“I wanna story, too,” Luke demanded. Another ritual passed on to the newcomer. But it was only one night, and could she blame her son for wanting this time with his father?
Yes. I raised him. And she was raising him right, which was why Renny pointed to her cheek. “Caleb can read to you, but I’m gonna need my goodnight kiss now then.”
Luke ran to her and threw out his arms. She swept him into her embrace and plastered him with noisy kisses until he screeched and squirmed. “Mommy!”
Setting him down, she watched as Luke then crossed to Caleb and snagged his hand. “Come see my room.” As their son tugged him away, Caleb tossed her a look over his shoulder and mouthed, “Thank you.”
She turned away, lest he see the tears in her eyes. Not tears of anger that her son had chosen Caleb over her, but over what could have been.
While a part of her desperately wanted to spy on them, she let them have their alone time. If, and that was a big if, Caleb was serious about becoming a part of Luke’s life, there would be plenty of opportunities to share bedtime and other things.
Supper dishes cleared away, she had time to sit on the couch before Caleb emerged from the bedroom. “He fell asleep before I was done with the story. I guess I was boring.”
“He always does when I read, too.”
“He called me daddy.” Caleb said it, not able to hide his stunned tone.
“Because you are.”
“But I don’t know how to be one. What if I fuck up?” No mistaking the fear in those words.
“Welcome to the parenting club. You can read all the books you like and listen to all kinds of advice, but what it comes down to is just plain winging it.”
That startled a laugh out of him. “Winging it?”
“It’s worked for me so far, so don’t be so quick to knock it.” A silence fell between them, and she couldn’t hold his gaze. “I guess you’re going to head out now.” Because Luke wasn’t there to act as buffer anymore. It was just him and her—and some excitable hormones screaming, “Do something.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
A question fraught with undertones and, in her mind, a cop-out. “Yes.” She didn’t miss the flash of hurt in his eyes, which was why she sighed and added, “No. How’s that for a clear answer?”
A smile creased his lips, a smile meant just for her. It affected her more than it should have. Warmth curled in her belly.
Caleb still had yet to move from in front of the bedroom door. He cast a glance around, and a frown creased his brow.
“Where’s your bedroom?”
“You’re standing in it.”
“But there’s no bed.”
“Brilliant powers of observation.” Sarcasm slid from her lips but without malice. Most people displayed the same shock when they found out her living situation. “Luke needed a bedroom with a door since he goes to sleep earlier, and this way his toys aren’t all over the place.”
“You guys could use a bigger place.”
“A bigger place means more dollars.” Then Renny hastened to add before he thought she was looking for a handout, “We’re doing just fine here.”
Caleb’s lips pressed into a tight line. “Would you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Getting all prickly anytime I say anything about your life.”
“Maybe I’m prickly because you seem awfully critical for a guy who just walked back into it. I’m doing the best I can.” To her horror, her voice cracked.
Before she could realize what had happened, Caleb had leapt over the couch and drawn her into his arms. For a moment, she allowed him to hold her, savoring the feel of his body against hers, reveling in the touch of a man. This man.
Fire licked her senses, rousing them, and raising her temperature.
It would be so easy to tilt her face and find his lips.
So easy to succumb…
Yet so hard to recover if he hurt her again.
There was only one thing to do to destroy the intimacy building between them. She swiped her wet eyes and cheeks from side to side on his shirt and then, for good measure, honked her nose in it.
Chapter Nine
She didn’t just do that.
Oh, but Renny had. She’d blown her tear-stuffed nose on him and then pulled back, a tiny smirk of triumph hovering at the corners of her lips.
Why would she do that? Renny was a lady, albeit a tough one given her upbringing, but still not one to be gross…unless she had an ulterior motive?
She moved away from him, heading for the box of tissues on the counter.
By the time she’d turned around, he was leaning against the back of her couch, arms outstretched, shirtless.
She gaped. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You used my shirt as a Kleenex. I assumed you did that as a hint I should take it off.”
“That is not why I did it.”
“So you admit to doing on purpose?”
Clamping her lips, she glared at him.
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, baby. Relax. Come have a seat beside me. I promise to only bite the spots that turn you on.”
No mistaking the sudden inhalation of breath or the way he could practically feel the heat flushing her skin.