The way he always put her son first.
It was a combination she’d never known in a man. Not even her ex, her son’s father.
When Jayce’s fingers turned and threaded through hers—just for a moment, just an additional connection—it was enoughto tell her he felt it too. He was holding back, protecting them both.
Always considerate. Always him.
Always making her wonder what could have been if she hadn’t been so scared.
“Jayce,” Archer yelled as he ran down the stairs.
She let go of his hand before her son reached them.
“Hey there,” he said. “You’re not dressed. Being lazy today?”
“I was going to get him before I left. He was tired and whined when I told him it was time to get up.”
“Guess he’s getting worn out well.”
“What are we doing today?” Archer asked. “Mom, I’m hungry.”
“I need to leave for work. You can get yourself a bowl of cereal.”
“I wanted pancakes,” Archer said, his nose scrunching.
She ran her hand over his messy hair. “Then you should have gotten up earlier.”
“I can make them,” Jayce said. “It’s been a while since I had pancakes. That is if your mother trusts me to clean up the kitchen well enough after.”
She had to let go of some of her control. If he didn’t clean up, she’d fix it.
But she had to admit he was a pretty clean cook when dinner was done on Monday. And they cleaned up together.
“Can we make them, Mom? I really want them,” Archer said, his eyes pleading with her.
She always gave in to that look.
“Sure,” she said. “You can show Jayce where everything is.”
“Sweet,” Archer said. “I’m going to get the box out now.”
Her son ran to the kitchen, she turned to follow. “I need to get my shoes.”
He glanced down at her feet. Jayce had knocked before she had a chance to slip them on.
By going to the door off the kitchen, she was positive he knew that was her room. She didn’t know why it mattered so much.
It’s not like she thought he was going through her house looking at things. He wouldn’t do that and she had nothing to hide.
Just because another man hadn’t been in that bedroom since her divorce meant nothing.
Or maybe it meant everything.
She was just so out of practice with those things.
She dated. She had sex even. One man that she’d dated for four months and never introduced to her son two years ago. He was really the first man she was willing to give more than a few dates to and in the end didn’t work because Alex didn’t like that she wasn’t available enough.
When she returned to the kitchen, Jayce was already mixing the batter in a bowl with his sleeves up and his bicep flexing.
