Page 57 of Britain

I hear the basement door open and the pitter patter of little feet. “Auntie Bwit,” Annie whisper yells right in my ear. “Awe you awake?”

A tiny finger tries to peel my eyelid open. “Gotcha!” I wrap my arms around her, pull her down on the bed, and tickle her sides until she begs me to stop. “How’s my Annie Bananie?” I kiss her caramel-colored nose.

“I’m happy you’re hewe. I missed you.” She smiles up at me. “Did you miss me?”

I hug Annie close. “Of course I missed you, but I’m here now.”

“Whewe’s Uncle Siwas?”

How could she know that such an innocent question would make my chest ache? I smile down at her. “He had to work, but maybe you’ll see him later.” Highly doubtful, but I’d say anything to get the pouty look off her face.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand. My stomach turns. Is it Silas? I sit up, bringing Annie with me. “I’m going to shower and then I’ll be up.”

She’s satisfied with that answer and disappears upstairs. I grab my phone, take a deep breath and turn it over. It was a text from Marcus. I toss the phone on my bed before heading into the bathroom to shower. Once I’m done, I wrap a towel around myself.

I step back into my room, and freeze. “What are you doing here?” Silas is silent as I walk past him to my dresser. I grab a pair of Chicago Bear panties and throw on a nude bra. I throw on a red t-shirt and slate gray joggers. I continue to ignore Silas as I head back into the bathroom to brush my teeth and blow dry my hair.

When I stand up straight, I spot Silas standing in the doorway. I move to stand right in front of him. “Silas, why are you here?” I cross my arms over my chest.

I look up at him, and that’s when I see that he looks exhausted. His face is covered in scruff and he’s got dark circles under his eyes. My hand twitches, wanting to reach up and touch his face.

“I love you, Britain. I fucking love you so much, but it scares the shit out of me. My dad loved my mom fiercely, and when she left it destroyed him. He did the best he could with us, but he was never the same.” He wraps his hands around the back of my neck. “I’m so fucking sorry I reacted the way I did, but I won’t lie. This—” he signals between the two of us, “—scares me. What I feel for you scares me.”

I move closer to him so we’re almost touching. I stare up into his beautiful blue eyes. “You don’t think I’m scared? I’ve never had a boyfriend until you. I’ve never had sex until you, and I’ve never been close to anyone until you.”

I step back, breaking our connection. “I love you, and it hurt me that you said nothing. You just walked away from me.” I shove him, and he barely budges. Silas reaches out, gripping my hips and keeping me from tripping over my own feet.

Before I can stop myself, I’m pulling Silas’s face down to mine, kissing his lips hard. In seconds he takes over the kiss, wrapping his arms around my waist, and lifts me off the floor. I wrap my legs around his waist.

I feel us moving and then my back hits the bed. It’s only been one night, but I’ve missed him so much. He pulls his mouth away and stares down at me. “Come home with me. I couldn’t sleep without you.”

“I slept terrible last night,” I whisper against his lips.

He rolls us to our sides so we’re face to face. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” Silas rests his forehead against mine. “I’m an idiot.”

I snuggle up under his chin. “Yes, you are,” I whisper against his neck.

Silas hugs me tightly and then we get up. He helps me repack my bag and head upstairs where Annie is waiting with Keith. It’s my day to watch her, so she’ll just come with me. My brother is standing at the kitchen counter with his arms crossed, staring daggers at Silas.

I mouth, stop it. “Annie, go get your shoes on so we can go bye bye.”

My niece bebops out of the kitchen, leaving the three of us adults alone—Keith won’t stop giving Silas the stink eye.

“Knock it off, Keith,” I say as I drag Silas through the kitchen and into the living room where Annie is slipping on her sandals. “Are you about ready?”

She hops up, causing her caramel curls to bounce. “Yes!” Annie runs past me to Silas. “Siwas!”

He picks her up, hugging tightly. I watch them together and it makes me feel all squishy inside. I honestly never thought about having children of my own. Maybe a part of me never did because I was scared that what happened to me could happen to them. I know that’s irrational, though; I would never put my kids in a situation like my mother did.

Silas ends up taking the day off, and we spend the day at the zoo until Bridgette gets out of school. After we get her, we take them to the park—watching Silas chase the girls around has me closing my eyes, imagining a little boy that looks like him and a girl that looks like me are the ones he’s chasing.

I quickly push those thoughts away, and we head to get ice cream. With our cones in hand, we sit on the benches.

The girls chatter happily to each other while I eat my cone. I lean against Silas as he wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I’m still really, really sorry about how I reacted,” he says quietly.

“I know.” I watch the girls eat their ice cream happily. Of course Annie is wearing most of hers on her face.

“Come here, Banana,” Silas grabs his napkin and when Annie gets close, he wipes the ring of chocolate off her face. “There…all better.”

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