Page 42 of Everything I Promise

I am dropping Oliver off in a few minutes and he is having trouble picking toys to bring. He wants to bring his best toys for Aunty Scarlett.

“Oliver, you have about one minute before I leave this house! You need to get that backpack zipped up!” I yell up the stairs.

Oliver comes down with a too full backpack bursting at the seams.

“Ready, Mommy.” He says smiling.

“Perfect timing, baby.” I just got a text from Colton saying he was heading over there now too so we should be right on time. A rarity in my life.

I feel like a giddy teenager, getting to go to dinner and Christmas shopping with Colton. It means so much to me that he went through the trouble of planning a special night for us. Even if it is something so simple as dinner and shopping, Michael never once went out of his way to spend time with me, let alone find a babysitter and make a plan. The more time I spend with Colton, the more I know how wrong Michael was for me, and everyone saw it but me. Sometimes that realization makes me feel like more of an idiot than anything else.

As soon as we pull up Oliver unbuckles to get out of the car to Colton. “Colton! I get to spend the night with Uncle Preston and Aunty Scarlett!”

Oliver runs to Colton as I get his stuff from the back of my car.

“I know, Bud! It’s going to be so much fun.” He leans down to whisper in Oliver’s ear, “I hear that Aunty Scarlett has the new movie you wanted to see too!”

“No way!” With that Oliver runs in search of his aunt who spoils him.

Colton walks over to help me carry everything into the house. By help, I mean he takes everything because he doesn’t let me carry a thing when I’m with him.

Scarlett has gone all out. I see that her and Preston have built a huge blanket fort in the living room with white Christmas lights and their Christmas tree. Oliver is going to love this movie night with them.

“Is he staying for a night or the whole week?” Preston jokes with me. He unzips his bag to look at what I packed.

“Ha. Ha. You know how messy he is. He has two pairs of pajamas, and three sets of clothes. Plus, bath stuff, and you can’tforget the ten thousand ‘special’ toys that he just has to have with him at all times. Trust me, when you aren’t dealing with a meltdown at bedtime you’ll be thanking me!” I say as I start pulling things out to show him where he can find everything.

“Is that my favorite nephew down there?” I hear Scarlett yell down the stairs. She gives Oliver a hug and spins him around in a circle before coming to join us in the kitchen.

“Hey, guys! Are you ready for Christmas shopping?” Scarlett uses her fingers to make air quotes around the term Christmas shopping and winks.

“Um, hate to burst your bubble, Scarlett. But I really do need to go shopping. I’m pretty much a big slacker. I don’t make any promises for after, though,” Colton responds.

The way he looks at me as he says that last part makes me blush. He is definitely planning on more than shopping.

“I don’t need the details. Seriously. You can stop,” Preston says as he walks away toward the living room with a big bowl of popcorn.

After promising me they would give Oliver some sort of real food and not just sugar, Colton and I get in his truck and start the drive toward the city for dinner and shopping.

My whole body is hyper aware of the fact that Colton and I are alone together again. He reaches over the center console and squeezes my thigh before resting his hand there. Every part of my body is taking notice. Who knew someone squeezing my squishy mom thigh was such a turn on.

“You alright?” Colton asks, bringing me back from my thoughts.

“Yeah, really great,” I say too quickly.

“Are you sure? What’s on your mind?” his question is laced with concern.

“Honestly, your hand on my thigh. I didn’t know that could be such a turn on.” I blush.

He looks at me with a wide grin on his face and squeezes my thigh again. “Is that so? What else might do it for you?”

I choke when he asks. I’m not used to this openness. “Well. Your hands for one. I love the rough feel of your hands on my skin.”

“And I love that soft skin. I can’t wait to feel it once I get you home.” He winks.

“If we make it home,” I whisper to myself.

“My truck can accommodate any wishes you might have, ma’am. But I’d really like to take my time exploring that sweet body of yours all over again.”

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