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“That’s nice that you have her, and she can help you out,” Ryker said. His own mother passed when he was just a teenager and he still missed her. He often wondered what kind of woman she would have become if she had lived but playing the what-if game was dangerous and often led to regrets that had no place in the present.
“I’m lucky that she wants to hang out with Iris. My mom is only thirty-nine and still has a lot of life to live. Instead, she stays home to keep Iris for me. I just feel bad, you know. I feel guilty that I’m not with my daughter more, and I feel horrible that my mother is trapped at home with my little girl instead of living her life and having fun.”
“You really do carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, don’t you honey?” he asked.
Harlow shrugged, “I’m used to it,” she said. “I guess that I don’t expect anything and that way, I’m not disappointed by life.”
“That’s a shitty way to have to live, baby,” Ryker said. “I mean, it makes you sound like a cynic.”
“The same could be said for you, Ryker,” she challenged. “You’ve refused me at every turn because you think that I’m too young for you. You even said that you don’t date single mothers because we’re too much work. You’re just as cynical as I am, just in a different way.”
“You are too young for me,” he said. “But I’m done pretending that I don’t want you, honey.”
“I’m still a single mother,” she reminded. “That won’t change, Ryker.”
“I know,” he said.
“What’s your hang-up over single moms?” she asked
“My mother was a single mother. She took care of me by herself since my father skipped out on us when I was just a kid.”
“Oh,” Harlow said, “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks, but we were better off without him. My mother did the best she could, but dating was hard for her. Men wanted to take her out, show her a good time, but as soon as she told them that I was in the picture, they took off. It was heartbreaking to watch. They didn’t want to become a husband or a father and that’s what my mother was looking for.”
“Well, I can promise you that I’m not looking for either,” Harlow said. “I had a husband and look how well that worked out for me.”
“Not all men do that, honey. I’d never hurt you like this,” he said, gently brushing her scarred cheek.
“I know,” she said. “It’s why you’re here now. I don’t invite men back to my house, ever,” she said. “You’re the first and I don’t take inviting you here lightly. I trust you, Ryker.”
“That means a lot to me, Harlow, thank you,” he breathed.
She shrugged, “It’s the truth.” Ryker dipped his head to kiss her and everything about having his lips on hers felt right. He worked his skilled mouth down her neck and when he got to the top of her right boob, he gently bit the fleshy part into his warm mouth.
“Ouch,” she cried. “You bit me.”
“I did,” he said, staring her down again.
“Why would you do that?” she asked.
“I wanted to give you a different mark to look at. One that’s not permanent. Tomorrow, when you see the little purple welt, you’ll think of me and not the scar that your ex gave you.”
“Oh,” she breathed. That was almost sweet. “I like that,” Harlow whispered. Ryker lifted her against his body and pushed her back against the cold shower tile. He gently kissed her left cheek and Harlow lost another little piece of her heart to him. What was it about this man that melted her defenses?
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he whispered.
“Ryker,” she breathed. She didn’t know what to say to him next. Harlow wanted to beg him to make her his, but she didn’t want this to be over with. She worried that as soon as he took her, he’d end up in her spare room, shutting her out of his life again.
“Will you stay with me—in my bed?” she asked.
“Yes,” he breathed. His lips were so close to hers; she could feel his warm breath on her skin. “I’ll be in your bed from now on. You good with that?” he asked.
“Yes,” she admitted.
“What about Iris?” he asked.
“We’ll have to do a little bit of sneaking around until I’m ready to explain this to her, not that she’ll understand any of it. Are you okay with that?” she asked.
