In the back of my head, I already knew.
Kate was exactly how I’d envisioned my perfect girl next door. She was everything I’d wanted but exactly the opposite of what my body craved.
I’d found that girl next door, and she was nothing like what I’d expected.
“Well then, I guess we can stick to formalities for now,” I responded politely.
Her blush quickly faded as she straightened and regained her professional composure.
I had no idea where things were going with Liv, but I knew where they were not headed with my secretary.
Kate was perfect for someone else maybe, but she was definitely not for me—at least not anymore.
At work, my dick would stay firmly in my pants.
At home—well, the verdict was still out on that. I’d made the same promise regarding Olivia Prescott, but damn, if I didn’t want to break it. I’d never met a woman who could drive me insane and set me on fire at the same exact time. It was a recipe for disaster, but I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to try, even for just a night.
Looking around, I walked to the row of windows highlighting the Richmond skyline. Rays of orange and yellow sun streaks were making their way through the clouds, heating up the early morning air. As I looked down at the city, everything still felt so foreign, so new. I’d spent many childhood summers here, but places had looked different through the eyes of a child. Gazing down at the city now as an adult, it was as if I had just arrived for the first time.
We’d been here for two weeks, and I still hadn’t found the time to take Noah anywhere. We hadn’t even been out to eat.
He must be bored out of his mind.
“I think I’m going to work until noon today and then take a few hours off,” I suddenly announced as I made my way to my office door.
“Okay, Mr. Reid. I’ll clear your schedule. Anything special planned?” she inquired.
“I think my son and I need to spend some time getting to know our new city,” I answered.
“You picked me up early?” Noah said in amazement as he got into the car.
“I did,” I said as I did the same.
“You never pick me up early.”
His stunned and confused expression left me feeling happy and ashamed in the same breath. I was glad my job was flexible enough that I could take a few hours of my day to finally spend some much overdue time with my son. At the same time, I was sad that it had taken me so long to realize how necessary it was.
Had I really neglected Noah so thoroughly that an afternoon off from work was that much of a shock?
“So, what are we going to do?” he asked, his eyes trained on the leafy green trees whizzing by.
“I thought we’d walk around, check out different areas of the city. Liv said we’d never feel at home here until we explored and made this place our own, so that’s what I thought we would attempt today. Sound good?”
“Better than craft time at camp. Crafts are for babies…and girls,” he answered.
I tousled his hair and laughed as he ducked away from me.
As we turned onto the block leading to our street, he turned to me in question.
“We’re just stopping at home, so I can ditch the suit. Ten minutes, tops.”
He gave a nonverbal answer as we pulled up next to the curb. His car door flew open, and I watched him bounce down the lawn toward the front door. Within seconds, he had his key out, and he was walking through the front door.
A car drove past, and I turned to find Liv parking her little blue Prius along the curb. She pushed the door open and stepped out, her eyes colliding with mine instantly.
“Playing hooky today, counselor?” She smiled.
“Might say the same thing about you,” I replied, stepping through the grass to meet her halfway.
“I had taken a half day to spend the afternoon with Mia, but her son, Asher, came down with a cold, so it looks like I’m flying solo.”
“Can I hire you as a tour guide for the afternoon?”
Her eyes darted to our front door where Noah had just reappeared.
“Finally taking my advice I see?”
“Yeah,” I answered, “but I have no idea where to start.”
Taking a leisurely gaze down my body, she grinned. “Start by stripping off that monkey suit, and I’ll handle the rest.”
“Deal.”
Liv
As soon as I saw Noah meandering out of the house in his I Heart Football shirt, I knew exactly where I wanted to take them. First, I wanted to make a few stops and show them the Richmond I loved.
We also needed to eat. I was starving.
Our first stop was one of my favorites, second to the farmers’ market. I loved Carytown. Here, you could shop the world, eat pretty much anything, and spend hours discovering new talent. It was the heart and center for art, music, and food in the area, and it was where I felt most at home. With brightly colored buildings and funky shops on every street corner, it was the one place in the city I never felt different.
“So, what do you boys feel like eating?” I asked as I took the first available spot in the parking garage.