Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
“Just say it. Whatever it is, it’s fine.”
She pulls in a breath like she’s bracing herself for what’s next. “You’re my boss.”
I nod. She speaks the truth.
“And…my kinda landlord. I mean, I live under your roof.”
More nodding from me.
“It’s a lot to…lose.”
My eyes narrow, trying to think about the negative points of kissing her. Of feeling her naked body wrapped around me. Of making her come. “Yeah.”
“I’m serious. There’s a lot at stake. For me.”
She has a lot to lose. All I can see is everything we have to gain.
“And then it doesn’t work out and…you bring dates home and…this is a small flat.”
This is where my mother went wrong. If she’d have wanted me to move, she should have pointed out that in a bigger house, I could bang the nanny and not worry about things being awkward if it doesn’t work out.
But I’m not thinking about whether or not it could work out. I’m thinking that if I don’t get to touch Eira, I might actually lose my mind.
I reach out and hook my fingers under her chair, pulling it across the floor so she’s sitting right next to me.
She squeals. “Dax.”
“You want to say no?” I hold my palms up. “We stop. No questions asked.” I suck in a breath. “You don’t want this?” I shrug. “We stop. No questions asked. You’re not attracted to me?” I shake my head. “We stop. No questions asked.”
I fix her with a stare. “But don’t say no because you’re scared.” I hold her gaze. “Or because of what might happen if it goes wrong.”
She looks away.
“What?” I ask.
“Easy for you to say. You…”
“You’re right. It is easy for me. I know what I want, and I have the power here. But I don’t want to overanalyze this. I’m not asking you to marry me. Right now, at this moment, I want to kiss you. And I think you want to kiss me.”
I drop my voice and cup her head in my hand. “Let’s just deal with right here and right now.” It’s not ordered or logical. In fact, it’s the kind of wishy-washy bullshit I’ve absolutely teased my brothers for in the past. But it’s what feels right.
Things change.
People change.
Fatherhood is changing me.
Eira sighs. Her sweet breath hits the side of my face and it feels like velvet.
I reach for her and pull her onto my lap, reveling at the feel of her, so soft and warm in my fingers. I slide my hands up her thighs and brush my lips across hers. Once, twice, three times.
She relaxes against me and her eyelids flutter shut as I press a kiss against her collarbone.
“What am I doing?” she asks the heavens.
A knock at the door has her leaping from my lap.
I bet that’s a fucking delivery guy.
We both head out of the kitchen at the same time and it’s almost comical as we both try to squeeze through the door.
“I’ll get the door,” I say, gesturing her ahead of me.
“I’m going to check on Guinevere,” she says.
I swing the door open and it’s Jacob. He always had a habit of ruining things with women for me.
“What?” I ask.
“Good evening to you too,” he says, barging past me. “I think you meant to say, thank you, Jacob, for coming to check on my daughter after you’ve spent the entire day at the hospital. You’re the best big brother ever.”
I groan and close the door.
“She’s in…” I call after him as he enters my bedroom.
I watch from the doorway as he and Eira work together to move Guinevere, remove her clothing, check her temperature and discuss fluid intake and medications.
“She’s bouncing back nicely,” he says. “Just got to ride it out.”
“Thanks, Jacob,” I say.
“You need to move,” he says as he passes me. “Takes too long to get here. There’s a house just gone on the market opposite me. I’ll send you the details.”
I don’t have the energy to argue with him. “Okay.” Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea having a pediatrician I share a gene pool with living directly opposite me. “I’ll take a look.”
He shoots me a glare that says, did I hear you right?
Everything’s changed.
“I really appreciate you coming over to check on her. Do you want some pie?” I ask.
“Pie?” he asks, incredulous. “What kind of pie.”
“Chicken and mushroom,” Eira says. “There’s plenty.”
And of course, Jacob stays for pie, because that’s the kind of cockblocker he is.
TWENTY-THREE
Eira
I can’t make out what they’re saying, but Jacob seems in no mood to leave anytime soon. It’s giving me breathing room. Anytime Dax is near me, I lose all sense of judgement. I know that kissing him is a bad idea. Him touching me is a bad idea. Letting him near me is a very bad idea.
But whenever he’s around, I just can’t help it.