Caring Fireman Daddy by Scott Wylder
CHAPTER FIVE
Betsy
Waking up in a strange place is not strange to me. But it does take me a moment to get my bearings. I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and get changed into the clothes that I brought for the sleepover. I’m back in the real world, not the Little world, so just regular jeans and a plain T-shirt. I still have my cartoon underwear at least. I’ve always got to have a little fun.
Last night while getting ready for bed, I could tell he wanted a good-night kiss, but I didn’t want it to be like that, not yet. I had to shut the bathroom door so I wouldn’t get carried away. Between him being so brave saving me from the wolf and me being hot for him ever since that Hide and Seek game at Recess, I haven’t gotten him out of my mind. I didn’t want my staying over to be a thing. I didn’t want to be presumptuous.
The couch was comfortable enough. I loved staying up all night watching movies about an easier, simpler time when families loved each other through everything and stayed together no matter what. It doesn’t make me sad, it makes me happy that kind of world exists, even if just in the movies.
I want to get going before he wakes up. I don’t want to be a bother. I will leave a note. I’ll even give him my number if he wants to text. He’ll understand.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Oh!” I yelp. “I didn’t want to wake you. I thought…”
“You were going to leave? Without saying goodbye?” His face is a mixture of concern and sadness. I get the feeling this has happened before. I don’t know why he’s so upset. It’s not like I slept with him.
“I was just going to get going. The bus comes by in about ten minutes. I can wait for it on the corner,” I explain.
“I was hoping to fix you breakfast. But I understand,” he says, but I don’t believe he understands at all. Or he is understanding the wrong thing. Darius turns his back and starts to make himself coffee. He’s only wearing gray sweatpants that leave nothing to the imagination.
“Well, I guess I can stay for coffee. I don’t have to be anywhere immediately,” I say, setting my bookbag down by the door. He turns back to face me. He half smiles and scoops more coffee into the coffeemaker.
We sit at the little card table in the dining room on secondhand chairs. I’m sure he can afford better; it just hasn’t occurred to him. Maybe he isn’t expecting guests, or not expecting them to stay. We sit in silence. The dripping of the coffeemaker seems unusually loud.
“I wasn’t going to run off,” I say after an eternity. He gets up and goes to the kitchen, presumably to get coffee. I follow him. “It’s just that I didn’t want to bother you. I can take care of myself.”
“Do you take cream or sugar? Both?” His question isas polite and as indifferent as a waiter.
“Both. I just don’t want you to think I’m expecting anything. I don’t want you to expect anything.”
“I’m not expecting anything, Betsy. It’s not like that.” He pours the coffee into two identical cups. In one he stirs cream and sugar, the other just cream. We sip in silence. The clock on the wall ticks away.
“I don’t know what to do,” I say quietly. Suddenly, I feel small and nervous.
“What do you want to do?” He looks at me like he can see through me. Like he sees all my past: every loss, every heartbreak. I look back at him and all I see is the future. A future that is safe and secure. I put my coffee on the counter, step up to him and kiss him. He pushes me away.
“I told you, you don’t have to,” he says. “You can go, because you clearly want to.”
“But I don’t want to go. I want to stay. I want to stay with you I just don’t want you to feel like you have to take care of me. Or that I have to kiss you as payment or thanks. I want to kiss you because I want to. I was hoping you wanted to kiss me too.”
“You want to kiss me?” He doesn’t believe me. He puts down his coffee cup. He turns his back to me. His shoulders are broad, and his back is strong.
“I have wanted to kiss you since I first laid eyes on you. I have wanted to kiss you since I chose you to play Hide and Seek,” I tell him. He turns around. His face tells me he is not convinced, but at least he is looking at me. “I have wanted to kiss you since you tackled me.” He smiles and rolls his eyes. “I have wanted to kiss you since you fixed my boo-boo.” I step closer and walk my fingers up his chest to his shoulder. “I have wanted to kiss you since we were at Frank and Talia’s place. I have wanted to kiss you since you saved me from the wolf. I have wanted to kiss you since you brought me to your place. I especially wanted to kiss you good night in the hallway. I especially want to kiss you now.”
He leans in and kisses me. His lips are soft but firm. His kiss feels like he’s giving me life. I wrap my arms around his waist. I let my fingertips gently graze the top of his butt. He has his arms around me, pulling me closer, pressing my breasts against his bare chest.
He lifts me up and sets me on the counter. I spread my legs so he can get closer. He cups my breast with one hand and gently tugs on my hair with the other. I surrender. I offer him my neck for him to kiss. He kisses me hard. I know it will leave a mark and I don’t care. I want him to mark me. I want to be his. We kiss and paw at each other with a ferocity I have never known.
