Messy Love(55)

“Then maybe I better stay away and ask Lydia to wait to tell Ava.’’

“I’ve interfered enough. We’ll coordinate to avoid each other’s presence whenever you want to visit my Mom and Ava.’’

“You almost sound like you want me in your family now.’’

“Maybe that’s because a part of me wants that.’’

“I don’t get you, Wyatt.’’

He snorted and smirked at me. “Me neither, sweet thing. I’m too fucked up to understand.’’

“Don’t say that,’’ I said and put a hand on his shoulder. The touch, simple yet intimate, had me shivering as a wave of warmth rose and crashed inside me, giving life again to my body just when it was calming down.

“Why? You know it, or else we’d already been fucking the night away. I’m fucked up, and I fuck over people. That’s the way I am.’’

“Maybe, but you’re also protective of your family. You’re a good friend to Ralph.’’

“Nah, Ralph is a good friend to me, and my family is amazing. They see the best in people as if the bad doesn’t exist.’’

“It’s crazy how one minute you’re trying to draw me in and the next you’re doing your best to picture yourself badly to push me away.’’

“Better that than snapping at you until you leave my place pissed off at me.’’ He gave a squeeze to my thigh and let his fingers trail on the inside. Even with the denim of my jeans, his touch seared me. “I’m trying my best to respect what you want because I just know I could persuade you into fucking again, Marissa. I wouldn’t have a lot to do either.’’ His hand went higher on my thigh, so high my breath stalled at the prospect of feeling him cupping my pussy. But he stopped just before, and only his heat teased me. “In fact, I think you want me to convince you.’’

“Stop.’’ I put a hand on top of his and slowly pushed him away until his hand was in his lap, partially hiding his cock that pressed thickly against his zipper. “I better go.’’

With that and on shaky legs, I stood up and shouldered my purse.

“What about Ava?’’

I stopped just a foot from the door at Wyatt’s concerned voice coming from the couch where I left him. Without turning around, I answered the only thing I knew for sure. “I want to meet her, but I want it to be on your family’s timetable. You all know Ava, and it must be in her interest, not mine. I’ll do my best to sort out my mind to be there for her if she wants me in her life.’’





WYATT


I watched Ava twirl or whatever this move was called in classical dance. She’s always looked cute in her leotard and her hair like that, but it’s been over six months since I’ve last come to get her from her dance lesson and it’s staggering how much progress she’s made and how more grown up she looked.

But something was amiss today as I watched her listen to her teacher’s last words with the other girls standing around. She wasn’t smiling and when she danced she was always smiling, even if the movements were challenging. She always said that dancing was like flying to her.

“It’s over for today. You’ve been very applied so keep up the good work. Don’t forget we have a fitting for your costumes for the end of the year presentation,’’ the teacher said gently and clapped with a proud smile on her face. If I didn’t know she was happily married to the guy who founded this dancing school I had no doubt I would have tried chatting her up the first time I got Ava from class three years ago. I couldn’t be blamed since dancers had amazing bodies. Today though, I wasn’t interested. I had myself to condemn after my stupid text to Marissa a few days ago, and my pathetic try at getting her into my bed again.

I focused my attention back to the present when Ava walked to me with her tiny bag I knew Mom packed with a water bottle, a towel and a snack along with a change of clothes. I stared at my sister’s baggy sweatpants and the sneakers at her feet.

“Hey, peanut.’’

She stared at me and sighed before rolling her eyes. “Hey.’’

“Nice,’’ I said and grabbed her bag. “Not to be a pain or anything, but I’m used to better greetings from you.’’

She crossed her thin arms and followed me out, her eyes fixed in front of her. That wasn’t like Ava at all. Now, I got a better idea why the parents wanted me to get her from her dance lesson to have a chat. Dad told me over the phone last night that since they’ve told her about Marissa, she’s been very quiet and it’s been two days, almost three. That wasn’t like her. She usually spent her time talking a mile a minute, and she laughed and smiled at any moment. In a word, she was a happy kid.

“I know they asked you to get me. I heard them on the phone last night.’’

“And you’re not glad to spend some time with me?’’

She looked up at me and shrugged as we rounded a corner to get to where I parked my car. “It’s not that.’’

“What is it then?’’ I put my arm around her skinny shoulders and pushed her into me playfully. At last, a small smile was my reward. “Come on. It’s not like you can’t tell me.’’

“I know.’’ She sighed again, and that gave me an idea of what her teenage years would be. Not many more years to wait until she’d show her least attractive traits, but at least she wouldn’t be teetering on the edge of delinquency as I had. “It’s just… weird that Mom gave away her first daughter.’’