The Family Man

"Games start next week, every Saturday morning for the next few months," I added.

"Can you come?" Maria asked. Out of eyesight of Maria, I nodded an affirmative to Jake.

"Of course I can," Jake said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Afterwards, we could probably get lunch, or brunch somewhere," I said, pretending to think out loud. I wanted Jake dead a few months ago, and now the joy on his and Maria's faces was a gift. Our lives had changed so much. I knew there would be difficult hurdles ahead, but right then, the world smelled like roses.

***

The last dish finally made it into the dishwasher. Wrapping paper was in the trash, presents neatly piled in Maria's room and all the surfaces wiped off. I turned on the dishwasher and smiled at the small victory.

Jake thanked me profusely before he left. He told me he might be able to continue the extra amount in the support payments once he was out of arrears. His talk of building a college fund for Maria excited him, so I didn't let on I had already started. It was easier to enjoy his enthusiasm and let him claim the idea. Jake was going to become the favorite parent for awhile. His short happy visits and the lack of having to discipline her will move him up a notch on the parent popularity chart. I could live with that if it meant the end of all the crap.

Maria went to spend the night with Susan Vega. Susan's mother decided to take Maria and two other girls from the party home for a sleepover. For Maria, it was the best day in years. Birthday party, father, and a sleepover. My smile grew larger when I remembered her face when I agreed to the arrangement. So much joy packed into an eleven-year-old. It was a magnificent day to be a mother. I looked around the empty house. There was one man who made all the happiness possible. It was a good night to be childless.

***

Eric looked apprehensive when he opened the door. I really enjoyed the confusion I saw in his face. It made up for the mystery that he fostered. Revenge shouldn't be so much fun.

"Jake came to Maria's party today." I took a step forward as I spoke. My smile seemingly dropping Eric's IQ. He took a hesitant step back.

"He was perfect. Said the right things. Made Maria feel like she is the most important person in the world." I took another step. Eric retreated another foot. I loved the fear in his eyes.

"You fixed him," I said, stepping into Eric's house. This time he stood firm, though showed no renewed confidence.

"I'm glad," Eric said. He lifted his arms and crossed them over his chest. Defensive. His eyebrows rose when I closed the door. "Is there something else?"

"I don't have any idea why you chose us." I raised my hand to stall the response Eric was about to make. "And I no longer care. Your secrets are yours, and you can keep them. But you can't solve my biggest problem without suffering the consequences."

"What?" Eric unlocked his arms. I moved quickly. Maybe it was the gun training, maybe my unbridled happiness. Whatever the reason, bravery was no longer an issue. I cradled his face in my hands and placed my lips on his.

Fear, horror, and a startled stiffness the first second, then I felt Eric's body go soft. A moment later, willing participation. His arms encircled me, pulling me closer. His lips warming, stealing my momentum as they sought to devour mine. Feelings I had almost forgotten, swelled inside of me. A bubbling warmth that grew from my spine and spread throughout. Eric panicked and pulled his face away.

"There are things you don't know about me," Eric stammered, his arms defying his words and failing to release me.

"I don't give a shit," I said, pulling Eric's face back to mine. His neck relaxed, and his body surrendered. "Maria is spending the night at a friend's house," I added so that he understood. I wanted to take him right there in the front hall. I wanted the feelings inside of me to grow and explode. It only mattered that he was there now, not a day from now. His past no longer mattered. Maybe, tomorrow it would, but right then only desire mattered.

A primeval growl filled with want, grew from Eric's throat. I smiled into his lips, and he surprised me by lifting me off my feet and cradling me in his arms. His strength was confident, not even a glimmer of doubt he could hold me. I parted my lips and let my tongue find his as he moved us down the hall. I left it to him to guide me safely to the bedroom as I lost myself in his lips. Wonderful sensations were coursing through my veins, exciting nerve endings that had been idle for years. He laid me on his bed, the dull light from the hall our only illumination.

"I tried to avoid this," Eric said as he lifted his t-shirt over his head. There was a fire in his eyes, and I knew I had ignited it. I've never felt so sexy, so alive. I reached for the buttons on my blouse, and he stopped me. "My present," he growled and began undressing me. It was slow, button by button, followed by his lips on my newly exposed skin. I ran my hand down his chest, stroking the taut ripples where he hid his strength. The chest was all man. Tonight, it was my man.

The last button gave, and my mind flashed to the functional bra I had put on that morning. I should have changed. Eric's hand slipped behind my back and effortlessly unhooked the strap. A second later, my blouse and bra were on the floor, and Eric's eyes were traveling along my skin. Maria's birth had weakened my once youthful breasts, raising a silly concern of the glow from the hall being too bright. He moved on top of me, still dressed in his jeans, his hand riding softly up my side and finding my left breast.

"Beauty is my weakness," Eric whispered, lifting his eyes to mine, "You've crushed what's left of my willpower." All I could do was smile at his words. His lips lowered, and the woman in me found her joy as my nipple became his.

That night I found out what heaven must be like. At times, I enjoyed being nothing but Eric's toy. Others, he was mine. He discovered things about my body I never knew, bringing out delighted squeals you'd expect from a teenager. We laughed, we played and made love like the world didn't exist. At the end, when neither of us had the strength to continue, Eric kissed me. The lustful passion was gone from his lips, replaced with a caring tenderness. It felt like love.

"I don't usually do this sort of thing," I said quietly, trying to emphasize how special it was. Eric smiled and stroked my cheek. I didn't want him to stop.

"Nor I." I rolled on my side to face him. His hand dropped to my breast, caressing its soft flesh.

"I'm not trying to find a new husband," I said, wishing I had worded it differently. I wanted Eric to know I didn't require a commitment. My mind revolted a bit, trying to convince me that he'd be wonderful in my bed every night.

"I usually don't stick around one place too long," Eric said while his eyes kept saying that we'd be sharing a bed forever. His fingers traveled away from my breast and down my side, sending a pleasant shiver through me. "I love the way you react to my touch."

"I love they way you touch," I said with my most devious smile.

"I've done things..." Eric began a confession. I put my finger to his lips and shushed him. Tomorrow he could confess. Right now I was only interested in how he made me feel.

"Not tonight," I whispered. Eric smiled and made room for me on his chest. He reached down, straightening the blanket and covered me with it, his arms holding me and it in place. I snuggled into his warm nakedness letting my leg cross over his. It was safe and comfortable. I fell asleep listening to the steady beat of his heart.

Chapter 14

I woke from a deep sleep. It had been a long time since I had slept so well, not waking in the middle of the night as was my usual. There was a wonderful scent in the air; coffee. I smiled and rolled onto my back remembering where I was. The sun had barely begun fighting with the blinds that covered Eric's windows. The clock on the nightstand told me I had a few more hours before I had to pick up Maria. I dug my phone out my pants, struggling not to leave the warm covers as I fished for it on the floor. Blessedly, it was blank of texts from Maria.

I had sex. Really incredible sex and it made me feel younger. My whole body remembered how it felt. The warmth of Eric's skin and those precious waves that took over when our passion hit its peaks. I wondered if the smile would freeze on my face permanently. It was odd that I didn't mind Eric not being there as I woke. Maybe it was the smell of the coffee, a sign that he was waiting in the kitchen. I stood, and the coolness surprised my naked skin. I pulled the top blanket off the bed and wrapped it around myself. No need to get dressed yet. I wanted to remain decadent for a while longer. The mom would return soon enough.

Leaning against the door frame, I watched Eric at the stove clothed only in his boxers. He was gorgeous. Slim with muscles moving under his skin so purposely. I remember what it felt like to grab that tight ass of his and pull him deeper. Those low growling sounds that made me feel so desirable. He had some song in his head, shaking his butt as he worked. I had no choice but to laugh.

"She awakes," Eric said, completely unashamed of his tushy show. "I'm working on some spicy scrambled eggs, kind of a tex-mex thing."

"Sounds delicious." I moved to the island, gathered the blanket tighter and sat down on one of the stools.

"How do you take your coffee, or would you prefer tea?"

"Two sugars, no milk." Eric pulled a cup from the cupboard over his head and began filling it from the pot. "I like this restaurant," I said, wondering if had any control over my smile anymore.

"Have to earn those five stars," Eric said as he added two spoonfuls of sugar to my coffee.

"I think you did that last night."

"Me? I thought that was all you," Eric said, glancing over with an equally glued on smile. I bit my lower lip trying to stop my smile from growing. The morning man was as addictive as his night counterpart. The way he looked at me made me feel so damn beautiful. He brought over my coffee. I had to shift a bit to get an arm out of the blanket with losing too much warmth.

"Look what I did to your hair," Eric said, reaching out in a futile attempt to straighten it out. He was as much caressing as straightening. I leaned into his palm. "You're a sexy, beautiful mess." I quickly took a sip of the coffee, hoping that it would at least dull my morning breath for the kiss I knew was coming. Leaning forward, we kissed. He tasted of mint.

"No fair! You brushed your teeth," I said.

"My house." Eric shrugged his shoulders and pulled me closer. This time the kiss lasted longer. Obviously, the coffee did its job.

"Eggs," I reminded him, pointing with my eyes. Eric turned to see excessive steam coming from the pan. He moved quickly, moving the pan to a cold burner and began stirring quickly. I took it as a compliment. My kiss was more important than breakfast.

"A little brown, but not too bad," Eric said, "told you I'm griller." I chuckled as he pulled some plates out of the cupboard and set them out, following with napkins and forks. It had a nice feel to it, him serving me. I smiled at the slightly overcooked eggs that found their way to my plate.

"Not bad for burnt eggs," I joked as I tasted them. There was only a hint of the tex-mex. Nothing to overwhelm the egg's flavor, just a pleasant accent, so they weren't boring.

"No more kissing while I'm cooking," Eric chided me.

"I'd rather have burnt eggs." Eric's smile was charming. His eyes seemed to light up when I spoke. The euphoria of last night was still alive and well.

We ate, rarely losing each other's eyes. The talk remained light and flirty as if we were still making love. Our hands found reasons to touch, making sure our skin remembered what it enjoyed. I dawdled over my eggs, wanting them to last longer so there wouldn't be a reason to end breakfast. I liked us.

"What time to do you have to pick up Maria?" Eric asked, breaking the spell. I wasn't ready to be mom again.

"Eleven thirty," I replied, looking at the clock on the wall. There was still three hours left.

"Then we have to get you cleaned up," Eric said. He stood up and held out his hand. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be hustled out of the house. Reluctantly, I stood.

"The dishes," I said, stalling for more time.

"They'll keep," Eric said, "The dishwasher uses too much hot water anyway." I wondered what he meant by that as he led me back to the bedroom. It was the glimmer in his eye that gave it away. We went straight to the bathroom, me trailing behind trying not to trip over the blanket. The morning wasn't over.

Eric started the shower and unabashedly dropped his boxers, kicking them into the corner. My face heated as he pulled the blanket off me, exposing all my skin to the bright light. There was fear as his eyes traveled down my form. Every imperfection leaped into my mind as I forced my hands not to try and cover. His eyes found mine again.

"You don't have any idea what your body does to me," Eric said, his hand caressing my naked neck. Something stiff rubbed along my hip. I reached down as my smile returned.

"I think I do," I replied. I gently caressed the sign of his obvious delight. My God, I loved the way he growled.

***

The target zoomed forward on its track, stopping a foot from my face. The shot group was tight, no bigger than a half-dollar.

"You're getting good," Cynthia said. I removed my ear protection and smiled at her, my pride clearly visible. Tony trusted me enough to handle the range myself now. That, or he was done with the free lessons. I cleared my weapon and handed it to Cynthia.

"Your turn," I said.

"So, you still haven't told me about your booty call," Cynthia said as she took possession of the Glock.

"Not much to tell," I lied.

"Yeah right." I replaced the target with a fresh one and sent it downrange. "You look like a love struck school girl." Cynthia donned her ear protection and stepped up to the line. I handed her a clip, and she locked it into place. She aimed and fired, her smile growing with each round. I think she was a closet assassin.

"That's way more fun than it should be," Cynthia said as she cleared the weapon. "I'm going to have to save up for one of these." I brought the target back, and she was way out of the center with one round missing completely. It made me feel even better about my growing skill.

"You have to pause a bit more between rounds," I said as if I was an expert. Cynthia nodded, handing the weapon back to me.

"So, did Eric scratch your itch or not?"

"More than once," I whispered even though we were the only ones on the range. Cynthia lit up a like a torch.

"You trollop." Cynthia started laughing after giving my shoulder a friendly shove. "How was it? I need details."

"Well, he really knows his way around a woman," I replied.

"He's a player," Cynthia said, nodding her head.

"I don't think he is," I said, slowing my movements. "I got the impression he hadn't been with someone in a long time." I smiled, "At least it seemed like he had been deprived." A memory of the shower flashed, Eric's obsession with what he insisted were my filthy breasts. His soapy hands were heaven.

"You're in dreamland," Cynthia commented. I focused my eyes back on her. "So when do you see him again and does he have a brother?"

"I don't know and no," I replied, sending a new target down range. Eric and I had left it open, only agreeing that there was no reason for Maria to know about our familiarity. In fact, we avoided all talk of the future. His history said he wouldn't stick around. It may be for the best since topping Saturday night would be impossible. I put my ear protection back on and loaded my Glock. Cynthia stepped back as I sent three rounds into a fictional bad guy who happily wasn't Jake anymore.

***

"I'm sorry to call you again, Ms. Thompson," Terrance said. I took a deep breath, wishing I had never used him in the first place. "It's just that there's something I need you to see."

"Look, I'm no longer interested in anything you've found out." My voice was a little on the snippy side, but he did call me at work. "I was wrong to look into him in the first place."

"Please, I'd feel better if I could show you something. I could come by your place," Terrance hurriedly.

"What is it?"

"It's not something I could tell you over the phone. It has to be seen," Terrance insisted. He sounded like he was going off the deep end. I feared he might show up at my door, possibly causing an embarrassing situation if Eric happened by.

"Okay, but this is the last time," I said. "I'll come by your office tomorrow during lunch. After this, I don't want you calling me again."

"Okay, okay," Terrance said, obviously relieved. "You'll see, it's important. I think it may be best if you stayed away from Mr. Papirius. I'm having trouble getting a hold of my Italian contact now, but what he's told me so far is very confusing. "

"I'll come by to stop this, but don't think I believe a word of your conspiracy," I said, then hung up. I was really beginning to dislike Terrance. Eric may not be a perfect human being, but he was currently on my list as a perfect lover. The way he treats me, what he did with Jake, I doubt there were even unpaid parking tickets in his past. I'd have to talk to Tony about recommending Terrance to anyone else.

Chapter 15

"She's not home," Maria said as she walked back in the door.

"She just called. Maybe she's in the bathroom or something," I said as I assembled the salad for dinner. Mrs. Cummings had called not fifteen minutes ago offering some fresh baked cookies to Maria. I thought she might be lonely, so I told Maria to go over and ask her to join us for dinner.

"I rang the doorbell more than once."

"Let me get this in the fridge, and I'll go back with you," I said. I dumped the cut carrots into the lettuce and placed the bowl in the refrigerator, after scooting some things around. I grabbed a jacket and headed out the door.

There was an unmarked blue utility van parked in front of Martha's house.

"Maybe she was in the basement," I told Maria, pointing at the van, "She told me she was worried about a crack in her foundation and wanted someone to look at it." Maria smiled and nodded. She'd been excited to invite Mrs. Cumming over. I had a budding social entertainer on my hands.

I was just about to ring the doorbell when I heard a sound I recognized all too well. The sound of a hand contacting an unprepared face.

"Money bitch! You old bats always have some stored." The voice was deep, rich with anger. A crash followed with muffled scream, then more strikes. I covered Maria's mouth before she could call out, hustling her away from the door. My damn phone was on the kitchen counter. We ran.

Maria kept crying, telling me he was hurting Mrs. Cummings as I called the police. I tried to calm her as I told the dispatcher Martha's address, who I was, and what I heard. The woman promised help was on the way, and I should stay where I was.

"He's hurting her," Maria screamed again. It took for the police forever to get to our house when Jake was beating down the door. That man was already inside the house. Martha and I had traded extra keys to back each other up a while back. I took hers off the hook in the cabinet and moved quickly to the bedroom. I pulled my gun out of the closet, undid the trigger lock, and loaded it. Taking Maria by the hand, I headed outside and kneeled in front of her.