Page 46 of Mommy

I’m not sure how I ended up at the beautiful, large front door.

I don’t remember getting into a bus, or walking over the perfectly mowed, wide lawn.

The bell rings loud and warm and I stand there, in the rain, and wait.

The light flicks on and the door opens.

Derek’s eyebrows go up, and concern draws hard lines around his eyes.

“What happened?” The alarm in his voice breaks my heart in two because I want it to be real so fucking bad. I want his worry to be real because it would mean, there are feelings for me other than desire.

But I will settle for the lie he offers instead. I’ll gladly take the illusion of a happy home over the reality of where I just came from.

“Can we play house tonight?” I don’t want my voice to crack, and I don’t want the tears to gather in my lashes, but it happens anyway.

For a moment that feels like eternity Derek just stands there and stares down at me. I can watch the scene play out in his head for all but a second before his visor goes down, shutting me out, and his lips pull into a small smile. His hand stretches out, tracing my cheek, wiping away the tears that escaped.

“You’re late, darling. I’m glad you’re home.”

My own lips pull into a smile despite the tears, and I nod.

I’ll take this fake something over the alternative any day.

At first it sounded weird to me, but honestly… it felt more natural than anything. Playing pretend like I used to when I was a child. It feels safe.

He feels safe.

Chapter twenty seven

Derek

Ivy was soaked from head to toe, when she rang my doorbell.

I put out one of my large gym shirts and clean boxers for her to wear after she comes out of the shower. I’ll grab some PJs for her tomorrow, she’s slept over enough for it to be worth the investment. Actually, I did already hunt down her shampoo. Sniffing myself through the soap aisle until I couldn’t tell peaches from melon anymore and caved, asking one of the workers to help me find the right scent.

I put her wet clothes in the washer with my own, and make sure the table is set for two instead of just one.

When she comes back from her shower, I’m busy folding napkins in half. Her hair is soaked, but at least this time she doesn’t smell like me, but herself.

She looks cute in my shirt.

Very cute.

And she looks at the plates and glasses before me as if she’s never seen a set table before.

I didn’t make anything fancy, just filled peppers with beef and rice and I don’t think I have anything I can offer her as dessert, but her eyes are wide as saucers anyway.

I make a mental note to cook something fancy for her soon. Or find out what kind of food she likes best and make her that. She could still stand to gain a few pounds.

Helping her take a seat, I press a soft kiss to the bit of naked skin on her neck where my shirt keeps slipping off her slim shoulder. I don’t expect her to tell me what’s going on. Though it’s clear, something unsettled her, I don’t even bother asking. I don’t want her thinking about that.

Ivory came here asking me to play pretend. And I’m more than happy to go along with that. It means I get to have her without all the bumps in the road. We just skip the part where we get to know one another and make mistakes and go straight to the time where everything is perfect.

Jumping past the dating phase and right into marriage. Even if it’s just for a game, the idea is exhilarating.

Putting the food on the table, I take a seat opposite Ivory.

Two bites into dinner I realize that this might have been a mistake. Because I’m not even one bite into my own food, and my dick is already tenting my joggers.