“This is me being insanely attracted to you and wanting to spend time with you, without my minion present. This is me wanting to date you. It’s that simple.”
“Well, when you put it that way.” Kayla’s face softens, and the look she gives me is filled with wonder.
I can’t stop myself from leaning down to kiss her, but before my lips can reach her skin, a sweaty little boy throws himself onto my lap.
“Daddy! Are you gonna kiss Kayla?” Toby’s voice is jarringly loud.
I huff out a sigh and Kayla giggles under her breath. Reluctantly I let go of her hand so I can hold on to my wriggling son.
“So what if I was?” I ask Toby and I’m curious as to what he’ll say. He simply shrugs, then climbs down and grabs Kayla’s hand.
“Kayla, come push me on the swings, please?”
She looks at me to make sure it’s okay, but of course it is. I’m a little stunned, actually, at how quickly Toby has connected with her. In the back of my mind is a warning that I need to be careful. If my son gets too attached and then she leaves, it’ll be hell. But that’s not something I want to worry about right now. We stand up and walk to the swing set. Kayla goes over and starts pushing Toby, and he launches into another story about his favorite cartoon. I stand back a bit and every so often Kayla glances over at me with a smile. It’s such a normal, domestic situation; a couple with a child at a park. Yet it’s unlike anything Toby and I have ever experienced. He’s never been to a playground with me and a woman because there’s never been a woman important enough for me to warrant her being in his life. Kayla may have come into our lives in an unconventional way, but it already feels like she was meant to be here with us all along.
And that is both terrifying and exhilarating.
Eventually, Toby tires and we turn to walk home. Kayla’s got plans to have dinner with her sisters and I really should spend some time with my son at home, settling in. But when we get to our apartment building, I’m seized by irrational panic. I don’t want today to end. But my kid is getting restless and cranky, and I can see in Kayla’s face that she might need a moment to process. Even if we haven’t done anything more than hold hands and exchange some heated whispers, I know she feels the intensity the same way I do.
We’re standing just outside the door and Toby is verging on meltdown status. Guess it’s been a big day for him, too.
“Can I call you tonight?” I run my hand through my hair, hoping that I don’t come across as overeager again.
Kayla nods eagerly. “I’d like that.”
I grin. “Perfect. I’ll call you later.”
She smiles back at me and it sends a punch of warmth to my heart. Then she squats down to Toby’s level and offers her hand for a high five.
“Hey little dude, I’m really glad you ran into me on the ferry. It made for a super fun day.”
Toby throws himself into her arms, foregoing the high five for a hug, and even if it isn’t manly of me to admit, I melt. He’s an affectionate kid, but there’s something about him easily going to the woman I’m interested in that feels really fucking good.
“Bye Kayla, thanks fow pushin’ me on the swing.”
When she stands up, I grab Toby’s hand, and with my other arm I reach out and pull her in for a brief hug. I can’t help myself, so I press a gentle kiss to her cheek. Her answering blush is sexy as hell and I feel my cock stirring in my pants. Thankfully, it isn’t noticeable.
“Okay, guys, I’ll see you around soon.” She gives us a wave, then heads off down the road toward the inn.
Once she’s out of sight, Toby starts tugging me to the front door. “C’mon Dad, I’m hungwy, I need a snack.”
Dad duty calls. And that douses the arousal that had spiked from the contact of my lips on her cheek, like a bucket of water on a campfire.
6
Kayla
A few hours later, I drive over to Tawny’s house for dinner. Ella texted me earlier to say Marcus wouldn’t be joining us — something about an overseas work call he has to deal with. Part of me wishes he would be there as a buffer with my sisters, but at the same time, I don’t really know him that well yet. Maybe it’s best he doesn’t see the breakdown I’m certain is coming.
Tawny still lives in the house we grew up in after our parents died. She was nineteen at the time and on the mainland for college; Ella and I were seventeen and just finishing high school. My grandmother moved in with us so that Tawny could finish her associate’s degree in hotel management, then she moved back to the island and back into this house. Grandma moved out and now spends half the year in Arizona as a snowbird. When she’s on the island, she stays at the inn.
Ella and I both wanted out of this house as soon as possible. Too many sad memories in it. But Tawny declared she wouldn’t part with it. To be fair, since she came back after college, she’s done a lot of updating and remodeling. With different paint and furniture, it isn’t all that similar to our childhood home anymore.
When I walk in the door, I can smell the scent of Tawny’s famous garlic chicken. Well, it’s famous in our family at least. It’s an old recipe of my mom’s and my absolute favorite dish. I start to salivate just thinking about it, it’s been so long since I tasted it.
My sisters are in the kitchen and I notice a bottle of wine on the counter with three glasses.
“Three glasses?” I ask, looking at Ella. I know she and Marcus have talked about starting a family soon.
