Then she realized she wanted more than just family fun days and dinner once or twice a week.
Pretty soon Archer was going to ask more questions too.
“I think we have the start of something good,” she said.
“Agreed. But how long do we pretend it’s not for Archer’s sake? It’d be different if I didn’t spend time with him.”
“I know. He’s going to ask me soon. I can just feel it. It’s coming.”
“Then don’t you think we should be honest about it? Maybe tell him so he knows. I’d like to at least touch you and not worry he’s going to get confused or upset.”
“Touch me how?”
“Not slip my hand in your shirt,” he said, laughing. “Someday, sure, but not when your son is around.”
The heat rippling through her body made it impossible to deny how much she wanted his touch.
More than she could ever put into words.
The feel of a man’s hands, the press of another body, the dizzy thrill of what might follow. It had been nothing more than a fading memory until Jayce walked back into her life.
Since then, the hunger had only grown, a restless ache clawing for release and stealing pieces of her control each day. She knew she couldn’t hold out much longer.
And maybe… maybe it was time to be honest. To prepare Archer. Because if her son couldn’t accept this, better to find out now before she gave away even more of herself to Jayce.
She grinned. “I’d expect you not to do that in front of him.”
“Nope,” he said. “But I’d like to put my arm around your shoulder, maybe hold your hand, steal a tiny kiss on the lips or cheek. Not just give you a fist pump or high five.”
“I’d like that too,” she said. “Let me think about it tonight. I’m not sure if I want to tell him myself or do it together.”
“You don’t think he’ll be upset, do you?” he asked.
“No, but I don’t know if I want to take that chance either. We’ll see you tomorrow and go from there.”
“I like it when you plan.”
“I like it when I do too,” she said. “Now I need to go.”
“Bye, Farrah.”
He dragged her name out like he had over a decade ago. It swirled around inside of her lighting the arousal to the point that back then, she almost said she was ready for him to be her first.
But her heart was falling and she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them going their separate ways.
Though she didn’t know what the future held, and didn’t want to be hurt, she found she was strong enough now to handle what came her way.
It was only what would happen to Archer if it didn’t work out, and that was more of what she had to think about than herself.
22
EVERY POSSIBLE SCENARIO
“Mom!” Archer yelled when she picked him up at the after-school program. “I got all A’s this time.”
“You did?” she said, reaching her hand over for him to slap it. “That’s wonderful.”
She wouldn’t ruin his surprise that she’d seen it already this morning online.
