Legend, page 5
I become a daddy tomorrow and my attentions have to go there.
Bringing a hand up, I stroke her face and give her a smile. “Okay. Sounds good to me.”
I get one more quick kiss from her, and she slides off the bed. I watch silently as she gets dressed, and then she’s turning for my bedroom door. “Good night, Legend.”
“Good night, Pepper,” I reply to her and I just about believe that I might be able to actually sleep tonight.
Chapter 7
Legend
My skin is hot and my palms are sweaty. There’s a thumping inside of my chest that’s brutal and unforgiving. Pretty sure I’m going to vomit all over my front porch waiting for Louise’s car to pull into my driveway, and I keep looking over at Pepper’s house every three seconds to see if she’s going to come over and join me.
I didn’t invite her so probably not. But hell…she’s been by my side since Charlie ended up on my doorstep so I thought she might want to be here.
I mean…I could really, probably use an extra pair of hands my very first day as a new dad. She didn’t offer at all.
But then again, I didn’t ask. In fact, the last time we spoke was shortly after midnight when she slipped out of my bedroom after we’d fucked.
I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to imply there was any more between us than what we’d already established. I think I was pretty clear to her that I didn’t have much to give and thus sex would just be sex. Thus, I really had no right to ask her to do anything further for me. I certainly can’t give into my desires and ask her over just because I’d like to see her for a bit.
Nope. No how. Not going to do it.
My cell phone, which is sitting beside me on the top porch step dings with an incoming text and I snatch it up. It’s from Pepper and my skin now prickles with excitement.
Take a deep breath. You’ve got this today.
Without thinking, I do exactly as she suggests and suck a lungful of air into me. I let it out slowly, and what do you know…I feel a marginal amount of tension seep out of me. I try another breath, and then another. After five deep ones, I feel a hell of a lot less anxious.
I text her back. Thanks. Some deep breathing actually worked.
She responds back almost immediately. Glad to help. Good luck.
I’m not an emoji expert and even if I was, I wouldn’t use them. Too fucking cutesie for me, so I merely type back. Thx.
There’s only a moment’s pause before I’m typing something else. I internally berate myself for my total lack of self-control as I text back, Want to come over?
This time, she doesn’t write back immediately, and I think I may have made things uncomfortable by asking her to come over and witness a new dad meet a strange baby for the first time. I need to somehow rescind that offer I just made, but I can’t think of a tactful way of doing it.
Luckily, it’s not needed when Pepper texts, I don’t want to step on your toes or get in the way of things. It’s a personal moment.
And fuck…she’s right. I don’t know Pepper at all. Ninety-five percent of our existence together consisted of me bitching about her yard and house, which included a formal complaint to our homeowner’s association. Of course, that was put on hold because I lost a bet to her but I don’t intend to pursue it again.
I know without a doubt I’d feel more confident if she were here. She’d step in and help if I falter after Louise leaves. But by inviting her over here, I’m personalizing this into some sort of relationship and that might be selfish of me. It makes me feel like I’m using her.
I continue in my hesitation, battling my inner demons about whether or not this is a good idea.
Then, Louise’s car pulls into the driveway and I feel a panic attack coming on. I type the fastest text of my life. Yes. Please come.
After hitting send and hearing the familiar whooping sound of an outgoing text, I stand up and put my phone in my pocket. My eyes go to Pepper’s house and my relief is great when I see her walking out the door and turning toward me. She looks amazing wearing a long peach skirt that skims her ankles and a gray sweater that hangs off one shoulder. Her smile is encouraging and the set of her shoulders portrays a confidence that this is going to all be okay.
I feel lighter the closer she comes and I turn my attention to Louise’s car. The social worker gets out and shoots me a smile. “Ready to become a dad?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” This is not a true statement. I’d be better prepared mentally if this had occurred a few years from now and preferably with a wife, but I can’t bemoan that now. This is as good as it gets.
Pepper walks in front of Louise’s car, catching her attention. Louise also gives her a bright smile as she closes her driver’s door. “Hello. Nice to see you again.”
That earns her a sweet smile from Pepper who then turns to me, and gives me a laughably light punch to my upper arm. “Ready to do this, Daddy?”
I could make a dozen lewd jokes about Pepper calling me “daddy” but instead all I can think is that I hope Charlie calls me “daddy” and not “dad” which sounds too old-fashioned for a twenty-seven-year-old man.
“Ready,” I tell her and then my heart seems to leap upward, catching in my throat when Louise goes to the back door to get my daughter.
I can see little details. She has on a pink knit cap and what looks like a hand-knitted little sweater. Even though it will get up to almost seventy today as the high, it’s still a little nippy right now for a newborn. Pepper made sure I got warm clothes when we went shopping yesterday.
Louise straightens with Charlie in her arms and turns to face me. My breath freezes as I take in the details I just hadn’t noticed before. Like how soft her skin looks, or how tiny those little fingers are. I can’t tell who she looks like—me or Lida or a combination of both. Her facial features just don’t have enough distinction for me to tell yet, but all I know is she’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.
Louise moves to me to hand her off, and I get struck with a case of nerves because she’s so tiny and surely, I’ll break her.
“Just make sure to use a hand to support her head when you take her and then settle her into the crook of your arm,” Louise instructs and I do exactly as she says. Charlie doesn’t even stir, remaining sound asleep. Her little lips are open slightly and a tiny bubble blows out.
“Wow,” I murmur as I look down at her, and my cheeks ache as I don’t think I’ve ever smiled like this—so big—in my entire life.
“I’ve got some paperwork we’ll need to get signed,” Louise says brusquely. “How about we go inside to handle that.”
“Sounds good,” I reply but I’m really only half aware of what she just said. I’m still too enraptured by this tiny little creature in my hands that I helped create.
Am I still scared?
Fuck yes….This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life and I don’t want to fuck my kid up.
But something happened when she placed Charlie in my arms. I felt a shift inside of me. Things rearranged inside my heart, things that were once my main priorities got moved aside, and there was this big cavern, open and waiting.
And it immediately filled up with this unexplainable love I have for this baby that feels so foreign and unique. In my entire life, I’ve never cared about anything the way I care for Charlie in this moment. Not my parents and not even hockey.
My world just got narrowed down to this eight-pound bundle of wonderment in my arms and I am a different person as of now.
* * *
—
“You’re a pro,” Pepper whispers to me as I stand at the crib, hands on the railing, and look down at Charlie as she sleeps.
We’ve had an eventful morning. Charlie woke up not long after we went into the house and Pepper held her while I went over the paperwork with Louise. I had to sign an acknowledgment of paternity and a release to the Department of Child Safety, and I was handed an emergency order issued by a local judge giving me full parental custody. It could be challenged if Lida ever shows up, but at least this prevents her from walking in and taking Charlie if she were so inclined. I’m doubting that would ever happen, given the secretive way in which she dumped our child on my doorstep.
After Louise left, I changed Charlie’s wet diaper with coaching from Pepper. I then fed her a bottle that I carefully prepared. I had my first lesson in the circle of digestion because after she ate, she crapped her diaper and I had to change that as well as her clothes because there was some leakage. I’m proud I only gagged a few times and didn’t come close to vomiting. It’s by far my least favorite thing about my daughter.
Now she’s asleep and I’ve learned through reading as well as Pepper’s advice that Charlie will sleep a lot at this stage of her life. Maybe even up to twenty hours a day.
As I put her down for a nap in her crib, I prepared myself for the fact that she’d probably wake up in a few hours and need to be fed again. She’d get tired and fall asleep again. It’s nothing but a cycle at this age as they sleep and eat and grow.
I glance down at my watch. It’s almost noon and I’m hungry. My nanny interviews start at two P.M.
I open my mouth to tell Pepper we should head out to get something to eat, then it hits me just as suddenly that I can’t do that. I’m actually chained to this house right now. Or rather, I’m chained to the baby. I could take her out with us, but I think she’s better off resting right now.
So instead, I twist my neck to look at her as she stands by my side. “You hungry?”
She glances up at me a moment and then looks back to Charlie. “I could eat something. Want me to see what you have on hand and whip something up?”
I shake my head and step lightly away from the crib. “I’ve got the makings for omelets in my kitchen. I’ll cook, you relax.”
She smiles and for a moment, I think she’s going to stay in here and gawk at Charlie, but she follows me out of the nursery.
When we reach the kitchen, I open the fridge and start pulling out the stuff I need. Eggs, butter, onions, red pepper, cheese, and some bacon.
Pepper reaches out, and takes several of the items as I turn around. “I’ll cut the veggies while you start on the bacon.”
“Deal,” I tell her and we both set up side by side at the kitchen island which holds my stove burners plus a built-in griddle. I get the bacon going and beside me Pepper chops up the ingredients on a cutting board.
We talk companionably about Charlie, my upcoming hockey schedule which is two home games sandwiching a quick Christmas break, so I don’t have to worry about traveling during Charlie’s first week home.
“What about your parents? I assume you told them about Charlie.” Pepper asks as she sniffs and blinks her eyes from the onions.
“Here, let me do that,” I say as I hand her the tongs to man the bacon and switch sides with her. “Onions don’t bother me. And my parents…well, that was a mixed bag of reactions. My mom is over the moon she’s a grandmother but I think my dad is a little disapproving. He was very quiet when I told them on the phone.”
“Why would he disapprove?” she gasps in surprise.
I shrug. “Because I got a woman pregnant, and now I’m a single dad. To his way of thinking, it’s just irresponsible.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Pepper sputters. “You used protection. It just didn’t work. And you’re doing all you can.”
“I know,” I say with a quick but reassuring smile to her. “While I’m like my father in many ways—you know about my need for order and the distinct lack of plastic flamingos in my yard—I don’t adhere to some of his antiquated notions. I’m letting it roll off my back. Once it settles in with him, he’ll be fine.”
“Are they going to come visit?” she asks as she flips the bacon.
I nod and lay the knife down, having finished a nice chopped pile of onions that rest beside the diced red pepper. I turn to face her, leaning a hip against the counter. “After the holidays. It’s always a busy time for my dad as a pilot. Until then, they’ll have to be satisfied with pictures and videos. Speaking of which, I need you to text me all the pictures you took of us today.”
In addition to watching over my shoulder and giving advice when needed, Pepper took it upon herself to shoot what I bet was a hundred photos of me and Charlie today. Candid stuff as I was holding her and feeding her, and even changing that nasty ass diaper.
“Be glad to,” she replies and then looks at me, her face softening. “I got the best picture when you were sitting on the couch with Charlie. Right after you fed her. Wait until you see the look on your face, Legend. If you could paint a picture of what love looks like, that is it.”
Her words stun me, the soft and awestruck tone of her voice hitting me deep. Whether I wanted her to or not, she just shared in an intensely personal moment with me, and I didn’t even realize it.
But I do now, and it affects me in ways that I wish weren’t tied to my heart. In addition to touching me with her emotion, she’s also just excited me.
Physically.
A surge of pure lust sweeps through me and I don’t know what the expression on my face must tell Pepper, but she can feel the vibe shift between us. Her face slackens and she starts to breathe a little faster.
Reaching over, I turn the knob to shut the gas off the burner and the flame disappears. I gently take the tongs out of her hand and set them on the counter. Pepper’s nose flares as she sucks in a breath, because she knows what I’m getting ready to do.
I wait a second—hell, I give her two—and she’s not running.
I’m not sure who makes the first leap, but one minute we’re staring at each other in lust, and then next we’re kissing like our lives depend on it.
My hands holding Pepper’s face, I walk her right back against the kitchen sink, dip my knees and grind into her. She growls back at me and our kissing turns wild. She tears at my clothes, trying to get them off but I don’t bother to reciprocate. She’s wearing a skirt and she’s too easily accessible to me. I haul it roughly up her legs, slip my hand in between and delve under the elastic of her panties.
Chapter 8
Pepper
I’m not one to embarrass easily but I can feel my face flush as Legend sinks a finger into me. I’m so utterly wet and turned on, that I can’t even stop my hips from gyrating on his hand because what he’s giving me isn’t enough.
I saw the change happen on his face. Saw him go from friendly interest in what I was saying to emotional connection to pure, white hot lust radiating from every pore on his body. I felt the rush of wetness as it soaked into my panties just from that one look.
“Oh God,” I cry into his mouth as Legend gives me two fingers. My hands work clumsily at his belt and an insane, overwhelming need to have him inside of me takes root. The minute I feel the hard length of him in my hands, and I remember just how much that big cock stretched me to the limit last night, I get even crazier with need.
“Legend,” I mutter into his mouth as he continues to kiss me and fuck me with his fingers. “Hurry.”
He lifts his mouth from mine and stares at me in question, not even bothering to stop the movement of his hands between my legs. His lips tip upward in a sly grin. “Want it that bad, huh?”
I can barely concentrate on his words because now he’s strumming my clit and I can feel an orgasm brewing.
Grasping onto his cock firmly, I give it a rough stroke. “Yeah…you know. The baby might wake up at any moment.”
“We have time,” he mutters and bends to kiss me again. His hands go under my ass, pushing my skirt out of the way and he lifts me up. My legs go around his waist and I’m forced to let go of his cock.
Legend turns and then backs me into the refrigerator, pinning me against it. His hands under my ass, he lowers me enough so I’m able to grind on his dick that’s sticking up out of his pants. I flush again because I know he can feel how wet my panties are against his bare skin.
Legend dips his knees again and grinds back against me. The length of his thick shaft rubbing me through the thin, wet cotton and hitting my clit.
“Legend, please,” I moan as my head falls back against the stainless steel unit.
I reach down in between us, reach for his cock to jack it for him. I feel his own slippery excitement leaking from the tip. I stroke him, then grind down on his cock with my pussy. Then I feel his hands there, probing under the elastic. He pulls my underwear aside and swipes at my clit. I cry out and then pull his cock to me, running the tip through my wetness.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Legend groans as he buries his face into my neck. His hand wraps around mine and he helps me hold him in place as I rub my wet pussy against him.
God, I want him inside of me now. Bare, hot, pulsing. I want to feel it all. It’s crazy and stupid and I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more in my life.
With a slight twist of my hips, I’m able to position the head of his dick against my throbbing opening.
“Feels good,” he hisses and God it feels so good. His voice is hoarse, like he’s been yelling for hours. “Going to push in just a little bit. Just want to feel you for a minute, then I’ll get a condom.”
“Okay,” I say mindlessly but I want more than just a little bit.
He enters me slowly and to his word, it’s just the head of his cock. He holds still and I can feel his muscles in his shoulder blades lock tight. His eyes are squeezed shut in what looks like painful ecstasy and another rush of wetness flows from between my legs. Legend must feel it too because his eyes snap open and pin me with such a burning need, it almost brings forth tears from me.
