“No, Cher,” he said gently. “That was nowhere near fucking.”

Yes, straight up, burn it in my brain…

I could not fuck this up.

I couldn’t.

He was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Not getting a goodness so good it was unreal after being stupid and getting knocked up by a junkie, the way I got Ethan.

A goodness I got because I earned it simply by being me.

Understanding that, as it seemed I was prone to do with Merry, I kept blurting.

“I want you to get to know my kid better. Tomorrow. He’s got a sleepover with Teddy, but I’m droppin’ him at the game. They’re meeting there. Teddy’s parents go to the game because their older boy plays. He’s goin’ home with them after. But before, we can take him to dinner.”

Merry didn’t say anything.

Shit, that was too soon.

“Or we can wait,” I said quickly.

“I take you and Ethan for pizza, once we drop him off, do I get you at your place?”

Not too soon.

I closed my eyes slowly before I answered, “Yeah.”

“You’re on.”

I snuggled deeper.

Merry kept his hand in my hair as he wrapped his other arm so tight around my waist, I felt his fingers skim the skin on my belly.

His warmth, his strength, my orgasm, his fantastic mattress, I wanted to stay awake and feel all that, but I couldn’t stop myself from feeling drowsy.

And drowsy, sated, held close by Merry, my mouth kept running.

“Thanks for not fuckin’ me.”

I felt his body move with a chuckle that wasn’t audible.

“Thanks for lettin’ me not fuck you,” he replied.

“Anytime,” I mumbled, starting to drift.

“Cherie?” he called.

“Yeah, Merry.”

Cherie. Merry.

Fuck, it was goofy as all get-out.

But it was also like we were meant to be.

“This is good. Proof. Truth. Remember this, honey. We hold on to this, what we just had, what we got right now, the night we shared, we don’t fuck that up, we can stick it, you and me.”

My throat closed.

My eyes started burning.

But I powered through it being me.

“Stop bein’ gooey.”

That got me more of his lean body moving in my arms, telling me he was laughing.

He got control of that, tipped his head so his lips were against my hair, and ordered, “Go to sleep, brown eyes.”

“See you in the morning, gorgeous.”

“Believe it, baby.”

I believed.

Finally, I believed.

And for the first time in my life, held tight to Merry, it didn’t scare the shit out of me.

Chapter Twelve

The Pleasure Is All Mine

Cher

I felt it shafting, tit to clit.

My eyes drifted open.

I saw shadows. I felt a nice mattress under me.

Heat behind me.

A hard cock pressed to my ass.

“Merry,” I breathed as his thumb and finger at my nipple rolled again.

“This, baby,” he growled, his voice gruff with sleep and the promise of an impending orgasm, “is gonna be fucking.”