The First Taste (Slip of the Tongue #2) - Jessica Hawkins Page 0,37
level her with a glare. Denise and I have been friends since high school, she knows how protective I am, but she continues to push me. “You think I don’t know my own daughter? Mind your own business.”
“No. Shana’s been gone four years next month. She fucked you over. So what? We’ve all been fucked over. Get over it. I have.”
“She was your friend,” I say, reeling back. “I lost the mother of my child. But you’re wrong. I am over it. I just choose not to get back into it.” I look her in the eye. “With anyone. You knew that when we started this.”
She sighs, crossing her arms. “Have I ever asked you for anything?”
“Not outright.”
She looks away. “Why didn’t you call me Saturday night when you were at Timber?”
I scratch my jaw. When I go out drinking with the guys, which isn’t often, I sometimes end up back at Denise’s. Even if it’s just for an hour before I have to get home to Bell. Saturday night, though, I wasn’t in the mood for just anyone, thanks to a certain sassy blonde with legs for days.
“I slept with someone on Friday,” I say.
Denise turns back to me, her eyes big. “What? Who?”
“You don’t know her. She isn’t from around here.”
She presses her lips together. “Why do you tell me these things?”
“You have a right to know.”
“You don’t think I’ve slept with other guys?” she asks. “I’ve never thrown it in your face.”
“You’re my friend, Denise. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“That doesn’t stir anything in you?” she asks. “Nothing?”
“What?” I ask.
“Hearing that I’ve slept with other guys.”
I shift on my feet and try to conjure an ounce of jealousy. I love Denise—as a friend. As one of the people who stepped in to help with Bell when I needed it most, I’m grateful she’s in my life. But that’s as much as I’ll ever feel for her. As long as she’s happy and treated well, I have no comments about her sex life. “If this is getting to be too much, I understand,” I say. “We’ve been hooking up for two years. I wouldn’t fault you for developing feelings. But if you are, we have to stop.”
She looks at her feet. I know what she’ll say. We’ve had this conversation before. “I’m not.”
“Good.” I look through the office window. Bell has her head down as she does homework. I put an arm around Denise’s shoulder and kiss her head. “You know I care about you. But stay the fuck away from Bell when I’m not around. I mean it.”
She sighs, shoves me off, and walks away. “Call me next time you have a few hours free.”
NINE
“Shaving cream,” I command like I’m at the head of an army.
“Yes, sir.” Bell maneuvers herself onto the bathroom counter and gets the can. She shakes it before squirting some into her hand. Her palm is too small for the amount I need, so I let her slather what she’s got on my face before filling in the rest.
She knocks her heels against the cabinet under the sink. “You’re going to look so handsome, Daddy.”
I glide my razor down my cheek and glance at her in the reflection. “Thanks, baby.”
“All the girls will want to kiss you.”
With a heavy sigh, I give her a reprimanding look. I don’t know if it’s normal for girls her age to tease their dads about women. I can’t exactly ask around—I don’t know any other single dads. I thought I had a while longer before she moved into this phase where she starts to wonder about love and sex.
Sex.
Jesus. Christ.
Could I ever actually work up the nerve to talk about that with Bell, my precious baby? Fuck. I hope I’m right that I’ve got years left to prepare, but I’m worried that might be pushing it.
“Homework’s done?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Yup. Are you going to the city?”
“Yes. Uncle Nathan has to work and Aunt Sadie needs me to go with her.”
“I love New York City. I want to live there one day.”
I slide my gaze over to her. I’m aware of her interest, but this is the first I’ve heard of wanting to move there. “It’s not a nice place.”
“But Aunt Sadie lives there, and she has a fun job and cool friends.”
“She lives in Brooklyn,” I say, “not that that’s any better.”
“Are you going to a party?”
I rinse out my razor. I don’t often leave Bell in the evenings. It can sometimes get