“That’s what I am until the end of the month.” He smiled at her, wanting to slip his arm around her waist but knowing he couldn’t in public. She looked anxious. “Celeste, please, don’t worry.”
Jackson ran up to them, waving a hand in the direction of a booth decorated with red and yellow bunting. “I like those teddy bears over there, Mommy.”
Celeste crouched down to her younger son and put her hands on his shoulders. “We’ll see, maybe on our way out.”
Jackson frowned, then looked up at him. “Dakota, I want one of those teddy bears. The one with the blue shirt. He can sit on my toy box in my room.” Celeste stood back up next to him and he could smell her aromatic fragrance.
Dakota matched his frown. “Your mother said maybe, right?”
Jackson nodded.
“Then maybe it is. Let’s walk.”
The night’s air was perfect, not too hot and not too cold, perfect weather for an evening stroll through the sights and sounds of the fair. A high school band played in one area and there were games for adults and children alike. A water gun game attracted Jackson’s attention and he pointed.
“Dakota, can I play this game?”
He cast a questioning glance at Celeste who nodded. “You two go. I’ll look around over here.”
“Let’s go, little dude.” He took Jackson’s hand and led him over to the game.
* * * *
Celeste wandered over to a booth that displayed handmade quilts, admired the meticulous design and handiwork. Too bad that they weren’t for sale, only display. From the corner of her eye, she watched Dakota and Jackson at the game, astonished at how well they got along. It hit her then that besides the teacher at school, they had had no consistent daily male influence in their lives since she and Charles had divorced. Dakota had formed a deeper bond with the boys than she had expected.
“Mommy!” Jackson’s shout lifted her out of her reverie. “We won this for you!” He dashed around the crowds of people and strollers to shove a medium-sized pink bear into her hands. “She can sit on your dresser.”
“Oh, thank you, Jackson!” She bent down to kiss him on the cheek and held the bear up to look at it. “I love it and she certainly will be sitting on the dresser in my room.”
“You have to kiss Dakota because he helped too.”
Celeste stared at her son, whose brown eyes were darkly serious. “All right, then.” She turned to Dakota, heart hammering, reached up and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek. He smelled good enough to eat, as usual, and it was only willpower that kept her from laying one on his lips for good measure.
“Just on the cheek?” Dakota teased her. “For that gorgeous bear?”
“You’re terrible,” she said, then laughed. “Stop being bad.”
He leaned over and spoke into her ear, “Maybe you can give me a spanking later.”
Excitement made her face flush. She gripped the stuffed bear tighter and cleared her throat, trying to ignore the sudden giddiness that made her feel reckless. “Watch out,” she murmured so that only he could hear. “I just might do that, you bad boy.” It was fun to be able to trade the mischievous, joking banter.
Jackson grabbed both their hands and moved them along. “Funnel cake next.”
After funnel cake, half a fried Oreo, a hot dog and a carton of lemonade, Jackson insisted that Dakota carry him to the car while Celeste waited for Ruth to deliver a reluctant-to-leave and tired Malcolm.
The car was silent on the way home, both boys quiet in the back. Celeste peeked back.
“Are they asleep?” Dakota turned down the radio.
“Seems like it.”
He reached across the console, took her hand and squeezed it, his eyes on the road. “Did you have a good time?”
Celeste looked out of the window, enjoying the warm feel of his hand around hers. “I did.”
“You sound surprised. “
“I’m not usually a crowd person, is all.”
“Boys had a good time.”
She laughed softly. “I bet. Malcolm had no change to give me.”
“If he spent it on Isabel, that’s not such a bad thing.”
“Maybe.”
“Let’s get them back home, get them to bed, so I can get you to bed.”
Celeste pushed his hand away, playfully. “But I’m not sleepy.”
“Even better.”
Chapter Fourteen
Malcolm sleepwalked his way through brushing his teeth and went to bed without any complaints. Jackson on the other hand insisted that Dakota tuck him in and Celeste gave into his wishes. She and Dakota had never been on the second floor at the same time. He would usually supervise teeth-brushing and the evening rituals then would send Celeste up for the goodnight kiss. The thought of her open bedroom door across the long hallway beckoned to her as she stood by while Dakota tucked in her youngest son. Jackson gripped the teddy bear she had purchased for him at the booth, the one with the blue shirt.
“G’night, Mommy,” he said, sleep already beginning to claim him. “‘Night, Dakota. Be nice to Mommy, okay?”
“I will. Night, Jackson. Sleep well.”
Celeste smoothed the sheets and switched off the lamp next to the bed. Pausing for a moment, she watched him sleeping in the warm glow of the nightlight, his lips slightly parted and one hand curled under his head. She gave him one last pat and left the room, pulling the door almost shut behind her.
Dakota leaned against the wall in the dim hallway, waiting for her.
“Hey,” she said, took two steps into his arms and kissed him until her body was energised with passion. “Come with me.”
The master bedroom was on the opposite end of the hallway from the boys’ rooms set back into an alcove, almost separate from the rest of the house. She shut the door behind them then turned the lock. Without turning on the light, she kissed him again, the sweet taste of powdered sugar still on his tongue.
Dakota slipped his arms about her waist, lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed. The rumpled sheets were uneven against her back.
“I didn’t make the bed,” she whispered.
“What’s the point?” He drew down one strap of her sundress and kissed the curve of her shoulder. “We’re only going to mess it up again.”
Celeste closed her eyes and trailed her fingers under the T-shirt across his back, feeling him shiver. The smells of the fair clung to him. The aroma of sweet-fried Oreo mingled with the fresh-cut grass smell of the midway. Summer had never been so adventurous. “Then that’s good. I don’t like extra work.”
Cool air drifted over her thighs when he pushed up her dress and pulled down her panties. She stared dreamily at the ceiling in a moment of absolute contentment, watching the bamboo fan turn in slow circles.
The first hot swipe of his tongue on her pussy made her suck in her breath, the second made her jump and the third made her moan aloud. She was dissolving, falling backward into wanton lust, where all her attention was focused between her thighs.
The pressure of his tongue on her clit increased, pulling her from languid, sensuous enjoyment to a more urgent need, one that made her gasp and squeeze her stomach muscles tight as she strained toward obtaining satisfaction. The solitary stimulation wasn’t enough to send her over the edge and she squirmed against the bedclothes, her breath ragged.
He cupped the soft curve of her breast and he kissed it, tracing the stiff peak with the very tip of his tongue. The slippery waves of his hair tickled her skin and she played with it, drawing her fingers through the silken strands.
“Don’t ever cut your hair,” she whispered. “For me, okay?”
“Anything,” he said, his voice muffled against her flesh. He moved to the other breast and flicked the already hard nipple with his tongue. “Not even a trim?”
She pretended to ponder this while he opened the bedside drawer and still worrying her nipple deliciously. He tore open the foil packet and rolled on the condom, his profile hidden by the hair under discussion. “Only if I get to do it.”
“Deal,” he said and pushed into her, a long, unhurried thrust.
Celeste went rigid and she sighed against his bare shoulder, blood racing through her veins. He stretched her exquisitely tight and she squeezed her muscles in response, eliciting a panting breath.
“That’s amazing, what you do,” he murmured and kissed the side of her face. “It makes me crazy.” He thrust faster, became more demanding.
She pressed her mouth to his and wrapped her legs around his waist, rocking her hips to meet his eager thrusts, her arms locked around his neck. They swirled their tongues around, mimicking the motion of their sweat-slicked bodies.
The pressure rose in Celeste’s belly, the friction of Dakota’s thrust pushing her ever closer to the edge until she climaxed, fierce spasms of pleasure washing over her.
“Oh,” Dakota murmured, and he came in a fast rush, his body trembling under her hands. “Celeste.”
Once they'd exhausted their passion and they'd dozed in the after-glow, he made a move to leave, but she held on to his wrist.
“Stay,” she said, half-asleep.
“But the boys,” he protested. “I don’t—”
“They’ll sleep late. You can sneak out in the morning. ”We’ll set the alarm to be sure.” She pulled him down next to her and fitted her body to his. “Tonight is for us.”
Chapter Fifteen
The airport wasn’t as crowded as she’d anticipated, and for that she was glad. She and the boys were members of the trusted traveler program and were able to zip through security. Having turned down the full body scan, Dakota endured a thorough pat-down by a blue-gloved TSA agent.
“That guy basically put his hands down my pants,” he whispered as they made their way toward the gate. “Now I feel like I should send him a card or something.”
Celeste laughed and slapped him on the arm. She was feeling happy and carefree. The month of August was hers to do whatever. At the beginning of the summer she’d planned on a couple of day trips or two but now, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to leave the bed, much less the house.
Gathering Malcolm and Jackson at her side, she gave them last minute instructions on what to do on the plane and when they arrived in Atlanta. Malcolm rolled his eyes at his mother and insisted he knew what to do.
“It’s not like we never did this before, Mom.”
In answer, she kissed both their foreheads, checked their snack bags and waited. She sat with her arms crossed in her lap. Yes, they had flown by themselves before, but it made her nervous every time.
Next to her, Dakota slid his hand across hers and patted her arm. She relaxed a little, taking comfort in the fact that Dakota, of all people, understood her anxiety. Giving him a scared smile, she squeezed his hand between her own.
When the flight was called, Celeste grabbed them both in a huge bear hug and made them promise to take care of each other.
She knelt down to Jackson’s level and gave her littlest one another hug and fluffed his hair. “You’ll be good on the flight and listen to Malcolm, right?”
“Yes, Mommy.” Tears shone in his brown eyes, but he blinked them away. “I love you, Mommy.”
“I love you too, honey drop. Be good.”
She stood and opened her arms to her oldest. “I’m sure you’re not too big to give Mommy a hug?”
Malcolm hesitated for only a split second before he hugged her so tightly it almost took her breath away. “Take it easy, Mom. I love you,” he said before letting her go.
Meanwhile, Jackson hugged Dakota tight around the waist. “Are you gonna be there when we get back?”
Dakota knelt and hugged the little boy back. “I hope so, but that’s up to your mother.”
Jackson nodded. “Okay, good. She likes you.”
Dakota stood and extended his hand to Malcolm. “Have a good trip.”
Malcolm stuck his hand out, then changed his mind and gave Dakota a huge hug. “See you later,” he said, and took his brother’s hand. “Come on, Jackson. They’re calling our flight!”
* * * *
When he pulled up in front of the house, Celeste didn’t get out of the car.
“Let’s take a ride,” she said.
“Where to?”
“The lake.”
They were both quiet. Celeste tried not to think about what was coming next, that this was when they would say goodbye. Serious or not, life went on and things changed. The boys were gone for the next month, his employment with her was over and now he would go do whatever he had planned to do during the month of August.
Gone, baby, gone.
Dakota parked in the lot and they walked side by side until they reached a bench at the edge of the water. The lake was beautiful, sparkling in the mid-afternoon sun. Aeration fountains sprayed water high into the air, creating brightly-lit rainbows.
Celeste sat as Dakota scooped up some stones and began skipping them across the surface of the lake. She couldn’t help but admire the way his muscles moved beneath his shirt, the way he placed his feet to throw the stones. Today, the hair was in a braided knot secured at the base of his neck with a black rubber band, her least favorite style.
He made his way back to the bench, sat next to her then took her hand in his.
“Today’s my last day.” He pressed his hands around hers, bringing back the memory of their first handshake. The thrill hadn’t diminished, but in fact, had become stronger.
“Yes.” She couldn’t make herself say anymore and she couldn’t meet his eyes.
He looked out across the water. “I got a job, starts in a month. Through a friend of a friend. It’s law, but this time, working with people who need help.” He paused. “It’s not a glamorous job, and I’ll be working long hours too, but it’s something I want to do.”
“That’s good.” Celeste was genuinely pleased. “This is what you wanted.”
“Yeah. I got my own place.” He glanced at her. “Not far from here.” Dakota took her hand. “Tell me what
you
want, Celeste.”
A bird twittered its song and another answered, same melody but at a higher pitch. Squirrels frolicked on the grass around them, their gray fluffy tails bouncing and flicking with the rhythm of their hops.
Dakota reached back and tugged at the knot of hair. On impulse, she reached up and pulled off the black elastic band and raked her fingers through the braid until the hair was an ebony wave down his back.