I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I didn’t deserve for it to be easy. But I hadn’t anticipated just how hard it would be either. Being in the same room as him again, hearing his voice, looking into his eyes, and feeling his distance. Just as the pink and silver balloon-decorated gates were keeping me from the party that was clearly taking place, he had shut me out of his life and his heart.
The security had alerted him to my unexpected arrival, and as I watched him march down the lawn with a thunderous expression, I realised I had messed up. Again. I should have called ahead.
I opened the car door and walked towards the closed gate, peering through the iron bars and watching how his muscles moved beneath his casual jeans and T-shirt. I tried to hide the smile on my lips when I saw theMy Little Ponycharacter on the front of his shirt and the pink and purple glitter covering his cheeks. The ache beneath my ribs intensified because it was clear he loved his daughter more than anything in the world. I always knew he would make an amazing father.
“What are you doing here? We aren’t meeting until tomorrow.” He couldn’t hide the irritation in his voice, and it feltlike another blow. He didn’t want me there, and he wasn’t trying to hide it. But what did I fucking expect?
“Sorry.” I ran my hand through my hair as he folded his beefy arms across his chest, hiding the rainbow pony. “I should have called. I came a day early because I was hoping we could talk.”
I sounded pathetic. His dark brown eyes narrowed to slits, his jaw tight. “Now is not a good time.”
“No. Right. I didn’t realise. If I’d known it was Nerina’s birthday, I’d have brought her a present.” Anger flashed in his eyes, and I knew I’d said the wrong thing. “Not that I expected an invitation. I just mean I would’ve liked to get her a present.”
Stop talking, Enzo.
“You wanted an invitation to a four-year-old’sMy Little Ponyparty?” A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips, and I relaxed a little. He was teasing me.
“I would’ve loved one.” Honestly, it would have made my year. “Rainbow Dash is the best.”
He cocked his head slightly, sizing me up, trying to decide whether I was joking.
“I’ll go. It wasn’t important. Not compared to this. Sorry, I’ll leave you to it,” I said, walking backwards towards my car while holding his gaze, hoping, praying, that by some miracle he might invite me in. He didn’t. “Wish Nerina a happy birthday from me.” Why would he do that? The little girl had only met me once, and although she now had a piece of my heart, her painting framed on my new desk at home, she had probably already forgotten my name. “Or don’t.”
I opened the car door, cursing myself for being such astronzo,when his voice cut through the air.
“The party will be over by six. Then I’ll be putting Nerina to bed, but we can talk after.”
My heart soared, and a ridiculous giddiness shot through my body. It was something. A tiny piece of hope.
“I’d like that.Grazie.”
“Come back at eight,” he said, turning his back on me and striding up the driveway, where girly screams and laughter came from the garden.
I watched him go, trying not to get too caught up in the possibilities ahead. My gaze dropped to his firm ass as he walked away, and I gulped. He’d always had the best ass. Memories of biting it, burying my face and my cock in it, sparked desire. God, I’d do anything, give up everything, just to have him beneath me one more time.
But for now, I climbed back into my car and smiled. I had a few hours to find the cutest princess the best present ever.
Chapter eight
Present Day
Nerina splashed her rubber toys beneath the bubbles, soaking me as her young mind drifted into an imaginary world of fairies, unicorns, and talking frogs. I smiled, listening to her imagination weave silly conversations between her characters as I lathered her black curls with shampoo.
“Head back and close your eyes, please,” I ordered, holding my hand over her forehead to rinse.
Of course, it was like any other night, despite it being her birthday. The dramatics erupted as she squealed and flopped about like a fish, doing everything in her power to escape from me. Why? Why was it always the rinsing that set them off?
“Neri! If you stay still and let me do it, it will be over much quicker!”
“No! Ow! Ouch!” she protested, even though nothing was hurting her at all. “You’re mean! It’s my birthday!”
“That doesn’t mean you can go to bed with shampoo in your hair. Fairies need clean hair, too.”
“I’m not a fairy anymore! I’m a princess!”
Forgive me for not keeping up.
“Well, princesses definitely have clean hair.”
