One More Time

“I asked Philip about Telissa,” I said softly. “I’m sorry, I was curious.” Sean stiffened again. “What exactly did he tell you?”

“About her affair,” I said. “And about Sarah. Sean, I had no idea that any of that happened. I’ve wanted to ask you about her, but I never got up the courage. I was always too afraid to make you uncomfortable, so I just didn’t.”

“I’m not mad,” he said gently. “I’m glad you know the truth.”

“You are?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes.” He nodded. “I am. It’s been hard to live with this secret for so long. The kids don’t know, and I never want them to. Tommy and Sarah both remember their mother as strong and kind. She loved them fiercely, and I never want to take that memory away from them.”

“I know,” I said with a smile.

“Still,” he said. “It’s hard. When they talk about her, there’s so much love and adoration in their voices. I wish I still thought of her that way, but the truth is, I don’t anymore. When she got sick, I was scared to lose her. I was terrified. Then she told me about the affair and Sarah, and everything changed. She wasn’t the Telissa I’d spent so many years loving. She was the woman who betrayed me. Even now, with her gone, I’m still angry with her, and yet part of me still loves her.”

“That’s understandable,” I said. “She was the mother of your children and she hurt you.”

“It wasn’t all her fault,” he said. “I should have known she was unhappy. I should have seen it, but I turned away. I pulled away, and she sought comfort somewhere else. It’s not the cheating that hurts the most. It’s Sarah. Knowing she and I don’t share the same blood is hard. Really hard.”

“You know,” I said, clearing my throat. “I never told you what she and I talked about in the bathroom that night.”

“When she was upset?” Sean asked with a frown.

I nodded. “When we got to the bathroom, she just started crying. I’d never seen her cry before, and it broke my heart. I held her and waited for her to calm down. When she did, she told me she was scared that I would try to replace her mom. She said she really liked me, but that she didn’t want to forget her mom.”

“I thought it might be something like that,” Sean said sadly

“I told her I would never try to take her mom’s place,” I said. “And I told her you wouldn’t let me, even if I tried.”

Sean smiled softly and reached out to take my hand. “Thank you for that.” “She also said she likes having me around because you seem happier when I’m here. She loves you so much, Sean. I promise you, even if she knew, she wouldn’t care that you aren’t her biological father. You’re her dad.”

“That’s why you’re such a great dad,” I said softly. “You’re amazing with her. And Tommy.”

“I’m glad you know, now,” Sean said. “You should know. You take great care of them. You deserve to know their story.”

I smiled. “I’m not going anywhere,” I said. “I love Tommy and Sarah. I want to be here for them for as long as I can.”

“We won’t send you away.” Sean laughed. “They would probably kill me if I tried again.”

“I want to be here for you too,” I said softly, my cheeks flushing. “If you’ll let me.”

Sean stood up and leaned across the table. His lips were soft against mine. The kiss was quick, barely lasting a few seconds, but it was long enough to send shivers down to my toes. When he sat back down, the smile on his face was brighter than ever.

I grinned back at him, and we kept talking until our coffee got cold and long after. When we were both finally talked out, Sean took my hand and pulled me to my feet. He led me to his room and closed the door tightly behind us.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - SEAN

I closed the door and turned to face Emily. She watched me closely, her eyes searching my face. After our talk, I felt closer to her than I had to anyone in a long time. Our eyes stayed locked on each other as she slowly lifted her shirt over her head. Dropping it on the floor, her hands slid to her back and unhooked her bra. My eyes followed her every move, taking in the sight of her now naked chest.

I watched her slide her jeans down her legs and kick them aside before she slowly did the same with her black panties. Everything she did was slow and deliberate and her eyes never left my face. It was so fucking sexy. I reacted automatically, stepping forward to take her in my arms. I trailed my fingers down the smooth skin of her back, stopping just above the curve of her ass. She pressed herself against me, her tits firm against my chest. When we kissed, my hands never slowed. She kissed me with meaning, pouring all of herself into that one moment, while I traced every inch of her flesh I could reach.

My fingers caused goose bumps to pop up all over her skin.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispered against my lips. “I’m naked, and you’re still dressed.”

“We can fix that,” I said, taking a step back.

While she watched me closely, I took my clothes off. Discarding my shirt, jeans, and boxers on the floor, I stepped back to her. She placed her hands against my bare chest and moaned softly. Her lips found my skin, and she kissed my chest while I tangled my fingers in her hair. Everything she did sent shock waves shooting through my skin.

“Emily,” I said as she moved lower, kissing her way down my stomach and getting down on her knees.