Page 27 of Confined Space

"Why did you stay?"

"Because this is where I want to be. With you."

"Even after what your cousin said?"

"Nothing could change my mind. If you were hurt, Mouse, we need to report it. If you're being threatened, I want to protect you and we need to let Logan know. He’s a good man and wants to help."

"I can't, Rowdy." She moves her body and climbs up off me. I instantly miss her being close to me. She walks over to the little bassinet Archer is sleeping in. "I have Archer to think about."

I sit up and face her. "Coral, I want to take care of you both. I want to protect you both."

"You say that now, but what happens when you change your mind? What happens when you have a baseball game and Archer is sick?"

"Then I cancel my game and stay home with him. I'm not going to change my mind."

"Yes, you will. Raising a baby isn't easy. Everything I make and everything I do is for him."

I stand and walk over to where she is standing over Archer as he sleeps.

"Give me a chance to show you. I won't change my mind."

"And when you leave, it won't only be him whose heart you break," she says quietly. "I'm not strong enough for that. I've already lost more than a lot of people could imagine."

Gently, I lift her chin to look at me.

"Mouse, I'd rather hit myself with a bat than break both your hearts. Can we talk about the CPS visit? Is this another thing the asshole did? Isn't it odd that he came by yesterday and so did CPS?"

"I thought of that, but they got an anonymous complaint. Davis wouldn't want a legal file showing that Archer exists. Besides, the lady said the complaint stated I wasn't taking care of my son. Davis doesn't even know if I had a girl or a boy."

"He’s never seen his son?"

"No." She looks down again. "I told you, he told me to get rid of it."

"How did he find out you were here? Was Logan right? Could he be the one after you?"

"It was just an accident, and Davis wouldn't want his name attached to anything regarding me. I don’t know how he found me."

"Why do you say that? Did he rape you, baby?" Just saying the word is a knife to the gut.

"I don't want to talk about it. I have to get ready for the day, and don't you have to work tonight?"

"Yeah, I do, but I want to discuss this with you. Why did they drug test you?"

"Rowdy, that was a personal document. Why did you read it?"

"Because it pertains to you, and you left it out in the open, where I saw it."

"I'll make us breakfast." She turns away from me, and I hook my arm around her middle.

"I'm not going to push you, but can I please have a taste of your soft lips? Sleeping next to you all night was pure torture, baby."

She bites her bottom lip, and I'm so hard for her right now. She tips her head back, closes her eyes, and puckers her lips. Her inexperience is such a turn on. I lean down to kiss her as I lift her up to me. She wraps those long, muscular legs around my hips, and I stumble for the sofa. My ass hits the cushion as I devour her mouth. The sounds coming from her are making it hard for me to not lay her down and give her what she's needing, but I don't want to scare her. Now that I know she was attacked, I'm going to take my time with her.

Her hips grind against me and she nips my lips. I groan as I take the kiss deeper, my tongue plunging into her mouth like my cock wants to do to her pussy. Her little hands grip the back of my head, and I tip her head to go even deeper. Her breasts are pressed against my chest, and I can't imagine a better way to wake up. I pull my lips from hers. My hands are buried in the back of her overalls under her tank top. Her skin is so soft beneath my fingers.

“If we don’t stop now, I might scare you.” I rest my forehead against her chest as I hear her breathing trying to return to normal.

On cue, Archer makes himself known. She squirms to get off my lap, and I help her up. She goes to him and proceeds to take him to the other room, where she changes his diaper.

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