Read Online Sexting Curves (BBW Erotic Romance) by Christa Wick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christa Wick
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took my first step toward Logan's bedroom when I heard a sniffle.
The sound came from behind me. I turned back to Stevie's bedroom, dropped to my knees and lifted his blanket up to look under the bed.
An empty space stared back at me.
Stepping to the closet, I threw the doors open to find my little bug with his face buried against his knees but appearing unharmed. Scooping him up, I wrapped Stevie in a tight hug that made the air come whooshing out of him.
"Why didn't you answer me, little man?"
He sniffled again, his slight frame shaking. I put him down on the bed, checking his exposed skin and the state of his clothing.
"Did you walk home alone?"
He shook his head. I half wanted to throttle him but sensed he was too scared to even talk.
Getting down on my knees in front of him, I gently grabbed his shoulders. "Tell me who walked with you."
"Tommy."
One word, two syllables, but it relaxed me. Tommy was two grades ahead but as gentle as a lamb. Better yet, he looked another grade older than he was, so the junior high students didn't give him any shit. He also lived half a block past Logan's place on the route home, so Stevie would have had company the entire trip.
I rubbed at Stevie's arm, hoping to calm him. "No one hurt you, did they?"
He shook his head.
"Would you tell me if they had?"
He hesitated then nodded. The hesitation hurt but I couldn't blame him. I had walked out of his life twice now, making me no different to him than his mother. I needed Logan home as soon as possible. He would get the full story from Stevie.
"I'm going to lock the front door, okay?"
Without a word, Stevie rolled over and stared at the wall.
"It'll just be a few seconds, little man." I knew Stevie had three contact numbers for Logan -- the major's cell phone, plus the main desk for both his unit and the battalion. Walking to the front of the house, I scrolled through the same contact numbers before I remembered the one from that long ago night with its misdirected text. Logan had said the building was something of a black hole for cell phone reception and I knew his battalion was military intelligence.
Dialing the number, I was almost to the front door when it exploded inward. Seeing me, Logan hesitated for a second. "Where is he?"
"In his room," I whispered and pressed my back against the wall as Logan brushed past in a hurry. I watched him continue down the hall then I stared at the open door.
My keys and phone were in my hand. My purse was in the car. Logan was home.
I could just walk through that open door and drive away. Considering the quiet fury I'd seen on Logan's face, I considered the option heavily.
Hand shaking, I shut the door and slowly made my way back to Stevie's room. I could hear them talking from where I waited in the hall. Logan kept his voice gentle, his words kind, even as he asked Stevie what had happened and why he had not gone inside to the school's office when no one was there to pick him up.
"Because everybody would know--" Stevie's whisper broke into a cry and then I heard muffled sobs.
Everybody would know…
Muscles knotted throughout my torso, making it impossible to breathe. Stevie had walked to an empty home in shame knowing that Mrs. Jones had abandoned him yet again. I couldn't imagine how lonely those two miles had felt, even with Tommy at his side.
I swiped at my eyes, losing the fight to contain my tears when I heard Stevie speak again.
"Is she gone?"
Logan's answer came out like jagged glass. "I don't know where your mom is, champ."
"I meant Lily," Stevie whispered.
"I'm right here, little man." I stayed in the hallway, too cowardly to even pop my head around the corner and reassure him. "Do you…" Afraid to say want or stay or go , I hesitated. "Do you need me to stay?"
The seconds that passed felt like an eternity. Stevie didn't respond. Logan offered a single word, tersely spoken.
"Yes."
**********
A quiet evening passed after the initial drama. With Stevie settled on
The sound came from behind me. I turned back to Stevie's bedroom, dropped to my knees and lifted his blanket up to look under the bed.
An empty space stared back at me.
Stepping to the closet, I threw the doors open to find my little bug with his face buried against his knees but appearing unharmed. Scooping him up, I wrapped Stevie in a tight hug that made the air come whooshing out of him.
"Why didn't you answer me, little man?"
He sniffled again, his slight frame shaking. I put him down on the bed, checking his exposed skin and the state of his clothing.
"Did you walk home alone?"
He shook his head. I half wanted to throttle him but sensed he was too scared to even talk.
Getting down on my knees in front of him, I gently grabbed his shoulders. "Tell me who walked with you."
"Tommy."
One word, two syllables, but it relaxed me. Tommy was two grades ahead but as gentle as a lamb. Better yet, he looked another grade older than he was, so the junior high students didn't give him any shit. He also lived half a block past Logan's place on the route home, so Stevie would have had company the entire trip.
I rubbed at Stevie's arm, hoping to calm him. "No one hurt you, did they?"
He shook his head.
"Would you tell me if they had?"
He hesitated then nodded. The hesitation hurt but I couldn't blame him. I had walked out of his life twice now, making me no different to him than his mother. I needed Logan home as soon as possible. He would get the full story from Stevie.
"I'm going to lock the front door, okay?"
Without a word, Stevie rolled over and stared at the wall.
"It'll just be a few seconds, little man." I knew Stevie had three contact numbers for Logan -- the major's cell phone, plus the main desk for both his unit and the battalion. Walking to the front of the house, I scrolled through the same contact numbers before I remembered the one from that long ago night with its misdirected text. Logan had said the building was something of a black hole for cell phone reception and I knew his battalion was military intelligence.
Dialing the number, I was almost to the front door when it exploded inward. Seeing me, Logan hesitated for a second. "Where is he?"
"In his room," I whispered and pressed my back against the wall as Logan brushed past in a hurry. I watched him continue down the hall then I stared at the open door.
My keys and phone were in my hand. My purse was in the car. Logan was home.
I could just walk through that open door and drive away. Considering the quiet fury I'd seen on Logan's face, I considered the option heavily.
Hand shaking, I shut the door and slowly made my way back to Stevie's room. I could hear them talking from where I waited in the hall. Logan kept his voice gentle, his words kind, even as he asked Stevie what had happened and why he had not gone inside to the school's office when no one was there to pick him up.
"Because everybody would know--" Stevie's whisper broke into a cry and then I heard muffled sobs.
Everybody would know…
Muscles knotted throughout my torso, making it impossible to breathe. Stevie had walked to an empty home in shame knowing that Mrs. Jones had abandoned him yet again. I couldn't imagine how lonely those two miles had felt, even with Tommy at his side.
I swiped at my eyes, losing the fight to contain my tears when I heard Stevie speak again.
"Is she gone?"
Logan's answer came out like jagged glass. "I don't know where your mom is, champ."
"I meant Lily," Stevie whispered.
"I'm right here, little man." I stayed in the hallway, too cowardly to even pop my head around the corner and reassure him. "Do you…" Afraid to say want or stay or go , I hesitated. "Do you need me to stay?"
The seconds that passed felt like an eternity. Stevie didn't respond. Logan offered a single word, tersely spoken.
"Yes."
**********
A quiet evening passed after the initial drama. With Stevie settled on
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