“Getting the seeds out.” She climbs onto my lap, trying to pry my mouth open. “Eden, I think we need a girly chat.” Gemma comes over and takes Eden’s hand.
“Girly chat?” Eden asks, wiping a stray tear that leaks from her eye.
“Oh, yes. It’s when two girls talk about men without men,” Gemma says.
“Okay.” Eden gets off my knee before any damage can be done to my mouth or throat.
“You owe me,” Gemma whispers as she leaves us alone.
I don't see Gemma or Eden for the rest of the evening. It is only when I am lying in bed that Gemma walks in wearing a pink silk nightie.
“Hello.” I put my hand out for her.
“Hello,” she purrs.
“Come here. I’ve wanted to kiss you all day.” I sit up, just as Gemma’s lips meet mine.
“How did it go with Eden?” I ask once we break the kiss, my hand stroking her bare leg.
“Well, she is horrified and no man is ever going near her.” Gemma smiles. "Which I guess isn't a terrible thing."
I pull her into my lap, needing her close and claiming her lips. It’s hot, romantic even, until Gemma breaks the moment.
“And she knows about periods,” Gemma says, breaking the kiss.
“Well, someone was going to have to tell her. That should have been her mum,” I say with a heavy sigh.
“What happened? With your wife,” Gemma asks.
“Ex-wife. Soon-to-be ex-wife.” I groan before giving a quick summary of events. “The school phoned while I was in a meeting saying that Julia hadn’t shown up to collect the kids. By the time I picked them up and arrived home, her car was gone, along with some of her clothes and all her important documents. No note, nothing.
“I rang her parents, and they said she was safe and not coming back. They put the phone down on me. They never had any interest in the children either. Nothing. I tried several times to contact them and her. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's been seven months now. She's called me twice in all that time and only then it was because I hadn't yet signed thedivorce papers. The only upside is, she is willing to give me full custody.”
“I don’t know how a mother could do that to her children?” Gemma shakes her head, her eyes sad. Her hands run down my chest.
“She’s evil. She will have no rights to those children. I’ll make sure of that,” I spit out.
"They have you." Gemma rests on top of me, crushing my arm. “Kiss me,” she says after a moment.
Rolling Gemma onto her back, her nipples poking up. I feel a desperate need to suck on one. “Am I not too old for you?”
“No.” She grins. “You’re my daddy.”
I stop and pull away; she has killed the mood. “My children call me Daddy. That is not what I want to be thinking about when I’m lying on top of you, rock hard,” I growl.
“No daddy talk, then?” Her laugh is wicked.
“No daddy talk.” I huff. “Take this off.” I pull her nightie over her head.
“What’s going on between us?” she asks.
It stops me. “I don’t know. My children always come first, you know that, Gemma.”
“I know that,” she says, leaning up on her elbows.
“And you’re the worst cleaner ever,” I smirk.
“I know that,” she smiles, her tongue running over her teeth.
