“Yeah, I put in an order for pick up. Petersen.”
“Oh, right, I’ve got that right here for you,” she said, turning around to the metal warming shelves behind her. I’d ordered a cheese and pineapple pizza for Sawyer, who was the only kid I’d met who liked pineapple on her pizza, and meat lovers deluxe for myself.
“Can I get a chocolate milk, too?” Sawyer piped up, standing on her tip-toes to see over the counter.
“Of course,” the server said warmly, opening the refrigerator and grabbing an individual carton.
“Thank you!” Sawyer grinned brightly as she reached for the chocolate milk.
“Let’s not open it until we get home, all right?” I said, swiping my card through the reader. She nodded, eager to just hold it.
Gwen
“Holy shit, you didn’t tell me he had a kid!” Renly said, scandalized.
“I didn’t know,” I replied, glancing back over my shoulder at the pizzeria and worrying my lip. If he had a kid, did he have a wife, too? He didn’t wear rings, but that didn’t mean anything these days.
“Wow, though,” Renly sighed dreamily, reaching his car and looking at me over the top of it. “I don’t have ovaries, but if I did, they’d implode. He’s a fucking DILF, Gwen!”
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled, crotchety. My libido was out of control and seeing Alaric tonight in dad mode definitely didn’t help. It shouldn’t have been so seductive to watch him be a father, and I felt incredibly betrayed by my lady bits.
My womb had screamedput a baby in meso loudly that I was surprised Alaric hadn’t heard the damn thing. Of course, it didn’t have a voice, so that probably helped, but still. Bad uterus, bad.
Not that there was a chance inhellI’d listen to it. I didn’t feel like an adult myself yet and knew I wasn’t anywhere near ready for a kid. The idea of having something elsethatdependent on me made me want to break out into hives.
“But kids,” Renly pointed out, his nose wrinkling with disdain. “That can’t be very fun.”
“Definitely not,” I said, looking up as the pizzeria door opened again. Alaric held it as his daughter twirled onto the sidewalk in front of him, and it was all I could do to not let out a ridiculous, dreamy sigh of my own. I was fully aware that I was reacting the exact same way I had when I saw him with Tig.
Watching in the side mirror as Alaric lifted his daughter into his massive truck, my treacherous ovaries melted like butter.
Ren put on his blinker, jarring me from my reverie. He pulled from his parking spot, heading to my apartment. It was only a ten-minute drive, and within minutes of landing on my couch, we were diving into the pizza like we’d gone months without food.
Since reaching his ideal body weight, Ren didn’t usually let himself let loose like this, but even he couldn’t deny a slice from the pizzeria. Every time he came home, we indulged. But Ren would make me pay for it when he woke me up to hit the gym in the morning.
He took a huge bite of pizza and chewed, staring at it lovingly. “I will hate every part of working this off tomorrow, but damn it…it’s soothing my soul.”
“Tell me about it,” I sighed before taking another bite. “You’re a bad influence. I wasn’t supposed to eat fast food again until after Kelsey’s wedding.”
“Dieting?”
“Poor.” I laughed, sighing. “Turns out I sort of suck at managing my money. Or at least not blowing it on comfort food and impulse purchases in an attempt to make myself feel better.”
“I’m sorry,” Ren winced, setting down his slice.
“No, it’s all good,” I said to Ren. “I’m relieved I have an endless supply of cute outfits. They’ve been coming in handy lately.”
“Dress to impress, that’s what I always say,” he nodded in agreement. “Seems to be working, too.” His eyes twinkled.
“What are you talking about?” I laughed awkwardly.
“The man was practically undressing you with his eyes. It was hot.” Renly pointed out.
I shrugged, although, inwardly, I was squealing and tap dancing with excitement, and so very thankful to not be imagining his attraction to me.
I knew the faces he made when he was taking pleasure in something. I knew what he looked like when he was coming. I’d seen the heat pool in his eyes, and I knew he still wanted me.
He was just…fighting it.
