The Pick-Up Wife Read online

  A gentle squeeze was his answer.

  “Are you okay with that?”

  “Honestly? No, but I understand. Are you willing to live with me?”

  She stilled. Was she? This was the only home her children had ever known. This was the place where she was able to stand on her own.

  “I won’t uproot the kids. Change is hard enough without having to make new friends,” he was saying. “I just want us to be a family and I’m willing to move here to make that happen.”

  A fourth person in her tiny two-bedroom would not work either. She straightened.

  “Seriously?”

  He smiled, his teeth gleaming against the night. “Give me a few days and I’ll have a solution to our housing dilemma. In the meantime, we need to discuss our sleeping arrangements.”

  A tingle of desire shivered down her spine.

  “There’s only the foldout in the living room.”

  His smile widened. “Interesting. Brings back memories of our first apartment. Remember how we had that studio and the only bed we could fit in the space was a futon?”

  She nodded with a slight smile. “We were so happy then.”

  He rested his hand against her cheek. “We can have that again.”

  She wanted to believe him with all her heart, because she was falling for Leo a second time.

  “I have a few more days before I have to return to work and I want things settled between us.”

  “If it’s too much…”

  “It isn’t!” He inhaled. “You are more important than my job, but I need to know we’re okay before I can go back to work.”

  She searched his face. The last time she’d seen him this earnest was when he’d proposed. “If you keep going at this pace, we’ll be okay.”

  He nodded. “Tomorrow I want to take you and the kids out for brunch. Then I want to take you to dinner.”

  Once again she was struck by the sincerity in his voice. “I’d like that.”

  ****

  Leo checked out of the hotel. He had a lot to prove to Symmone. The last thing he wanted was to break the fragile bond between them. The children were already on his side and despite the years of not knowing them, he felt as if he’d been there every day of their lives.

  He stretched his legs in front of him as he pulled his laptop closer. Something definitely had to be done about the sleeping arrangements.

  Sleeping next to Symmone the last few nights and not being able to touch her as he had in his hotel room was frustrating him more than he cared to admit.

  He glanced at the clock at the top of the screen and grimaced. If he didn’t leave now, he would be late seeing the realtor. He answered a couple of e-mails and on the last one his finger hovered above the Send button. The final e-mail regarded the company picnic in a few weeks. His boss wanted to meet his family, and he still hadn’t mentioned the outing to Symmone. Yet there was one tiny obstacle: he hadn’t told her the real reason he came back.

  With a gulp he pressed Send. She would have to understand. He was doing this for them.

  Chapter Eight

  Symmone hummed a tune while she rolled silverware. The last week was the best she’d had in a very long time. Leo had been adamant about being a part of every aspect of the children’s lives.

  A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the parent-teacher conferences. She let him take the lead. The teachers, while polite, were bursting with curiosity.

  One teacher even went so far as to pull her aside and ask where Leo came from. She placed the silverware in a waiting tub and continued. Every night he helped the kids with their homework. She wondered how much of that would change once he returned to work. So far, he was hanging in there.

  As a show of faith, she quit her second job.

  She had to admit it was refreshing not having to work until the wee hours of the morning. And it was nice sleeping next to Leo on a nightly basis. So often she wished for him at night and now that he was there, she wished they had their own room.

  She placed the last silverware roll in the tub and dusted off her hands. Tonight. Leo was taking her to dinner. Just the two of them. Before she went out, she had to buy a dress. Every other time they went out the kids were usually with them, and since she hadn’t dated she really didn’t have any suitable clothes for a romantic evening. She knew where to find the perfect dress.

  ****

  Twenty-eight minutes later, dress and shoes purchased, Symmone nosed her little Malibu toward home. Melvin had agreed to watch the kids. She missed her cousin not being around as much, but she also knew it was time for her to let go. Braking at a red light, she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she waited for the light to change. Too bad she didn’t have time to get her hair done; that would be a real treat.

  Smiling, she looked through the windshield, the light turned green, and she stepped on the gas.

  From the corner of her eye a dark blur headed her way. She glanced around. Traffic was already moving. Horns blared a frantic warning before metal screeched against metal.

  ****

  “The doctor said I was fine.” Symmone leaned heavily against Leo as he helped her up the stairs. Even with the dose of painkillers in her system, her body ached and her shoulder throbbed.

  “Your shoulder is dislocated, and you have a concussion. That is not fine.” He wrapped a strong arm around her waist as he opened the door.

  “Stitches. You have stitches, for crying out loud.”

  Symmone placed a hand to her head with a grimace. “Could you not yell? And he said slight; otherwise they’d have kept me. God, my head is tap-dancing.”

  “You’re lying down and not moving.” While he may have sounded harsh to anyone else, all Symmone heard was the concern.

  “Are the kids okay? I don’t want to worry them. Oh no! I’m supposed to go on their field trip to the museum. They picked out their sleeping bags and everything.”

  He paused and faced her. “You’re in no condition to go on a sleepover, and besides, you have no vehicle.”

  She sighed. “I just want to soak in a hot bath. I hurt all over.” A soft moan escaped when she shifted.

  Melvin and the kids stood in the hall. He grabbed their hands when they surged forward.

  “Let ’em go,” Symmone said and braced for the hugs. She couldn’t bear to see the tears on her children’s faces. They’d never seen her so banged up before. She managed a small smile. “I must really look bad if you guys won’t even hug me.”

  LJ looked her up and down. “You should sit down.”

  “Did you get stitches? Can I see?” This was from Jewel.

  Symmone would’ve laughed if it didn’t hurt so much. “Maybe when it’s time to change the bandage.”

  “That’s just gross, Jewel.”

  The little girl smiled. “I think it’s neat. Did I tell you we get to dissect a frog next year?”

  The sofa bed was already made and waiting.

  Symmone sank gratefully onto the mattress. “This feels so much better. I need to lie down for a bit.”

  Leo was already kneeling in front of her untying her shoes. “You should really eat something.”

  “After I sleep. The meds are really kicking in now.” She swung her legs onto the bed. Tension eased from her body as she settled onto the bed.

  She offered a tentative smile before closing her eyes. “Don’t look so worried. I’ll be okay.”

  “You say that now.” Leo placed a pillow beneath Symmone’s elbow, then swept a lock of hair from the square of gauze taped above her left eyebrow, and finally plucked a tiny piece of glass from the strands.

  “Is Mom going to be okay?”

  Symmone managed a faint smile and cracked open one eye. She hated to worry her kids, but now it was his turn to be the parent.

  “She’ll be sore for a few days, but she’s fine.”

  “Promise?” Jewel said, tucking her hand in his. LJ grabbed his other hand.

  “Promise.�
��

  Symmone hoped he would do everything he could to make sure his promise came true.

  ****

  A week later Symmone examined the stitches disappearing into her hairline. The area was still a little tender to the touch, and she didn’t care for the yellowish-green discoloration either.

  With a sigh she combed her hair to hide the worst of the bruising. She couldn’t wait to get the stitches out; they were beginning to pull and generally annoy her. Hopefully when she went to the doctor tomorrow he would remove them.

  “Ready?” Leo appeared in the mirror.

  Symmone pivoted, favoring her left shoulder. The joint was still sore. Leo leaned against the door frame, a slight frown adorning his lips when his gaze swept over her. Self-conscious, she finger-combed her hair over her forehead.

  “You’re supposed to keep that covered,” he said, pushing off the door and entering the bathroom. He rummaged in the medicine cabinet a moment.

  “People stare.” She couldn’t keep the slight whine from her voice. “Then give you dirty looks.”

  He chuckled. “Since when have you cared what people think?” He folded a piece of gauze in half. “Now hold still.”

  Symmone held her breath as the heat of his body beckoned, the spicy scent of his cologne intoxicated, and desire warred with common sense.

  She worried her bottom lip as his fingers, firm but gentle, taped the bandage in place. A ripple of anticipation went through her at his touch. His warm breath feathered the hairs on her forehead, and all she could do was stare at his mouth.

  The past week he’d taken care of her. Even when he went with the kids to the museum he made sure Melvin was there to watch over her.

  Somehow Leo managed to cook, clean, and get the kids off to school each morning. He moved through the house and settled into the family as if he’d been there the entire time.

  Sure, it was only one week, but he was doing his best to take care of her and the children, even going so far as to replace her totaled vehicle. He dropped his hands to his sides and she moved closer. Not once had he tried anything more intimate, but she’d often seen the desire in his eyes or felt his arousal pressed against her buttocks at night.

  Now that she was feeling more like herself, she wanted a little more. She curled her fingers in his shirt and rose on tiptoe.

  “I don’t think I’ve thanked you for everything you’ve done this past week.”

  Leo rested his hands at her waist. “It’s the least I could do.”

  She relished the strength of his hands. She closed the distance between them, touched her lips to his and applied pressure. She kept the kiss light and teasing, and his hands tightened at her waist.

  Slowly she explored his mouth, feathering kisses from one corner to the other, and nipped his bottom lip. A soft moan parted his lips and she darted her tongue inside. He tasted like peppermint. It seemed his restraint broke, and he gathered her close, taking over the kiss. She didn’t mind.

  When he pulled away abruptly, she let out a whimpered protest. He chuckled and rested his forehead briefly against hers.

  “I know just how you feel.” He glided his hand over her breast, intensifying the ache between her legs. He swept a caress along her lips.

  “And if we had more time, I’d indulge in all this soft skin.”

  Liquid desire pulsed along her nerve endings and she bit back a moan as he flicked a careful thumb across her painfully taut nipples. She dropped a hand to the crotch of his jeans only to find the material straining against the bulge.

  Holding his gaze, she stroked him up and down, savoring the passion darkening his eyes.

  “We have all the time in the world.” She was not taking no for an answer. She pried the button loose, then dragged the zipper down his fly. When her hand closed around her prize his eyes widened.

  His shaft was velvet-smooth, iron-hard. Such a contradiction. She wrapped her fingers around him, squeezed, and his hips jerked in response.

  “What’s five minutes?” she whispered in his ear.

  Never taking her eyes from his, she slowly dropped to her knees, shoving his jeans over his hips as she went.

  She parted her lips and licked the head, swirling her tongue around the broad mushroomed tip before drawing his essence into her mouth. A low moan echoed off the walls and she repeated the motion, this time taking him farther in her mouth. She kept the rhythm slow, alternating between sucking and licking, moving her mouth back and forth over the smooth texture of his penis. His hips bucked in time to her movements until each thrust brought her nose and lips to meet his coarse tight curls. She paused, her lips sealed around the base of his cock as she swallowed.

  He tangled his fingers in her hair as she allowed him to slide from her mouth, standing proud and glistening in the afternoon sun. He drew her to her feet, and when his lips met hers his kiss was hard and demanding. She met his passion with a fervor that surprised her.

  He yanked up her skirt and snatched down her panties, then thrust two fingers inside her wet slit. She moaned against his lips, her body seeking release. His thumb found the tiny bundle of nerves and strummed while he continued to work his fingers in and out of her wet channel. She rode his hand as desperately as she wanted to ride his cock.

  Lightning wisped through her veins, building, coiling tighter until only one thing would ease the tension.

  “You are so hot,” he murmured against her ear.

  “I want you.”

  In one hurried motion he swept the contents from the vanity top. Plastic bottles, toothpaste, and hairpins hit the floor with a clatter. Leo lifted Symmone and settled her on the edge of the counter. The surface was cool against her bare buttocks in contrast to the heat burning between her legs. He stood between her thighs, teasing her swollen folds with the head of his cock. She sighed and wiggled her hips, eager for his entry.

  Grasping her hips, he plunged into her pliant depths in one powerful thrust. Sparks danced along her body in a pleasurable jitterbug as he came to rest deep inside her. She drew him down for a kiss, his lips moist and warm as they caressed hers.

  Slowly he withdrew, the head of his cock barely sheathed in her entrance. A small protest eased past her lips even as her body sought to bring him closer. He flashed her a wicked smile before impaling her once more. Each stroke of rigid thickness scraped across sensitive skin and coaxed her closer to release. Every brush of his pelvis against hers added pressure to where she needed it most, and when she wrapped her legs around his hips, the world shifted on its axis. Somehow he seemed to slide deeper.

  She gripped his biceps as he pounded into her slick heat. Over and over. In and out. Each thrust was a brand, a stamp on her heart, and for the second time in her life she knew she wanted to be in this man’s bed and in his life.

  The soft slap of flesh against flesh mingled with the squeak of the vanity. Symmone focused on their intimate joining, each delicious stroke urging her closer and closer. Leo gripped the countertop for leverage as he leaned closer, his thrusts more demanding, the vanity shrieking in protest to the increased rhythm.

  Her orgasm caught her off guard in a jubilant wave that tossed and buffeted her with overwhelming sensation. She clenched her thighs, her muscles spasming around the hard cock moving inside her. For a heartbeat he slowed his thrusts before he increased speed, prolonging her climax and unleashing his own.

  His guttural cry mingled with hers as his hips slowed and finally stopped. Their soft pants filled the silence. Gently, he eased from her body and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Good God, woman, you make me forget my name.”

  She laughed.

  He touched his lips to hers, his kiss so tender tears burned beneath her lashes. “Did I hurt you?”

  She smoothed her thumb against the crease along his forehead. “No. You were absolutely perfect.”

  Chapter Nine

  “What are we doing here?” Symmone slowly exited the SUV and looked around the neighborhood. Here, the h
ouses were farther apart, allowing homeowners the luxury of space and semi-privacy. This was one of her dream places to live: big beautiful homes, and her kids could walk to school.

  He came around the vehicle, offered her his arm and an enigmatic smile.

  Her heart tripped a beat she was sure he could hear. He wouldn’t, would he? “Leo?”

  Across the manicured lawn to the paving stone walkway and up the bricked porch to the bright red front door, anticipation gripped her with each step. This was the house she admired most on the block. This house was a new build with modern flair. Clean, sleek lines adorned the front of the house while large glass windows graced the upper and lower floors. Somehow the architect managed to blend contemporary with old school Victorian, giving the house a distinctive yet elegant charm.

  Yet there was something very familiar about the dwelling she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “It has five bedrooms, three and a half baths. Oh, and you should see the master suite.”

  He punched in three numbers on the lock box hanging from the front knob and extracted a key.

  “The backyard is huge, so the kids will have plenty of space to run around and you can plant a garden.

  I remember you always wanted to have one.”

  He fit the key in the lock, cranked the knob, and pushed open the door. With a wave he ushered her forward.

  Symmone stepped across the threshold, her sandals clicking across the pale marble floor. She pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and peered around. “Wow.” Her voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling and reverberated through the air. A chandelier hung from above, the crystal danglies reflecting and sparkling in the late-afternoon sun.

  The hall opened to a wide sweeping staircase that branched off upstairs. The landing ran the length of the hall. She couldn’t wait to see the rooms above.

  She was aware of Leo trailing her from room to room. With each new discovery excitement mounted, and she found it increasingly difficult to restrain her emotion. This house was everything she’d imagined. Even though she knew this was the best thing for them as a family, she couldn’t let a knee-jerk reaction govern such a huge decision.