Page 42 of The Little Black Rose

By the timeI get home from work, I’ve solidified my resolve. I’m going to be the best damn roommate I can be, and the best father the twins could ever hope for. Ava and I will be comrades-in-arms, navigating the battlefield of parenthood together as a united front.

There is no reason to complicate things any more than they already are.

I spend the afternoon cleaning the house, then head into the kitchen to prepare dinner. I pan-fry some chicken before chopping it up into bite-sized morsels. Then I put together a large bowl of Caesar salad, drizzling it with dressing before topping it with the chicken, some croutons, and some freshly shredded parmesan cheese.

I brought home some éclairs for dessert, and I put them on the table next to the salad between our place settings. Pouring two large glasses of iced water, I set them beside our plates just as I hear the front door open and close softly.

“Hey, dinner’s ready,” I say by way of a greeting as she walks into the kitchen.

She pulls up short, looking like she’d been deep in thought and my voice startled her.

“Oh, hey,” she says, shuffling back a couple of steps. “It looks delicious, but do you mind if I shower first? It’s been a day.”

“Of course,” I say. “Everything will hold until you’re done. Take your time.”

“Th-thanks,” she stutters, then spins around and disappears from sight.

That was weird.

Why was she acting so strangely? Is something wrong?

I look around the kitchen, then out into the living room. Everything is clean and in order. Dinner is on the table, and it’s a meal I know she enjoys. So, if there’s a problem here, it’sme.

“Fuck,” I breathe.

I hope she’s not about to drop a bomb on me. Like maybe that the kiss ruined everything and she wants me to leave. Or that something is wrong with the babies…

No. She would’ve told me immediately if that were the case. If something is bothering her, it’s not about the pregnancy.

It’s about me and my place in her life. This is exactly what I was afraid of.

I pull out my chair at the table and plop down into it. There’s nothing to do but wait.

And hope that I’m wrong, and that Ava’s not about to kick me out and sentence me to being a part-time dad.

Chapter20

Eyes On Me

Ava

Ican’t take this anymore. The last few days have been a hellscape of thank yous and you’re welcomes. Of dancing around each other like two butterflies in the wind. I know what Zeke’s issues are. I know he doesn’t want to lead me on, or take the chance that I’ll catch feelings.

Well,fuckthat.

I’m a grown ass woman, and I can compartmentalize. Sex is sex. That’s all. And I want him, damn it.

I’d been prepared to attack him the second I walked through the door, but seeing him all freshly showered, his hair still damp, standing over the nice dinner he prepared for us, I couldn’t do it. Not covered in fur and smelling like cats.

So, I stammered out an excuse and fled to my room, where I’d stripped out of my dirty scrubs and hopped in the shower. After shaving all the unwanted hair from my body and washing my hair, I scrub every inch of my skin until it’s shiny and pink. Throwing my damp hair up into a messy bun, I rub lotion into my skin before heading out to my room to find something to wear.

I finally settle on a white satin nightie with nothing on underneath it. The hem hits my upper thighs, leaving the length of my legs bare. The neckline is edged in lace, and the thin straps show off my smooth shoulders.

I stare at myself in the mirror for several beats, my hands smoothing down my sides before sliding around to cup my baby bump. It’s bigger than before, making the satin material taut around the middle.

Shit. I’m going to have to shop for maternity clothes, soon.

I’m stalling. I know I am. Zeke’s out there waiting for me, expecting me to emerge in my usual nightly uniform of leggings and a baggy t-shirt. He thinks we’ll eat dinner with some pleasant yet stilted conversation, then we’ll retreat to the living room to watch television or read in silence before heading to our separate bedrooms.

---