In Too Deep (Grayton Series Book 4) (8 page)

“No, he just likes eating.” She turned back towards him. Her smile faltered when she noticed that he’d moved closer to her.

“Thank you,” he said, taking another step closer.

“For?” She frowned a little.

“For letting him go along.” He brushed a strand of her hair from her eyes. “He’s perfect. So much like I was at that age.”

She nodded, not sure what to say.

“We’ll talk later, after the kid is asleep, about the rest.” He nodded to the back room, where Reagan was. Roman’s hand moved up and cupped her face, holding her still. “You owe me some more explanations.”

She blinked a few times, trying to get her heart rate back in check. She’d missed how his dark eyes made her skin heat. How the feel of his hands on her made her moan. Memories of him sending her over the edge surfaced in her mind. Before she knew it, his hand was on her arm, holding her steady.

“Marissa?” His low voice broke into the memory.

“I…” She licked her lips, wanting. “I need to go close out.” She turned and quickly walked behind the counter.

When she looked up again, he was walking past her to the back area. A few minutes later, she could hear Roman and Reagan laughing together.

How was she going to do this? Even their matching laughs did little to bring her spirits up. She knew they needed to be together, but something inside her told her it was impossible and fear surfaced each time she thought about a life with him.

She closed out more quickly than she ever had and didn’t even bother making sure the drawer balanced with the computer. Shoving the bag of cash into the safe, she twisted the knob and walked to the back room, needing to get home quickly so she could regroup.

“Ready?” she asked Reagan.

“Mom, Roman says that he’s going to cook us dinner,” her son said, bouncing in the chair. “And that I can help him cook.”

He’d maneuvered around her again.

Chapter Seven

H
e knew it was a dirty trick, but standing in Missy’s kitchen with Reagan next to him as they waited for the water to boil together, he didn’t care. Not when he was with his son. He would never feel guilty spending time with the boy. Especially after seven years had been taken from him.

He tried not to think about that when the kid was around since he knew he wasn’t the best at hiding his emotions. At least not when it came to anger.

“So, next we’ll need…” He glanced down at his little helper, who rushed over to the cookbook and frowned as he read the recipe.

“Garlic,” he almost shouted. “Then cheese. We melt the butter over a medium heat.” Reagan looked up at him.

“Check.” He stirred the melted butter.

“Then add milk and simmer for five minutes.”

“Double check.” He nodded his head, urging the kid to continue.

“Then add the garlic and cheese and whisk it quickly.”

He rushed back over to the stove with the whisk in his hands.

“How about I add the cheese and you add the garlic?” He held up the two cups with the allotted amount of each in them.

“Okay, but I get to whisk. Right?”

Roman smiled. “If you think you can do it quick enough without spilling.”

“Course I can.” Reagan smiled up at him. “I’m a master chef.”

Roman laughed and nodded. “Okay, how about we go on the count of three.”

He enjoyed watching Reagan’s dark head bent over the pot as he stirred as fast as his little arms could.

He’d spent most of his adult life helping boys Reagan’s age come out of their shells. The only difference was, Reagan hadn’t been abandoned and abused like he had as a child. Like so many of the kids that came to Spring Haven Home, a business he’d put all of his money and heart into growing.

How many nights had he lain awake as a boy, wishing that he had a place like that to run to? It wasn’t until he’d almost died that he’d finally escaped the horrors and come to the Grayton’s house. Then, everything had changed.

“Is it time to add the parsley and noodles?”

“Hmm,” he said, looking down. “Maybe we should have a small taste test first?”

Reagan held up a spoon and smiled. When he did, Roman noticed for the first time that one of the kid’s teeth was missing. Chuckling, he bent down. “I’m not sure. With that tooth missing, maybe I should have a taste too.”

Reagan smiled. “I’ve got another one that’s loose too.” He put his finger into his mouth and wiggled the opposite tooth.

“Neat.” Roman smiled. “Okay, taste testing in one, two—”

“Three!” Reagan shouted as he dipped his spoon into the creamy sauce.

They added the noodles to the sauce, though most of the noodles ended up on the countertop instead of the pan. As he helped Reagan serve the dinner, he thought he saw sadness cross Missy’s eyes.

She had set the table with mismatched colored plates and had poured herself a tall glass of red wine, which was almost gone by the time she started eating.

He’d been thankful that she’d had a case of beer in the garage. He had popped the top on one as he cooked and finished it up with the last bites of seconds.

“So, Reagan tells me that it was his idea to go to the summer reading class,” Roman said, winking at the kid. “And that the class is planning a three-night trip to Disney in a week.”

Missy’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her son. “I’ve already told Reagan that we just don’t have the money to send him this year.”

Roman smiled. “Well, that’s where Reagan and I worked out a schedule.”

Her eyes turned to him and grew even narrower. “A schedule?”

He nodded, not meeting her eyes. “Sure. Reagan thinks that he’s responsible enough to have a summer job. You know, instead of sitting in the back room of the store after school, he could help out around here. Maybe help stock the shelves, price items, clean up spills.” He tilted his head and glanced at Reagan, who looked like he was holding his breath.

“Roman.” Missy reached over and took Reagan’s hand. “Reagan and I have already discussed—”

“Well, sure you have. But that was before I came around. You see, I’d be willing to pitch in some money. You know, maybe take some of it from my pay, since he’d be helping me out some.”

“How would he be helping you out?” she asked, drinking the last of her wine.

“Well, for starters, he would be riding with me a couple times during the week on the ferry. You know, keeping me company. Running down and getting me a soda or helping me talk on the radio to the customers.” He winked at the kid. Reagan was a natural when it came to talking about the area. He had even told a story about pirates that had sank their ship in the bay to avoid being captured. Everyone on the ferry had laughed and listened in.

“Why are you doing this?” Missy leaned a little closer and whispered.

“Because the kid deserves to go to Disney with his class.” He shrugged.

“Please, Mom?” Reagan begged.

“Honey, why don’t you run along and take your bath and get ready for bed while Roman and I have a chat?”

Reagan rolled his eyes, but before leaving the table, he picked up his dirty dishes and carried them slowly into the sink. “You won’t leave until I come back out, will you?” Reagan asked.

“Nope. Can’t get rid of me that easy, kiddo.” He messed up the kid’s hair and smiled as Reagan skipped off down the hallway.

After taking their dishes to the sink, Roman rinsed them and placed them into the dishwasher. Then he turned around and noticed that Missy had leaned against the bar area, watching him.

“Why are you so set on him going on this trip?” she asked, taking another sip of a new glass of wine.

He shrugged again. “Maybe because it would give his mother and father a few days to discuss some things. Besides, the kid was super excited when he told me about it.” He wiped his hands and walked over to her. “If it’s a matter of money, don’t worry, I’ll cover the cost.”

She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t about the money.”

“Then why didn’t you want him to go?”

She blinked and looked away. “I have my reasons.”

He sighed and put his hands on her shoulders lightly. When he felt her jump, he couldn’t stop the smile. She’d always been a little off guard around him.

“Missy, let the kid go. He tells me four of his teachers are going, including his principal. He’ll be in good hands.”

She nodded. “Yes, I suppose. I’ll think about it.”

He chuckled. “Don’t think too long. He says the forms are due tomorrow.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Right.”

“Besides, Orlando is only a few hours from here. If anything happened, we could be there in no time.” He took a step closer, enjoying the feeling of her soft body pressed up against his.

She’d piled her blonde hair up in a clip at the top of her head. Several strands had fallen around her face, making him want to touch them and brush them away from her eyes. Her skin actually glowed in the soft light.

“Missy…”

“I’m done!” Reagan came running into the room, a large book in his hands. “Can Roman read me a book?”

He’d never moved so fast as he did jumping away from Missy. Instantly, he regretted it and tried to shelter the kid from seeing what her soft body had done to his.

Missy chuckled. “Sure, why don’t you go settle in and I’m sure he’ll be in in a few minutes.” She moved in front of him.

***

Missy stood in the hallway and listened to Roman read to Reagan. She’d finished off her second glass of wine and felt her head circle a little. She normally didn’t drink this much, but tonight, she doubted she could have handled being so close to Roman without it.

He’d stirred up a lot of emotions in her, as well as causing her body to react to his. Smiling, she leaned her head against the wall and remembered how his body had responded to her.

The smooth richness of his voice enticed her even further. She’d always loved the sound of it, the way it had caused her insides to vibrate.

When she heard his voice trail off, she opened her eyes and watched as he snuck out of their son’s bedroom door. He noticed her and walked over and stopped right in front of her.

“Does he always drop off that quickly?” he asked softy.

She smiled and nodded. “He reminds me a lot of Cole in that area.”

Roman chuckled. “You know, he still sleeps like that.” He shook his head and took her hand and then tugged on her until she followed him back down the hallway into the living area. “Speaking of family…”

She sighed and felt the tension return to her shoulders. “Roman…” She sat down on the sofa and watched him follow her. “I can’t return home.”

“Well, at least you still think of it as home,” he said dryly.

“I love our family.” She turned, wishing she could explain everything.

“Then why are you here? Why not see them? Let them know you’re alive.” His dark eyes begged her so she avoided meeting them by looking down at her empty glass.

He reached for it and set it on the coffee table in front of them. “Missy.” His hands took hers. “We miss you. Cassey spent the first two years after you left looking for you. She would drive around and look at open houses every weekend, hoping she’d find you in one of them.”

She chuckled. “I’d forgotten.”

“What? That you dreamed of buying an older home in Spring Haven, fixing it up and living happily ever after?”

She rolled her eyes. “It all sounds so childish now.”

His fingers went under her chin, moving her until she looked deep into those chocolate eyes of his.

“We
were
children.” It came out as a whisper. Somehow, he’d moved closer to her, so his breath mixed with hers. His musky scent was intoxicating. More so than the two glasses of wine she’d had already.

Something started building deep inside her chest, rolling downward until it rested in the soft spot between her thighs. She couldn’t stop herself from wanting him. She’d never been able to.

His knee brushed up against hers, sending a wave of desire slamming through her system. Why did her body always react to him like this?

“Yet, look at where you are. What you have. Isn’t this what you’d dreamed of all those years ago?” he whispered.

Images flashed through her mind. Memories of her dreams. Almost every dream had included Roman. Right where he was now, leaning close to her, their bodies almost touching, his lips hovering over hers as his arms pulled her closer. Wasn’t this part of that dream as well?

Her eyes were glued to his as she shook her head lightly. “I…” Before she could answer, his lips took hers in a kiss that was soft and yet so powerful that she felt as if her system had been jolted awake after years of hibernation.

He tugged on her shirt, pulling it up and over her head. Then his mouth moved lower, and she heard herself moan as his lips trailed over the peak of her breasts. Even with her thin bra on, she felt the moisture of his mouth, the heat from his tongue as it lapped at her skin, causing it to peak for him.