“You promise you won’t leave?” Jacob asked, looking on the verge of tears.
Derek grabbed him close again. “I promise you I will never leave again,” he said and then glared at Jasmine over Jacob’s shoulder. A shiver ran down her spine from the look. He wasn’t happy with her. She stiffened up her back and glared back. She wasn’t the one who walked out on him. How dare he look at her that way!
“Okay, I’ll be right out here,” Jacob said, almost like a threat, in case Derek decided to disappear on him.
He slowly left the room, closing the door behind him. As soon as he left, Jasmine grabbed the sheet and jumped from the bed. She ran into the bathroom and locked the door. She needed a few minutes to gather herself before she had to face him. She leaned against the sink and took some deep breaths. A few seconds later Derek was on the outside of the door.
“You can either open this door, or I will break it down, it’s your choice,” he said, in a deadly calm voice. She decided not to test him.
He was standing there in nothing but his pants and the man looked far too sexy after just climbing out of bed. She said nothing to him for a few moments, not knowing how to begin this conversation. She decided to go on the offensive.
“You didn’t have to blurt that out to him. What if you’re not his father?” she said and then took a step back at the fury in his eyes.
“Don’t even try and play games with me, Jasmine. It’s more than obvious he’s mine and you have already robbed nine years of his life from me. You won’t take anything else, do I make myself clear?” he growled at her, as he backed her into the corner.
She went from offensive to defensive in a matter of seconds. “I didn’t say he wasn’t yours, I just said you should have asked me first, instead of blurting it out like that,” she said, a bit shakily.
“So you could come up with some more lies? I don’t think so, Jasmine. Get yourself together. I’m going to spend the day with my son and I don’t want him to know I want to hurt his mother,” he snapped at her, before turning to leave.
Derek walked out of the bedroom and had to fight the tears from stinging his eyes, as he saw his son sitting by the front door. His son was so afraid he’d leave him again, he was guarding the door. He’d prove to the boy he’d never leave again. They wouldn’t spend one more night apart. He’d figure out what he was going to do about Jasmine later.
He took Jacob into the kitchen and fixed him breakfast. Father and son sat, eating their first meal together and getting to know one another.
Jasmine slid down to the floor after Derek stormed out. She sat there, sobbing into her hands and feeling sorry for herself. How had her life changed so much in only a week’s time? She finally got up and climbed into the shower. She stood there until the water turned cold and then reluctantly climbed out, shivering. She had goose bumps all over her body.
She pulled on thick sweat pants and a sweatshirt, threw her hair in a ponytail and didn’t bother with make-up. She had little energy to even care about her looks, even though she was going out in public. She was simply too frightened about what would happen next.
She stepped into the kitchen to the sound of her son’s laughter. She smiled at him and then kissed him on the head. “Oh Mom,” he grumbled and then rolled his eyes at Derek. Jasmine held her breath, because if Derek said that his mom kissing him was gross, her son would never let her do it again. He was already hero worshiping the man.
Derek surprised her, by grabbing her around the waist, which knocked her off balance, so she tumbled into his lap. He kissed her squarely on the lips and then released her just as quickly. She was feeling light headed as she stood back up. Even angry with the man, he still made her feel things no one else ever had.
“Jacob, we never complain when a beautiful lady wants to kiss us,” he said to her son and then wiggled his eye brows at him. Jacob giggled and Jasmine’s heart swelled. Derek had said exactly the right thing.
“Yuck, Dad,” Jacob said with more giggles and then went back to scarfing down his breakfast. He looked up every few seconds to stare at Derek, as if to make sure he wasn’t going to disappear on him.
“I need to make lunch for the boys,” Jasmine murmured and then set to work making a large pot of homemade soup and fresh bread. The smells coming from the kitchen were making Derek’s stomach growl. Whatever she was making smelled delicious.
“Coach says mom makes the best lunches ever and that’s why they always want her to make the food for our tournaments,” Jacob said with pride.
“If it tastes as good as it smells, I can understand why your coach says that,” Derek agreed. Jasmine felt a little bit of pride role through her. She enjoyed cooking for her son, heck she enjoyed cooking for anyone who appreciated it.
“Hurry up, Mom, or we’re going to be late,” Jacob called to her an hour later. She was getting the soup put into the insulated bag. She had several things to drag out to the car and was feeling flustered, since she’d overslept and was officially running late.
“Let me grab those for you,” Derek said, making her jump. She wasn’t used to having someone there to help her.
“Thank you,” she muttered, relinquishing a few of the bags.
“We can take my car,” Derek commanded.
“Yeah,” Jacob said and then gasped as he saw the shiny black car sitting at the curb. “Is that your car?” he asked in awe.
“Yep,” Derek answered smugly. Jasmine just rolled her eyes at the rapture the two boys were sharing as they both admired the far too expensive Porsche.
“My friends are going to think I’m so cool,” Jacob said, as he was bouncing in place at just the thought of riding in the fancy sports car.
“Want to take the top down?” Derek asked.
“Yeah,” Jacob shouted and then giggled as Derek pressed a button and the top started slowly moving back. Jasmine wasn’t thrilled to climb into the small vehicle. She much preferred her sturdy mini-van.
Jacob climbed in the back seat and buckled up. It was a good thing he was still small because he barely fit back there. No way could an adult squeeze in the back. She reluctantly climbed into the passenger side and when Derek soon sat down in the driver’s seat, she was grateful the top was down. The little car was making her feel claustrophobic and Derek was way too close for her already frayed nerves to handle.