HAVEN
“Where are we going?” I asked Wesley as I climbed into his truck, dressed in my purple leotard and black skirt from earlier that morning.
“It’s Wednesday,” he said as he pulled away from the theater. I cocked my head at him and waited for him to elaborate. “Where did you see me last Wednesday?” he asked.
“Oh!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening. “Oh, that’s genius!” I added as I realized who he thought I should give my premiere tickets to.
“You’re welcome.” He winked, grabbing my hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss. “And I am definitely a genius.”
“You’re definitely cocky,” I teased.
His lips twitched into a smirk, and I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Oh, my god, that isn’t even what I meant, and you know it,” I said, reaching over and shoving him with my other hand.
“You said it.” He shrugged. “Well, it’s true.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. Even Maya said so,” I said without thinking. His brows lifted. “Did she now?” he mused.
“Yes. Right before she told me you weren’t a liar,” I said. “Don’t tell her I told you that, though!”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure many people have said worse things about me.” He chuckled.
He pulled up to the curb in front of Jack and Shirley’s house and shot me a glare as he unbuckled himself, pointing his finger at me as if to say “Don’t you even dare” when I reached for the handle.
I rolled my eyes but stayed in my seat as he walked around the front end, my eyes once again darting to those strong, muscular arms that strained against his T-shirt sleeves. They traveled over to his torso as he came towards the door, taking in the stretch and pull of the fabric as he moved.
I wondered what it would be like to have those muscular arms toss me on a mattress, what it would feel like to have his solid chest pressed against mine, keeping me pinned between him and the bed. What would it be like for those calloused hands to do more than just unhook the back of my tutu, for his warm mouth to explore more than just my lips?
I shook those uncharacteristically lustful thoughts from my mind just as the door to the truck jerked open. I swallowed, meeting Wesley’s eyes. His pupils dilated, his nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched as his hand tightened on the metal of the car door.
Something about how he looked at me—like he wanted to devour me— sent all those thoughts flooding back into my mind. Like a tidal wave washing over and through me, my body had a visceral response to him and his presence and how he asserted his dominance over me.
Not because he wanted to control me or boss me around, like someone else I knew. But because he wanted to take care of me—protect me.
He stepped back, standing even with the door so I could hop out, his jaw clenched, his body held as still as a statue. He was so stiff, I didn’t even think he was breathing.
His sharp inhale as I brushed my shoulder against his chest while walking past him told me he had definitely not been breathing.
“You know, I can open my own car door, Wesley,” I said as he shut the door to the car, and we walked up the path to their house.
“I know you can, but that doesn’t mean you should,” he muttered, his hand coming to the small of my back, brushing the skin exposed by the low v of my leotard and sending little tingles across my skin.
I reached out and rang the doorbell as we reached the top of the porch steps. “I’m a grown, independent woman and—“
“Trust me,” Wesley said, turning my body towards his and sliding his arm around my waist. “I am more than aware that you’re all grown up now,” he told me in a low voice, angling his face down towards me.
All his restraint from moments before seemed to have dissipated, his intention switching from holding himself back to letting himself loose. He splayed his fingers against my back, pushing my body into his until not even one of our old letters could fit between us.
I couldn’t help it, couldn’t resist the pull towards him. My body melted into his touch, my arms forming a loose circle around his neck, pulling my upper body closer to him. A sigh escaped me, forced out of my body because of the protective, possessive man who had me wrapped in his arms, his touch somehow firm and tender at the same time.
His nose slid along mine, and I closed my eyes, lifting my chin to meet his lips when the door opened behind us.
I jumped and tried to pull away from him, but his arm around my waist held me in place, and his lips twitched with a silent laugh.
“Oh, Wesley! Hi!” Shirley said. “It’s so good to see you! Here. With Haven,” she teased.
“Hi, Shirley,” he greeted, his eyes never leaving my rapidly heating face. “Don’t you two look so cute together?!”
“MOM!” I exclaimed without thinking, twisting my head to look at her.
I found her looking at me with wide eyes and a slack jaw, which turned into a sad smile. Silver lined her eyes, and my hand came up to cover my mouth.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. Wesley let my waist go so I could walk over to her, but his hand slid into mine so we were still touching, still connected. “I wasn’t thinking, it just came out and—“
“No need to apologize,” she murmured, waving me off. “You can call us whatever you like.”
I nodded, and Wesley and I followed her inside. Jack sat in the same spot I saw him in last week, with his cane nearby, just as before. Even with all the top-notch physical therapy and treatment he’d gotten when they moved to California, he’d never gained full feeling and control of his right side.
“Hey, Haven!” he called out as we entered. “Wesley,” he added, his eyes dipping down to where Wes’s hand connected with mine and then up to Wesley’s face with a wink.
“Hi,” I said, ignoring his teasing and not calling him Dad or Jack to avoid any further awkwardness.
“Did you just say Haven?”
A very pregnant, very uncomfortable-looking Tiffany walked out of the kitchen, her brown ponytail swinging behind her and a metal water bottle in her hands that she had clearly just refilled.
I squealed—like a preteen girl at a boy band concert—and let go of Wes’s hand and sprinted towards her. Taking care to avoid her massive baby bump, I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a huge hug.
She stayed stiff for half a second before she returned my hug. “What the fuck is going on?!” she exclaimed, squeezing me.
“Tiffany!” Shirley scolded. “Language!”
“What? She’s almost twenty-one now, right? I’m sure Haven does her fair share of cursing.” She pulled back to look at me. “Don’t you, Havie?”
“I-um—“
“Oh, I don’t care if Haven hears it. I’m worried about the little ears in your belly!” Shirley exclaimed. “Babies can hear us before they are born. You don’t want to influence her!”
“Mom, if this girl doesn’t come out of me saying ‘fuck,’ then I will be shocked.”
“When are you due?” I asked, changing the subject for her. “Just a few more weeks!”
“May I?” I asked, gesturing at her belly.
“Of course!! You don’t have to ask, you’re…” She trailed off, paused, and looked at me with a frown, then glanced at Wesley behind me. “Wait… you found her?” she whispered.
“She found me,” he said.
“It was a coincidence,” I said with an eye roll as I placed my hands on Tiff’s belly.
A tiny kick, followed by a hard push outward by a foot, greeted me. I smiled and then removed my hand. “Do you have any names picked out?”
“No, we want to wait until we see her,” she told me. “I can’t wait to meet her,” I said.
“I’m so happy you’ll get to.” Her lip quivered, and she wiped at the water lining her green eyes. “Oh hell, I’m not crying, I swear! It’s just pregnancy hormones!” she exclaimed. “Why didn’t you two tell me?” Tiff said as I walked to Jack, sitting down next to him to give him a hug. “Does Scott know?”
“We wanted to surprise you, and no, not yet. We’re waiting until he’s back from his trip,” Shirley replied.
“I see coffee went well?” Jack muttered.
I pulled back to see him looking and smiling at a nodding Wesley. “And dinner. And brunch,” Wesley added with pride.
“Wes!” I hissed, but he just continued to stand there straight and tall, his arms crossed over his chest, his smile growing at my indignation.
I narrowed my eyes at him as Jack kept talking. “I always had a feeling there would end up being something more between the two of you. Didn’t I always say that, Shirley?”
“He did,” Tiffany said as she maneuvered herself into an armchair with a loud sigh of relief. “We all did,” she added.
“Oh god, please stop! I can’t believe this,” I sighed as I buried my face in my hands. “I see you for the first time in almost twelve years, and all you want to do is tease me about my… Wesley?”
“My Wesley?” Wes teased, catching my eye again with a raised brow, looking like a preening peacock.
“I wanted to ask you something,” I said to Shirley, desperate for a change in subject and non-red cheeks.
“Of course,” Shirley said. “What did you need?”
“I… have some extra comp tickets for the premiere on Friday,” I said. My gaze met Wesley’s for a moment before shifting back to Shirley. “I would give them to Wes, but he already bought some, so he suggested I give them to you two.”
I looked down at my hands and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from spitting out the truth. I could feel Wesley’s eyes on me and sense his slight concern and confusion, but he said nothing. Thankfully.
“Wait, what premiere?” Tiff asked, looking around at all of us. “What am I missing?”
“Haven is a soloist with the new Redwood Forest Ballet Company,” Shirley squeaked out with excitement.
“That’s fantastic!” Tiffany exclaimed. “Is that why you both insisted Jude and I needed to come with you next weekend to the ballet?” Shirley chuckled and nodded. “It all makes so much more sense now!” Tiffany laughed.
“Of course, we’ll take those tickets, Haven!” Jack declared. “We have some for next week, too, but no reason we can’t see it twice!”
“I agree. I’m seeing it every night,” Wesley said.
I pursed my lips together and just gave him a look. “Seriously? Every night?” He nodded. “Why?”
He shrugged, “Why not?”
“You don’t have to do that,” I told him, shaking my head. “I want to,” he replied, his voice quiet.
His gaze softened as we stared at each other, and another layer of that thick wall protecting my heart fell away.
