wasn’t going to be a long, awkward ride.

“Reckon you’re not gonna be happy with me, but you’re gonna have to get over it and understand

that I’m doing what’s best for Micah.”

I tensed up. This didn’t sound good.

“I had your car towed to the junkyard where it belonged. It’s now scrap metal. Seeing as how I did

that, I owe you another car. I’ll gladly replace your old one, and although you’re ready to punch me in

the face right at this moment, you’re not going to because I’m driving and because you and I both

know Micah needs a safe vehicle. He also needs his momma in a safe vehicle. What you were driving

was as unsafe as it gets. And it was polluting the earth.”

I just stared at him. He’d had my car turned into scarp metal. My only means of transportation. My

paid-for car was now gone. “I can’t believe you did that,” I said, still in shock.

“I want you and Micah safe.”

We were safe. Well, maybe the car breaking down at night hadn’t been safe, but otherwise that car

had worked just fine. “I can’t just let you buy me a car,” I said, my voice raising a notch from the

panic. “I can’t . . . That isn’t something someone else buys you. It’s my job to supply a car for me and

my son. Not yours.”

Dewayne pulled into the Chevrolet car dealership. He was really doing this. I wasn’t going to let

him. I couldn’t.

“I’m buying my nephew a safe vehicle. You can’t stop me. I can buy his mother something to

safely carry him around in. Someone needs to take care of you, both of you. I’m the uncle. It’s my

job.”

I fisted up my hands and hit my thighs in frustration. “No, it isn’t!”

“Yeah, Little Red, it is. Now, I did some research on good family SUVs, and the Tahoe ranked

really well. It’s safe, and they have one here that’s two years old and in great condition. I want you to

come see what you think. If you like it, then it’s yours. If you don’t, then we will go to car lots all

damn day until you find something you love.”

“You can’t afford this,” I argued.

He cocked his head to the side. “Yeah, babe, I can. Now get your ass out of my truck and go look at

that Tahoe. They’re bringing it around now.”

Okay. Fine. I would look at it. But he was not buying it for me. For Micah. This was ridiculous.

* * *

An hour later I drove my new Chevy Tahoe off the lot and was completely in love. It had everything.

Even a sunroof. The radio worked and it had seat warmers. Micah was going to be giddy with

excitement over the television that flipped down from the ceiling.

When I had finally given in and admitted to loving the Tahoe, Dewayne had grinned like a little

boy on Christmas morning. He had been happy about it. How he was happy about dropping this kind of

money on someone made no sense. I was stressing out over the price, but Dewayne assured me that he

had the money and could pay cash. That he wanted to do this.

The title would be sent to me with my name on it in a few weeks. I owned this Tahoe. I could drive

it for at least the next ten years. The relief made me want to weep. I owned a house and a safe,

dependable car now. It made me feel humbled. I had never expected this. Ever.

I glanced in my rearview mirror and watched as Dewayne turned left at the red light, headed to

wherever he lived. I had never seen his place. I doubted I ever would unless Micah went there to visit

him.

The idea made me sad. I wanted to know what Dewayne’s house looked like. I wanted to see his

world. His life. But I wasn’t ever going to get that privilege. He had made sure I understood that.

I pulled into my driveway, and the front door flew open as Micah came running out with a huge

grin on his face. Tabby stood in my doorway, beaming. Dewayne must have called her.

I opened the door, and Micah jumped up in my arms. “Dewayne bought us this? For real? It’s

awesome!”

I nodded and blinked away the tears in my eyes. It was awesome.

“It even has a television,” I told him, letting him crawl inside to inspect it.

Tabby walked up, wiping her tears and grinning. “He’s a good man. He just doesn’t realize it. He

doubts himself, but my boy is as good as they come. Always has had a heart of gold. Just need him to

wake up and see that.”

“This is too much. I can’t believe he bought this. I’m in awe, and I feel guilty for letting him,” I

admitted.

She laughed. “Girl, you didn’t have a choice. Once Dewayne decides he wants to do something,

then you’re sunk. He’s gonna do it. And he wanted you and Micah to have a safe vehicle. Besides, if

he saw how much fun Micah was having checking it out, he might go buy him another one.”

She was right. Dewayne was a good man. Much better than he let himself believe. Was it possible

that he needed someone to show him that he was special? Was that it? No woman had ever tried to

make him see how wonderful he was inside. Could I?

DEWAYNE

I had finished loading my dishwasher and was headed to the shower when a knock on the door stopped

me. I turned and went to open it. Sienna stood there holding a cake box and wore a nervous smile. I

was not expecting to see her at my door.

“Hey. Uh, Micah and I made you something. He loved the Tahoe. I had to force him to get out of it.

He wanted to stay in it and watch a movie tonight.”

That made me smile. We would have to take a road trip in it soon so he could watch his movie.

“I’m glad he approves,” I said, then stepped back to let her inside.

She looked around, and I could see the surprise on her face that it was clean. I didn’t do well with

messy shit. I liked my stuff put away. It was one reason I didn’t do roommates. I’d tried that once and

almost threw Preston’s crap out the window and into the parking lot one day, I’d gotten so sick of it.

“Your mom told Micah you like chocolate. So we made you a chocolate cake. The icing was

Micah’s job, so it’s creative,” she said.

I took the box from her hands and nodded toward the kitchen. “Come on,” I told her.

I needed to set the cake down and decide how I liked having her in my space. I had imagined her

here before, but then, those fantasies normally took place with her naked in my bed or shower. Once

she’d even been bent over my couch.

“You’re really clean. I don’t think I expected that,” she said, looking around.

I shrugged. “Don’t like things messy. Never have. Well, some things I like to get messy with.” I

shouldn’t have gone there. Not with her here in my place alone. I wanted things, and thinking about

doing messy things with her was too damn tempting.

“Oh,” she said, blushing, and looked away from me. The pink in her cheeks always was one of my

favorite things to see. That and her smile. Her eyes always twinkled in a way that could make

everything else okay.

“When you look at me like that, it makes me forget that you just want to fuck me one time and

nothing more.” Her words came out of nowhere, and hearing her say “fuck” didn’t help me.

“It’s hard not to look at you,” I admitted. “Always has been.”

Sienna let out a nervous laugh. “Well, it’s always been hard not to look at you, too. So I guess we

both have a problem. If we slept together, I’d want more of it. Once would never be enough. One kiss

wasn’t enough. I don’t think I could ever get my fill.”

What the hell . . . ?

Sienna was just laying it out there. Why? I’d told her that I couldn’t be what she wanted. I had tried

to hold her at arm’s length, so why would she walk into my apartment and tell me she could never get

enough of me? That was brave. Unbelievably so. It was time I admitted the truth too.