Page 60 of Perfect Imperfections

“Yeah.” Ellie knew the score. She agreed this wouldn’t turn into anything long term.

Gavin snorted. “Famous last words before the mighty fall.”

Dammit, he’d had one of the best nights in a long time and now his brother had gone and…dimmed the glow by bringing up his ex and relationships and shit. His post-orgasmic high had turned into a dull, pounding headache.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, jackass? Like your own home?”

Downing the rest of his drink, Gavin rose, stretching his long limbs. “Yeah. I do. You’re welcome, by the way, for watching Charlotte while you could get your freak on.”

“There was no freakiness involved tonight.” Just mind-blowing, body-melting, earth-shattering sex.

“Then you’re doing it wrong.” His brother shook his head, making his way to the front door.

“Thanks for tonight, Gavin.” He appreciated the help his brother handed in raising Charlotte. Especially in the first few years of her life. Without Gavin, he didn’t know if he would have made it through those difficult times.

His brother nodded, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “Anytime. You know that. I love Charlotte and you’re alright too, I guess.”

Rolling his eyes, he embraced his little brother before shoving him out the door.

“Go get some sleep, jackass.”

Giving a middle-fingered salute, Gavin got in his car and drove off. Once he’d closed and locked the door, Sullivan headed up the stairs to check in on Charlotte. Her bedroom door was cracked open, as she preferred. He glanced in, heart catching as the small shaft of light from the hallway fell across her angelic sleeping face. It hurt to look at her sometimes. He loved her with every ounce of his being. Even when she misbehaved or threw a tantrum—he wanted to put her in her room and down a tumbler of scotch in peace, but he still loved her.

She was his world from the moment she’d come screaming into it.

“Daddy?”

Her sleepy voice came from the dimly lit room.

“Yeah, Angel. It’s me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

He slipped into the room, coming to kneel at the side of her bed. One tiny fist rubbed at sleepy eyes. He noticed she was wearing her Wonder Woman pajamas. Uncle Gavin’s influence, no doubt. His brother still loved superheroes and shared that love with his niece. Sullivan didn’t mind. Wonder Woman was awesome.

“Did you have fun with Ellie?”

“How did you know I was with Ellie?” He hadn’t told his daughter about his date—he’d chickened out, honestly and simply said he was going out.

“Uncle Gavin told me. He said you and Ellie went out on a date. Does that mean you kissed her?”

He was going to kill his brother.

“Yeah, I was with Ellie. We had a very nice night.”

“Are you going to get married? Is she going to be my new mommy?”

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. First, his brother grilled him and now his daughter. Couldn’t a guy just enjoy a nice evening with a lady friend anymore without it turning into wedding bells and happily-ever-afters?

“Whoa, slow down there, Angel. Ellie and Daddy are just friends.” Not true. They were more than that. What exactly, he didn’t know, but he knew one thing for sure. Charlotte came first.

“I like Ellie, Daddy.”

“I do too.”

He did like Ellie, a lot, but marriage was something never wanted again. He’d already failed one wife. What’s saying he wouldn’t do it again? He didn’t want to put Charlotte through the pain of losing another mother.

He and Ellie were just having fun. They’d agreed. It wasn’t more than that. It couldn’t be.

“I’m tired again, Daddy,” Charlotte sighed, snuggling El the elephant in close to her chest.

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