Page 65 of The Dating Pact

“Dad?”

We tore away from each other at the sound of Sebastian’s voice. I pivoted to the sink, slapping my hand to my chest, hoping to calm my racing heart, as Jude adjusted himself a second before his son crept through the doorway of the kitchen.

“Hey, buddy,” Jude said, his voice not quite steady. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“I heard…”

I chanced a glance over my shoulder to find Seb’s eyes pinging between me and his dad.

Jude draped his arm around his son’s shoulder, directing him away. “Sorry. Were we talking too loud?”

Sebastian mumbled something I couldn’t make out, and when Jude tossed me a look, I nodded in understanding. I’d have to let myself out.

Once I heard the click of the bedroom door, I bent over the counter, shaking my head, laughing quietly.

Amazing how quickly kids could put out a fire.

I found my purse and made my way to the front door, pausing briefly to see if I could hear anything from Sebastian’s room, and when I didn’t, I sent a text to Jude, informing him that I’d put the leftover pizza in the fridge.

I received a reply about an hour later.

Jude

Thanks for tonight.

My first instinct was to respond Anytime! But I refrained because I didn’t want to offer my babysitting services anytime. Not if it meant he would be going out with someone else.

No. No, thank you.

SEVENTEEN

JUDE

I’d been in Sebastian’s bed for about forty-five minutes, my head laid on a pillow propped up against the headboard and my legs crossed at the ankles, thinking about Brooke and the barely audible moans that escaped her throat as I licked into her mouth. Too much and yet not enough.

My date with Emma had been great. She was a recent divorcée with one kid and wasn’t looking to jump into anything serious. Perfect situation for me.

Except Brooke had strutted into my house with her cutoff denim shorts and loose Freddie Mercury T-shirt, worn so thoroughly I could tell her bra was purple. I’d had the urge to text Emma, call off the date, and tunnel my fingers into Brooke’s hair. She’d smelled so good, and a few hours with my head in her lap while we watched a movie sounded like the perfect night.

But that was impossible. Not with the kids around.

I already knew Amelia was attached to Brooke, and I didn’t want to put any more ideas in her head. And Sebastian? He was onto me.

So, it didn’t surprise me when he sat up, the star lights strung along the ceiling illuminating the room enough that we could see each other well. “Where did you go tonight?”

“I told you a meeting. I?—”

His face scrunched. “Was it a date?”

I couldn’t lie to him. After a harsh exhale and a scrub of my hair, I met his gaze, unflinching for a ten-year-old. “Yeah.”

That wrinkled suspicious expression turned venomous, though he stayed silent.

“Listen,” I started, unsure where I planned on going, but it didn’t matter. He flipped over, giving me his back.

But since he didn’t tell me to leave, I assumed he wanted me to stay. And I did.

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket, texting Brooke to thank her for coming over and nearly describing Seb’s reaction, but I didn’t know what to say about it. I didn’t even know how I felt about it.

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