Page 47 of Auctioned to Dr. Daddy

Relief washes over me. “Really?”

“Yes,” he says. “Does that mean this counts as a date?”

“I mean, only if you want it to,” I tell him.

With our goodies in hand, we start making our way back to the paddock. Even from the porch, it’s easy to see that Tabitha is right where we left her, hunched over her coloring book.

“I think that I want to take you out somewhere nice, somewhere better than this, on our first date,” Nathan says.

“Doesn’t the auction count?”

“Not even close.”

“Alright,” I say. “You can treat me somewhere nice for the first real date.” I unhook the latch on the gate and let it swing open. “But then I want you all to come by here more often.’

From where she’s sitting on the ground, Tabitha’s head snaps up. “Are we gonna come out here more?” And then she sees the food. “Oh wow! I want a cupcake!”

I glance over at Nathan for approval and get a nod from him. It’s the most enthusiastic that I’ve seen Tabitha. “Alright, one cupcake, coming up.”

Sitting down cross-legged next to her, I open the cupcake container and pull one of the pastries out. She takes it and peels the paper off with her chubby hands. Tabitha eats the cake first, and then the icing.

Across from us, Nathan pops open the container of meats and rolls a slice of salami around a slice of pepper jack. He pops it in his mouth and then leans forward, using his thumb to swipe icing off my lower lip.

“You missed this,” he says, keeping his hand held out and offered to me.

Gaze bright, I swipe it off the pad of his thumb with my tongue and try hard not to laugh. Maybe a few of my concerns were unfounded.

At least, some of them. And maybe he’s right. I glance over at a smiling, happy Tabitha, and think that I might be alright with kids after all.

Chapter Twenty-One

Nathan

“You’resurethatyoudon’t mind watching Tabby tonight?” I ask, still standing in the doorway of my penthouse suite.

“I’m sure,” insists Demi. Her blouse hugs her form perfectly, and there’s a determined glint in her eye. I get the feeling that this is maybe more about just doing a favor for me than I realize. “I know you said that being in charge of kids made you nervous.”

Demi nods. That glint gets even brighter. “It does. But I want to see if you’re right, if I’ve got a natural knack for it after all. And Tabby’s such a good girl, I don’t think that we’re going to have any trouble.”

I don’t either. That’s the only reason why I agreed to let Demi come up and watch her. I trust her. She’s a smart woman, she’s great with patients, and she was great with Tabitha when we had the picnic last weekend.

And Tabitha’s always well-behaved for the sitter.

“Just promise to call me if you have any issues,” I say.

Demi crosses two fingers. “Promise.”

A fond smile curls over my face. I can’t resist; she’s perfectly kissable.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I lean in and press a kiss to her lips. My tongue swipes over her lower lip playfully and then I pull back, knowing that I can’t let myself get too carried away, or I’ll end up late for my meet-up with Tyler.

So, with one last goodbye to Demi, and a wave over her shoulder to Tabitha, who is busy painting, I turn and head down the hallway toward the elevator.

My brother had called earlier in the night, fit to be tied over something, and asking if we could meet up. I agreed; a big brother always steps up when he needs to, even if it’s last minute.

He wanted to meet at a place firmly between my apartment and his hotel.

Grand Tradition is a high-class, old-school bar with wood furnishings, yellow lights, and a distinct bootlegger theme to it. I’ve never been here before, but I can instantly see where the charm in a place like this might be.

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