Page 78 of Tru Blue
“But you are.” He gathered her in his arms and held her. “You’re doing the right thing. When we start turning our back on family, we become the very people we don’t like.”
“You’re not upset with me for going to the fundraiser alone?” Even though they’d talked about it, she wanted to make sure he was really okay with her going.
“Not at all. I’m not thrilled about other guys checking you out in that sexy dress. And I love that you didn’t want the kids to be put in a sucky situation, but you have to know that if you want me to go, Dixie and Bear can watch the kids. I have no issue meeting your mother, regardless of what she thinks of me.”
“Oh, Truman.” She pressed her lips to his. “I care about you too much to put you through the wrath of that woman, but I love you even more for offering.”
Kennedy crawled into Truman’s lap and snuggled against him.
“We’d better get these guys to bed.” Gemma began gathering their things.
“Do you think I’ll screw up the kids? Am I too protective of them?”
The question came out of the blue, and it took Gemma a minute to process it. She lifted the bag over her shoulder and settled Lincoln on her hip, realizing the question hadn’t come out of the blue. It was a reflection of his worries about Quincy.
“Are you going to start doing drugs?”
“No,” he said with disgust.
“Are you going to start ignoring them, beating them, starving them, or…?” She paused as understanding dawned in his eyes. “I don’t think you’re in danger of screwing anyone up. You’re not oppressively protective, Tru Blue. You’re lovingly protective. There’s a huge difference.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I THINK THIS dresser is perfect,” Gemma said, pointing to a tall dresser for Truman’s new bedroom. “It has plenty of drawers, and the dark wood is very masculine, like you.”
Truman wrapped his arms around her from behind, glad to have a few hours alone with Gemma, even if they were only shopping. He didn’t like leaving the kids, but he knew they were in good hands with Dixie and Crystal. Tomorrow was the fundraiser, and they’d be apart for most of the evening.
“And what about my girl’s dresser? Don’t we need something feminine, too?” He gathered her hair over one shoulder and kissed the nape of her neck, feeling goose bumps chasing his lips.
“I don’t mind keeping my stuff on the shelves in the closet, where it is now. Besides, I should really move some of my summer clothes to my place to free up more space for you guys.”
He turned her in his arms and gazed into the eyes of the woman he’d met over diapers and baby food and fallen in love with one second at a time ever since. Strands of gold and brown framed her beautiful face, and her smile—God, your smile—sent warm, whirling emotions to the pit of his stomach. The pieces of his life were finally falling into place. It had been a week since he’d visited Quincy, and three weeks since Quincy had entered rehab. He’d spoken with the counselor earlier that morning, and she assured him that Quincy was making tremendous progress, although he was struggling with a few personal issues. Truman knew all too well what those issues were, as he struggled with the guilt of their secret on a daily basis. Lately, it was weighing even more heavily on him. Every time he looked into Gemma’s eyes, he wanted to tell her the truth about what happened all those years ago. He hated having any secrets between them, but what was done was done. He’d never screw over Quincy just to clear his own conscience.
And now, as he held the woman who loved him despite his conviction, despite his terrible upbringing, he focused on the future rather than the past.
“I like your summer clothes in my closet.” He kissed her lips. “And I like your things in my apartment.” He backed her up against the dresser, moving his hand to her ass and pressing their hips together. They were alone in the back of the store. He kissed her again, longer and deeper than before, until he felt her go soft in his arms and the moan of appreciation he’d come to expect slipped from her lungs.
