Better Late Than Never (11 page)

“Please tell me you are going to stay the night. Now that I have you in my arms I want you here for the entire night.”

Her insides melted at his sincere words. He moved away from her, getting out of bed. He headed into his bathroom, and when he returned he was carrying a towel. She watched him as he came to the bed. He sat on the edge and smiled at her.

“Roll over onto your back.”

She followed his request. “Close your eyes.”

His hands opened her to him. She fought to stay relaxed at the intimate position he had put her in, but it wasn’t anymore intimate than what they’d already shared. He used the cool towel to wipe away the evidence of the passion they had just shared and soothe away some of the ache she felt.

When he was done, she opened her eyes and saw him toss the towel aside. He stood, reached for the covers, and pulled them up before joining Kristen in his bed. He pulled her into his arms, and she went willingly. She loved being where she always felt she belonged.

Chapter Eight

Kristen’s eyes snapped open when she realized she wasn’t in her own bed. She looked around the room and realized last night hadn’t been a dream. Her gaze went to the doorway when Randy entered it. He carried a tray of food in his hands.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

“Good morning.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “What time is it?”

“A few minutes after eleven.”

Wrapping his bedspread around her, she sat up amazed she slept so late. She gasped at the delicious ache between her thighs. He set the tray on her lap, and she inhaled its aroma with appreciation.

The tray he sat in front of her contained two plates. One held several pieces of toast, bacon, and eggs. The other held slices of honeydew melon, grapes, and strawberries. There was a cup of coffee for him and cup of milk for her. She looked up in surprise. He remembered everything she liked. These were things she could eat all day long. She was also crazy about milk and drank it with every meal if she had the chance, although food wasn’t a necessity to accompany it.

He joined her on the bed, careful not to bump the tray. “Did you sleep well?”

She nodded He reached for the remote and turned on the television. Tom and Jerry
ran across the screen, and she laughed. He picked up a piece of honeydew melon and offered it to her.

Taking the bite he offered, chewing it slowly while he took a bite himself. They repeated the process until the food had been finished off. He sat the tray aside, and she yawned. Randy opened his arms, and she snuggled closer to him. It wasn’t long before she was asleep with the soft rumble of his laughter in her ear.

* * * *

“Randy, I am a little sore.”

He frowned. “Are you sure I wasn’t too rough with you?”

She looked down at the man she had just gotten out of the shower with. After the walk in the park, they realized a cool shower would be refreshing. It had been, but now he knelt down in front her, toweling her dry. He definitely seemed to be getting sidetracked with the distraction in front of him.

“I’m sure.”

“Okay, but I think this is the opportune time for me to show you the wonders of foreplay.”

She laughed. “I think I have unleashed a beast.”

He chuckled as he straightened. “I think you may be right.”

After lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the bed, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

“You know this doesn’t change anything, right? We still have a few things to work out.”

He shrugged. “Then we will talk, but later.”

Her eyebrows lifted at his lack of concern. Yet, the things he was doing with the towel made it hard to think.

She tried to speak, and he quieted her. “Shh. We can talk more after I finish drying you off.”

Before she could say anything, he came up over her and cupped her breasts. His thumbs turned her nipples into hard peaks. She wanted to tell him what he was doing had nothing to do with drying her off. It was having the exact opposite effect, but she swallowed her words when he leaned forward and took one nipple into his mouth, then the other. She moaned and writhed against him. She ran her fingers through his hair and tried to pull him up for a kiss. The man had a talented mouth. He slid lower, his lips leaving a trail of desire as he went. His hands came up and parted her thighs. He continued to trail kisses along the inside of her thigh making sure he didn’t touch the part of her aching the most. A growl of frustration escaped Kristen, and it ended with a cry when his lips found her softness. She arched toward him in response to his sensuous foreplay. She moaned when his fingers joined his mouth. He was making her burn, and the fire was getting hotter.

She cried out and clutched the bedspread when her orgasm snuck up on her an erupted inside her. He came back up beside her, and fighting to catch her breath, she reached for him in the process. He caught her hands.

“If you don’t want to be anymore sore than you are now, you might want to leave that alone.”

She gave him a look full of need. “I need you inside me.”

He let go of her hand, and she found his erection. She sighed in relief when he reached for a condom before coming up over her. He lifted her legs around his waist and slid deep into her. She shifted against him needing more of him. He placed his hand under her bottom and lifted her to him. He stilled when she gasped.

“Am I hurting you?”

Yes, he was, but it was a good hurt, the kind she welcomed. She shook her head, and he lifted her hips. He groaned and began to thrust into her, setting up a rhythm she struggled to keep up with. He was overwhelming her from every imaginable angle. Leaning down he kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips. She almost screamed when he stopped moving only to have him unwrap her legs from around his waist and place them over his arms. She did scream when he thrust back into her, and she screamed again when she climaxed. Her body clamped down on his pulling him over the edge with her. He released his own shout, her name being on the end of it. When he fell forward, he rolled to the side, taking care not to crush her with his weight, and she fought to control her breathing.

“We shouldn’t have done this,” she complained.

He looked down at her. “Why not?”

She sighed. “Because, now I don’t want to leave let alone move.”

His expression told her he had no intention of rushing her off at all. “You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do.
I need to get home and straighten up a few things plus get ready for tomorrow.”

They lay there for a little while longer, neither of them wanting to leave. She scooted closer to him, and his embrace tightened, and she understood why. She knew it might be a while before he could do so again with the hectic week that was coming up. She looked over at him when he sat up.

“Okay, it’s getting late, and if we don’t get up now, we won’t. Besides, I’m going over to my parents’ for dinner and to pick up Wade.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Are you sure your parents didn’t mind watching him this long?”

“They have watched him longer in the past.”

She sat up when he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants. Sighing softly, she climbed out of bed. She wasn’t ready for this to be over. He handed her clothes to her. She hoped no one would notice she was still wearing the skirt and blouse she had worn over to his place. The items had been washed thanks to Randy, but Baxley was still small enough for the rumor mill to reach everyone. Once she was dressed, she looked at Randy and saw he was waiting on her.

“Are you ready?”

”Yes.”

He took her hand and led the way downstairs. He paused to let her pick up her purse when they passed through the living room. When he stopped the next time, he pulled her to him and then brought his mouth down on hers. The kiss went on for what seemed like forever, and when he pulled back, she was breathless.

“I hope your kiss will last me all week since it will be this weekend before I get another chance to do it again.”

She nodded and had almost forgotten he was going to be finalizing his candidate selection to fill the deputy position. He opened the door and closed it behind him, locking it. They went to her car, and she climbed behind the wheel. After they shared another brief kiss, she started the engine and pulled off. She sighed to herself after she came to the stop sign. Each time, it was getting harder and harder to leave Randy, and she knew a day would come when she didn’t want to. She wondered if he would want the same when that time came.

* * * *

“Are you going to be my mommy?”

Kristen froze. It was the last thing she expected to come out of Wade’s mouth. She asked Randy to let him stay home and spend some time with them this weekend because Wade was a large part of Randy’s life and she realized they all needed to get along and get to know each other or it wouldn’t work. Her relationship with Wade was as vital as the one she was trying to rebuild with Randy. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Kristen motioned for Wade to come and join her. He went straight for her lap, and she let him. She didn’t see anything wrong with building a healthy relationship with Wade. Looking him straight in the eyes, she answered him honestly.

“I’m not sure if I will be or not, but I sure would love to be. You are a wonderful little boy, and I would be lucky to have a son like you.”

Wade seemed to be satisfied with the answer, climbed down out of her lap, and wandered out of the room. Seconds later, she heard him talking to Randy. She took the opportunity to stretch out on the couch. She was exhausted from the week. Her eyelids began to droop, and a short time later, she was asleep. When she did awaken, it was to the aroma of dinner. She couldn’t make out the smell, but whatever it was smelled delicious. She sat up, got off of the couch, and headed toward the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway smiling at the sight in front of her. Randy stood at the counter preparing a salad. Wade stood in front of a miniature table preparing something himself, but his food and utensils were made of plastic. He was working hard. She could get used to the sight. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. The last thing she needed to do was give
herself
false hope. She had to take things slow and not jump to conclusions. She shook her head to clear it before she continued on into the kitchen.

“What are you guys cooking?”

Wade looked up when he heard her voice. He ran to her, and she bent down to scoop him up into her arms. She laughed when she saw the front of his apron.

She read it aloud. “Cutest Little Chef.” Randy would be the one to find something so ingenious.

“Did you have a good nap?”

She looked over at Randy and nodded. “Sorry I fell asleep on you guys.”

Wade gave her a very solemn look. “It’s okay. Daddy said you needed a nap.”

Kristen smiled at Wade then she looked over at Randy who had gone back to his food preparation. “Did he?”

Wade’s pout made her heart melt. “But I wanted to wake you. I wanted to cook with you.”

Kristen felt her smile widen. “Well, next time, I will try to stay awake so we can.” She put him down. “What are you guys cooking?”

Wade pointed to the food on his table while he called it out. “Dinner salad, chicken pot pie, and dinner rolls.”

She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “Sounds yummy. Do you need any help?”

Wade shook his head. “No. Dinner is almost ready.”

She grinned and looked over at Randy, who was smiling, too. He shook his head before he placed the tomatoes on the salad.

“I have finished everything already and was on my way to wake you.” He looked over at Wade. “Clean up your toys so we can get cleaned up for dinner.”

Wade began straightening up his mess. Kristen helped him move his miniature table out of the kitchen. Ten minutes later, they were sitting around the table eating. Wade was telling them about his week at the day care, and even though she had experienced it with him she listened to him talk. He seemed to love it, and he was coming out of his stage of shyness.

Over dinner, Wade talked himself out. She knew Randy wanted his son to become more sociable, or at least know how to handle
himself
in a social situation, another reason Randy told her he decided to put Wade in day care. He also admitted that he had no idea it was her day care until he walked through the front door, but he was glad it had been. She had been touched when he told her that he thought her day care was good for Wade.
 
Kristen beamed as she looked over at Randy.

“So are you happy you chose Eric?”

He nodded, and she knew Eric was the best replacement. He had the experience needed. From what she could tell, he also had the personality. Baxley was a laid-back town, and a Type A personality wouldn’t survive in deputy position.