Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,36
scents of meat on the grill. But it was more than that. These guys were serious about getting her porch done. The framing was already up.
“You all work fast.”
Gibson draped an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry about Parker with Gemma. He only has eyes for you.” A brief kiss to her cheek, and he went to help build. There were four women, including herself, and she liked the other three well enough, but she couldn’t see herself being lifelong friends with them. They seemed to understand they were just temporary women for the men they were with. And were okay with that fact.
About an hour later, Gemma showed up with Cullen and, much to her disappointment, stayed. Cullen made himself useful—he gravitated toward a man named Collier, who’d given the boy toys his children had outgrown.
It warmed her heart to know even when she would no longer be part of Cullen’s life, he’d have people around him who cared and would watch out for him.
She slipped out to go back to the garage for a few moments alone and leaned against her workbench.
“Hi,” a small voice sounded.
“Hi, Cullen.”
He smiled, giving her a glimpse of the heartbreaker he was going to become when he came into his own. “Hi.” He walked closer to her and held out his arms.
She couldn’t resist and lifted him. Instantly, he burrowed close to her, and she wanted to keep him, protect him.
“What are you doing out here? Building?”
She laughed and kissed his forehead. “No, I’m not building. I was putting things away.”
“Cullen can help?”
She put him on his feet. “I would love your help.”
He darted back and forth, putting some of her things away, and had sat down on a stool when the door swung open and Gemma stood there, a furious scowl on her face.
“What are you doing out here?” she snapped.
“He’s used to being out here.” Skylar stepped in front of Cullen, a deep need to protect him rising with the force of a tidal wave.
“This isn’t any concern of yours. That’s my son.”
“I’m aware of that, and I watch him most days, so again, when he’s over, he’s allowed to be out here. Unlike some people.”
Gemma’s expression grew ugly. “While cute, I don’t think the babysitter needs to interfere between a mother and her child.” She stepped closer. “Don’t ever forget that. I fucked Parker first. He came inside me and got me pregnant. No matter what you try to do to get your claws in him, I’m the mother of his first child and he will be on my side. You, you bitch, will never be anything more to him than the babysitter.”
“Potty mouth,” Cullen muttered from behind her.
“What’s going on out here?” Parker’s voice pushed between them, and Skylar swallowed back both her response and the unease Gemma’s words had given her.
“Nothing. She was saying it was time to take Cullen home.”
“I was,” Gemma said, her tone carrying a lot less venom. “And I was hoping you could carry him. I hurt my back. I didn’t know Cullen was out here and hurt myself when I was rushing around to find him, hoping he wasn’t going to be injured with all of these sharp tools that are not in any way good for a child to be around.”
“I’ll talk to her about it.” Parker lifted Cullen from the stool. “Let’s get you to bed C-Man.”
Fury pumped through Skylar. Looks like I found my missing chisel, right there between my shoulder blades.
“’Night, Cullen,” she called out.
Those blue eyes peered at her from over Parker’s shoulder. He waved and blew her a kiss.
From the deepening lines in Gemma’s scowl, she’d seen it. Parker paused at the door and glanced back.
“Let’s go, Gemma. I have to help with the cleanup.” Parker didn’t wait for her, but pressed on.
“You’re nothing but a side piece of ass he’ll get tired of, and soon. Did he tell you we had dinner with his parents? All of us went out as families do.” Her laugh was fucking maniacal.
The door closed behind them and Skylar sank to her knees, head bowed as memories overtook her. How it used to be before she found out her husband was sleeping around on her. Before she lost him and her precious son. The memories of what her family times had been like.
Chapter Seven
Three days later, Skylar hollered at Parker from her bedroom. “Are you sure this will be okay? I can wear a different dress.”
He growled. “If I come back