Page 69 of Taming the Boss

“As if I haven’t made it clear I want you here as much as you’re willing to be.”

She nudged her bag with her shoe. “You kind of haven’t made anything clear. Honestly, not one thing.”

She did have a point.

“Far as I’m concerned, you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.” I reached up to brush one of her curls behind her ear, and she smiled, glancing downward as if she was shy.

This from the girl who’d walked into my shower and stripped without a moment’s hesitation.

“I brought enough clothes for a few more days. While we’re in the trial period. You know, because it’s a new position. To make sure everything is a fit.”

“You fit me perfectly,” I murmured as she tucked Owen against her so he could lay on her chest like any little boy would with his mother. She wasn’t his mom, but the comfort she brought him was evident.

I was so grateful for her for my son’s sake—and for mine.

“Did you have dinner?” she questioned.

“No, we ate junk,” I admitted, savoring her surprised laugh. “I’d never had a meal of popsicles, but gotta say I didn’t mind it.”

She started to rise. “I can put together something quick.”

I laid my hand on her thigh, easing her back down with a nod to my already snoozing son.. “When you’re hungry, we’ll have our leftover bowls. Or we can just have the strawberries and cream, if you want something lighter.”

Her tongue peeked out between her lips. “Whatever you want.”

“I want everything.”

“Oh, is that all?” she teased.

“For starters. But it’s the oddest thing. My appetite keeps growing.”

Her lips curved. “Mine too.”

We ended up curling up on the couch with Owen between us, watching some movies on streaming. I let her pick, and her first choice was animated Spider-Man for Owen, then she landed on some musical and a rom com. I enjoyed them all.

Somewhere in the middle, she reheated our leftover bowls and we added a bit more sauce to them and dug in. It certainly wasn’t my favorite meal ever, but it was enjoyable enough—especially when we finished off the meal with the local strawberries liberally doused with whipped cream.

Feeding her with my fingers was a high point.

By the end of the third movie, her eyes were drifting closed and Owen had pretty much slept through the rest of the set once Spider-Man had ended. But I’d caught him shifting even more into her while he slept, so I was pretty sure he was content.

Even when we took him up to bed, he barely roused while we tucked him in with his stuffed animals. Before we left the room, Maddie turned on his carousel light.

As soon as we stepped into the hall, I took her hand. “Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Very much.”

“Okay. I want that too.” Then she took a step toward the stairs before turning back. “I brought condoms.”

I nodded. “Your choice.”

“Since when is it a choice? I know you’re new in town, so maybe you aren’t familiar with the Cove lore, but people get pregnant a lot here.”

“People get pregnant a lot everywhere. But I know it’s especially a thing here. I was warned right away.”

“And you have a young son, made here. You didn’t have an actual relationship, either, right?”

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