Davenport Harbor (Six Degrees Book 3) (35 page)

“
You should take her out again.
”

“
I don
’
t think she wants to be anywhere near me.
”

“
Oh, I don
’
t know about that.
”

“
I...
”
I rubbed my face,
“
I messed up. I hurt her.
”

“
I guessed that,
”
her lips twitched,
“
Men mess up.
”
I smiled and shook my head.

“
It
’
s not that easy.
”

“
I can see how you would think that with certain women.
”
Sabrina stopped talking, her face softening when she saw Anne walking back towards the sandbox where she was holding a tray with sippy cups for the kids and lemonade for Mike. Her gaze, though, was right towards my window.
“
She isn
’
t like most women, though.
”
Sabrina remarked, patting my back before turning and walking towards the door.

“
Thank you,
”
I quickly said, gazing over my shoulder, and she smiled.

“
I
’
m
…
I
’
m sorry we have those things in common. If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me,
”
she nodded and walked out of my office.

She isn
’
t like most women.
Sabrina
’
s words couldn
’
t be truer.

Anne

John hadn
’
t come down from his room or his office. Mike and Sabrina had left hours ago. Knowing everything he
’
d been through, I could see how he could let himself not feel, let himself believe he wasn’t a good man when in reality, he was wrong.

A bad man wouldn
’
t have looked twice at us on the side of the road.

Rationally knowing that and understanding it, I still couldn
’
t let myself go up to see him, to talk to him. Wiping down the counters, making sure his dinner was set out, I took a glass of lemonade to the table as I listened to Zoey
’
s sweet giggles. I headed to the family room. Panic struck my chest when I saw she wasn’t in her playpen.

“
Zoey?
”

“
Mama….Mam…,” I heard her little voice behind me and I turned, relief hitting me like a wave as I saw her standing across the living room with John behind her, his large body bent slightly, so that if she fell, he
’
d catch her. Something about seeing that formed a knot in my throat. A huge one. As shitty as he
’
d been making me serve that dinner, I knew in the bottom of my heart that he
’
d do that. He
’
d catch either of us and keep us from falling. Hell, he
’
d done it the night of the storm.

“
Look,
”
his eyes shone brightly as he bent his large body to her level,
“
Show Momma how you can walk, little Princess! Go to Mommy!
”
Zoey
’
s bright blue eyes met mine and she started to walk towards me, so I bent at the knees, putting my arms out for her.

“
You can do it, baby girl!
”

“
Go...get Mommy!
”
John cheered and sure enough, Zoey reached me. I wrapped her up in my arms. The three of us laughed. I peeked over Zoey
’
s head to look at John who was still laughing. I could see in his eyes that he wanted to close the space between us, but was waiting for me to give him the green light; for me to give him permission when he wasn’t the kind of man to ask for it. I loved him. No matter what, I loved him. He let me in last night. So I did the only thing I could and nodded, and he rushed over, wrapping his strong arms around Zoey and me. I pressed my face into his chest and breathed in his cologne, and feeling Zoey
’
s laughter between us, everything felt right. It felt
right
.

Pulling my face away, I looked at him. His eyes shone with what I was feeling, and at that moment, I knew there was no way I could walk away from him. No way could I take us away from him. Not when I saw exactly what I felt shining brightly back at me.

Love.

“
Okay. One last chance,
”
I whispered, but I knew he heard it when his lips crashed down on mine.

John

Mrs. Bradley was our new housekeeper. She was a widow, had nothing but grown children, and was all settled into the guest house while Anne and Zoey had taken up residence in the guest room next to mine on my insistence. If it had been up to her, she would have moved into the tiny room next to the kitchen downstairs.

Things hadn’t been easy between us.

She was definitely giving me a chance, but she was hesitant. I saw the doubt that clouded her eyes and I was working on repairing the pain I’d caused. Days had turned into weeks. Three weeks, and I
’
d been coming home as early as I could every day I had to go into the office. There were days when I made Birdie work with me from my home office, or days when I delegated things to her I had no doubt she could handle efficiently, so that I could spend time with Anne and Zoey.

These last couple of weeks, I
’
d made it a point to take them out, surprising them, and I knew that my kitten liked it.

I liked how when we
’
d gone back to the Arboretum or the Los Angeles Zoo, she was the one seeking my hand to hold when we walked side by side as I pushed Zoey
’
s stroller. I really liked how she
’
d kissed me and we
’
d made out time and again on the couch after dinner while we were supposed to be watching television. She hadn't given me the green light to join her in her bed and she hadn
’
t come to mine, but just knowing that we were moving forward, that they were sleeping in the room next to mine, under my roof, safe and sound, helped me sleep at night.

It was Saturday. Anne had been busy working on something for Nick in the family room. I could hear her talking to Zoey as well as Zoey babble back to her in her baby talk. Anne had been working quite a bit for Nick and she seemed to really enjoy it. And from what Nick said, she was fantastic at what she did. It didn’t surprise me. I
’
d been in my office working on a couple of things, so that I didn
’
t have to go in on Monday.

I was down in the kitchen, working on getting us a late lunch fixed, when she walked in. I heard her light footsteps against the tiled floor as she entered the kitchen, and I smiled as I finished chopping and dicing the carrots. I looked over at her sexy body leaning against the countertop next to me, a very amused look on her face.

“
Hey,
”
I told her, smiling, and I noticed her eyes watching my lips in a way they hadn
’
t since I’d been a jerk.

“
You
’
re cooking?
”
She asked, her lips twitching.

“
I
’
m making us a late lunch.
”

“
Should you be allowed in here to do that?
”

“
What?
”
I scoffed, knowing where this was going,
“
I know what I
’
m doing.
”
She pressed her luscious lips together.

“
I was in here after you tried to make us pancakes.
”
Her voice was playful and her hazel eyes shone brightly. I shook my head and laughed.

“
Yeah. Not my best moment, but I know what I am making here.
”

“
Pancakes are one of the easiest things you can make. I read an article where pancakes were on a list for the top ten things anyone should know how to make in their twenties.
”

“
And?
”
I asked, enjoying her playfulness, even if it was at my expense.

“
And?
”
Her lips curled up into a smile,
“
You, Mister, are way past your twenties.
”

“
Oh yeah?
”

“
Yeah.
”
I closed the space between us and lifted her onto the counter, moving my body between her legs. Her hands wrapped around my neck naturally, and there was a sparkle in her eyes.

“
You like how old I am,
”
I told her, trying to ignore the way my body buzzed when I was this close to her, aching for me to be closer.

“
I like you just the way you are.
”
Her voice was slightly husky, and I watched her lips part.
“
John.
”

“
I like you the way you are, too
…
a lot.
”
I leaned in and kissed her lips softly and was surprised when she pulled me in closer into her scent, her warmth, and I lost control. Our tongues battled each other passionately, until she moaned and I pulled slightly away. With our foreheads touching, I watched her as she was breathing through her nose, her eyes still closed.

“
What are you making for lunch?
”
She asked, her voice soft, her eyes still closed as if she was trying to reign in her control.

“
Asian chicken cups,
”
I responded and loved the comical way her eyes flipped open, wide and surprised.

“
You can make Asian chicken cups but not pancakes?
”
She asked incredulously, and I kissed her on the nose.

“
This is easy.
”

“
Okay
…”
Her eyes drifted to my mouth,
“
Can I help?
”
I looked at her, my body wanting more. Like a junkie craving his next fix. Her body beckoned me, but this had to be in her time.

“
No.
”
Clearing my throat, I shook my head,
“
Go relax, I got this.
”

“
You sure?
”
She asked, biting her lip, her hand caressing my face.

“
Yeah,
”
something about the gentleness of her touch and what it made me feel made my voice croak slightly.

“
Okay,
”
she said softly and I nodded, helping her down from the counter.

***

We were sitting at the wooden table side by side in the kitchen, her body pressed closely to mine, the sinful moans escaping her lips as she bit into a chicken cup only adding fuel to the hardness in my pants.

“
This is good!
”
Her eyes were bright as she leaned towards Zoey, who was sitting in her high chair, eating the chicken mixture with her hands.

“
You like it, too, don
’
t you, baby girl!
”
I watched as she picked up another cup and took a bite, completely enjoying it.

“
John, this is so good!
”
Her eyes closed. I had my own cup mid-air, not able to take my eyes off of her. The way her hair was thrown up in a messy ponytail and a loose strand of hair had fallen on her beautiful smiling face beckoned me. My free hand went and tucked the loose strand of silky hair behind her ear. Her smile faded, but her eyes were still bright. She swallowed, and I watched her lick her sweet bottom lip. Her warmth, her scent, fueled the heat in my body.

I swallowed hard, my mouth slightly dry at the sight of her tempting lips.

“
Here,
”
I lifted the cup to her mouth, her eyes on me,
“
Let me feed you.
”
Her mouth opened, our stares connected, and I could see the trust in her eyes as she opened, taking the lettuce cup and licking the tips of my fingers, her gaze warming up as she bit down. Her soft purring sounds were making me even harder.

“
You
’
re so damn beautiful, Kitten.
”
My voice was thick with desire. I took in the way she closed her eyes.
“
You are. You are so damn beautiful, Anne, I mean it. I promise you, Kitten, I won
’
t hurt you again. I
’
ll keep you and Zoey safe. I promise.
”

“
John.
”

“
Please, baby.
”
I
’
d never begged a woman, but right now, I would keep begging her until my last breath.

“
I told you I wanted to give that to you and I have
…”

“
But?
”

“
But you
’
re the one staying away, John.
”
She pulled slightly away and left me dumbfounded.

“
What?
”
My frowning face took in everything about her.

“
You come home early, we go out, make out, but then you go cold and run off to your room.
”
Her cheeks flushed, and I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out.

“
Kitten, I was letting you decide when you were ready to come to me.
”

“
What?
”
She was the one frowning now.

“
I was giving you space and time to decide if you thought I was worth it.
”

“
Oh, John.
”
A giggle burst out, and I thought I would always remember the way her face lit up with laughter at that very moment. How her body just came right towards me, how she wrapped her arms around my waist as I wrapped mine around hers. We both laughed at the misunderstanding between us with Zoey watching us, then joining us in our amusement. We stood and I picked up Zoey as Anne turned on the small kitchen radio and soft music started to play as we danced.