Page 67 of Then Came You

“Haven watched The Bee Movie and wanted to create her own big garden,” Blade says, kissing the top of Haven’s head.

“Well, you guys have done a fab job.”

“You staying for dinner?” Xander asks, slowly sitting up, tearing my attention away from the make-shift garden.

“Uh, sure. Big night?” I ask, eyeing his inebriated state. His hair is dishevelled and his complexion is pasty and green.

“I’m never drinking again.” He says it so deadpan I almost believe him, but I know him better.

“Uh huh.”

“Are you better? You sounded off on the phone last night, and what movie were you watching? I swear I heard S.E.X in the background before I hung up.” Fuck. He heard. My eyes bug out of my head, and I do that annoying thing I do when I’m flustered, which is to choke on air.

“What?” My voice is squeaky, and I'm now sitting in a foetal position. Blade's expression remains passive, and unlike me, there isn't a hint of worry on his face.

“Were you watching 50 Shades or something?”

“No!” I gasp a little too loudly, making Blade smirk.

“50 Shades of what?” Haven asks Blade, confused.

“Colour,” he replies smoothly, smoothing her hair with his hand.

“What’s sex? And why did Zee spell it out?” Haven asks again, making both Blade and Xander splutter. Now it's my turn to see how they'll weasel out of this one. Blade shoots Xander a 'seriously?' look that makes me amused.

“It’s a naughty word that only adults should say but should never say in front of little princesses like you,” Blade tries to worm out an explanation, but Haven's having none of it.

“But what does it mean?”

Blade automatically replies with the first thing that comes to mind. “It means kiss.” It’s a piss-poor explanation, and Haven again can see through it.

“Then why not just say kiss?”

“You’re right, princess, Zee should have used that word instead.”

“I think I’ll have sex with Declan then because I like him a lot.” She crosses her arms so matter-of-factly that I put my hand over my mouth to stop from laughing.

He shakes his head vehemently at her. “Just use kiss, please. Okay?” He waits until she shrugs her shoulders and agrees. “I’m going to order some Thai.” He lifts his hips to pull his phone out of his pocket.

He’s wearing black tracksuit pants, and all I can think about is how his thick cock pounded into me last night. After the first time, he took me from behind, pulling my back to his chest and lifting my leg over his hip. Not going to lie. It’s my new favourite position.

It was so tender. So dirty. So erotic. So intense.

Before he makes the UberEATS order, I jump in. “Hey, we should make this my sort of last night dinner,” I ease into the next part. Both Blade and Xan stare at me blank-faced. “Tori isn’t doing the best lately, and I really want to be there for her. I’m going to start looking for a bigger place to rent.” My legs are bouncing as if I have a nervous tick. I want Blade; I just simply don’t know how it would work, so it’s better if I put some space between us.

Blade purses his lips into a thin line, unconvinced that Tori is the only reason I’m moving out.

As expected, dinner is tense with a solemn Blade barely speaking, but thankfully Xander and Haven filled the awkward bouts of silence. At one point, Xan almost needed an ambulance when he chewed a chilli that was too spicy.

Excusing myself just before fruit salad and ice cream, I go to pack the little clothes I have or have accumulated while here. It fits in three Woolworths enviro bags, which just goes to show how little I truly have in this life.

Later that evening, when I’m lying on the pull-out sofa at Tori’s, I text him that we’ll chat this week.

Chapter 29

Blade

Zee ended up staying over, and Haven had nightmares all night, so between my son and my daughter, there was no chance to speak to Row the way I desperately needed to.

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