“Remember my friend, Kim, the paramedic? She took a ton of pictures that day.”
She remembered. Vaguely. Her mind had been too busy imagining her new life with Theo, the man she loved.
Jordan reached up, finagled the book from her hands, and looked through it.
“Kim gave that to me about a week after you left. At that point, I didn’t realize you weren’t coming back.”
Another dagger sliced through her heart at the memory of the pain both of them had gone through.
“Look at Daddy.” Jordan held up the book.
“Yes, he’s so handsome. Isn’t he?” Her gaze automatically moved to the man in question.
“Yep,” Jordan chirped. “The handsome wanger, like in the story. And you are the beautiful princess. See, Mama?” The girl pointed to her in her lacy peach dress.
Theo took the album and placed it on the coffee table. “You can look at that later, once I’m gone. Right now, I need a kiss or I’ll be late for work.”
Their daughter jumped up and down, until Theo scooped her up and planted a kiss on her neck. Her birthmark. The kiss turned into a raspberry, and Jordan squealed loudly, wiggling in his arms.
When he placed her back on the floor, she tugged on his hand. “Mama’s turn. She has the heart, too.”
Chelsea’s breath stopped as Theo prowled toward her. “Have a good day, pixie. Don’t worry about anything other than spending time with Jordan. Okay?”
At her nod, he lowered his head and placed his lips on the mark on her neck. Instead of the blowing he’d done to Jordan, his lips were soft and gentle. When his tongue slipped out and licked along her skin and his teeth took a little nip, she groaned. This man could make her lose all ability to think.
“Don’t worry about supper,” he said as his hand curled around her neck, under her hair. “I’ll bring something home.”
Home. Did he mean that? For her? She couldn’t dwell on that as his lips covered hers. Only briefly, but there was strength in the kiss.
“Don’t cry when you go through that,” he said, indicating the photo album. “It’s going to be all right. We’ll get back there. It’s just going to take some time to adjust.”
Before he backed away, he joined his lips to hers again.
As he left, she considered his words. They’d get back there. She wanted to believe him so much.
Chapter twelve
Hourslater,Chelseatuggedon Bandit’s leash as she juggled the cat carrier onto the porch and set it down to retrieve her keys. As she opened the door and turned on the inside light, headlights came up the driveway. Who the heck? It couldn’t be Theo. They’d put Jordan to bed right before she’d left, and he’d given her the sweetest kiss goodbye. Nothing too sensual or passionate, but it had given her hope.
The black BMW slowed down and stopped behind her car. Should she slam and lock the door or see who it was? Keeping Bandit by her side, she readied her phone in case she needed to call Theo for help. What he could do for her, she didn’t know. He was over twenty minutes away and had a sleeping child at home.
“Chelsea?”
Frank. Her father’s business partner and protege. Opening the door wider, she invited the mature blonde man in.
“What are you doing here, Frank?”
“I drive all this way to see you and that’s the reception I get?” His expression was one of disapproval. Kind of reminded her of her father. Then again, Frank had been helpful and comforting when Edward Woodridge had died. Before she’d known how horrible of a man he’d been.
“I’m sorry, Frank. It’s good to see you.” She hugged him, and Bandit growled. “Down, boy. Be good.”
“You got a dog?” Frank scowled at the canine, then cocked an eyebrow at the carrier case on the floor behind her.
“And three little kittens. They were at the shelter, and no one else would take them.”
“What are you doing, Chelsea? You need to come home. It isn’t good for you to be here all by yourself.”
“You mean I’m better off at the estate in Westchester? Where the staff walk on eggshells around me. No one tries to interact or get to know me or give me any support when I need it. At least here I can get out of the house and go shopping. Talk to people on the street.” When they weren’t looking at her like she was gum on the sidewalk.
