Mack in search of the dog. Walking through the living room, I head down the hallway passing the door to my room and rounding the corner to one of the many additions we made once we bought the place and what is now Rae’s bedroom.
“I know that I had it in here,” Rae says, digging through her purse on the bed. Brannon is sitting in the middle of the made bed, his eyes glued to the cartoons playing on television. “I never go anywhere without it.”
“Lose something?” I ask, settling her things on the floor beside the bed.
“Um,” she mumbles, biting her lip, worrying the plump flesh between her teeth. “It’s a little black bag. I have to have it.”
Bending down, I grab it from the top of the unzipped duffle and hold it out to her. “This?”
A sigh of relief washes over her. I have to bite back a chuckle at her freak out over a damn make-up case. Grabbing it, she sits walks over to the desk and unzips it revealing that it’s not lip gloss and mascara all.
“You’re a diabetic?” I ask when I see the insulin and testing kit.
“I am, and it’s time to check my blood,” she replies. I watch in silence as she wipes an alcohol swab over her skin before pricking her finger with a lancet. She presses it to the meter and waits for it to beep. “Good,” she sighs, sticking everything safely back inside the case, except the insulin, which she stows safely away in the mini fridge. Rae looks up at me. “Will you watch him for a second while I get rid of this and wash up?”
I nod, sitting on the edge of the bed beside Brannon, his eyes don’t leave the television though. Seeming satisfied, Rae grabs one of the bags that I brought in and disappears into the bathroom. I hear rustling, then after a minute or two, the faucet turns on. “Where did Camaron run off to?” I ask when I hear the water shut off.
“She had to take a call,” Rae says, stepping out to meet my eyes. “Wedding stuff and travel arrangements for someone named Luke, I think.”
I nod. “Chase’s brother.”
“Oh,” she shrugs, making her way around the room. She hits the button on the television, shutting it off. Brannon’s eyes widen at the loss, but he says nothing. Stepping up to the bed, she holds out her hand. “How about we go see where everyone is, yeah?” Brannon scoots closer, grabbing her hand. “Maybe we can find us a snack in the kitchen too, would you like that?”
When he doesn’t answer, she picks him up, looking to me. “He doesn’t speak,” I say, answering her silent question.
“Ever?” she asks, her eyes going straight to Brannon as he rests his head on her shoulder.
“Oh no, he can talk,” I clarify. “He just doesn’t.”
“I see.” Running a hand over his shaggy black hair, Rae smiles down at him before turning that smile to me. “He’s going for the quiet mysterious thing then.” Lifting him under his arms, she presses her lips to his belly. “Nom nom nom,” she mumbles making him cackle, his hands flying into her hair.
“Your laugh is adorable, Brannon,” she says cuddling him to her once again. “But, let me tell you a secret.” Grinning at him, she presses her forehead to his. “I’ll have you talking to me soon enough.”
There’s a knock on the door followed by Daisy walking in, “There you are, Brannon Henry. I’ve been looking for you, mister.” Brannon’s face lights up the moment he lays eyes on his mother, his arms reaching out for her, those chubby fingers wiggling in excitement. “Lunch is ready.”
“Oh okay, I’ll just be a minute,” Rae replies, when Daisy takes the baby. Turning, she bends over and begins digging through a bag on the floor beside me. My eyes go directly to her ass. If I were to lean up, I could grip her hips and…. The thought makes my dick spring to life.
“Grayson was wanting a minute with you, Big Man,” Daisy says, clearing her throat. When I look at her, she’s smiling at me. “You know, some wedding stuff.”
“Okay,” I say pushing from the mattress while trying to adjust myself without one of them noticing. “Thanks, Daisy.”
The minute Daisy leaves the room, the air changes. I start for the door, unsure of what to say, but I do know that she doesn’t need me in here to supervise her unpacking. “Brannon Henry, huh?”
Running a hand through my hair, I nod. “Yeah, cute little shit, huh?”
“You’re not what I expected.” She sits a bag down on the bed and studies me. Her brown eyes look bottomless, drawing me in, the almost golden pools have to be so much deeper than what I see before me. Pushing my sunglasses to the top of my head, I meet her eyes again and hiss out a breath when they warm.
“What do you mean?”
“You come off as this intimidating, overbearing Grizzly bear and I don’t think you are,” she giggles. “You’re more like one of those enormous teddy bears that all the guys rush out to buy on Valentine’s Day for their girlfriends to cuddle with.”
“You’ve known me all of five minutes. That’s a pretty fast assumption.” I can’t help but laugh. Did she just compare me to a stuffed animal?
She nods. “It is, but I still bet I’m right.”
“That sweet shit you think you see is only until someone pokes the bear.”
“Pokes the bear?” she asks, her lips curling up in amusement.
“Wait a minute, did you just call me cuddly?” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. I swear, I nearly fucking gag even saying the word ‘cuddly’. “I’ve never cuddled a day in my damn life.”
“Oh, Henry,” she says, patting my arm as she passes. “I didn’t mean to wound your fragile ego.” Looking at me over her shoulder, her smile widens, the gold in her eyes dances with amusement.
Shrugging, I chuckle, making her cock her head sideways at me. “I guess you’re not what I expected either. The last thing I expected when I met you was for you to be such a firecracker.”
Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she throws her head back and laughs. “Now who’s makin’ fast assumptions?” she teases. “Oh, and just so you know, honey, I’m no firecracker. I’m the Fourth of July.”
I follow her out and up the hall to the kitchen, playing the conversation over and over in my head. Rae is right, she’s a hell of a lot more than just a firecracker. I’d have to be blind not to want her. She’s sexy as hell, but that doesn’t mean I can have her. Actions have consequences and those would not just affect me. I also know, that if I give in to what I want, the explosion will level everything that we have all spent our lives building.
I
have
to say that I wasn’t prepared for all that needs to be done in order to leave the apartment I share with my grandmother with such short notice. I had no time to pack and plan, but Gram was more than happy to swat my ass with her wooden spoon and ship me downstairs to the taxi the moment they called to say they were waiting.
Settling in with the flow of the group, however, I feel will be easier.
I haven’t the slightest idea why I was so comfortable with Henry so quickly or why I had so much fun winding him up the way I did.
But, I have to admit, it’s entertaining.
I like the way his eyes heated, the way I could feel his eyes raking over me, even when they were hidden behind his glasses. Just the thought has me shivering as I walk down the hallway in search of the kitchen. I can feel his eyes as he follows me.
I can’t remember feeling anything like that since Joshua.
I’ve never even thought of a man in this way since Josh. It hurt too much. It wasn’t so long ago that just thinking about the man who had stolen my heart would leave me drowning in crippling pain and guilt. It’s taken a lot to get to where I am now. I haven’t forgotten, I’ve just decided that he would be disappointed in me for not moving on with my life somehow. Shaking my head, I push back the tears and square my shoulders, forcing my chin to stay high. Turning the corner, I follow the laughter and chatter into a dining room with a large, dark stained table. Everyone is sitting around it, passing plates of food and joking.
“Hey, you must be Rae.”
I recognize Hunter Chesterfield as he looks up at me. Thankfully, the research Gram and I did online last night will help me put names to the rest of the faces. The downside to being in the day care center at Ironsound Records was the lack of meeting the talent face to face, but I had heard enough chatter about how they were. Laid back, funny, and according to Tuesday, one of Abby’s favorite finds to date and great friends.
Abby isn’t the type of person to hop on something, or someone, unless she sees true worth. For her to call them not just associates, but friends, is a high compliment.
“I am,” I reply, stepping further into the room. “It’s nice to meet y’all.”
“Well, don’t be shy,” Henry says, his hand pressing into the small of my back. The heat of his palm radiates through my shirt making me tense. Leaning down, he chuckles. “You’ll have to get your elbows up and jump in around here or be lost in the chaos.”
Blowing out a breath, I step around the table, needing to put distance between us. “Miss Rae, sit with me!” Jazzie exclaims, waving her hand. “After we eat, you can come see my room, it’s pink and purple and pink!”
“That sounds great, sweetie.”
Stepping around the table, I sit between her and a man with long red hair. He isn’t as tall as Henry, by any means, but he’s built like a tank. “Mack,” he says, holding out his hand for me to shake.
“Oh,” I say, holding out my hand. His big hand engulfs mine and he squeezes his long fingers, his thumb running along my hand in an almost caress. I giggle to myself, instantly pegging him as a manwhore and over-the-top flirt.
Mack smiles, his blue eyes lingering on mine. “Don’t you dare get any ideas, Silver Shagger, your cock is in a time out,” Hunter says around a bite of his sub. “One more unauthorized fuck and you’re goin’ in the cage.”
My eyes widen at the sudden turn in the conversation. What the hell?
“You make me sound like a dog,” Mack huffs. Releasing my hand, he turns and squirts barbecue sauce on his plate and begins dipping his fries in it.
“Well, if it ruts like a dog and humps anything in sight like a dog,” Chase mutters under her breath, getting some chuckles from everyone around the table. “Woof woof, Mack.”
“Maybe we should get a two for one deal at the Vet,” Henry says, taking the seat at the head of the table, his eyes never leaving mine. “We can neuter Bits and Mack both.”
Hunter holds up a cheese covered French fry, pointing it at Henry, his eyes hardening. “The wiener gets to keep his balls.”
“All right, all right,” Daisy says, covering her mouth with her hand. Taking a deep breath, she rolls her eyes. “I don’t know about anyone else, but the escalation of the lunch conversation is making me want to heave. Let’s not scare Rae off on her first official day, okay?”
Discussion turns toward the upcoming trip and wedding for Hunter and Chase. Lists are made of things that have yet to be done and I get lost in the chatter as I begin eating my lunch. Glancing up, I see Henry watching me as he dumps hot sauce on his sandwich, his glasses firmly back in place over his eyes.
Everything about him has me asking a hundred questions to myself about the man, but none that I can answer. Not yet, anyway. Joshua still weighs heavily on my mind, even though I try to shove him from my thoughts and stay involved in the conversation, I can feel that I am failing miserably.
Looking down at my plate, I decide that I’ve eaten more than enough. I need some air and some time with the kids to change the direction of my thoughts. “How about I take Brannon and Jasmine outside for a bit while you finish up lunch and get the last minute details sorted?”
Daisy looks over and smiles at me. “Of course, that’s a great idea.”
“Go ahead, beautiful,” Mack says around a mouthful of food. “I’ll be out as soon as I’m done. I can help ya with the munchkins.”
“No!” nearly everyone shouts in unison, making me jump.
“Thank you, Mack, but I’m sure you’ve got more important things to do. We’ll be just fine.” Standing from the table, I look down at Jazzie. “Are you finished?” I ask, relieved that my excuse is working.
Jazzie tosses her French fry to the plate, a smile spreading across her face. “Yes!” Leaping from the chair, she runs around the table and toward the doorway.
“Wait for Miss Rae,” Hunter scolds. “We talked about this, Jasmine.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Jasmine, mumbles. Leaning against the doorway, she crosses her arms over her chest.
Walking over to the highchair, I smile down at Brannon. “Are you done, handsome?” He doesn’t say a word, but holds his arms out, reaching for me. Removing the tray, I set it aside and begin unbuckling him.
Lifting him into my arms, I feel Henry’s eyes on me again but force myself not to make eye contact. Instead, I look at Daisy as she tells me about the swing set and other yard toys out back and to just let someone know if I need anything.
With Brannon on my hip, I take Jazzie’s hand. “How about you show me your swing set?”
“I have a pink Harley Power Wheels too. Mommy says every girl needs a hot pink motorcycle,” Jazzie says leading me up the hallway toward a set of French doors that lead to a back porch. Taking a much needed deep breath and exhaling, I follow her out to the yard to play.
The back yard is nearly a theme park. Play sets and battery controlled vehicles are just a few things they have to play with. Why would they ever need to leave here? Jasmine jumps from toy to toy, giving me the run down on why she loves this one or that one, while Brannon goes about his business and heads past all of it to the sandbox.
I don’t know how much time has passed, but by the time Grayson comes out and says that it’s time for Brannon’s nap, Jazzie has told me enough stories to fill an encyclopedia set. Brannon, however, is content burying his cars in the sand. He doesn’t say anything, but his mind is going a mile a minute, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth as he concentrates on covering each car. The fresh air and time with the kids has improved my mood. I focus on playing with them and find myself laughing at the things that come out of Jasmine’s mouth, but it reminds me to be
very
careful what she hears me say.
The kid is a non-stop playback of everything and anything she hears. Brannon couldn’t get a word in, even if he wanted to.
“Miss Rae, do I have to come inside and take a nap?” Jazzie asks, pouting her lip.
“Do you usually take one?” I ask, dusting off the sand from Brannon’s jeans.
“I’m not a baby.”
Looking at Grayson, I watch as he nods, silently answering the question I already knew the answer to. Everything Brannon and Jasmine do every day was written down for me along with restrictions for their diet and playtimes. Even though I am sure it is chaotic living this life, they run a tight ship. Instead of following the rules as she knows them, I’m being played by a pint-sized diva. Okay, that’s fine. “How about this, we can go inside and watch a movie. Anything you want,” I suggest, lifting the baby into my arms. “I’ll get Brannon to sleep and if you’re really quiet while I do, and still awake, I’ll let you pick a game for us to play until he wakes up. Would you like that?”
“Oh boy!” She climbs off her bike, running through the grass ahead of Grayson and me toward the porch.
“Very smooth, I’m impressed,” Grayson says, smiling at me. It’s uncanny how much of a carbon copy Brannon is of his dad. They share the same inky black hair and killer smile. No doubt this little boy will be a heartbreaker.
“It was nothing. Jazzie just needed the obvious choice wrapped in the right incentive, that’s all. It’s normal for her to test the boundaries in a new situation, even adults do that. She’ll find out soon enough that I am not going to be lax on the rules that were already in place.”
“Good to know,” he says, holding the door open for me when we reach it.
Jazzie comes barreling in from the hallway with a Blu-Ray in her hand, nearly colliding with my leg. I shift Brannon from my hip, bracing for the impact that will no doubt knock me on my ass. Luckily, Grayson scoops her up in his arms just before she slams into me. “Jazz, what did we say about running in the house? One of these days, you’re going to get hurt.”
“Sorry, Uncle Gray.” Jazzie’s eyes tear and her bottom lip trembles at being scolded. Grayson sighs, running his thumb over her cheek, he swipes at an escaping tear, and I can’t help smile at the heartwarming moment. They are a very close bunch that’s for sure. It’s very sweet. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Gray sits her back on her feet.
“Just be careful, sweetheart.”
Jazzie sniffles, nodding her head in silent agreement. Looking up at me, she holds up her movie choice. “This one is my favorite. Usually Uncle Mack watches with me and sings the princess parts with me, but he had to take Daddy to do schtuff for the wedding.” Bouncing on her heels, she smiles brightly. “Daddy
and
Mommy
and
me are getting
married
. I get to wear a pretty dress and throw flowers and Daddy will dance with me.” Clutching the case to her chest, she spins in a circle. “Daddy said anything for his princesses.”
“You’ll be beautiful. I can’t wait to see your dress,” I reply, taking her hand. “Let’s go, princess, time to get settled in.”
When Chase sees us coming up the hallway, she tells me that it’s probably best to take the kids down to their basement apartment. “There’s a playpen and diapers set up for Brannon in the living room for naptime since it usually gets loud up here during the day. Make yourself at home, Rae.”
Nodding, I follow Jasmine down the stairs. The living room and kitchen are one wide, open space. A plasma screen is mounted on the wall and fluffy couches and chairs are angled toward it. Jasmine, walks over and flips a few buttons on the remote. The television turns on while she opens the case and I stand in awe while a five year old works something I clearly would have needed help with.
When the hell did kids get so damn smart?
Pulling off his sneakers, I quickly change Brannon’s diaper before grabbing the throw cover and settling in the chair while Jazzie lies on the couch closest to the television. Kicking off her bright pink Converse, she lies back on the cushions and dangles her feet over the arm of the couch, kicking them back and forth as the movie begins to play.
I cuddle Brannon to me and begin rocking slowly back and forth. The tips of my fingers run across his forehead causing him to yawn. I hum softly while his sweet blue eyes grow heavier by the second. Continuing to hum as I rock, I listen to Jazzie singing along with the music, her feet moving slower, but still kicking back and forth.
“Is he asleep yet?” she asks, her eyes still locked on the screen while two sisters play in the snow.
“Huh uh,” I sing softly. My index finger runs along his eyebrows then down his nose, causing his eyes to close completely. He sighs softly, his little body relaxing more and more as I repeat the path again and again. By the time one of the princesses goes ape shit and abandons her kingdom to become a hermit in the mountains, Brannon is fast asleep.
I continue to rock in the chair until everything is right again in the world of childhood cinema. Once the credits start to roll, I stand up and walk over to the playpen. Settling Brannon in it, I make sure to tuck the cover around him. He hiccups then begins snoring lightly, making me giggle. After brushing the shaggy black locks from his face, I turn and see that Jasmine’s feet are no longer moving. Her eyes now closed as she naps on the couch, just as I predicted she would do.
Walking into the kitchen, I open the fridge and grab a water before settling on a bar stool. Flipping through the stack of magazines on the bar, I get lost in the Cosmo mag. Not only learning about the top beach destinations of the year, but there is an in-depth interview with a woman who decided that biting off her boyfriend’s penis while he was asleep was the perfect revenge for bad oral.
“Oh please,” I mumble at the magazine, rolling my eyes at her stupidity. “The perfect revenge for a man who can’t properly get you to the O-zone is to lock yourself in the bedroom and do it yourself while all he can do is listen from the other side of the door as you scream Duracell’s name instead of his. Fucker would get wise quick and you wouldn’t be spitting blood.”