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THE SINGLE DAD 43
I laughed. “Hell no.” There was only a bite of cupcake left, and I took it down, wishing I had brought my milk. “I used a decorator. The same one who did the main house.”“Ford, it’s stunning.”The colors in here were much different than in my place. The apartment was all white and tan, airy and light. The decorator had chosen the scheme intentionally, knowing I preferred a woman watching my daughter over a man.“I’m glad you like it.”“Love it,” she said, our eyes connecting. “Not like.” Her stare moved to the ceiling, where beams ran across the entire length. “She thought of everything. Important accents that make this small space feel giant and these little touches that soften it.”“Check out in here.” I walked to the bedroom door, turning on the light, and a chandelier over the bed set the whole room aglow.“Wow.”I turned toward her. “Cozy?”“And, quite honestly, a little romantic.” She headed for the en suite, frozen in the doorway. “You put in a tub? Oh my God, look at the size
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She went over to the couch and found a spot between two oversize pillows. Her head nuzzled into one, her feet resting across the other, and the blanket covered her to where I could only see her hair.Go to fucking bed, Ford.I listened to the voice inside me and went over to where the switches were located, turning off the lights. The only ones I kept on were the pendants in the kitchen. I dimmed those, so if she got up, the glow would be enough that she wouldn’t run into anything.When I reached the hallway to my bedroom, I didn’t say good night to her. I didn’t even pause. I just instantly closed the door behind me, my back resting against the wood the moment it was shut.I filled my lungs and released a long, deep exhale.When I tried to move, to walk down the hallway toward my bed, my feet wouldn’t lift. My hands wouldn’t release the door.So, I slid down the flatness until my ass hit the hardwood beneath me.And that was where I stayed.TwelveSydneyI sat on the side of Everly’
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That was love.I took a deep breath and said, “How about I whip up something super yummy?”Ford slowly glanced at me. “Craig didn’t leave anything?”“He did … but are you really in the mood for yogurt?”He shook his head and winced. “No.”I moved over to where they were sitting. The second I reached them, Everly took off my baseball hat, revealing my wet hair underneath, and put it on her head.“What are you guys craving?” I asked.“Pancakes!”I laughed. “Why does that not surprise me?” I winked at her and looked at Ford. “How about you?”He rubbed the side of his head. “Pancakes work for me.”“And how about something greasy, like bacon? And hash browns?”“Yes,” Ford said, “and yes.”“Then, I’ve got an idea.” I stole my hat back from her and held out my arms to Everly. “You come with me, Miss Eve. We have lots of cooking to do, and your dad will head into his office, so he can get some work done. Once we’re finished, we’ll bring him a giant breakfast. How does that sound?”“I canceled
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“Syd! Look!”I glanced away from Ford, my stare returning to Everly as the second pancake landed even better than the first.“You’re doing the best job. Now, can you do the remaining ones too?”“Yep!”I kept my eyes on her, but I could still feel Ford’s on me.I wouldn’t look at him.I couldn’t.I was positive he’d see right through me, and then he’d know exactly how I was feeling. How last night had taken every ounce of restraint I had. How this morning, watching the two of them together, feeling the intensity of his eyes, was more than I could handle.I couldn’t shut off the tingles in my body.I couldn’t stop the desire from pulsing.The need.The want.Both owning me with a strength I couldn’t fight.Maybe he had been born with a switch that made him forget, but the time we’d spent together was still so fresh in my head.And time with him was something I wanted more of.“Come on, little pancake. Be nice,” Everly said as she moved on to the last one, so focused on what she needed t
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I couldn’t eat.I wasn’t even hungry anymore—at least, not for food.“Come with you,” he said, as though he was debating.I sucked in my breath, moving the bacon to the other side, trying to act busy.“But, baby, I have to work today.”“Tell Papa you have a bellyache.”He laughed. “Papa’s not my boss.”I tried to imagine what a morning of hiking with Ford would feel like. The two of us on the trail, Everly several paces ahead. Sweat running down our faces. Sun hitting our eyes.How we’d have to move close together when we passed other hikers on the narrow path.His scent.His hand on my lower back.“Runyon Canyon?” he asked.Since I didn’t hear Everly respond, I nodded.Was he really considering?Was a morning with Ford now a real possibility?Could I call in sick?Fuck.When I’d taken this job, I’d thought it was going to be so straightforward. I would take care of Everly and go to school.There was nothing simpler than that.My feelings for Ford would stay separate. They would dull
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I couldn’t even hold it in.Because nothing about her moving onto my property would make things easier on my dick.In fact, if I were smart, I would end her employment.I would have my assistant start looking for a new nanny, so I wouldn’t feel so guilty about the things I wanted to do to this one.But Everly was in love with Sydney.Things were going so well with her.I couldn’t fuck that up, and I certainly couldn’t find someone who would be as good with my daughter as her.Sydney is irreplaceable.That was what I kept repeating in my head as I stared at her.“I have to tell you something …” She bent her knee, placing her bare foot on the molding. “It actually happened a little while ago. Part of me sort of forgot about it, and part of me didn’t want to mention it to you. But it feels only right to say something.”I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms, trying to prepare myself for whatever she was about to say. “All right.”“Everly never talks about her mom. I don’t bring up th
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I didn’t give a toast.I didn’t clink our glasses.I just brought the wine up to my lips and took a long, hard sip.“Are you in the mood for something sweet?” She reached for the display that now permanently held desserts in the center of my island, lifting the glass top. “Everly and I made mini pies today.”“Have I ever said no to anything you made?”She laughed. “I suppose not.”She lifted one out of the case and put the top back on. “This one is for me. Yours are in here”—she walked to the fridge and took out a separate container that she placed in front of me—“because they have to be kept cold.”Several pies were sitting inside the Tupperware.I brought one up to my nose, smelling it. “Chocolate?”“Chocolate cream.”“You didn’t?”Her eyes went wide as she nodded. “But I did. Do you want a fork?”“Nah.” I took the pie out of the small foil dish and bit into it. “Damn it, Sydney.”She did the same, holding it with her hands, chewing as she answered, “Right? It’s beyond.”“You keep t
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Jesus Christ.I need to fucking stop.As our stares locked, silence passed between us, my brain spiraling even further out of control.As though she could read my face, hear my thoughts, she said, “I should probably go to bed. It’s getting late.”“Yeah … I should do the same.”Except I wanted her under my covers.I wanted to kiss her in the morning before I left for the plane, tucking the blanket around her since I was no longer in there to keep her warm.She made no effort to leave and go upstairs.And I knew I couldn’t move—my feet would only lead me to her—so I reached for the bottle. “I hope you don’t mind if I have more?”“No, please. Have all you want.”The second I set the bottle on the island, my glass now refilled, I realized I needed to put more distance between us, and I backed up a few paces until the range hit my ass.It was only two feet.Maybe three.Still, I wasn’t sure it was enough.Since, once again, my stare found hers.And within the quietness that passed, so many
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