AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She lifts her arms above her head and keeps them there, like she’s waiting for me to do something. Take off her clothes?
I search her face and look over her wet dress. What horrific event rendered her traumatized, speechless, and in need of my help for this?
I approach slowly, my palms raised. “Okay. I’ll take it off.”
Slowly, to make sure it’s what she wants, I take the hem of her dress in hand and carefully lift it up and over her head, to leave her naked in front of me apart from her sneakers. There’s a throw on the nearby armchair, and I carefully wrap it around her.
“Why are you wet and…sticky, little mama?” I lean in, to smell her, when she doesn’t respond. “Is thatgrape soda?” I ask.
I lean back and study her again. “Who poured a drink over you? What do they look like? Tell me where you were, and I’ll go teach them some fucking manners.”
Her eyes become even rounder and start to shine with unshed tears, as her chin dimples and her bottom lip quivers.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, pulling her into a hug. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just growl things sometimes. I’m not growling at you. I swear.”
“I know,” she squeaks. “Will you please put the children to bed?”
I release her slowly. “Of course. You’ll be okay? Here, by yourself? You need something before I go? Some water? I’ll get you some water.”
Her tears brim over, and she nods as she croaks, “Idowant some water.”
Oh fuck, I want to hug her again.
I take a step toward the kitchen and glance at the babies on the couch, and then back at her. “You’ll keep an eye on the babies? I tucked ‘em in, but I don’t want them to fall. Will you watch them, so I know that fierce little mama inside you is in charge? That she’s strong enough to handle this room if I leave it? There’s nothing scary in here, right?” With a little smile, I add, “Not even me.”
Jem gives me a vague nod and a twitch of her lips that could be a smile if it didn’t make her look so nervous.
I think about that, while I get her a glass of water and put Jaxon into his crib, upstairs, in Shelby’s room. I come back down and pick up Viv. Snuggling her close and kissing her forehead, I sneak away the almost empty bottle of breastmilk she’s been dream-suckling on. “Daddoo loves you, Sweet Pea. I gotta go home while you’re sleeping, but I’m coming back, I promise.”
I turn to offer Jem a chance to saygoodnight, but she stiffens when I face her. Her eyes are all big again, like those of a critter caught in the headlights.
I point at myself and frown. “AmIwhat scares you?”
She lifts one shoulder and focuses on Viv before edging closer. She kisses Viv’s curls, whispers her goodnight wishes, and then returns her gaze to me, like I might do something bad.
“I don’t want to be someone who bothers you, Jem,” I say. “I’m going to put Viv to bed, and then I’ll get out of your hair if you don’t need me. Okay? You want me to turn on the shower, to warm it up for you, while I’m up there?”
Jem’s nose twitches, and she almost rolls her eyes before shaking her head.No.
“Right. You just want me gone. I can do that,” I say with a nod, feeling like a fucking rock in her shoe. “I’ll be done in a minute”
Jem’s still standingin the same spot when I come back down, and she looks right at me before dropping the throw I wrapped around her.
She stands there, silent and naked and pretty and covered in sticky grape soda, and I don’t know what to think.
Why would she act like this?
I point at myself, and then at the door, before raising my eyebrows.Do you want me to leave?
She shakes her head.
I take a deep breath and rumble softly in frustration.
She steps one foot forward and taps it on the carpet, like she wants me to stand in front of her. It makes her boobs jiggle, and I want to grip her hard and shake her till her words fall out.
I step into the spot her cute rainbow-painted toes pointed out and lean in close. “You’re being very fucking confusing right now, Jemma Wade,” I whisper, as I run the tip of my nose across her bare shoulder, testing to see how she’ll react to the touch.
She shivers, and her lips part on a soft breath.
