Nanny for the Army Rangers by Krista Wolf

 

Thirty-Eight

 

 

DUNCAN

“And… what about this one!”

Courtney’s eyes lit up as Delilah held the tiger costume up against her tiny toddler body. The full-length mirror showed her what she’d look like, as other Halloween shoppers swirled around us.

“You like it?”

Our little girl nodded, clapping her hands together multiple times. The tiger costume was adorable, ears, tail and everything. It would go perfectly with the lion costume Jace already picked out.

“I think we have a winner,” I said, holding Jace against my shoulder. I stepped forward as he reached out to grab the thirty-eighth random thing so far, placing it just beyond reach of his ever-flexing fingertips.

“You sure you don’t want to do the ladybug and bumblebee?” Delilah asked the twins again. “Those costumes were so cute!”

But Courtney was already shaking her head.

“Di-lah!” she cried. “Dis!”

She grabbed the tiger costume’s tail and shook it happily. Finally defeated, our nanny-girlfriend shrugged and put it in the cart with the rest of our Halloween decor.

“You sure you don’t want to get two costumes?” Delilah asked me. “In case they change their mind later?”

“If we’re getting a second costume we’re going with Mario and Luigi,” I smirked.

“We are not!”

“C’mon,” I laughed, picking up the smallest size available. “Look at these things!” The red and green costumes came complete with hats, blue overalls, and everything. “We’ll get some white gloves, maybe paint some mustaches on them. They’ll never even know.”

“They’ll look at each other and cry their eyes out,” Delilah scolded me. “And they’ll pull the gloves off before we get to the second or third house.”

“They’re toddlers,” I smiled. “How many houses do you really think we’re going to do?”

Her face suddenly went serious. “Are you kidding?” she demanded. “Do you not know about me and chocolate by now?”

“Yes, but—”

“Yes, but nothing!” Delilah interjected. “We’ve got two of the cutest toddlers on the whole planet, and a whole neighborhood full of people eager to stuff their bags with candy!” She put one hand on her hip. “We’re going block after block until those bags are full,” she pointed into the shopping cart, “even if we’re carrying two sleeping babies over our shoulders.”

“You mean we’ll be carrying them,” I scoffed, “while you run from door to door picking up all the candy.”

“Potato, Po-tah-to.”

She flashed me a sexy smile over her shoulder as she led Courtney down the aisle, in the direction of the checkout area. It was a smile we’d shared before. A smile usually reserved for a much more intimate connection…

God, she’s gorgeous.

I couldn’t help but watch her ass as she bounced away. She’d been our girlfriend for a few weeks now, and nothing had made us happier. I could say the same for Delilah as well. She’d adjusted to the sudden change in PDA without a hiccup, and was now kissing us goodbye each morning and greeting us with long, lingering hugs that promised even more once the twins were put down for the night.

As a lover she was insatiable, even greedy at times. At her request we’d replaced her queen-sized bed with a king, and there wasn’t a single night she slept alone. More often than not we took turns visiting her, whenever the mood struck. But the coolest part was that there were no hard or fast rules when it came to who got to be with her. I could walk in on her with Liam or Julius in the middle of anything, and she’d smile and reach for me to strip down and join them.

There were nights we carried her into our beds too, to make love to her one-on-one. So many times I’d spent myself deep inside her, then fallen asleep with her wrapped in my arms. Not long afterward I might wake up alone, hearing soft moans coming from someone’s else’s bed in the wee hours of the morning. Delilah was never too tired, and never refused us. If anything she initiated many of these midnight rendezvous, showing up naked and dripping and impossibly warm, ready for more of what she just received from someone else.

That part was the hottest; knowing how much she loved to be shared. It made me crazy to be doing her after Liam, or even before, then sending her away to be plundered by Julius, who in turn might finally carry her, sleeping, into her bed.

And her bedroom was never off limits.

“Dis?” Courtney asked, pointing at a whole rack of bubble-gum.

“Not for a few years baby, no,” Delilah told her. “I’m sorry.”

“Dis?”

I smiled as our daughter pointed to practically everything at eye level, one by one. With the patience of a saint, Delilah answered her every time. She was always so gentle with the kids. So totally incredible as a nanny, in every motherly way. It felt a little strange to think of her as an employee anymore, when she was actually our girlfriend. But she took on every responsibility she always had as our nanny, and even more. She took on roles that… well…

That Kara would’ve — no, should’ve — taken.

That part made me sad. It had nothing to do with Delilah of course, but it brought me down nonetheless.

We paid for our stuff and I packed the car, while Delilah strapped the children in. A few minutes later we were on the road, jacking up the heat against the cool autumn air as we decided whether or not to pick up afternoon coffee.

“You okay?”

It must’ve been something she sensed, because I’d suddenly gotten a little quiet.

“Fine, why?”

“You have that look again. Like you’re thinking.”

I tried to let out a casual laugh, but it didn’t come out right. “Thinking’s good, no?”

“Yes,” she allowed, drawing her feet up on the seat. “But there’s a difference between thinking and dwelling.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Thinking is constructive,” she said, “or contemplative. But dwelling is always looking backward, on things in the past. Things you can’t change.

I stayed silent. According to the rear-view mirror, Courtney was now asleep too.

“You’re thinking about Roman, aren’t you?”

Shit. She wasn’t far off.

“Kara too,” I admitted. “But yes.”

“Tell me.”

Her hand fell to my leg, her soft fingers massaging me in a comforting way. Normally I would’ve protected my thoughts. I would’ve made something up, or kept driving without saying anything.

But with Delilah things were different.

“This Halloween the twins are old enough to trick-or-treat,” I said solemnly. “And… their parents aren’t here to see it.”

“But they are,” Delilah said gently.

She was right, but she wasn’t right. Slowly I shook my head.

“Technically I guess so,” I said. “But…”

Her hand found mine. Her fingers interlaced with my own, folding over them reassuringly. “But what?”

“We used to be uncle Liam, uncle Duncan, uncle Julius,” I said. “But now we’re fathers. We got promoted up the scale.”

“Being in the military you should be used to that, no?”

“Yes. But it’s been over a year. We feel closer to the children than ever before.”

“Wonderful!” Delilah exclaimed. “That should make you feel good, right?”

“No, it makes me feel guilty!” I cried. “Like I’ve stolen something. Like I’ve taken on a life that never belonged to me.”

“But they do belong to you,” she countered. “You were given a beautiful gift, and this gift belongs to you now. All three of you.”

“I know,” I said quietly.

“Duncan you love these children,” said Delilah. “There’s no doubt about that. I’ve seen it in all three of you — you’re natural-born fathers! I see it in the way the twins look at you, smile at you. The way their faces light up whenever you come home.”

“But Jace and Courtney belonged to Roman and Kara,” I sighed. “They were their parents, not us. We’ve loved them parentally, but it always was uncles. As outsiders. But now… now it’s starting to feel…”

Delilah squeezed my hand gently. “Feel like what?”

“Like they’ve always been ours.”

My throat felt thick now, my voice low. Delilah let me sulk for a few seconds, but a few seconds was all she gave me.

“Duncan, what are you doing in Southold?”

The question took me off guard. “You know what we’re doing. We’re rebuilding the estate.”

“Exactly. But you’re not doing it for Jace and Courtney. Trust me, they could grow up in a shack with the three of you. Giggling and laughing and loving you just as much as they do now, in that big old mansion.”

I went to open my mouth but she shushed me.

“No, you’re rebuilding it for Roman and his wife. You’re doing it to honor your friend, and to make sure his legacy is never forgotten — especially to the children he left behind.”

She turned sideways in the seat. With her fiery eyes, and her lips all pouty and full, she’d never looked more beautiful.

“Nothing in the world would make your friends happier than what you’re doing right now,” she said. “Neither you, nor Liam, nor Julius should ever feel guilty for taking on this responsibility, because you’re doing the whole thing out of love.”

She was right of course. She’d been right all along.

“And there’s one other thing you’re forgetting, too,” Delilah said, her voice softening. “Something you shouldn’t.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Now you’ve got me.”