Baby Daddy (20 page)

“Thanks man,” Jimmy said as they bumped fists.

“Where do you want to start Terry?”

“This is one of my
favorites even though the co-writer and my best friend ever…Roger Elliot, went upstairs to sing with the King about two months ago.”  Terry and Jimmy began to play some rhythm and chords.  “It was one our most popular songs…
Living in a Place with no Space
.”

The crowd recognized it and started to applaud.  I had never heard of it, and from the blank expressions on my siblings’ faces, neither had they.

Terry started to sing. 
“The day before I met you the earth and the sky never touched…but that was long ago, and you and I have changed so much...The love we shared is no longer there…I can’t live in a place with no space any more....”

He sang a half dozen more songs that the audience loved, then they went wild when he played the opening chords to
I’ll Take Mine to Go.

Even I recognized that one.  It had crossed over
from country to Top 40 and won the song-of-the-year award at the Grammys last January.  It had a catchy tune and funny, but sad words about a romance gone bad…but then wasn’t that the basis for all country songs?  As I clapped along with the crowd, I gained new respect for the man who had written such a clever song.

Both performers said their goodnights and left the stage.  I halfway expected Terry to come out and meet us, but when there was no sign of him, I assumed no one had told him we were there.  Surely, he would want to meet Roger’s kids.

The server delivered the bill to Christopher.  He opened the leather holder and I nearly died when I saw the total.  $510!  That was pretty close to my food bill for an entire semester at school.  He took a black American Express card out of his wallet and stuck in the slot at the top.  The server took it with her and returned a minute later.  Christopher added a generous tip, signed it and took his copy. 

For somebody who
had watched her parents scrimp and save during her entire life and who couldn’t afford to pay her own phone bill, I couldn’t wrap my head around exactly how much this business we had inherited made to allow such extravagances.

“You alright?” Christopher asked quietly.  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I tried to not react, but my poker-face muscles obviously failed me.  “I’ve never seen such a high restaurant bill before.  Can we afford this?  Really?”

Christopher smiled. 
“We can.  Scandals is a very successful agency, and we need to keep it that way.  After all the dust settles, we’ll start regular business meetings so those of you who stay can get familiar with the numbers.”

I nodded mutely.  I wasn’t sure I’d be a part of those meetings, but it seemed like a good idea for those who were.

We walked out to the parking lot.  Tulsa had had only two drinks all evening, so she drove the van.  With me at the wheel of the Mustang, we once again formed a little Roger’s kids’ parade as we headed out of town toward Lake Travis.  It wasn’t too complicated, and I had been driving the route for a couple days, so I knew my way.  We weren’t on the road for more than ten minutes before I looked over to find Christopher asleep.  He didn’t wake up until I parked in the drive at the mansion. 

“Are we already here?” He looked around in surprise.  “God, I’m sorry.  I haven’t been getting much sleep…what with packing and this whole Roger thing.”

“It’s okay.  I’ve been wanting to drive your car.”

He grinned.  “You should
have just asked.  I would have let you.”

I held his keys out to him, then pulled them back.  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to drive home
to Bee Cave tonight.”

“No, you’re probably right.  I might as well spend the night here since I’m moving in tomorrow.”

“Maybe you’ll find a new place soon.”

“I’m in no hurry,” he said
.  “Unless you’re in a hurry to get me out of here.”

Honestly, I was looking forward to having him under the same roof for a while.  “I
think it’ll be interesting,” I commented honestly, but noncommittally.

He reached over and took the keys, but he didn’t release my hand.  That now familiar electricity shot down my arm through my whole body.

Suddenly, the driver’s door jerked open.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Hey, you two, we’re going to hang out by the pool,” Reno said.

Christopher and I scrambled out of the car, trying to act like nothing had been interrupted.  I ran up to my room and left my manila folder from Roger on my bed, then hurried back down to the pool where everyone already had drinks and were lounging around the pool.

“That was fun tonight,” Tulsa said with unusual cheerfulness.  Maybe she’s had a few too many drinks, but if that’s what it took to lighten her up, then so be it.

“Where’s Liberty?” I asked, when I noticed she wasn’t here.

“She said she was tired and went to bed,” Dallas answered.  “I was on crutches once, and it does wear you out.”

“That and the whole getting up at dawn thing makes for a really long day for her,” Tulsa added.

“Hey, I found food.”  Reno came out of the back door with a tray of crackers, cheese and fruit.

After the terrific meal we had had, I couldn’t believe anyone could be hungry.  But we all dug into the food as soon as he set it down.

“I thought Terry would want to meet us,” Dallas commented, echoing my earlier concern.

“I really like that last song,” I said.  “I think anyone who can write songs is amazing.”

“Yeah, that one song has probably made him crazy rich,” Reno said.  “I heard that winning a Grammy is like getting a million dollar check.”

“I’m sure he’ll be able to get his songs recorded by all the big stars now,” Dallas said.

“He probably thinks he’s too big for us,” Tulsa pointed out.  “Now that he has a Grammy.”

“Roger never won a Grammy, did he?” I asked.

Christopher shook his head.  “I don’t think so.  Scandals was kind of a small time, regional band.  He never came right out and said it, but I think the band broke up because Roger didn’t want to be more commercial and his band didn’t agree.”

“Did the band change names and go on without him?” Reno asked.

“Not that I know of.  Roger never mentioned it.  But then, he never talked about the band.  I think the break-up was pretty painful for him.”

Tulsa yawned.  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m beat.  I’m heading upstairs.”  She stood and gathered up the empty cans.

“Me, too,” Reno said.  “Everyone through with the food?”

“I am.”  Dallas also stood and stretched.  “Getting shot at kind of took it out of me today.”

“Night all,” Tulsa said as she and Reno headed toward the house with the tray and the trash.

“Night,” I called.

Dallas
started to follow them and looked back at us.  “You kids don’t stay out too late.  We’ve got an early day tomorrow.”

“Humor?  Dallas?”
I teased.

“Why not
?  You’re funny…both of you.”  Dallas smirked a crooked smile as he shook his head and walked toward the house leaving just Christopher outside.

“
What did he mean by that?”  I asked, wondering if it had been an innocent comment or if Dallas was inferring something.

“Dallas is
smart.  If we’re not careful, he’ll catch on.”  Christopher sighed. “We really should go up.”

I knew he was right.  And yet the moon was full and the night air so fresh that I wasn’t ready to go inside yet.  “It’s beautiful out here.”

I heard Christopher’s chair creak as he stood.  A few seconds later, he stood in front of me and held out his hand.  “Want to go for a walk?”

It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.  I eagerly took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.  He held on to my hand as we circled the pool and headed toward the lake.

The moon was so bright we had no problem moving across the lawn away from the house.  The growth of trees became thicker, but the path was lined with white native limestone making it easy to see.

We stopped at the edge of what appeared to be a cliff.  Several feet below us, Lake Travis looked dark and sinister.  I could see lights in the houses on the other side.  They didn’t look that far away, but I knew it was more than a mile across at th
at point.  Several boats were anchored out on the water and their lights showed that there were people on-board.

“This is where Roger’s dock used to be,” Christopher told me.

I looked around in surprise.  “What happened to it?”

“Look way down there.”  Christopher pointed at the water about forty feet below us.  “
See it?”

“You’re kidding!”

“No, unfortunately, I’m not.  Roger was smart enough to have a floating dock, so it was able to follow the water level as it dropped.  Then when the drought cycle ends and the water rises again, the dock will move up with it.”

I looked down again.  I could see a white blob that I assumed was a boat tied to a large square wooden dock with a long pier jutting out. 
“Is that his boat?”

“That’s
your
boat,” Christopher corrected.

“Cool.  I love boats.”

“I was looking forward to going out last Sunday…until the bomb kind of changed our plans.  Maybe we can go out someday soon.”

He led me over to a glider that had been placed so you could sit and look out over the water.  We sat and kicked off with our feet just enough so that we moved slowly back and forth.  It seemed perfectly natural for his arm to go around my shoulder and for me to lean against him and rest my head on his shoulder.  It was all so comfortable…and felt so right.

Christopher was one of the good guys.  He lived his life with integrity and honor.  He deserved a woman who did the same.

I had to tell him about the baby.  It might end any chance I have with him, but it wasn’t fair to go any farther without being honest with him.  I cleared my throat nervously and lifted my face so I could look into his eyes.

I found him staring down at me.  I opened my mouth, but before I could say a word, he leaned down and kissed me.  All logical thoughts fled as his lips moved over mine, as his tongue dipped in to tease mine, as his free hand cupped my jaw and pulled me toward him.

I didn’t really need any encouragement.  I forgot that I was pregnant…
or that I loved softball and ASU and being a co-ed…or that I didn’t know if I wanted to own a P.I. agency…or move to Austin…or that my name was Killeen Ames.  All I could think about was how completely this man had captured my heart and soul…and how my body ached for his.

I moved to get closer and he lifted me and set me on his lap
so that I was straddling him.  I could feel the bulge of his erection straining against his slacks, and I could feel myself getting warmer and wetter in anticipation.  Our kisses grew hotter and more frantic.

“I want you…,” he breathed in a husky whisper.

“Yes...,” I moaned.

The glider was out of the question.  Even if we could manage to get our clothes out of the way, t
here was no room for my legs.  The ground was even worse, covered in rocks and pebbles and all sorts of thorny things.

“Come on,” he said, easing me off his lap, but still holding my hand.  “We’ll have to be quiet.”

We ran together back to the house.  There were no lights on in the bedrooms upstairs, but still we eased the back door open and tiptoed up the stairs.  We paused at the top of the stairs and looked up and down the hallway.  It appeared to be deserted.

As quickly as we dared, we darted
down the hall until we reached Christopher’s room.  Just as he reached for the doorknob, we heard footsteps.  Christopher and I exchanged wide-eyed looks.  Did we risk it?

The decision was made in a flash.  He turned the knob and practically yanked me into the room, quickly shutting the door behind us.  The brush with being discovered only heightened our excitement.  Before we even reached the bed, he had stripped off his clothes and helped me remove mine.  He pulled back the comforter and top sheet, sending the decorative pillows flying. 
Our lips met again and stayed together as we tumbled down onto the bed, our naked bodies rubbing together sensuously.  We were both far too turned on to slow down for foreplay.

Instead he rolled me on my back and mounted me with a feverish urgency.  I spread my legs and wrapped them around his hips, urging him on.  I felt the tip of his penis probing against me, then pushing inside.  He eased in slowly, not wanting to hurt me, but I thrust my hips upward, forcing him to bury deep inside.

He groaned and braced his arms so his upper body lifted off mine as he began moving in and out.  I could tell he was holding back, waiting for me.  That was my last conscious thought as the friction of his swollen penis against my hyper-sensitive flesh set off that now familiar explosion.  It was like fireworks going off in my brain, flashes of color and sparks.  My head fell back as the wave of passion ripped through me.  I could feel the powerful contractions of my orgasm squeezing him, caressing him until he rammed deeper in one last stroke and released inside me.

It took us several minutes to recover
.  He was on top of me, his penis still inside me, although softer and smaller.  It felt good, like we were connected in an incredibly personal way.  His arms, although relaxed, supported his weight so he wasn’t crushing me.  He seemed in no greater urgency to move away from me than I was from him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

I turned my head so I could look into his eyes.  “For what?”

“It was so fast…I didn’t mean to just take you like that.
  I should have used a condom, but…”  His expression was so worried that I hurried to reassure him.

“Are you kidding?  It was perfect.  You turn me on so much that…” I shrugged, not knowing how to describe it
and knowing how to tell him that the condom was like shutting the barn door after the horse had escaped.  “I couldn’t wait either.”

He searched my eyes to see if I was telling the truth or just trying to make him feel better.

I smiled, the lazy, satisfied smile of a woman who has been thoroughly and satisfyingly fucked.  “Next time, we can take it slower…”  I felt his penis stir back to life inside me.  “…maybe,” I added, not sure I could keep that promise.  This man was turning me into a nymphomaniac…and I didn’t want to be cured.

The sun shining through the open drapes that we hadn’t thought to close woke me.  I looked around, forgetting for a moment where I was.  Instead of John, Paul, George and Ringo looking back at me from the walls, there was a large photo of Jimmy Buffett wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip-flops standing next to his seaplane.  I turned my head a little more and saw a pair of dark blue eyes watching me.

It all came back to me…the night of passion and sex with a man I was very afraid that I had fallen in love with.

“Morning, darlin’,” he said, his voice low and husky…and incredibly sexy.

“Good morning, lover,” I purred back.  I stretched, enjoying the roughness of his hairy legs against mine and the hardness of his chest.  He had a great body, and I never tired of looking at it…or touching it.  My hand slid down his stomach until I found his penis.  It was already surprisingly firm, but as I slowly stroked it, it grew quickly.

“We shouldn’t…,” he started to say, but then he
groaned.  “What the heck…”  He pulled me on top of him and took one of my nipples in his mouth.

If I had had any objections…which I didn’t…I forgot them.

Thirty minutes later, I was dressed and standing at his door.  Christopher stood behind me, gloriously naked.  I eased open the door and peeked into the hallway.  It looked deserted.

He
pressed one last kiss on my neck, and I almost dropped my shoes and turned back for more.  But I knew this might be my last chance to get from his room to mine without being seen.  It was already 7:30 and everyone would be heading down to breakfast soon.

I took a deep breath and sprinted barefoot
across the hall to my room.  It was the world’s shortest walk of shame.

I slipped into my room and shut my door, relieved that no one had seen me.  I was tired, but I dared not go to bed.  We hadn’t gotten much sleep, but I wouldn’t have traded last night for anything, especially a few hours of sleep.