At Peace (The 'Burg #2)(168)

Finally, he spoke. “Stupid shit, Dane’s bein’ an ass. He’s about to f**k up royally, he goes ahead with this gig.”

“What gig?”

“Met a girl from Plainfield. She asked him out. Kate says she’s pretty well-known, seein’ as she puts out.”

“Oh shit,” I murmured.

Joe kept talking. “He wants a break from exclusive to test the waters but he also wants to keep Kate on a string. Kate doesn’t wanna be on a string.”

“I don’t like him anymore,” I declared and Joe looked at me.

“Won’t be anyone to like, he does this to Kate. She won’t take him back and he’ll come back, buddy, believe me.”

“She’s hung up on him, you sure she won’t take him back?”

“Yep.”

“How’re you sure?”

Joe took another pull of beer, looked at the yard and he spoke.

“Told her I been around, met my share of women, never met any like you, her or Keira. Not in thirty-nine years. Bein’ like she is, she doesn’t need to take shit. Her man doesn’t hand her the world, she throws him back and finds one who will. No dickin’ around. Told her she needs to look at her Mom and learn. You had three men in your life, all of ‘em willin’ to hand you the world. She should accept nothin’ less.” He took another pull of beer then finished. “She got my point.”

“Joe,” I called.

“Yeah?” he answered, his eyes not leaving the yard.

“Baby, look at me,” I whispered.

Joe looked at me.

I leaned into him and put a hand to his face.

“Sucks for you, you had to wait thirty-nine years,” I told him.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“But works for me,” I went on and he grinned.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll do what I can to be worth the wait,” I whispered and his eyes got intense.

“You do that, buddy,” he whispered back, “startin’ tonight.”

I smiled, leaned further in and touched my mouth to his.

Then I pulled back and whispered, “This is workin’ great.”

Joe smiled then promised, “Best is yet to come.”

“Yeah?” I asked.

He leaned in this time and touched his mouth to mine.

“Always,” he murmured.

That was good to know.

* * * * *

When the girls came out to the deck to say goodnight this time, they kissed me on the mouth like usual.

Then they kissed Joe on his scarred cheek.

Both of them.

The best came for Joe faster than it did for me.

* * * * *

We waited for the girls to be asleep before Joe showed me what being creative meant.

I thought he was already pretty creative.

I was wrong.

I decided if he ever earned payback like that again, we’d go to a hotel so I could make as much noise as I wanted.

Luckily, one time I came, my moan was muffled due to his c**k being in my mouth.

The other three times, I had to get creative.

* * * * *

Therefore now, with my in-laws at the door about to meet my new man, you would think I’d be pretty relaxed, having had four orgasms before sleeping like a log.

And having had a good week, a topsy-turvy one but, if this was an indication of my girls and my future with Joe, I’d not only keep it, I’d take down anyone who tried to take it away from me.

Because of all that, you’d definitely think I was relaxed.

But I wasn’t relaxed.

I wasn’t relaxed at all.

Chapter Eighteen

Pie

I exited the bedroom to see Joe coming toward me, his manner was urgent and there was a strange light to his eyes and set to his mouth. I wasn’t sure but I could swear he looked like he didn’t know whether to laugh or shout.

He opened his mouth to speak but before he made a noise, Keira shrieked, her voice chock full of pure glee, “Mom! You won’t believe this! Uncle Vinnie and Aunt Theresa are here too!”

I stopped walking and Joe stopped in front of me so close we were toe-to-toe. I tipped my head back to look at him and I could actually feel my eyeballs bugging out of their sockets.

“Cool!” Kate yelled and I heard her scrambling toward the door, following, I knew because I heard her shouts outside, Keira.

Then I heard the door close. Then I heard both the girls shouting outside.

The mingling of family wasn’t supposed to happen, not now, not until Joe and I were having, say, our peony festooned engagement dinner somewhere fancy and close to water (I was thirty-five and this was the second time around but that didn’t mean I didn’t have fantasies), when Bea was comfortable with Joe; Theresa and Vinnie could be briefed about Bea’s delicate disposition; and the situation could be contained.

“Joe –” I whispered and his hand came to my neck.

“Relax.”

“Bea’s shy.”

“Buddy, relax.”

“She spooks easy and Theresa and Vinnie are –”

He dipped his head and kissed me lightly.

When he was done, he asked, “Baby, what’d I say?”

I stared into his blue eyes.

Then I nodded.