It was nice while it lasted.A taste of romance she wasn’t sure she’d have again. Not until the kids were grown, anyway.
“What’s on your mind, Duke?” she finally asked.
The heart pounding spiked another notch. She studied his face, his posture, his every move as she waited for a response.
Duke cracked an eye open and shot her a look. “I don’t want this conversation,” he said before closing his eyes and leaning back once more.
Neither did Viv, but she forced out a probing question. “What conversation?”
“The one where you say it was all a big mistake and you have kids to raise and articles to write and…and more homes in the valley to buy and restore and sell…”
A spark of hope flittered in her chest. “The one whereIsay that?” she asked.
Duke’s eyes popped open. He pulled away from the headrest and looked at her. “Well,Idon’t have kids to raise. Or articles to write.”
She studied him for a beat. “What do you see happening between us when we go back to LA?”
“I’d like to keep dating you,” he said.
The words were a calm to the storm inside her. “I’d like that too,” she assured. Talk about an understatement. Her heart had grown wings of its own. It felt as if it had darted into a series of loop de loops inside her chest.
His eyes went wide. A grin broke over his face. And suddenly, he was closing the gap between them to press a celebratory kiss to her lips. “Thank the heavens,” he mumbled against her mouth. “There’s so much I want to do with you when we get back.”
Viv took his hand and leaned against his masculine shoulder. “Like what?”
“Like take you to a Dodgers game. Let you and the twins test out my new mock stadium at home. Have you meet the rest of my family. Take you to this annual gala coming up this summer.”
That one took her by surprise.
“What wouldyoulike to do?” he asked.
“Spend lazy days at the park. Binge a few of my favorite series together. Ease you into meeting the twins.” Viv had mentioned the twins at the end for a reason, though she wasn’t exactly sure what that reason was. She felt her guard trying to build up once more as she waited for Duke’s reply.
“I can’t wait to meet them.” He gave her hand an encouraging squeeze, brought it to his lips, and mumbled against her skin. “Vivi,” he crooned. “My beautiful Vivi.”
He held an arm out next, encouraging her to lean into him. Viv took him up on the offer by folding her legs beneath her, scooting even closer, and resting her head against his chest. The relief was there, that was certain. Enough to make her close her eyes and drift into a comfortable, almost dreamlike state.
But hints of reservation remained as well. The hesitation she’d felt when he’d mentioned the twins. Or maybe fear was more like it. Could she afford to let them meet a man who might get ripped out of their lives? Even as she’d replied with things she saw happening—meeting Duke at the park with the boys—that same fear flared hot.
And what was this banquet all about? The last thing Viv wanted was to put herself on public display. Or set herself up for another round of humiliation ten years after their breakup.
A heavy heap of upset settled onto her shoulders as the thoughts rolled through her mind.
Time,she told herself. That’s what she needed. There was no crystal ball or magic fortune that would show her how things would go. If Viv wanted to test things out with Duke, she’d have to take it one day at a time, allowing herself to be vulnerable along the way.
But even at that, could she allow the boys to be vulnerable too?
Of course, recognizing the fact was the easy part. Now it was time to see if she could do it.
Anxious spurts flickered hot in her chest. Already her guard was threatening to rebuild before the signal even came.
Perhaps this was going to be a whole lot harder than she thought.
* * *
If there was such a thing as cloud nine, Duke was living large on cloud ten. The moment couldn’t get any better. Lounging in his jet with Vivi by his side. Inhaling the gorgeous scent of her as she snuggled up to him with her silky skin and warm touch.
He breathed out a sigh of relief as he considered the topic of the twins. Sure, kids were somewhat of a sore spot for Duke in his life. They didn’t like him. But they didn’t exactly hate him either. It was more of a mutual disinterest, he guessed. That explained the sparks of panic that lit up at the mention of meeting them, but he’d recovered quickly enough. He hoped.
