Joe-
After dinner my cousins left. Cora and Seth were cuddling on my couch. Dean and Chris were still out back talking. I was taking Ella to her bed. I tucked her in. She rubbed her eyes.
"Daddy can Chris read to me this time?", she asked.
"You want her too?", I asked.
She nodded and grabbed a book.
"Ok, let me go get her", I said.
Getting back downstairs, they were getting ready to leave.
"Your leaving?", I asked.
"Yeah so you can put Ella to sleep", Chris said.
"Actually, she wants you to read to her. If you don't mind", I said.
She looked at Cora.
"I can take Cora home", Seth said.
"Are you sure?", Chris asked.
He nodded. Putting an arm over Cora's shoulders.
"Here, keys to the car", Cora handed Chris the keys.
"Behave you two", Dean said smirking.
They left and she looked at me. She followed me to Ella's room.
"Chris can you read to me?", Ella asked her.
"Sure", she said.
"I'll be downstairs if you need me", I said to her.
She nodded. I watched Chris sit beside Ella and open the book.
Christina-
I sat down on her bed and took the book she handed me. After I finished reading it, I tucked her in more. She yawned.
"My mommy never reads to me. She says she doesn't have time", she said sadly.
"I hope I did a good job", I said.
She nodded with a smile.
"Goodnight Ella", I said.
"Goodnight", she replied.
I left her room and went downstairs to find Joe in his backyard, feet in the pool. I went and sat next to him.
"She's asleep, I think. I'm not sure, I've never done this before", I said.
"I'm sure you did fine", he said.
I nodded.
"So I want to know what happened with the surgery and your arm", he said.
"Joe", I sighed.
"Come on, I need to know", he said.
I nodded.
"They cut my arm open to get to the bone and for a while after I couldn't feel my arm. They thought maybe they hit a nerve, which before the surgery they did let me know it was possible. Anyway with rehab I regained the ability to move it and feel again", I said.
"Can the cancer come back?", he asked.
"Doctor said it shouldn't but there's still a chance it could. Might be a few years, months, or days. Maybe never", I shrugged my shoulders.
"Lets hope it doesn't", he said.
I nodded.
"How was it being a father for the first time? Must be nice", I asked him.
"Oh man, at first I didn't want to believe it but then, I don't know I saw her little face and her hand squeezed my finger. She looked at me, it's the most amazing feeling you could ever imagine", he said.
"It was love at first sight", I said.
He looked at me and smiled.
"It was", he said.
We talked for a while longer. It was getting cold.
"We should get inside", he said, getting up.
He took my hands and pulled me up.
"I should get going, it's getting late", I said.
"Oh, ok", he said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
I headed for the door.
"I really had a good time Joe. I missed talking to you", I said.
"Me too", he said.
"Goodnight", I said.
"Goodnight baby girl. Drive safe and text me when you get home, just so I know your ok", he said.
"Will do", I said.
I turned to my car. I stopped right away. I sighed.
"I'm going to kill Cora", I said to myself.
Moving closer to look at the two flat tires. They were obviously stabbed with something. I turned back to Joe's house and knocked.
"Hey whats up", he said.
"Cora and your friends decided to stab my car", I said.
He sighed.
"I'm sorry, you can borrow mine", he went and got his keys.
Handing them to me, he stepped out of his house and towards his car. He nodded.
"Just as I thought", he said and pointed to his tires as well.
"I'll call Cora", I said.
No answer. He tried calling Seth and Dean, no answer.
"Would you mind me crashing on your couch?", I asked.
"You won't stay on the couch. Take my room and I'll take the couch", he said.
"Joe, it's fine", I said.
"I'm not letting you sleep on my couch, end of discussion", he said.
"Thank you", I smiled.
"Unless you want to share my bed, then we can discuss it", he said smirking.
"Good try, but I don't think so", I said.
"I had to ask", he said.
We went back inside and he showed me his room. I bit my lip, nervous.
"Do you want to borrow a shirt or something?", he asked.
"A shirt. I doubt anything else would fit", I said.
He nodded and tossed me a shirt that said the Shield.
"What's The Shield?", I asked.
"The group I was in. You know with Seth and Dean", he said.
"Right, forgot", I said.
He stood there, arms crossed over his chest.
"Don't mind me", he said.
"Sorry but you need to step out", I said.
"I've already seen you naked. What's the problem?", he asked.
He moved closer to me. His fingers brushing my skin as they found the button on my jean shorts. I stopped him.
"Joe, I can't. Jason", I said.
He nodded.
"I'm sorry", he said, before leaving the room.
I changed, his shirt covering what it needed too. Feeling bad about what I did, I went to find Joe. He was watching a show, sitting on his couch shirtless. I couldn't take it anymore, wanting him. My skin his fingers brushed still felt warm from his touch.