“I shouldn’t have opened my mouth,” I groan. “You think you have the time off soon?”
Sutton nods. “I’m free next Saturday.”
A drop of pizza sauce clings to the corner of her mouth. If the kids weren’t here, I’d lean over and lick it off, tasting the sweetness of her lips.
Not the thoughts I need to be having right now.
“Okay, so pool date for the kids and you and me?”
“Pool! Pool! Pool!” the two of them start chanting.
“It’s a plan,” Sutton confirms.
“Great.”
I watch as the smile on her face grows even wider.
Gorgeous. The woman is fucking gorgeous, and I’m the reason she looks that happy. The thought keeps hitting me every time I’m around her.
I want to spend every minute I can with her. I don’t care that our schedules are chaotic at best with two kids.
And I’ll take any scrap of time she can spare me.
Because I want Sutton more than anything.
Chapter Thirteen
SUTTON
“Wow. You look beautiful,” Derek gushes as I walk up to his door.
His brown eyes rake over me. I chose a simple, off-the-shoulder black dress for the wine fest he’s taking me to today. Based on the appreciative once-over, I’d say he likes it.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Derek is wearing another short-sleeved button-down that clings to his biceps and chest. It’s like he knows it drives me wild and wears them to get a reaction out of me.
Like wanting to kiss him for hours on end. But I don’t. Because tiny hands are tugging on my dress.
“When do we get to go to the pool?” Lydia asks, her new life jacket in her hands. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken her swimming. With my work schedule and her wanting to start soccer, she needed a new one if she would be going in the pool today.
Derek drops down to her level. “Do you have your towel?”
Lydia looks up at me, and I hold up her backpack for her. “In there. With my favorite jammies and a book for bed.”
“Perfect. Troy’s waiting inside for you. You two are going to have a lot of fun today, aren’t you?”
Lydia nods before rushing in the open door. She’s welcomed inside by a pair of older voices I now recognize as Troy’s parents.
“Don’t worry.” Derek smiles at me as we head inside.
“Who says I am?”
“Kids and water,” he tells me. “I promise, they’re in good hands with my parents.”
I nod. “I trust them.”
It’s not a lie—I do. Because I trust Derek. If he says she’s in good hands, I believe him. Lydia is showing Troy her new pink life jacket that is covered with unicorns.
