“Yup.”
Billie gazed lovingly up at me, and in the few short seconds as I held her in my arms, everything felt right in my world. She was my reason for breathing. My smile faltered, though, when footsteps neared the kitchen. Looking up, I met Jackson’s penetrating gaze as he followed Alec across the threshold.
I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, my eyes darting between him and Alec in a bid to see if he’d spilled my nefarious secrets, but his face gave nothing away.
“Jackson, have you met Kiera’s daughter, Billie?”Alec asked, ignorant of the way Jackson was staring at me.
Like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to rip my clothes off or rip my heart from my chest.
He tore his eyes away, a genuine smile lifting his beautiful lips.“We haven’t been properly introduced, but from the top she’s got on, I reckon we’ll be the best of friends before the night's over.”
An enormous smile lit up Billie’s face as she glanced down at the hockey shirt she was wearing. In the past few years, she’d become obsessed with hockey, and her favorite team was the Vegas Golden Knights.“You like the Knights too?”
“You bet,” Jackson replied. “Unlike your uncle.”
Billie rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip.“I know. How can Uncle J think the Sharks are better than the Knights?”
He snorted.“Your Uncle J is an idiot.”
“Yup, you can saythatagain,”Billie retorted, and I couldn’t stop the smirk from creasing my lips at her sass,eventoward someone she’djustmet.“Who’s your favorite player?”
Jackson tapped his lips.“Hmm. That’s a tough one. Think I’ll have to go with Stone. What about you?”
“Easy. Noah Hanifin.”
“That’s ‘cos youlurvehim,”Alec interrupted, mocking Billie for her schoolgirl crush.
Her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. Never in my life had I wanted to rush across the room to wrap my hands around his throat and choke the life out of him for embarrassing her. From the glare Jackson shot Alec, I figured he felt the same way.
“I don’t blame you, kiddo,”Jackson said, reaching out to squeeze Billie’s shoulder.“Thatman is fine.”
He threw a wink at her, and the frown on her face lifted to a conspiratorial smile at Jackson. Warmth flooded my body at the way she was looking at him, and a sudden rush of emotion soared through me, causing a lump to clog my throat.
When I was younger, I’d always imagined having kids with Jackson, and they’d look up at him in the same way Billie was rightthen.
Tears stabbed my eyes, and I turned away before anyone could see them, my heart breaking at the knowledge I’d never have kids with Jackson.
Or anyone else, for that matter.
Dinner was an interesting affair. On multiple occasions, Alec attempted to get Jackson talking about investments, but each time, Jackson dismissed him, focusing his attention on Billie.
By the time the main course was finished, I had a feeling Jackson had achieved what he said he would: become the best of friends with Billie. The two of them laughed and talked together, discoveringthatnot only did they follow the same hockey team, but they liked the same music and TV shows.
While I couldn’t help but appreciate the effort he was putting in to get to know her, the barbs around my chest tightened with every giggle Jackson pulled from Billie. In a different world, a different lifetime, this was the kind of happiness I could have given my daughter.
And had for myself.
After I’d cleared the plates, Billie asked if she could be excused to go to her room, telling methatshe was too full for dessert. Hardly surprising, given she polished off two helpings of pot roast.
Alec was only too keen for her to disappear, no doubt hoping to nail Jackson down to a conversation about money. Sure enough, the second the door closed behind Billie, he slid into the vacant chair next to Jackson.
“So,then. Let’s talk. What are you-”The blaring ringtone of his phone cut him off. He muttered a curse under his breath as he pulled the phone out, a deep frown creasing his brows.“Shit. I’m sorry, but I need to take this. It’s a contact calling from Singapore, and Ireallyneed to talk to him.”
“Go for it,”Jackson said, leaning back in his chair and giving me a deviant smirk.“I’m sure Kiera can keep me entertained for a while.”
Alec clapped him on the shoulder.“Thanks, man. I shouldn’t be long. No longer than ten, maybe fifteen minutes.”Not waiting for a response from Jackson, he answered the phone and headed out of the kitchen, likely going to his office to talk in private.
Ignoring Jackson’s burning gaze, I loaded the dishwasher before pulling the cherry pie out of the oven. My body tensed when an intoxicating presence surrounded me as Jackson pressed his chest against my back. Placing his hands on either side of me to rest against the counter, I was trapped. His nose nuzzled into the crook of my neck as he inhaled deeply, and my breath caught when his hardness rested against my ass.
