Part 46
On the way home, AJ and Annie had stopped to rent some movies and for dinner, AJ had ordered pizzas. AJ and Chelsea had both insisted that Michelle stay for dinner too so all four had settled into the living room to spend Friday night watching movies.
Chelsea never made it through the first movie. After finishing her dinner, she’d taken her pain medicine and stretched out on the couch. She’d put her head in AJ’s lap and within minutes, had fallen asleep.
Now, as the second movie ended, AJ looked at his watch. “Okay, Annie, time for bed.”
“But we still have another movie to watch…The Little Mermaid,” protested Annie.
“We’ve got all weekend and its way past your bedtime.”
Annie tried another angle. “I don’t have school tomorrow.”
His first test as a step-parent and he knew he had to stay firm. “No ma’am. You have a bedtime and you’re already past it. Your mom isn’t going to be happy either when she finds out.”
“She doesn’t have to know,” wheedled Annie.
“But I’ll know. Let’s go,” said AJ as he started to get up.
“Stay put, Alex,” said Michelle. “You’re gonna wake Chelsea if you get up. I’ll put Annie to bed.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. Come on, Annie,” said Michelle. “You can pick out a book for me to read to you.”
As the two made their way to Annie’s room, Annie said, “Daddy’s been reading Charlotte’s Web to me.”
Alone, AJ used the remote to start surfing the channels. He was trying to find something Michelle would want to see too but finding ‘South Park’, he decided to stop and watch. He’d change it if Michelle didn’t want to watch when she returned.
A tiny voice interrupted him. “Alex, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, ‘Pumpkin’. What’s on your mind?” asked AJ motioning to her to come closer. He could tell she had something serious on her mind so he held back the scolding for procrastinating going to bed.
Annie carefully climbed up beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?”
“Well, I know you’re not my real daddy and you don’t mind me calling you ‘Alex’ but you are gonna be my dad….sorta…cuz I’ll be living here with you and Mama.”
AJ smiled as the little girl spilled it all in one breath.
“Anyway, would you mind if I called you ‘Papa J’?”
"I’d be honored, Annie.”
Annie hugged AJ tight, hopped down, and scurried back to her room where Michelle was waiting for her at the door. She turned back quickly to blow AJ a kiss that he caught and put next to his heart. It was a small victory but AJ knew it was a good one and he couldn’t help the smile that spread throughout him. He wanted to be a good father to Annie and one day, his own children. His own father had been absent for the majority of his life, turning up only after he’d achieved fame, and he’d promised himself that he would not do that to his own children.
Fifteen minutes later, Michelle returned. “She was asleep before I finished the first page.”
“I’m not surprised. She’s had a big week with moving out here and all. Thank you for doing that,” smiled AJ.
“You’re welcome.” Looking at Chelsea, she asked, “Has she woken up?”
“Hasn’t even stirred.”
“Why don’t you carry her to bed?”
AJ shrugged his shoulders and ran his fingers through Chelsea’s hair. “Hoping she’ll wake up and we can spend some time alone.”
“Why don’t I clear out then and you can wake her?”
“I don’t want to run you off.”
“You aren’t running me off, Alex! Thank you for dinner!”
“You’re welcome!”
“I’ll call and set up our first session before you guys go out in June.”
“Don’t wait that long. You’re more than Chelsea’s physical therapist now…you’re a friend too.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d see you to the door….”
“It’s okay. I know my way out.”
Finally, AJ was alone with Chelsea. Gently, he traced her jaw line. “How did I get so lucky?” he asked himself softly as he continued to watcher her sleep.
As if his voice had a magic like Prince Charming’s kiss in Sleeping Beauty, Chelsea’s eyes fluttered open and when they could focus, they found him. She gave him a sleep smile as she asked, “I fell asleep, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“How much did I miss?”
“Half of Cinderella and all of Sleeping Beauty.”
Chelsea groaned causing AJ to laugh and she slapped him lightly as she pouted. “It’s NOT funny! We were gonna spend time together as a family.”
“Sweetheart, don’t sweat it. There’s plenty of time for that. Your rest is more important so you can heal….and walk down the aisle to me.”
Looking around to see that they were alone, Chelsea asked, “Where’s Annie?”
“Michelle put her to bed before she left.” Slipping his hand under her shirt to touch her bare skin and caressing tenderly, he wagged his eyebrows at her and lowered his voice to a sexy, soulful tone to say, “We’re alone, ‘Beautiful’.”
A pitiful whimper escaped as Chelsea melted from the inside out. Alone…with the man she loved more than anything. They could….shit! Michelle! She’d fallen asleep not only on her daughter and boyfriend but on her new friend too.
“Oh damn! Michelle is going to think I’m the RUDEST person alive,” she obsessed. “I need to call her and apologize.”
As Chelsea struggled to sit up for the phone, AJ pulled her back. “Stop obsessing, Chelsea! Michelle understands that you need your rest.”
“But Alex…”
“NO BUTS to it, Chelsea!” As Chelsea lay back, AJ reminded her, “Baby, you were in a major wreck and you’ve had two major surgeries. Michelle understands all that and she understands that your pain killers are knocking you on your butt. Relax and enjoy the time we do have together now.”
“Are you sure she didn’t mind?”
“Positive,” assured AJ as he crossed his heart. Seeing her yawn, AJ asked, “Do you want me to carry you to bed?”
Relaxing again, Chelsea smiled softly. “What are we gonna do if we stay here?”
“We could make out,” suggested AJ.
“Mmm, I like the sounds of that.”
“That’s better.” AJ gave a sly smirk as he said, “Let me change positions so I can hold you.”
Chelsea sat up allowing AJ to move so he could lay behind her gathering her in his arms. As she got comfortable, she whispered, “I like this.”
“Me too,” answered AJ with a kiss. “Not to mention, my leg had gone to sleep.”
“Why didn’t you get me to move sooner?”
“Cause you were so beautiful with your head in my lap,” purred AJ sexily as he kissed her neck.
Chelsea closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feel of AJ’s kisses along her skin.
“What are you thinking about?”
“The way you make me feel.”
“Yeah? How do I make you feel, Chelsea?”
Chelsea opened her eyes to look into the deep brown pools and sighed, “I feel so happy, so loved, sexy….so many things that I never thought I’d feel again after Kevin.”
“I promise, you will ALWAYS have my love and you will ALWAYS be sexy to me and I will do everything in my power to make you happy,” promised AJ and he sealed it with a kiss.
As his lips touched hers, Chelsea reached to touch his cheeks, her fingers playing in the hairs of his beard. She traced the hairline down to his chin as he moved his hand along her stomach to her breast and as she gasped, he deepened the kiss. Their tongues danced playfully, tasting each other.
Pulling back, AJ gazed into her eyes as she said, “Thank you for everything today. You’ve made starting over so much easier.”
“It was definitely my pleasure, ‘Beautiful’, and get use to it because I fully intend to spoil you.”
Chelsea settled against AJ and the couple watched TV. During the commercials, the two would talk and AJ told her about his conversation with Annie.
It was the wee hours of the early morning when AJ finally carried Chelsea to their bed.
