47

Joshua

I felt her presence behind me and for the first time since my little boy had entered my home and my world, it felt natural to be a dad. I’d never anticipated that having a woman in my life would change my attitude or alter my needs, but that’s the way it was every time I was around Selena.

She’d been playful and silly, exactly what both Christopher and I had needed tonight. I’d never seen my boy react that way he had around anyone. While Margaret was good at what she did, trustworthy to keep a close eye on him, Christopher certainly had never been enthused about her strictness or basic attitude. I’d chosen her on purpose, trying to allow Christopher to heal without having a mother figure in his life to confuse him.

Or remind him of what he was missing. What else had I been so wrong about?

“Now, can you go to sleep for me, cookie monster?” I asked as I tucked the covers under his arms just the way he liked for me to do.

He nodded, grabbing and squeezing his favorite bear that he’d brought with him. Nights like tonight, I wished with all my heart he would speak, but in a way, he’d spoken volumes by allowing himself to enjoy the evening without staring into space or worse, throwing tantrums. I was more than grateful for Selena’s abilities, the way she’d handled him as if she had a child of her own.

“Light on or off?” I asked, already knowing the answer. He couldn’t tolerate the dark any longer. I hated the fact I hadn’t taken the time to learn more sign language, something he felt comfortable with, but I’d certainly learned ‘light on.’ “How about a batman light tonight?”

He nodded enthusiastically.

I’d searched until I’d found a whimsical lamp, one he could turn on and off easily, the various switches allowing for a half dozen superheroes. It had been the first gift where he’d smiled at me, something I would treasure for a long time to come. “Goodnight, cookie monster.”

My little boy did something else rather shocking. He blew me a kiss then waved to Selena, signing something else that I couldn’t understand but it was obvious she did. I tousled his hair then rose to my feet, taking my time heading for the door. I never closed it all the way and he knew that there was an intercom connected to my office and bedroom just in case he got scared in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, that had occurred dozens of times over the last six months.

I took a deep breath once I was in the hallway, darting a glance in her direction. She was still eyeing my son through the half open door. When she turned and walked past me, I wasn’t certain what she was thinking. Hell, I wasn’t certain what I was thinkingat that point other than I felt more exposed than I had in a long time.

And even stranger was that it felt damn good. I’d stayed in my lane, telling myself dozens of times that having a family was by far the worst thing I could do. Anyone close to me could be considered a weakness, but a woman and a son were a beacon for revenge.

Now I had both in the most nontraditional way possible.

“What did he say?” I whispered.

A serene look crossed her face. “That he was glad I was your friend.”

“Ah. I am too.”

I followed behind her down the stairs, curious as to where she’d go. When she returned to the kitchen, staring down at the ice cream cake she’d left on the counter, I realized how uncomfortable she must be given the circumstances.

No one in my life could say I was accommodating or tender, but around her it was easy to find reasons to enjoy life if only for a little while. I could tell her mind was processing the events of the last twenty-four hours, including the ugliness with dragging her name through the mud. While it was certainly something I’d anticipated, seeing it was entirely different. I’d made contact with Liam while she’d still been sleeping, asking him what was going on in Louisville.

He hadn’t been surprised after I’d provided the events of the night before but had been unable to get any of his soldiers to clean up the shitshow in Indiana prior to the state police finding the wreckage. From there, the ugliness had built to a feedingfrenzy, the first result the explosion of media activity. But that was just the beginning. I could envision affidavits would be issued within hours, someone attempting to extradite us for a return to stand trial.

Of course, that wouldn’t happen, but that didn’t mean our lives wouldn’t be tossed under a microscope.

I walked closer, determined to keep the mood of the evening light. Besides, I had cravings that couldn’t be denied. When I flanked her side, she tensed, which was the first time she’d done so since I’d started making dinner.

“You’re so good with him,” she said as she tossed the knife she’d used into the sink.

“It’s easy to be good with him. He’s a fabulous kid.”

“He’s very talented.”

“You should hear him playing the piano.”

She lifted her head, darting her eyes across mine. I wanted to ask her what she was searching for, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was to see if any part of the way I’d acted was the truth. I brushed her long hair over her shoulder, rubbing my knuckles against her cheek.

“He’s going to be just like you when he grows up.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “God, I hope not.”

“Why? You’re monstrously arrogant, highly intelligent, a pain in the ass especially for a man and devilishly handsome. What’s not to love?”

“Hmmm… With a glowing review like that, I think you proved my point.”

She laughed, the sound cutting right through me, but the seriousness quickly returned. “Thank you for allowing me to see that side of you. I’m sure that wasn’t easy.”

“You might find it difficult to believe, but the day after Christopher was dropped on my doorstep, I knew I either embraced the changes needed or the kid would turn out like me. Don’t get me wrong, my father was damn good at being there for his kids when he could, but I saw too many of the bad things in life far too early. Sadly, what Christopher was forced to witness was even worse. I won’t allow that to happen again.”

“As I said, you’re an amazing father.” When she pressed her hand against my chest, the rush of energy passing from one to the other stood a chance of lighting up all of Montreal. She brought out a playful side of me that was as unexpected as the resilient side of her. I couldn’t help myself, sliding my fingers through the cake she’d enjoyed making, not being gentle about the way I lathered her face.

Laughing, I backed away, adoring the shock that instantly formed on her face. But as expected, the woman refused to take my actions without getting in a little jab of her own. After trying to mimic the move I’d made, she grabbed a wooden spoon from the holder, scooping up a huge amount.

“You’re so mean. I’ll get you for that.”

As soon as she rushed toward me, I snapped my hand around her wrist, easily able to shift the direction toward her lovely face.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“You’re daring me now,cherie. Accepted.” Without any hesitation, I painted both sides of her face, including across her eyelids then down the bridge of her nose.

“Oh! You! I’ll get you for this.”

“You can try, princess.” Snagging both her arms, I jerked her forward, dragging my tongue across one eyelid then the other. While she struggled at first, that ended the moment I continued my naughty feast, rolling my tongue down her cheek.

As she shuddered in my hold, my cock pushed hard against my jeans. The woman had a way about her that could make any man turn into a crazed lunatic. I wasn’t an exception. She’d completely managed to unravel my fortitude over the last week because of her smile and her brazen attitude, the way she refused to accept what was happening without putting up a fight.

And the fact she remained determined to right the wrong in my life even at the expense of a career she adored.

For all those things and more, my heart felt as if it had been placed in a tight vise being squeezed more every day. I would do everything in my power to protect her, but I wanted more. Not just her surrender or her trust. I needed all of her as I’d never felt before.

The simple truth was that I’d stop at nothing to get what already belonged to me.

“You are so…” Purring, Selena didn’t finish her sentence, instead slowly tilting her head all the way back. Yet she managed to rake her fingers through the ruined cake, yanking my shirt up several inches then rubbing the icy cream across my stomach. Her laughter was sweet music, beautiful medication for the events we’d gone through.

“I will so get you for that.”

Her laughter continued and she managed to shove away from me, doing her best to dart around the end of the counter. I grabbed her before she managed to get two feet away, wrapping one arm around her waist and lifting her into the air. When I tugged off her shirt, she squealed, slapping her hand across her mouth as if fearful our mischievous activities would be discovered. She’d soon learn that no one would bother me unless I requested.

Or demanded.

“In case you haven’t figured it out yet, you’re not going anywhere, sweetcherie.”

“I will if I want to.”