My Libertine (Trio Book 2) (7 page)

“Going down to do some laundry,” I say

“Let me help. Frickin hell woman.” He sounds pissy about it. What did I do? “You don't need to do this shit by yourself.” He says grabbing the door and my basket from me. I don't like his tone.

“I kind of do. I'm a single mother Row. How do you think I get things done? I do them.” I snip at him, taking the basket back from his hands, minding Karter on my front.

“Well not while I'm fucking here.” He says taking the basket back out of my hands.

“And how long will that be? A week? Month? Maybe even two? You aren't my boyfriend and you have no obligation to act like one.” I know it was mean, but really, I'm not going to get comfortable with someone in my life just to have then up and leave. He is stunned for a moment AI taking my chance I take the basket back once again and start off toward the laundry room. He doesn't follow me just leaves for the outside door, going the opposite way I am.

Late enough on a weekday, the laundry room is fairly empty. So I take up two machines, going back upstairs to get the other basket I had in my room. I go back down in an hour to switch the clothes when I see my neighbor Gregg working on his.

“Hey there Shana.” He says. He is quite shy but I know he has a crush on me. I try and play it safe and polite, not wanting him to take a risk and ask me out. I don't like the awkwardness.

“Hi, Gregg.”

“Any plans for the weekend?” Think, think Shana. What will you be doing? Then it comes to me.

“My dad is moving into his place this weekend, going to be helping him out.” He seems dejected for a second, but must let it go.

“Oh, that's cool happy to hear he will be closer to you two now.” He says nodding toward a still sleeping Karter. I quickly get my clothes switched and turn to go upstairs when he comes closer blocking my path.

“I was hoping we could get together sometime.” He says. Crap. Crap.

“Oh, I don't think…”

“Nope, she's taken, man.” I voice says from the door. I look up to see Row standing there with his jaw clenched.

“Who are you?” Gregg turns and tries to sound bigger than his five foot six frame. Before Row can answer I do.

“My roommate. A friend of mine from out of town.” I say almost too quickly. Yeah between the two I'm sure Row would squash him. I’d rather avoid the squashing. “We were just leaving,” I say and walk past a now distracted Gregg, grabbing Row’s arm on the way out. I try and ignore the jolt I get from touching his bare arm. So damn warm and strong. Stop it Shane. You don't need this. Need him. Maybe just to scratch an itch? Oh fuck I'm sex deprived.

“He wants to fuck you.” Well, that wasn't blunt. I let go of his arm well past the door and halfway back to my apartment.

“Do you have to be so forward all the time?” I scold him.

“Can't help it, no filter.” He shrugs beside me.

“Well try. I don't need you… speaking… and… stuff.” Shit, what the hell am I saying?

“You a little, flustered, Dove?” I go to grab the door knob and chance a glance at him. He is giving me that damned carefree sexy smile of his. When I lock eyes with him he winks. Winks.

“Quit it Row,” I say narrowing my eyes at him.

“Sorry, I'm just a natural flirt, can't help it.” Ass.

“Well you are going to have to try, I don't need none of that shit in my life right now,” I tell him unstrapping Karter and putting him in his chair. He is awake and alert right now so I set his chair in the kitchen so he can watch me cook, as per our usual nightly ritual. Only when I go to start taking things out of the fridge to whip something up I see that there already is something baking in the oven.

“What is that?” I ask Row who is, shit, standing directly behind me. So close I almost smack into him with my nose when I turn around.

“Oh sorry.” He says backing up a step. “I made lasagna, not chicken parm, but it's my mom's recipe. Damn good.” I don't even know what to say.

“I like lasagna, thank you. You didn't have to do that.” Crap what am I going to do if it actually tastes good?

“Well you opened your home to me and I ate your leftovers. It’s the least I could do.” He says going to the oven and peeking in. Then I think for a second. I have been in the apartment most of the day, how the hell did he have the time to whip up dinner without me even knowing?

“When did you put this lasagna together?” I ask skeptically.

“While you were doing laundry, you were down there longer than you thought.” He tries to convince me. I go over to the garbage to see a store bought lasagna box stuffed down to the bottom. Shit head. I grab it out and hold it up.

“What’s this then?” I ask. He turns around and fricken smirks at me.

“Lasagna, just like mom makes.” He says. I can't help but laugh. This asshole

The Lasagna was great despite the shit head trying to pull it over as homemade. We sit in a comfortable silence and eat. Then I settle down to feed Karter and he promptly leaves the room when I take out my boob. I still get a laugh out of that. Grown ass man can't handle a little breastfeeding. Then I wonder how old the grown ass man is. Can't be much older than me, doesn't seem like it anyway. I make a mental note to ask him.

Karter is fast asleep with a full belly so I put him down for bed, hearing Row in the shower when I walk by. Then my mind wanders. I do know what he looks like in just a towel now I am just picturing him with soapy suds covering his body all the way down to his… nope, not going to go there.

“He sleeping?” I hear a whisper at my door. Turning around I see Row, freshly showered, with a nice tee shirt on with a button down open over the top, dark wash jeans and of course his cowboy boots. I nod my head and start walking his way out my bedroom door. He moves aside and I quietly shut the door.

“Where are you going looking all fancy?” I say in a fake southern accent.

“Nice, you could almost fit in down south.” He chuckles.

“Hot date?” I ask.

“You could say that.” He goes to the couch and sits down. “We got a show to watch, come sit down.” He says, patting the spot next to him.

“Don't you have somewhere to be?” I say as I go over to sit next to him.

“I'm there. Now come sit down.” He gets the remote and turns on the damned Zombie show.

“I told you Row I can’t watch this.”

“And I said you could. I’ll be here to protect you.” Damn man.

“Alright, but if I get nightmares it’s on you,” I say and go with it.

After two episodes I'm not as scared as I thought I would be. It's actually intriguing how the story line goes. I only jumped and cringed a few times huddling closer to Row. Halfway through the third episode, I drift off to sleep leaning into him.

The next morning I wake in my bed, from a full nights sleep. Wow, Karter slept through the night. I get up to go use the bathroom quick before he wakes up. The light is just starting to shine through the windows and I see that Row’s room is once again empty. Guess he did end up making that date. I don't know why but a pang of jealousy hits me, but I brush it away.

I'm laying on the floor with Karter for ‘tummy time’ when Row walks through the door. It's probably almost noon. He doesn't look as put together as he did last night. His button down shirt is missing and his tee shirt is inside out.

“Have a rough night?” I ask sitting up now, cross-legged on the floor. My baby boy is doing a great job holding his head up now and is trying to lift himself up off the floor with his arms. The kid is going to be crawling before I know it.

“Oh hey, didn't see you down there.” He says walking over and plopping down onto the floor next to us, laying on his stomach, facing Karter. “Not too eventful, just went home with the wrong chick is all.” I get the whiff of cheap perfume on him. The wrong girl indeed.

“Was she married?” please don't say yes.

“Yes. Though in my defense she had no ring, no line on her finger, and also said she wasn't. Her husband this morning very politely informed me otherwise.” He looks at me and that is when I see the slight bruise starting to show around his eye.

“He got you good didn't he?”

“Aw, he hit like a girl. Been punched worse by my sister.”

“You have a sister?” he has never said anything about a sister.

“Yeah, brother too. Loretta, we call her Lori, and Jude. Both younger.”

“You are the big brother then huh?”

“Yep how about you?” well this should be fun.

“Well, I have three step brothers. Jack, James, and Kyle. Kyle, who also goes by the name Lee is with Linn.” Karter is starting to get fussy, done with the push ups for today. I reach over and grab him sitting him up between my now outstretched legs to play with the toys I place in front of him. Row decides then to get up too, sitting across from me.

“You said your dad was moving here. Where does your mom live?” oh boy.

“She lives here in Missoula. Haven't talked to her in months now. She has never seen Karter.”

“Can I ask why?”

“She didn't like the fact I had started talking to my dad and that I was having a baby. Not sure which one she disliked more, but when it comes to that woman nothing can really please her.”

“That's too bad, everyone deserves the love of both their parents.” He takes a rattle and shakes it for Karter holding it out for him to grab, which he tries his damnedest to do. “You said started talking to your dad, what’s that about?” well he is just getting my whole life story right now, isn't he?

“Oh well, that one is a long story.”

“I got plenty of time if you are willing to tell.” He smiles. Frickin smile.

“Well, it all started when they met. In the prenup, it stated that they were to have one child. I turned out to be said, lucky child. Well, the years went by and dear ole mommy didn't want to be with my dad anymore so she left him, taking me with her. She was able to get custody and keep him from seeing me until I was 21. I got gifts and things, this apartment. Just never met him and didn't really know why until he showed up one day and told me the story about how big of a bitch my mother really was. She never really raised me, we moved in with my grandma in eastern Montana. That is where I met Linn and Cris. After my grandma died I lived with Cris’s mom, Brinn off and on when my mom wasn't home. Then after I graduated came here and lived with my mom and her new husband until Linn and Cris could get here.” That was a mouth full but he still seems to be listening and maybe even interested in what I'm saying.

“That guy I saw you with the day I met you, he been around at all?” Chase. I decide not to tell him about my encounter with him not too long ago. Really what good would it do? So I just tell him what my dad did the day after Karter was born.

“Well, he did show up once. At the hospital actually. My dad, being a lawyer, made sure that he didn't come back. Told him he would sue his ass for harassment and that if he ever saw his face again, he knew some people down in California that could make his death look like an accident. Not sure if he does but it was still great to see the look on that prick’s face.” We both chuckle at that. “Well,” I say getting up off the floor. “It's time for his nap and gotta feed him before, I know you would love to stay and watch but I'm going to go to my room and do it this time. He already looks half asleep.” I tuck him into my arms and start off to my room.

“Hey now I never said I didn’t like seeing your boob, I'm just thinking the other one gets awful lonely tucked in there while the other one is out.”

“I do switch breasts, you just always leave before I do it.” I laugh and go into my room. Sitting down on the bed I plop out the first lucky tit to be drained.

After Karter is down for his nap I leave the room and go out to the kitchen for a glass of water. Finding Row polishing off the rest of lasagna. Damn that guy can eat.

“You want to continue our marathon?” he asks between bites.

“Sure why not?” that is when there is a damned knock at the door. I quickly go to the door before the knocking continues and instantly wish I hadn't, on the other side is my damned mother.