Read Online Bad Behavior (Bad in Baltimore) by K.A. Mitchell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: K.A. Mitchell
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over?”
Sammie’s sigh was exactly like her mom’s, and so was the patient lecture in her voice. “It doesn’t go away once you learn it. That’s the whole point of school.”
“Good to know.” He drank in the sight of her face. How could her round little cheeks already be starting to sharpen? He hoped Gina didn’t have her on some crazy diet.
“Where’s Jezebel?” Sammie’s heels drummed his bottom ribs.
“She wanted to stay home. She doesn’t like fireworks.” Getting Jez to remain completely calm no matter what Sammie did to her had been Tai’s top priority. Now Sammie could probably cut off an ear and Jez would simply lick her face, but the combination of random bangs and strangers wasn’t something Tai was willing to test.
“Okay.” Her feet kicked harder, and she squirmed.
Daddy Tai was only as interesting as his dog. He put her down, and she squeezed out a hug before running off where some kids were chasing each other around a tree.
He didn’t turn as Gina came up to stand beside him. “She’s still happy to see you.”
Tai shoved his hands in his pockets. Being around Gina made him feel like a giant with a Barbie doll. “What’s going on with her hair?”
“She wants to grow locs.” Gina’s tone didn’t give Tai much of a hint on whether it was a good or bad development.
Tai glanced at Gina’s relaxed-to-her-shoulders hair. He’d worn his own long since leaving high school, and it ran curly or straight depending on the weather. He kept it scraped back in a tight knot for work.
Gina’s chin poked out. “It’s her hair.”
“No defense moves necessary. I’m glad she gets to do what she wants with it.”
Gina relaxed. “Beats fighting her with a comb to get it into braids. She’s so damned tender-headed.”
“I bet.”
“What would you know?” But there was laughter in her voice. “I’ve seen her hair after a week with you. You’d cut your heart out rather than fight with her on anything.”
True. He’d been in awe of Sammie from the instant he held her. Couldn’t believe the tiny little squirming ball had grown into a baby, then a toddler, now a child. That she’d been his.
Except she wasn’t. Even if she looked exactly like baby pictures of his mom.
The man whose DNA profile proved he was 99.9 percent more likely to have given Sammie half her DNA than Tai strode over and offered a cold bottle of beer and an all-but-subliminal nod.
Tai took the beer.
“Glad you made it.” Josh’s words weren’t close to a decent lie. “Got some ribs on.”
“Thanks. Smells great.” Which was the truth, damn it. Tai’s mouth had been watering two steps from the car.
There was a rise in noise from the picnic table, and Gina slipped away. Tai knocked back some beer in the long silence. He and Josh had been friends once. Teammates. UMD Terps. And Tai didn’t hate Josh so much for coming back. He hated him for leaving in the first place. Leaving Gina so broken and miserable that something that had seemed like a good idea after too much rum at a party had led them here.
“You don’t have to keep sending checks, man.” Josh started the same conversation they’d been having for the past two years.
Tai might not be obligated for child support, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want Sammie to have the best. “Save it for college then.”
“Or her wedding.”
Their simultaneous shudders of horror provoked an actual nod of understanding.
“Tai, I’m taking care of them,” Josh said in exactly the tone of voice guaranteed to make Tai want to prove he still had enough defensive tackle in him to drop Josh straight to hell before he could take another step back to his precious grill.
Where the fuck was he when Gina had morning sickness—all day—for two months, when she needed someone to hold on to while her body pushed out the baby, when Sammie cried with colic and teething? Tai had pointed that all out to Gina when Josh came back, in the only screaming
Sammie’s sigh was exactly like her mom’s, and so was the patient lecture in her voice. “It doesn’t go away once you learn it. That’s the whole point of school.”
“Good to know.” He drank in the sight of her face. How could her round little cheeks already be starting to sharpen? He hoped Gina didn’t have her on some crazy diet.
“Where’s Jezebel?” Sammie’s heels drummed his bottom ribs.
“She wanted to stay home. She doesn’t like fireworks.” Getting Jez to remain completely calm no matter what Sammie did to her had been Tai’s top priority. Now Sammie could probably cut off an ear and Jez would simply lick her face, but the combination of random bangs and strangers wasn’t something Tai was willing to test.
“Okay.” Her feet kicked harder, and she squirmed.
Daddy Tai was only as interesting as his dog. He put her down, and she squeezed out a hug before running off where some kids were chasing each other around a tree.
He didn’t turn as Gina came up to stand beside him. “She’s still happy to see you.”
Tai shoved his hands in his pockets. Being around Gina made him feel like a giant with a Barbie doll. “What’s going on with her hair?”
“She wants to grow locs.” Gina’s tone didn’t give Tai much of a hint on whether it was a good or bad development.
Tai glanced at Gina’s relaxed-to-her-shoulders hair. He’d worn his own long since leaving high school, and it ran curly or straight depending on the weather. He kept it scraped back in a tight knot for work.
Gina’s chin poked out. “It’s her hair.”
“No defense moves necessary. I’m glad she gets to do what she wants with it.”
Gina relaxed. “Beats fighting her with a comb to get it into braids. She’s so damned tender-headed.”
“I bet.”
“What would you know?” But there was laughter in her voice. “I’ve seen her hair after a week with you. You’d cut your heart out rather than fight with her on anything.”
True. He’d been in awe of Sammie from the instant he held her. Couldn’t believe the tiny little squirming ball had grown into a baby, then a toddler, now a child. That she’d been his.
Except she wasn’t. Even if she looked exactly like baby pictures of his mom.
The man whose DNA profile proved he was 99.9 percent more likely to have given Sammie half her DNA than Tai strode over and offered a cold bottle of beer and an all-but-subliminal nod.
Tai took the beer.
“Glad you made it.” Josh’s words weren’t close to a decent lie. “Got some ribs on.”
“Thanks. Smells great.” Which was the truth, damn it. Tai’s mouth had been watering two steps from the car.
There was a rise in noise from the picnic table, and Gina slipped away. Tai knocked back some beer in the long silence. He and Josh had been friends once. Teammates. UMD Terps. And Tai didn’t hate Josh so much for coming back. He hated him for leaving in the first place. Leaving Gina so broken and miserable that something that had seemed like a good idea after too much rum at a party had led them here.
“You don’t have to keep sending checks, man.” Josh started the same conversation they’d been having for the past two years.
Tai might not be obligated for child support, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want Sammie to have the best. “Save it for college then.”
“Or her wedding.”
Their simultaneous shudders of horror provoked an actual nod of understanding.
“Tai, I’m taking care of them,” Josh said in exactly the tone of voice guaranteed to make Tai want to prove he still had enough defensive tackle in him to drop Josh straight to hell before he could take another step back to his precious grill.
Where the fuck was he when Gina had morning sickness—all day—for two months, when she needed someone to hold on to while her body pushed out the baby, when Sammie cried with colic and teething? Tai had pointed that all out to Gina when Josh came back, in the only screaming
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