Page 18 of Dr. Baby Daddy

“I’m going to go get showered.” I keep heading for the front door, ignoring the way he grumbles to himself as he follows me out. “And then we’re going to continue on with our lives like two adults who can sleep together and not let things get weird.”

He swallows hard and shakes his head. “At least let me get you something other than a sheet to wear for the maintenance man.”

With a triumphant grin, I change into the clothes he brings me. He may not like the thought of us spending more time together, but he isn’t going to push me away either.

Something tells me that Oliver needs someone else in his life. Someone who doesn’t let him be the grump who isolates himself from the rest of the world.

I’m going to be that person for him, even if it drives him insane.

Oliver holds open the door for me, the ghost of a smile lingering on his face. “You’re not going to let go of this going out to see the city thing, are you?”

“Not even a little bit. I’ll be back in an hour.”

He sighs but nods, standing in his doorway while the maintenance man unlocks my door and lets me in. It’s only once I’m inside my own apartment with the door locked that the heavy thud of Oliver’s door closing comes from down the hall.

I hurry to shed his clothes and add them to my laundry pile. It takes only a few moments to shower, the memories of last night still imprinted on my skin. Even after scrubbing with my favorite soap, the scent of his spicy cologne sticks to me.

As soon as I’m showered and in a fresh pair of jeans and a dark emerald blouse, I head next door. My boots click against the floor as I make my way to Oliver’s door.

To my surprise, he’s already standing outside, his hands tucked in his pockets. That small smile graces his face again when I stop in front of him. Hesitancy shines in his eyes when he looks down at me.

He clears his throat and pushes off the wall. “I was hoping that you had forgotten about going out.”

I shake my head and stride over to the staircase. “Not a chance. Lose the one opportunity I have to make a grump like me? No way.”

Oliver reaches around me to push open the door to the staircase. “I don’t not like you.”

“Let’s make a deal to be honest with each other. You might not hate me, but I doubt you like me much.”

His hand wraps around my wrist as I’m about to take the first step down. He pulls me back, his touch soft as he pushes a strand of my damp hair behind my ear. “I like you as much as I’m going to like another person.”

I laugh and shake my head as he lets go of me. “One day, you’re going to call me your best friend, and when that day comes, I’m going to need a recording of it.”

“What do you want to see today?” There’s nothing subtle about the way he changes the subject, but I’m starting to like that about him.

Oliver is blunt in a way that few people are. He says what’s on his mind and doesn’t apologize for it. Though he might be abrasive and rude at times, there’s a part of me that wants to keep digging to see what else there is to him.

I shrug as we reach the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t know. For the last couple weeks, all I’ve really seen is Broadway and The Gilded Raven. So, anything but those.”

Oliver opens the door, holding it while I step out in the bright sunlight and warm breeze. “What about Central Park?”

“Sure, why not? It’s the kind of place that you immediately think of when someone says anything about New York. I want to see what all the hype is about.”

He chuckles — the first of the morning — and heads to the street to hail a cab. A yellow cab pulls alongside the curb.

We get in the car, silent as the driver weaves through the busy Manhattan streets. Though it might have been faster to take the subway, I get to see the towering skyscrapers from the car.

When we turn onto Fifth Avenue, my heart starts to race. It’s like a scene out of a movie.

The cab stops in front of the entrance, and we get out. I’m bouncing on the balls of my feet as Oliver pays the cab fare. No sooner is the money in the driver’s hand than the car takes off, leaving us to explore New York.

“All right.” Oliver leads the way through the gates, seeming lighter with every step. “If there is one thing that you have to do when you come to Central Park for the first time, it’s the zoo.”

“I didn’t think a zoo would be something you’re interested in.”

Oliver shrugs one shoulder, his hand pressing against my lower back as he steers me into the admissions building. “I used to come here a lot with my nanny when I was younger. Nearly every Sunday morning.”

“You grew up in New York and had a nanny?”

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