His eyes catch mine, and in my head, I’m thinking one thing. Okay, I’m thinking lots of things, like how incredibly gorgeous his smile is and how much I love seeing him with his daughter. But one thing is stuck in my mind.
“You know my last name?” I blurt out.
Christ!
He cocks his head like I’ve surprised him. Then, he gives me the barest of nods.
“What are you doing at the airport?” I ask him.
“How long are you in New Orleans for?” he asks me.
“As short as possible,” I say without thinking.
Liam raises his eyebrows.
“I’m here on…some family business, which concluded earlier than anticipated.”
I’m relieved when a woman passing by us squeals. She abruptly stops to beg Liam for an autograph. He politely obliges her request, and as soon as she walks away, Lulu squeezes his hand.
“Daddy, potty.”
Liam glances toward the family restroom. “Someone’s still in there, darling.”
“I have to gonow.” Lulu starts shifting around in what I always called the pee-pee dance when I nannied.
“I can take her to the ladies’ room,” I offer. “If you’d feel more comfortable with that option than the men’s room.”
Liam visibly exhales. “If you don’t mind. I’ve taken her into a men’s room before, but I prefer the family restrooms for her sake.”
“I totally understand.”
He’s such a good, protective dadshoots unbidden through my mind. I shove all positive thoughts of Liam away and focus on the little girl with the biggest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.
Lulu immediately drops Liam’s hand and takes mine.
“I’ll watch your suitcase,” Liam offers.
“Thanks. We’ll just be a minute,” I call over my shoulder as Lulu drags me into the restroom.
I choose the regular-size stall due to the lower seat, unwrap the toilet liner, and help Lulu onto the toilet.
While she’s peeing, I attempt to tame my hair.
I must look a freaking mess.
“You know Daddy?”
She’s staring up at me.
“Yes. We’ve met a couple of times.”
My mind immediately takes me back to when Liam’s eyes locked on mine that first meeting. He made me feel like every inch of my body was suddenly alive. I touched myself to the memory for months afterward.
I clear my throat and drag my mind out of the gutter and back to the present where Liam’s daughter is staring up at me. “Are you all finished, honey?”
She nods, and I hand her some toilet paper.
Lulu raises her arms to me, and I lift her off the seat.
