“I did,” Rafe piped in. “Got a whole just-in-case kit in my bag.”
“Alright, then. Yes, we can go in the pool. Let’s go,” Sloan said cheerfully.
“Ladies first.”
“Thank you.” Sloan ushered Addison toward the door, with Avery still clinging to Stacia. As soon as they stepped outside, she spotted a shiny, like-new, black and gold sportbike gleaming in the late morning sun. After they got the girls settled in their car seats in the back of the Mercedes, Sloan turned around and nearly orgasmed at the sight of Rafe astride his Ducati. Lord, his legs were long and his thighs were thick. And he was completely off limits.
“There’s a Jo-Ann’s—”
“On La Cienega and Pico?”
“That’s the one.”
“I’ll see you there. Any tricks with Avery I should know about?”
“Nah, she’s just being bashful. She’s the powder keg. Just give her a few hours. She’ll be asking you to play the most cutthroat game of Marco Polo.”
Rafe nodded, his face otherwise expressionless. He lifted his helmet, a clear cue that this portion of the conversation was over and maybe Sloan should stop staring at him. Right. She climbed in the car and turned to Stacia.
“Do you mind hanging around for a few more hours? I think Avery is scared of him.”
“I’m notscared. I’m practicing stranger awareness,” Avery declared from the backseat.
Stacia smiled. “Yeah, of course.”
“Great. Ready, girls?”
“I am!” Addison yelled, before she started chanting “I love crafts! I love crafts!”
“Rafe is coming with us?” Avery asked.
Sloan looked at her daughter in the rearview mirror. “Yes, he is. Are you okay with that?”
“Yeah, I guess.” After a beat, she went on. “He’s taller than Daddy.”
“You’re right, he is,” Sloan said, choosing to ignore the loud snort Stacia failed to keep to herself.
Rafe was fucked. He knew there was a chance that Sloan Copeland would be even hotter in person. He knew from talking to her on the phone that her sweet voice might be even more intoxicating. He was dead fucking wrong. Dr. Sloan Copeland was a fucking smoke show, a twelve out of ten stunner. He couldn’t imagine what patients thought the first time they saw her approaching their hospital bed. Part of him prayed like hell that he would hate her children. Not the case.
Addison was hilarious and really in your face, but she understood her pleases and thank yous. Avery couldn’t take her eyes off of him, and even as they made their way around the craft store she refused to speak to him, choosing instead to whisper her responses to Stacia. He intimidated other adults, so he wasn’t shocked that a six-year-old was a little wary of this man popping up in her life. No, the kids weren’t a problem at all. And Dr. Sloan Fucking Copeland was a goddamn delight. Sweet, charming, considerate, and patient as hell. Addison lost her cool twice picking out crafts and toys, and Sloan calmly got her back in check with kindness and respect.
As he climbed back on his bike and followed them to the house, he didn’t even think about the way she treated him. The second he set foot in that damn McDonald’s and saw the way Sloan was looking back at him, Rafe knew he needed to shut all emotion down. If he didn’t, he knew he’d be asking her out instead of agreeing to take care of her children. Icy demeanor firmly in place, he turned his full focus to Avery and Addison, avoiding the way Sloan’s ass looked in her floral romper.
Around the seventh time that Addison asked him if she could use his shoulders as a diving board, he knew he was going to say yes to the job. He hadn’t told Sloan that he was only available to the end of the year. He’d wanted to wait and meet her first and feel out the whole situation. He was on board, but now he needed to come up with a way to watch Sloan’s children while avoiding Sloan completely. He scooped Addison up one more time and gently tossed her over his shoulders into the deep end of the pool. A few feet away, Avery was showing Sloan how long she could hold her breath underwater.
Rafe looked over as Avery’s head popped above the surface, her dark curls plastered to her forehead.
“Very good, baby!” Sloan cheered from her submerged perch on the pool steps. Her tits looked amazing in the simple orange one-piece she was wearing. “I counted to ten that time.”
“I can get to twenty,” Avery insisted as she doggy paddled over to the edge. “I want some water.”
Rafe realized then that he was pretty thirsty himself. “Hey Avery, can you show me where I can get some water too?”
“I think it would be very nice of you to show Rafe where we keep the cups,” Sloan said.
Avery considered her options for a moment. Then she climbed up the inset ladder, out of the pool, turning toward Rafe with her hands on her hips. “You have to follow me, but you have to dry off first. We can’t track water inside.”
“Deal.”
