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“I can’t thank you enough for keeping my Wylla Mae for me,” Alexa thanks me for the third time since she showed up on my doorstep twenty minutes ago to collect the kid.
“No worries. We survived.”
She bats her long thick lashes at me. “I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”
“Mom, East makes the best chicken in the whole world. You should make it for her for dinner sometime,” she prompts, staring at me.
“Yeah, um sure. Whatever you want, Lil’ Lady.”
“What’s this?” Alexa turns Wylla Mae’s wrist over inspecting the fading tattoo Roane gave her.
“My tattoo. Isn’t it pretty? I’m going to get a real one as soon as I’m old enough.”
Alexa smiles at her daughter. The woman is gorgeous, and I can see a lot of where Wylla Mae gets her features from. When she grows up, she will be one hell of a heartbreaker.
“Let me treat you to dinner. My place. I won’t take no for an answer,” Alexa presses, gliding her manicured fingers up and down my forearm.
“Please, East. Pretty please with cherries on top,” Wylla Mae starts in, giving me her signature pout.
“Sure. Name the time. I’ll be there.” I’m a damn sucker.
“Perfect,” Alexa purrs, leaning in close. “I’ll make you something special for the occasion. I’m betting you’re a beer man. I bet I can guess your label too.”
I pull back slightly uncomfortable with the way her tits are rubbing up against me with her kid standing here watching. “No doubt.”
“How’s tomorrow night work for you?”
Both are staring at me now, putting me on the spot, but I find myself unable to say no to either of them. “Sounds good.”
“It’s a date.” She shoots me this look with her eyes that tells me she plans on doing a lot more than feeding me. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better, East.”
I bet she is, and I’m enough of a bastard to let her.
**
This time when I pull up to Alexa’s house, I’m on my own and shit looks different. The garbage is gone from the yard. The grass is trimmed. There’s a welcome mat in front of the door. Before I can knock the door swings open and Wylla Mae is grabbing me by the hand. “I knew you’d come.” Those doe eyes melt into me, and I can’t help but grin when I see that damn sunflower is still on her wrist. She’s wearing jeans and a purple tee with a mermaid on it.
Damn brat is growing on me.
“Mom made roast. She said men love meat and potatoes.”
“Your mom is right.”
“I wanted mine diced, but she said no and made me mash them. How do you like your potatoes?”
“Cooked,” I answer as she tugs me through the door. She laughs. “I see that snot nose cleared up.” That earns me a scowl.
“Hey, you. So glad you made it.” Alexa walks out of the kitchen, and I get the sense I am in a different house than the one I was in Friday. It smells like cinnamon and vanilla. Looks clean. Like a home should. Not that I got that much of a look the last time I was here other than the nasty kitchen.
“Thanks for having me. I can’t turn down a home cooked meal from two beautiful ladies, now can I?”
“I would’ve been offended if you were a no show. No woman takes lightly to be stood up.” Her medium length dirty blonde hair hangs smooth and stick straight down her back. In a barely there denim skirt with stones and beads around the pockets, her legs are lean and tan. Long enough to wrap around a man. A black Harley Davidson tank top shows off her midriff and the black lace of her bra is playing peekaboo with the deep scoop neck. Alexa is fucking hot. If the kid wasn’t here, I have no doubt in my mind that we’d be skipping dinner and going right to dessert. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starved.” I lick my lips, my mouth watering at the smell of the roast wafting from the kitchen.
“All right. Sweetpea, you go wash up. East and I won’t start without you.”
Wylla Mae darts up the stairs.
“Shall we?”
“Right.” We move into the kitchen and it’s clean. I gotta admit I was worried about Wylla Mae having food when I watched them pull out of my driveway, but I put in a call to Prez and he said he took care of shit. The counter has a bowl of fresh fruit on it and there’s a spread on the center of the kitchen table. Rolls, roast, and veggies. Mac and cheese too.
I observe Alexa as she pours a glass of milk for her daughter, handing me a bottle of Budweiser next. “You’re good.” I pop the cap off and take a hard pull.
“I’m better than good, East. Do you mind if I call you East?”
“It’s Easton but yeah you can call me whatever you want, cooking me a meal like this.”
Her plump berry stained lips stretch into a sexy smirk. “That so.” Swiftly, her finger dips into the bowl of mashed potatoes. She sucks the slender digit between her plump lips and moans. “So creamy.” Repeating the motion of slipping her finger into the food, she brings her finger to my mouth. “You try.”
“Ready to eat,” Wylla Mae announces before I get the chance.
“Maybe later.” I wink at Alexa. Grudge was right, she has trouble written all over that banging body. The three of us pull out our chairs and get settled in at the table. Alexa offers me my plate first, but I tell her to go ahead and set Wylla Mae up with hers. I can hear her stomach grumbling.
The food is delicious. The meat is juicy and tender. The potatoes are a little lumpy and could use more salt, but overall Alexa did a decent job. Wylla Mae talks nonstop about her friends at school. There’s some boy that’s all the time pulling her hair and stepping on the back of her shoe. Fucking with her backpack.
“The other day he flicked my ear all through our reading group.”
“He does those things because he likes you and don’t know how to go about showing or telling you.” Her eyes narrow into tiny darkened slits at my words. “It’s true. Ask your mom. She’ll tell you. Guys pull off stupid stuff to get your attention even if we go about it all wrong.”
“Mom says men are only good for two things. Lifting heavy stuff and making babies but they aren’t very good at either. That’s why she keeps that pink thing in her drawer by her bed. If you turn it on it vibrates. She goes through a lot of batteries.”
I choke on my bite of carrot and Alexa’s face goes beet red.
“Wylla Mae,” she hisses.
“It’s true. That’s what you said on the phone to Mitzy.”
“It’s not polite to listen in on adults, Lil’ Lady.” I shoot her a pointed look and she shrinks back in her chair. “Or to go through their things.”
“Sorry, Mom.”
“Let’s just...we can talk about it later. Okay? Who wants cheesecake?”
“I could go for a slice. What about you?” I nudge Wylla Mae’s knee as she pouts, folding her arms across her chest.
“Sweetpea?”
“Sure.”
“We can eat in the living room and watch a movie or something. Wylla, baby. Why don’t you go pick us out something to watch?”
“Sounds good to me. Go on now. Listen to your momma.”
Her chair scoots back with a creaking sound and she skitters out of the room.
“Sorry about her. She’s not used to anyone calling her out on her actions. It’s my own fault. I’ve spoiled her.”
“She’s a good kid.”
“You think so? I’m always terrified that I have screwed her life up. I’m not the most together person. I’m sure you know that already. It’s just me. Sometimes it all gets a bit heavy, and I’m not the best at reaching out or asking for help. I felt like I was drowning with no way to break free the other day. So, it means a lot to me that you were there for Wylla Mae when you didn’t know me or her. You could’ve put her off on anyone, but you didn’t.” She pauses. “My life is complicated.”
“Hey. It’s cool. You don’t owe me any explanations.”
“But I do. I mean, yeah Murder knows you, but he put my kid off on you because he trusted that you’d take care of her, and I want you to know that I don’t go around just letting whoever watch her.”
“She kept me company and kept me from doing stupid shit.”
“How so?”
“Any other weekend I’d been chasing club pussy and falling into the same mistakes. She gave me responsibility outside of myself.”
“I know all about repeating mistakes. Just once I’d like to meet a nice guy. One who doesn’t want anything but my company and likes me for me. Not because I’m pretty or give good head.” Her lips turn down and my heart squeezes in my chest for this beautiful broken woman and her daughter.
I never thought much about putting roots down here when I got word that my old man passed away. We never had a good relationship. I came here to tie up his affairs and got sucked into the life he lived. The club he rode with. When Murder asked me if I wanted to prospect, I was sure I’d never make it, but it’s been a year and a few months since I earned my cut. I like it here in Charleston, West Virginia. I like the people. Love the club. The gorgeous mountains.
Could I be the man that Alexa needs? Fuck if I know but maybe I could try testing the waters with her. She’s hot and I know she finds me attractive. The kid drives me nuts but in a good way. All weekend I couldn’t wait to be rid of her but once Alexa drove off with her, I felt something I didn’t expect. Loneliness. It crept up on me, and I can’t help but wonder if a family of my own isn’t what I’m missing.
I know Alexa is doing her best. Hell, I was raised by a single mother. I know it is damn hard.
“You want to take this to Wylla Mae. I’ll be right behind you with the rest.”
“Sure.” I take the slice of cheesecake she plated and carry it into the living room suspecting she needs a moment to herself. “What’d you pick?” I hand Wylla Mae her dessert and sink onto the couch. It’s tan leather and I smile to myself seeing the floral printed throw pillows. I remember what the kid said about her mom making things look nice and smell good when she’s happy.
“Corpse Bride.”
“What’s it about?”
Her eyes get bigger than normal and she pauses before taking her bite of cheesecake. “You’ve never seen Corpse Bride?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“It’s like the single greatest movie ever.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Alexa enters the room, and I can tell that maybe she was crying. Over what? Hell if I know. What I do know is I hate the sadness I see behind her eyes and wonder what I can do to take it away. I watched my own mother cry one too many times over spilt milk.
The three of us settle in with our cheesecake. Wylla Mae is seated on the floor and Alexa is next to me, knees touching mine. I have to admit I’m enjoying myself. I can’t help but watch the brat. The way her face lights up at her favorite parts and her lips move, repeating nearly every damn line word for word.
“You’re good with her. She hasn’t shut up about you since we walked out of your cabin.”
“You got a little...” I brush my thumb over her lips, and she bites it. Shit. She’s digging this too. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here. I’ve never dated someone with a kid before.
“Maybe you could be good with me too.” She leans in closer, mouth millimeters from mine. I brush her blonde hair back from her forehead and stare into her warm brown eyes unable to read her but sensing she wants me to kiss her.
“Did you see that, East?” Wylla Mae pops up from the floor and looks back at us.
“Yeah. Way cool,” I lie.
“Liar,” she screeches and runs up the stairs.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”
“She’s jealous that you’re getting my attention. I can go talk to her if you think it’d help.”
“No. I’ll go talk to her. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere, okay?” her teeth sink into her thick bottom lip and fuck me it’s sexy.
I take my plate to the kitchen and grab another beer from the fridge happy to see it’s stocked full of food for the kid. Yogurt, juice boxes, lunch meat, grapes, and string cheese. Back in the living room I sink back down into the couch and sip on my beer, watching the credits to the movie.
A few minutes pass before Alexa returns. “She’s all good. Now where were we.” Moving in close she takes my beer and places it on the end table, leaning across me to achieve her goal. I know this is a mistake from the moment her lips meet mine, but I don’t pull away. I caress her cheek and thrust my tongue deep in her hot mouth. Both of us lonely. Craving something more and knowing we’ll never find it together. I don’t know what she’s running from but whatever it is, its big.
I pull back and she smiles at me.
“You sure, she won’t come down the stairs?”
“She’ll be asleep in like ten minutes.”
“Okay.” I move back in and kiss her again, but I can’t get into it. I keep thinking every time the house creaks that its Wylla Mae watching us and spying. Alexa doesn’t pick up on how tense I’ve grown. The woman is all into the moment, sliding down to the floor on her knees and going for the zipper on my jeans. She’s eager to prove that she does indeed give good head. I grab her hands before she goes further. “I’m sorry. I keep thinking she’s sitting at the top of the stairs or some shit. It just feels weird to me.”
“Why don’t we take this to my room then?”
“How about next time. I’m in no hurry, sweetheart. I had a great time tonight.”
“You sure? Most men would be pissed.”
“I’m not most men.”