Page 76 of The Single Dad

The first call I need to return is from a long-time client, looking to expand his portfolio—simple enough. The second call is from a new legal consultant, who we’ve been considering hiring to help our firm’s work become more transparent.

While I’m on each of these calls, I wander around my desk, too restless to stay still. I take notes, and after I hang up, I diligently peruse my notepad, copying everything I’ve written down into an email, which I send to Kerry.

As I’m transcribing, I find that my typical focus is hard to maintain. Thoughts of Riley keep creeping into my head.

The way her hair looked in the shower, silky and dark with the water, trailing down her back like liquid as I fucked her against the tiled wall.

The look on her face as she rode me, her head flying back in ecstasy—moments before I flipped her over, unable to hold myself back any longer, and pounded into her tight pussy.

The way her eyes roll and her mouth falls open as she comes—

I take my hands off the keyboard, swiveling my chair to face the early morning sky. I’m half hard already, just from these snapshot memories.

I shake my head, take a deep sip of my cooling coffee, and blink rapidly. Focus. Come on, man. You’re at work.

I manage to keep myself on-task until ten o’clock, when my personal cell rings in my pocket. I scowl, irritated at the interruption, until I check the screen and see that the call is coming from Declan.

Oh, well. Might as well take a short break, anyway.

I answer the call, standing up. If I’m going to take a few minutes away from my work, I might as well keep myself moving somehow.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Cole,” says Declan. “You’re not busy, are you?”

I laugh, and he laughs, too. We both know how it is; it’s rare to find a time when either of us isn’t busy.

“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Sorry if I pulled you away from something.”

“It’s fine,” I say with a shrug. “My next meeting isn’t until noon, and I’ve been light on calls this morning, so I can talk for a bit. What’s up?”

“I wanted to ask you if you were down for a poker night soon,” Declan says. There’s a little bit of reproach in his tone, and I think I might know why.

Guiltily, I begin to pace up and down next to the huge windows, eyeing the tiny cars crawling up and down the street below. “Uh, of course.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen you,” Declan adds.

There it is. I cough a little, not willing to admit the reason why my nights have been booked solid for the past couple of weeks—I’ve been with Riley pretty much every single night since our arrangement began.

“Yeah,” I say. “Well. It’s been crazy over here. Haven’t had much time to myself lately.”

“Whatever you say, man,” Declan says. He’s not like Reed, who would’ve grilled me endlessly. Declan is just as intuitive, and probably knows something’s up, but he’s not really the type to pry. “Just thought it would be good to get the boys together. Is there a night that works for you?”

“Sure, sure. You know, now that I have the nanny, we could meet wherever you guys want.” Typically, especially when Archie was younger, I would host poker night at my house. That way, I could still be around the kid and keep an eye on him.

“Oh, right! I totally forgot about that,” Declan says. “Good for you, figuring out the nanny situation. How’s she working out?”

“Not bad, all things considered,” I reply, keeping my voice light so as not to accidentally imply anything. It’s probably for the best if I don’t mention the fucking. “She’s good at it. Um. Good with kids, that is.”

“That’s great. Listen, I have to get going, but—how does Friday sound? My place. Eight.”

“That’s perfect.”

“Awesome. Can you do me a favor and give Reed a call to let him know?”

“Sure thing,” I say.

“See you then.”

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