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He turns to face me again, and I notice Beau’s eyes dart down to my left hand, then back up to meet my gaze. “I take it you didn’t marry that Ryan kid.”
I smile and shake my head, absently rubbing my palm over my bare fingers. “His parents sent him to military school in West Texas after they found out, then he shipped off to the Army shortly after that. He was pretty shaken up for a while. Said he needed time to think. But after he left the military, he was a different person. He’s moved on and has a family of his own in Tyler. And he’s a great dad to Micah.”
Beau’s eyes light up, and he steps closer to me. “There’s a Micah Maleczech on the roster. I figured he was related, but he’s yours.” He says this with such wonder. I’m touched.
A proud mama, I nod. “That’s my baby.” My baby is far too young to be on varsity, but with an arm better than anyone in the whole school.
Beau rubs one big hand through his thick beard. “This is blowing my mind. Mary has a kid, and I never knew. All this time, I never knew you came back to Dauterive.”
I swallow, but the stubborn lump in my throat is not moving. “You were busy.”
Beau simply looks at me, shaking his head in amazement. “I wish I knew where you went. I wish I could have done something.”
The distance between us is only about six feet of scuffed, pitted hardwood. But it feels like a hundred miles. Beau doesn’t get it. He’s a celebrity and so far removed from reality he doesn’t even realize there was nothing he could have done.
“Why? You wouldn’t have wanted a prom date who was six months pregnant. Your teammates would have had a field day with that.” I roll my eyes, remembering how ruthless teenagers can be.
Beau’s eyes darken, and after a long silence, he slowly, deliberately closes the distance between us until he’s standing right in front of me. “My mom raised me without a father. All I had was her and my granddad.”
I didn’t know. I wish I’d known back then. Maybe…maybe I would have been more patient with him. I don’t know what to say; I simply stare at him, agape.
Beau continues, “I would have been proud to take you to prom, and I wouldn’t have given a fuck what anybody said.”
I am stunned silent for the first time in ages.
ChapterFive
Beau
I expect her to deny my feelings again. I expect more pushback from her, more accusations that this is all a big joke.
I don’t expect Mary to shoot to her feet, flinging her arms around my neck and kissing me.
At first, I’m in shock. Did she stumble and accidentally fall on my mouth?
She pulls away from the kiss, and for half a second, I think she might apologize.
Nope. Not having any of that. Before Mary can squeak out an excuse and run away, I kiss her back. While my mouth claims hers hungrily, I brace my hands on her hips, drawing her in close and tight. Right where she was always meant to be.
Mary feels so damn good with her breasts pressed against my chest and her mouth opening to the tease of my tongue.
She lets out a soft moan when our tongues touch, a sound so sweet and sexy my cock jerks.
I knew destiny had intervened when I laid eyes on her for the first time in fifteen years. At that moment, I had hoped we could be friends and work toward something more.
But now, mere minutes later, my desire for her roars in my veins. Every cell in my body awakens and aches to be close to her.
Even the stupid twinge in my knee disappears, temporarily numbed at this wild surge of happiness. Panting, she pulls away from the kiss and gazes up at me. “For the record, I don’t regret getting pregnant.”
I’m not sure what to say to this except, “Okay.”
“And I don’t need a hero. Micah and I are doing fine. I’m not trying to seduce you because of your money or anything.”
I would never think that. “Mary. You’re thinking too hard. You need to be kissed again.”
Mary gasps before my lips capture hers in another kiss, this one slow and deep. I lick her mouth with fierceness, hoping she forgets that silly line of thinking.
My cock juts against her pelvic bone, and I curse these chinos. At least blue jeans give me half a chance of keeping an erection under control. Loose khakis are terrible for that. There might as well be flashing neon signs pointing to the circus tent.
