Page 34 of Perfect Imperfections

At the thought of his ex, his mood soured a little. Something must have shown on his face because he felt Ellie’s hand softly grip his. He glanced up into concerned eyes.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah.” He did his best to smile. “I just sometimes wonder if I’m doing enough for her. If I’m enough for her.”

“You’re a wonderful father, Sullivan. You love that girl with all your heart. That’s all she needs. Well, that and a roof over her head. And I gotta tell ya, this is a really nice roof.”

He chuckled along with her. Amazed yet again at the wonders of Ellie Clark. The woman was truly something special.

“It’s getting late,” she said, glancing at the clock on the microwave. “I should probably go.”

“Let me walk you to your car.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary—”

“Please.”

“I’m parked in your driveway.”

“Good, then it won’t be a far walk. I shouldn’t leave the property while my daughter is sleeping.”

She shook her head but laughed softly. “Very true.”

He laced his fingers through hers, walking to the front door and leaving it open as they walked hand in hand to her small coupe parked in his driveway. She hit the fob, unlocking the car and pulled her hand from his to open the door. He immediately missed the soft warmth of her palm.

“Goodnight, Sullivan.”

A slight breeze picked up, blowing a few strands of her hair into her face. He reached out, brushing the dark tresses across her smooth cheek and tucking them behind her ear. He could feel the rapid beat of her pulse as his fingers trailed down her neck. Her sudden sharp inhale sounding piercingly loud in the stillness of the dark night. Her eyelids dropped, a needy haze entering her dark brown eyes.

“Goodnight, Ellie.”

He stood still as a statue, wondering if she would make a move, lean in, ask for a kiss. But she didn’t. Instead, she gave him another soft smile and got into her car, starting the engine, and giving a little wave as she backed out and pulled away into the night. Sullivan let out the breath he was holding, disappointment and exhilaration filling him all at once. He wanted Ellie, and he was pretty sure she wanted him. But there was no need to rush. They’d figure this out. Whatever the hell this was. Because he knew one thing for sure, good things were worth waiting for and Ellie was one of the best damn things he’d run across in a long time.

CHAPTER 12

“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!”

Sullivan groaned when a ridiculously sharp, pointy elbow stabbed him in the back as Charlotte flung herself on him in excitement.

“Wake up, Daddy. It’s time for my party!”

Cracking one eye open, he glanced at the bedside clock. “It’s six in the morning, kiddo. Your party isn’t for another eight hours.”

He never understood how Charlotte could wake up at the butt crack of dawn on the weekends, but on school days, he could barely drag her out of bed before seven. Made no damn sense.

“Daaaaaaaddyyyyyy!”

Tiny hands tugged at his T-shirt. Knowing there was no way he would get any more sleep this morning, he reached behind him, securing an arm around his daughter as he jumped out of bed.

“Yay! Pony ride!”

Charlotte squealed with glee as he hopped around the room, her little arms clinging tightly to his neck, almost to the point of suffocation. He didn’t care. He’d gladly forego oxygen if it got his little girl to laugh.

After ten minutes, he needed a break. At thirty-five, he was beginning to feel all the aches and pains of his creeping age. He kept in shape—wouldn’t be much of a doctor if he told his patients to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself—but sometimes he swore having a kid aged him ten years. Charlotte seemed to drain him, gaining more energy with every ounce he spent.

“Okay, cowgirl. It’s breakfast time.”

“Yay, pancakes!”

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