Page 10 of Cheesecake
He laughs and nods. “Yeah. That was intense. But I’m real glad we had this talk.” He lifts our joined hands to his lips then presses a kiss against my knuckles. “And I’m looking forward to that kiss later. What number are we up to now?”
“Twenty-eight,” I say, grinning as I tilt my head to the side. “Well, twenty-nine if I count that one.”
“I think you should count it,” he says, pressing his lips to my knuckles again and then turning my hand over and kissing my open palm. “So you have an even thirty.” He grins a sexy, panty-melting grin and I turn to goo. This man is so perfectly wonderful. There have been times when I didn’t think I’d ever turn a man’s head, where I felt sure I’d be single until the day I die. But then suddenly, my world shifted, and everything was bright and sunny, and the girl in me who wanted to run away, wants nothing more than to stay. But how do I make that happen without completely abandoning everything I’ve planned for and been working toward? If I change things now, my mom is actually going to kill me. But at the same time, I feel like leaving now will only make me die a little on the inside. I need to come up with a plan.
“Can we get an ice cream?” Billy asks as he runs up to us and stops short, looking at his father’s and my joined hands before looking at both of us. I move to pull away, but Corey grips me tight, his thumb moving against my skin in soothing circles.
“You want ice cream?” Corey says dramatically. “I thought you wanted a shark plushie?”
“I do! But I’m hungry and thirsty at the same time, and only ice cream can fix that,” Billy explains, no longer looking at our hands like it’s something out of the ordinary. He’s just seen it, logged it, and moved on. No overthinking required.I could learn something from this kid.
“Oh, I see. You’ve got the hungry-thirsties. I think I’ve heard of this phenomenon,” Corey teases, placing his free hand on Billy’s forehead like he’s checking for a temperature. “Yes. I think we need to get to the concession stand stat. A double scoop of chocolate and chocolate chip is the only thing that will do.” He turns to me with his eyebrows raised. “You want one too?”
“I’d love one,” I say with a smile as Billy fist pumps the air. Then I shove my feet in my shoes and stand up, feeling a fluttery warmth in my chest when Billy slips his little hand into mine like it’s the most normal thing for him to do. I glance at Corey, who’s watching on with warmth in his eyes.
“Hey, Daddy, hold my other hand,” Billy says, reaching for Corey before he lifts his feet off the ground and swings.
“Ice cream!”
Corey
“Iwatched Goonies,” Penny says as we drive home from the aquarium.
I grip the steering wheel of my rattly old truck and grin. “Yeah? You like it?”
“Yes.” She smiles like she doesn't want to and it makes my grin broaden.
“Youlovedit, didn’t you?” She laughs and nods. “See? I pick good movies.”
“You do,” she admits.
“OK. Favorite part?”
She makes a big show of thinking about it. “The bone piano. That part was really cool.”
“I like that part too. And when they’re on the ship and Sloth swings in to save them.”
“That was really cool. And what about you? Have you watched ‘Night of the Living Dead’ yet?”
I glance at her for a moment before I respond. “I have.”
“And?” She rests her head against the seat and groans. “You hated it, didn’t you?”
“The opposite. It was awesome. I can see where all the current zombie shows and movies got their roots.”
She grins up a storm and fist pumps the air. “Yes! Favorite part?”
“I have a few, but I think when Barbra got done in by the horde with her brother in it, tops the list. The tension was great during that part.”
“Yes! Or when Ben was trapped outside and had to fight his way back into the house with all the zombies closing in, then Mr. Cracker wouldn’t even let him in.”
I nod sagely, loving these moments with her. “I really hated that Cracker guy.”
“Me too,” she says, letting out a happy sigh as she looks my way.
It’s the simpleness of the way we are together is probably what I like most. Besides being beautiful and intelligent, Penny is also sweet, kind, and easygoing. We can spend hours or days talking about anything and everything, and no matter what the topic, talking with her,beingwith her is easy. I have truly found my mate in her.
I reach across the seat and take her hand in mine, driving one-handed as a comfortable silence fills the air. Billy used up so much energy, he fell asleep in his booster within five minutes. So right now, it’s just peaceful quiet with music floating out of the radio and the hum of the car to fill it in.
