Never Been Loved(64)

“You and I both helped your dad when he was tired, right? We helped him out, right?”

It takes a second, but Matty makes the leap and smacks a kiss on Sera’s cheek. Lucky little bugger. “I’m Batman! Daddy, I’m Batman!”

I can’t move. Sera’s staring straight at me, and I can’t move to ruffle Matty’s hair, or tickle him or do any of that stuff. She just gave him something I couldn’t – she told him he mattered, and made him believe it.

Holy Christ, I’m in over my head.





Chapter 16



“The pizza’s not here yet, but give it fifteen minutes. Can I get you a drink?” I ask her.

Really? She just gave the kid a serious confidence-booster, one you haven’t been doing lately, and shit, you’re talking about food?

Out of the side of my eye I watch Matty jump up on the couch and fiddle with the controller to get Netflix up. I forget sometimes how very smart he is; either that, or I haven’t noticed at all.

I move around the counter not letting her answer because I’m a caveman and what’s on her body has me thinking some very bad thoughts. Except I need to not be a dick for tonight, I need to be on my best behaviour.

How in hell am I supposed to do that when she looks the way she does? She probably did it on purpose. Goddamn it, that ass in that skirt? I’m lucky I’m still breathing.

“You look beautiful,” I blurt, then lean in to hide my idiocy with a kiss on her cheek. Once I’m there, her smell gets in my nose and it’s only a few inches to the right and down and I can finally kiss her… I pull my head back before I get into trouble.

“All right...” she says, smiling at me. Aly would’ve preened, Mom would have adjusted her clothes or brought attention to her hair or whatever. Sera doesn’t do any of that, but she looks at me like she’s expecting me to say something.

I’m never going to understand women. Never.

“Drink?”

“Sure. Water, please.”

Water? Maybe she doesn’t drink… at all. Which is no big deal, but I file it away for later, maybe I can ask her about it if I remember.

“I’ve got a real die-hard party girl, over here.” I end up grinning, needing her to understand that I’m joking. Matty’s been my only audience these past three years and he thinks I’m pretty fucking hilarious. Sera… not so much. I’m also out of practice, I have no idea how to get a girl of Sera’s caliber to like me.

Don’t try to be funny. Just… just don’t.

“Yeah, I know. I’m badass like that,” she says, deadpan. My smile gets deeper, until I get a look at how perfect her tits look in that blouse and I’m a hundred percent sure she just caught me. Fuck.

“Bad word! Sera said a bad word!” Matty swoops in to save me, bouncing on the balls of his feet, while grabbing hold of Sera’s fingers and giving them a tug. I’m going to have to tell him that he can’t go pulling on people, but right here and now, Sera doesn’t seem to mind.

“You owe me a whole quarter!” he tells her, and Sera does nothing but smile. I lean back and just watching the two of them together.

“I’ll pay for her today, bud. We invited her for supper; we can’t just make her give us money,” I tell him, trying to remember where I keep my stash of quarters.

Matty’s face crinkles in confusion. “But she said a bad word!”

I let Sera soothe him while I move behind her and move to the kitchen to get the table ready. I wouldn’t mind eating on the couch, but I don’t want Sera getting pizza on her and then bolting to change anytime soon. “I know, buddy. Sorry,” she tells him. “Can I help with anything? How ‘bout me and Matty get the table in order?” she asks.

I look over my shoulder to see her looking at me, expecting me to give her the go ahead.

“What does that mean – get the table in order? It’s a table, Sera.” Matty tells her.

She laughs then starts tickling him until the kid’s a mess of giggles. “It means that we need to set up all the plates, glasses, forks, knives and napkins. Do you have placemats, Hunter?”

Shit. I shake my head.

Matty does the gentlemanly thing, and pulls out her chair. Sera goes along with it. “Why thank you, kind sir!”

“I’m going to set the table for you, Sera, you watch, then tell me how I do.” He’s such a con-artist, a showman, walking over to me, arms out ready for the plate I’m going to set there.

Doesn’t matter if it falls, I just don’t want his feet to get cut up, but he crosses his arms over it and holds it tight against his chest, making sure it stays put. He glides over to Sera at the table and places it next to her, all careful-like.