Her hand is on the table, extended toward the centre. It’s almost as if she’s beckoning me to grab it. Hoping I haven’tmisread the signals, I drop my hand on hers. Her skin is so soft I have to fight the urge to push everything off this table and pull her entire body onto it.
Fuck, I want to kiss her so badly. Her plump pink lips are parted, and she’s leaning towards the table slightly, those eyes of hers wide in surprise, her cheeks flushed. She’s staring at my lips. I stroke the centre of her palm with my thumb. A shiver runs through her arms, and her lips twitch.
But I can’t. Not here. Not in front of the kids. Despite how much her eyes are signalling me to move forward and cup her face to bring it close to mine, I can’t take the risk that I’m reading this wrong. If I make that mistake, in front of the kids on top of that, Sophie will never forgive me. She’ll be left with too many questions to answer from them, and it will be my fault.
Begrudgingly, I back away and let go of her stupidly soft hand. A look of disappointment passes through her blue eyes right before she looks down at her lap.Fuck.
I don’t think I misread the signal at all.
Dread settles itself in a small corner of my chest. She’s starting to detect this insatiable attraction I feel for her, and it’s very possible I’ve just screwed up my chance.
I need to let her know this isn’t over.
“Tonight, I’m making you girls dinner,” I declare, gazing at Gwen and Heather to distract myself from Sophie’s disappointed eyes.
No. I have to stop running.
I look at her again. “Would you like that?” I ask, keeping my voice as soft as possible.
For a moment, she’s silent, and I can’t read her expression. Finally, she sighs and smiles softly. “If you’re up for the challenge.”
A spark of lightning passes through me. I am up for the challenge. Tonight, I’m showing Sophie exactly what I want.
CHAPTER 23
SOPHIE
“Mama, look!” Heather gestures proudly at the tower of blocks she’s just finished making in the kitchen. I blink and close my gaping mouth.
To be frank, I haven’t been paying much attention to Heather’s tower, even though I’m sitting on the kitchen floor with her and Julian. My eyes keep getting pulled back to the counter, where Will and Gwen are busying themselves with making dinner. Gwen is up on her stool and peeling potatoes while Will cuts them into fries as they continue chatting and laughing away.
A man cooking is one thing. But a man cooking and getting along with my daughter while she helps?
I’ve never seen anything sexier in my entire life.
Yet, I can still sense the echoes of his rejection at the hot chocolate place bouncing around in my mind. Because I can’t deny how much I want his lips on mine. Not anymore.
I keep telling myself that it’s a bad idea to cross that line with Will. I keep trying to come up with stupid reasons not to.
But, in reality, I’m having more and more trouble justifying those reasons.
What if they’re all excuses born out of fear?
Because, yes; I am afraid. Of course I’m afraid. I had to watch my own mother get cheated on over and over again, only for the same thing to happen to me. So, excuse me if I have my own reservations about a man who has jumped from one woman to the next and who can’t seem to be satisfied with any of them.
But I don’t think it matters, anyway. Looks like I’d misread his signals. Almost as soon as he started holding my hand, he pulled away. Like he just wanted to try out the experience and then found it wasn’t for him.
So what’s with the dinner offer?
Don’t be an idiot, Sophie. He’s being a good friend. He said you were like family to him. That’s what friends and family do for each other.
“Mama!” Heather pulls on my sweater sleeve, and I finally focus on her, biting my lip. I’m not being the best mom right now.
“Oh, wow, honey, good job!” I try to put as much heart as I can into my statement, and Heather gives me a big, toothy smile. Julian coos, eager to have my attention too.
“Gwen, what kind of music do you like?” Will asks my eldest, right before turning to me and raising his eyebrows. I think he’s asking me for permission to put on music.
I give him a nod as my belly flutters. Why does he have to be so God damn thoughtful?
