Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
A.J. rushed out of his room holding something bulky in his hand. “Look what Uncle Happy got me!”
He held out the Grim Reaper themed Matryoshka doll and I huffed out a laugh. What a morbid gift. Unfortunately, after inheriting quite a few of his father’s things, A.J. now had a fascination with skeletons. His most prized possession in the world was Twitch’s skull-and-crossbones cufflinks. There was a while where he’d take them everywhere with him.
“Oh, honey. That’s so—” My eyes widened as I struggled to find the word. “—cool.”
Molly came over, eyeing the nesting dolls with avid interest. “That’s awesome, little dude.” She gently cuffed him on the chin, smiling. “That looks hand painted. I’ll bet it’s the only one like it. Lucky.”
A.J. looked overjoyed at the news and went over to the couch to open it up and explore the macabre present. It took me a while to notice Happy hadn’t emerged from A.J.’s room. When I made it to the open doorway and saw Happy lying on A.J.’s small single bed, his face soft with sleep, I smiled, but my eye caught something sticking out of my son’s underwear drawer.
Gently pulling it open, I took out the cool metal and blinked.
It was a watch.
A very male, very bulky watch. One I’d never seen before.
Frowning down at it, I held the heavy silver in my hands and turned it over, examining the beautiful timepiece. “Where did this come from?”
I didn’t hear A.J. come up behind me. He spoke quietly. “It’s Dad’s.” I twisted back to look at him, and the little monster smiled a toothy grin. “I’m holding onto it until he comes back for it.”
My eyes closed and I spun around, swallowing hard through the sadness his words evoked.
Damn it, A.J.
Daddy is not coming back.
I fought the thickness in my throat.
Stop.
My heart began to ache painfully.
Please... you’re killing me, baby.
Without a word, I shoved the watch back into the drawer, shut it with a light slam, then took a deep breath and changed the subject. “Quiet, honey. Let Uncle Happy nap.” As I moved past him, I put a gentle hand to his back and led him back to the kitchen.
How long was this going to go on?
I needed advice, and tonight, surrounded by friends, was probably the best place to get it.
Not long after, the sound of the lock turning let me know we had another guest. When Nikki rushed in, wide-eyed and elated, she completely ignored us and said, “Where is he?”
With a roll of my eyes, I pointed down the hall, and with a swoosh of her long, red hair, she went looking for her man. The moment she looked in the room and saw his sleeping form, her expression went from excited to sad. She put a gentle hand to her heart and walked into the room. I heard her gently wake Happy. “Aw. You’re sleepy.”
Then a just woken Happy. “Hey, baby. I missed you.”
I smiled at their cutesy banter and went back to preparing the garlic bread. About a minute later, the front door opened again, and Dave strolled through looking a little more than excited. “Where is he?”
Was everyone that walked into this house going to ignore me?
With a soft laugh, I pointed down the hall, and Dave jumped, clicked his heels, then strode down the hall just as Nikki and Happy emerged, holding hands. Dave barely spared Nikki a glance, patting her on the head, forcing an indignant sound out of her and making Happy chuckle. Dave looked down the hall, making sure A.J. was out of sight before he leaned into Happy and pressed his lips to the other man’s.
I tried not to watch, but it was hard. It was still strange to me, their arrangement, but somehow they made it work.
Happy, Nikki, and Dave lived as a ménage, in which Happy was shared by both Nikki and Dave. And surprisingly enough, it wasn’t Happy who suggested it. It was Nikki.
Speaking of the devil, she looked on happily as the two men shared a sweet moment.
Happy gripped the back of Dave’s neck, bringing him deeper into the kiss before pulling back and smiling. “Hey.”
“I missed you,” uttered Dave quietly.
Happy sighed. “I missed you too.” He pulled Nikki into his side. “Both of you.” When he uttered a husky, “I can’t wait to get home tonight,” my brows arched.
Something told me they weren’t going to play a nice game of Parcheesi.
Ugh. Lucky.
I missed sex.
That was the hardest thing about being a single parent. I didn’t trust any man enough to let them near my son, and I wasn’t into the casual fling. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’d been on dates, and they were nice guys.
Maybe that was the problem.
Nice didn’t seem to do anything for me anymore. Being with Twitch had changed me and my—ahem—preferences. Once, Nikki told me she’d met a Dom I might like, and I literally flung myself across the table to throw a hand over her mouth while I shushed her frantically.