“Use your fork, Rick,” Cory coaxed. He placed the fork in her hand, only for her to drop it back to the table. Riki was hungry, too. She paid no attention to Cory and sucked spaghetti through her lips with her fingers. No fork needed.
Cory took the cold beer from Alexis and smiled right at her breasts being purposely thrown in his face. She wasn’t fooling anyone. He knew exactly what she was up to, and he found it extremely sexy and amusing. The knowing of how nice her ass looked in those jeans was used to her advantage. She bent to place the bread in the oven, purposely lingering with her backside facing Cory a little longer than needed. She leaned against the sink, crossed her high-heeled boots, and slowly brought the beer bottle to her lips.
“I know what you are doing,” Cory assured her.
Alexis stared through sexy constricted eyes briefly before speaking. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do, and it’s not going to work.” Cory smirked.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” she countered with her own smirk.
Alexis was in love. She had no idea that she had missed this. She loved sitting at the table, pretending to be a family, listening and laughing at the funny things Riki said, and flirting with Cory.
“Me want some,” Riki said when Alexis dipped cottage cheese onto her plate. She gave her a spoonful and Riki scooped it into her mouth, only to spit it right back out. She wiped her tongue with her napkin and grunted. Her little nose scrunched up and she assured Alexis that she didn’t like it. “Me not wike bumpy ice cweam.” Alexis slid her sippy-cup and laughed with Cory. Riki downed it, ridding her taste buds of the awful ice cream that didn’t taste like ice cream at all. “My belwy too full,” she decided with one hand covering her little tummy, pushing her plate away.
“Can you eat two more asparagus?” Alexis asked.
“No, me belwy too full, see?” Riki demonstrated with reassurance, lifting her shirt.
“Yes, I see. Let’s wash your hands,” Alexis said while giving in. She had to. She was too darn cute to say no to.
“You don’t have to do that. I’ve got her,” Cory said as he wiped his mouth and slid his chair.
“I don’t mind. Eat. I’m done. We’ve got it. Right, Riki?”
“Me no wash my face.”
Cory watched while he finished his own plate. He wasn’t going to argue. His belly wasn’t full and Alexis was a very good cook. Alexis lifted Riki to the counter, washed her hands and fingers, and preoccupied her long enough to wash her face. The crank on the hand mixer turned out to be the perfect distraction. This wasn’t her first rodeo. Coming from a big family and working with kids all day probably made her more qualified than Cory. Almost. Maybe not. Cory was so good with her, and if it was at all possible, she fell even more in love with him. Alexis cleaned up while Cory bathed Riki and got her ready for bed. Once she finished, she stood by the bathroom door and listened.
“I can sweep in a dog house.”
“Why?”
“Misser Dog want me a sweep wif him.”
“Stop sliding around like that. You’re getting water all over Alexis’s floor. Mr. Dog sleeps in the house.”
“Wexis say me can,” Riki lied. Alexis covered her mouth and heard the water splash again.
“No, she didn’t. Stop it.”
“Her tell me, me can cause her wikes me.”
“Lay back. Let’s wash your hair.”
“It not all dirty.”
“Do you want to watch a movie?”
“You no twick me, Daddy.”
Alexis had to walk away with that one. She walked away, covering her laugh with her hand, hearing Cory laugh, too. “You’re too smart. How about you just wash your hair and then we’ll watch a movie?”
“Wittle Mormaid.”
“Again?”
“Me wike it. Me be a mermaid, too, see.”
“Riki!”
Alexis heard the splash and knew Riki had just demonstrated her mermaid skills with a splash and a mess.
Cory joined Alexis in the kitchen just as she’d washed the last soaking pan. “Need some help?” he asked, moving behind her.
“With the dishes?”
“What else?”
Alexis spun in his arms. Cory’s lips were instantly on hers, and her hands were up his shirt. They went there all by themselves. She couldn’t help that, either. He had the sexiest abs and back she’d ever seen, and she loved touching him. Cory followed suit and pulled her shirt from her jeans. Her breath caught in the back of her throat and she pulled her lips from his. Her head dropped to the side and his lips traced the skin along her neck. The short make-out session seemed to go on forever, but they both knew it had only lasted moments.
“Dammit, Alexis,” he whispered sweet words to her skin, wanting her more than he could remember ever wanting anything in his life.
“Okay,” she said with a defeated tone, pulling away. “I’ll stop.” That was more for her own undoing than his. Alexis wanted to take her clothes off. Now! Cory held her in place when she tried to sidestep him.
“Why couldn’t you be in sweatpants and a tee shirt with your hair in a ponytail?” he whispered gruffly in her ear, his voice full of lust.
“I wanted to turn you on.”
“You did that, now what the hell am I supposed to do?”
“I think you know what to do…I mean, you are a doctor.”
“You know I am not going to do that.”
“Dr. Brock never said anything about not having sex, and I looked it up and couldn’t find anything there, either.”
“You looked it up?” he asked, amused.
“Yes. I did. Oh God. That makes me sound really desperate doesn’t it?”
“I think I like you desperate.”
Alexis rolled her eyes and kissed him with a peck before moving around him. “Come on. I’ll show you what I was doing today while I was resting.” She handed him another beer. He opened it, handed it back to her, and took the unopened one before following her to the den. Riki had to come, too, and wanted to know what was in every drawer of the empty desk.
“Where all da books?” she wanted to know while looking up at the empty bookshelf.
“You know what? I bet I have some books for you to read. Do you want to go see if we can find them?” Alexis asked as she dropped to one knee, coming to her level.
“Where?”
“They’re way upstairs in the attic.”
“Me want a weed dem.”
Riki went up first using her hands and feet to crab-climb the stairs.
Cory gestured for Alexis to go ahead of him. “I like the view from back here.”
Alexis flipped her hair and smiled back at him. She was so flirting, and getting used to it.
The door opened to what looked like a closet. Alexis pulled a string and a set of steps was revealed from a dangling light bulb.
“Let me carry you,” Alexis said as she scooped Riki up. “These stairs are all dirty. You will get your hands all yucky.”
“Why dem all dirty?”
“Because they need to be cleaned.” That was on her list of things to do yet, too. Although she never planned on filling her too-big-for-her house with little ones, she had thought about the attic. It would have made the perfect play place for any kid. She and Bernie spent countless hours in her attic. The good part about it was, they had it all to themselves. The attic had been transformed more times than she could count: a cute little playhouse with a white table for tea, and then a Barbie sanctuary, a stage for singing, a dance studio with a mirror on one of the walls, and by the time they had graduated high school, it housed posters of hot teen throbs, and whatever songs were popular at the time, played loudly.
Alexis handed, Riki over to Cory, still not wanting her on the dirty floors. She squirmed and slid down his body as soon as she was in his arms. Oh well, they were just socks.
“Where all da books?” Riki questioned.
“We have
to look for them in a box.”
“Dis box?”
“No, not that one.”
“Look, Riki. I found some toys for you to play with,” Alexis announced while flipping the flaps on a cardboard box full of old toys from Paige and her other nieces and nephews. Riki’s attention went to the box of toys while Alexis kept looking. She found the three boxes she was looking for, but only wanted the one, knowing it was the only one with preschool books. The other two could wait. She’d drag them down another time.
Cory carried the heavy box of books, Alexis carried the box of toys, and Riki carried a bag of farm animals. Cory set the box down on the living room floor and Riki made him take them into the den.
“No, no, Daddy, dem have to go in dare,” she demanded with a stomp, pointing to the correct room. The bookshelf was in the den, not the living room. Alexis and Riki sorted out the books and put them on a shelf she could reach.
Cory looked through the un-kid-friendly books left behind. “I remember this book,” he said while holding up the copy of the 1960’s To Kill a Mocking Bird.
“That was my favorite book in middle school. We had to do a report on it. I read the book and Bernie copied my report almost verbatim. We both got big fat zeros.” Alexis came to the old couch and sat beside Cory while Riki continued to place the kids’ books on the shelf. She wanted to do it all by herself. She then sat in the chair behind the desk and put all of the farm animals out, separating the cows, horses, chickens, and pigs.
“Scrapbook?” Cory asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Can I?” he questioned before opening the “I love Mitch” cover. Hearts and I love you’s plastered the cover.
“Yes, you can look at it.”
“You’re okay with it?”
“Yes, it was a long time ago.”
Cory flipped the first page to Bernie and Alexis about six or seven. They had their arms around each other and were sitting on a fence, smiling, both with missing front teeth. The picture made them both laugh.
“Middle school,” Alexis explained. The photo of her in a blue and white cheerleading outfit with her hands flipped on her cocked hips. Cory smiled and continued until he reached the photos of her and Mitch. She hadn’t seen them herself in years, but she was pleasantly surprised at her feelings. Cory made all the apprehension disappear. She didn’t feel hurt and betrayed by the good-looking football player in the photos anymore. She didn’t feel anything. Photos of Bernie, Alexis, Mitch, and their friends, having fun and being teenagers covered the last few pages.
“Mitch was the high school sweetheart?” Alexis said in a sigh. She didn’t really talk about this. She never did. She wasn’t one to wear her heart on her sleeves. Burying it, sweeping it under the rug, that was her way of dealing with things she didn’t want to face. Her eyes shifted to little Riki, talking to the animals and then to Cory’s hand on her leg.
“How long did you date?”
And the questions begin.
“I was almost through with college when we broke up.”
“It must have been bad.”
“It was, but I made it through.”
“Bernie told me you were hurt pretty bad and that you shut the whole world out and stopped living.”
Alexis shook her head, annoyed at her obnoxious friend’s big mouth.
“What else did she tell you?”
“That’s it. She was just informing me that she would slice my throat if I hurt you.”
“That sounds like Bernie.” She laughed, unable to be mad at her anymore. “I did not stop living. I poured myself into my work and then when Mr. Tate died and left me this house, I poured myself into this place, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Mr. Dog left Riki’s side with a growl when he heard the noise. The growl turned into a ferocious bark when they heard the car doors close. “Hush!” Alexis yelled.
Once again, the rain had stopped, leaving puddles and raindrops on every outdoor surface. Bernie and Paige were climbing the few steps when Alexis opened the door. They were laughing about something Alexis was sure she didn’t want to know about, something about batteries and humming.
“Me have a go down dare,” Riki insisted when she spied the umbrella.
Alexis scooped her up. “This is Bernie and Paige.”
“Cory, she is adorable,” Bernie praised.
“Of course she is, look at her daddy.”
“Ha, ha. I hate to burst your bubble, but you have nothing on her. She should be on our studio walls.”
“Leave it to Lex, I’m sure she will be,” Cory countered. He was right. Alexis had already thought about it. Riki would make the cutest guinea pig ever.
“Me git down,” Riki said. She squirmed from Alexis’s arms with one quick twist. She was determined to go to the yard with the umbrella. Cory grabbed her shoes inside the door and slid them on her feet. He held her hand and helped her down the steps, knowing it was best to let her get it out of her system.
“Aunt Lex, you look hot,” Paige said out of earshot of Cory.
“Is it working?” Bernie questioned.
“No…it’s not.” She pouted and they laughed.
“How do you feel?” Bernie asked.
“I’m fine. I can’t even feel the pain anymore. Do you want a beer?”
“No, Paige has to go. It’s Friday night and she has to get to her man. Besides, you need to get back to working on getting laid. Lord knows you need it.”
Alexis looked to see if Cory heard her and, of course, he did. He smiled and shook his head amused at her bold and vivacious friend.
“Don’t you have a game tonight, Paige?” Alexis asked. Her loud-mouthed friend needed to shut her mouth, and changing the subject seemed to be the best way to shut her up.
“No, Jordan and half the football team got caught drinking last Saturday night. The coach is making them forfeit.”
“Here’s your keys. I’ll see you at the farm tomorrow.”
“Did Travis make it home?” Alexis questioned while sliding the keychain to her pocket.
“Yes, he took Taylor to buy a new water bottle.”
“Water bottle?”
“Yes, Lincoln had one at Cub Scouts last Saturday. Travis promised to take him to get one before tomorrow’s meeting. He wasn’t letting him forget it.”
“See you tomorrow, Aunt Lex.”
“See you, Paige. Behave. Don’t be drinking and driving,” Alexis lectured.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, right, Cory?” Bernie called in question.
“That’s what I hear.”
Alexis shook her head at Bernie and Paige arguing over who’d drive. Paige won and she didn’t blame her. Bernie was a horrible driver.
Alexis stared down at Cory, holding his gaze and a long stretch of silence. “What?”
“Nothing,” he replied with a smirk, grabbing Riki right before she jumped into a puddle. He carried her up the steps and placed her on the porch swing, and then moved toward Alexis.
“Just say it. You know you’re dying to,” Alexis accused while crossing her arms.
“Are you trying to get laid?” he asked as his lips met hers.
“That’s a rhetorical question and you’re just being an ass.”
“Ass,” Riki repeated. Of course she did. Cory and Alexis smiled at each other, but ignored it. “Ass, ass, ass,” she said while her head bobbed and she tried to make the swing go.
“It is a rhetorical question, but I still want to hear your answer.”
Alexis spun her body in front of his, forcing him to back up. Cory rested his weight on the banister while Alexis moved between his legs and parted his lips with her tongue. “What are my chances?” she asked, hands sliding up his ribs to bare skin. God, she loved the way he felt beneath her hands. He was so defined, so tight, and sexy as hell.
“I’m still working on that,” he responded. He wrapped his arms around her only to be pushed apart by a jealous li
ttle Riki, wanting to be picked up by her daddy.
“Me pway wif a animals,” she said with both hands flat on his cheeks, remembering her newly found toys.
“Do you want a snack before bed?” Alexis asked Riki while she rubbed her back, keeping one hand on Cory’s ribs.
“Me no sweepy,” Riki assured her with a very serious tone, worried she would have to go to bed.
Alexis laughed and pulled Cory’s hand. “Do you want another beer?”
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” he asked.
Riki slid to the floor, and Cory pulled Alexis back to his body. He liked her there as much as she liked being there.
“Maybe.”
“I don’t need to be drunk. I’m intoxicated by you enough,” he whispered while kissing just below her ear.
Alexis squirmed away. Okay, that was absolutely an arousal area. The hot kiss just below her ear sent adrenaline straight to her groin. “Jesus, Cory. We have to stop.”
“Yes. I’ll have another one.” He smirked.
Alexis and Cory continued to flirt while Riki drank a sippy-cup of milk and ate graham crackers with peanut butter. His hand played with her fingers or covered her hand while they sat at the table and listened to Riki babble about Mr. Dog. He was going to sweep wif her. Alexis could engage in three-year-old conversation while trifling with Cory for the rest of her life. Maybe longer. She was in love, already hating the thought of him leaving the next day.
Riki moved from her chair and onto Cory’s lap. She talked busily while she tried like hell to stay awake. Her head would rest on his chest and she would yawn, only to sit up and tell them something else. Cory rubbed her back and kissed her little head while he attentively heard every word she said.
“I love you,” Cory would tell her every so often.
“Me wuv you, too, and me wuv Misser Dog. And me wuvs Wexis, too,” she slurred, barely awake. It couldn’t have been two minutes later and she was out. Without a word, Alexis left the table, and then returned, armed with her camera.
“What was that for?” Cory asked while his eyes adjusted, blinking from the flash.
“Get used to it. If you plan on hanging around with me, you’re going to find I always have a camera close by.”