Page 114 of Make It Without You

“That’s good,” Emily says but hesitates. “And Chelsea? Any word on her?”

“She’s petitioning to get her parental rights reinstated.” Saying it aloud makes me as angry as when Max told me she filed.

Emily huffs out a heavy exhale. “I’ll have no faith in the justice system if any judge reinstates her rights. Claiming you want to be a mother doesn’t erase the fact that she left. She willingly left you and Dylan.”

I turn to Emily. “I love that you’re so passionate about this.”

“I’m passionate about parents wanting their kids,” she claims.

“I know you are.”

“What does Dylan know?” Emily asks and moves forward to lean on the center console.

“Not much. I’m doing my best to shield him from the worst.”

“That’s what makes you an incredible father.”

“Thanks, baby,” I say and lean forward to kiss her on the forehead. My stomach droops with butterflies. Yes, men get butterflies. “So what do we do now?”

“Well, first I need to alert the school that I’m dating a student's father. And then we take it slow until your court date.”

I loop a tendril of her hair around my finger. The silky smooth fibers slip through my fingers. “And then what?”

“I’m putting the ball in your court,” Emily tells me with a smile.

“So if I ask you to move in again, are you going to say no?”

“Ask me again in two months,” she volleys back and leans forward, sealing our lips together. My hand slides into the hair at the nape of her neck and I hold her there as I claim her mouth for the second time tonight. Emily is putty in my hands as my tongue slides between her lips. The moan she lets out when our tongues dance is still one of my favorite sounds from her.

My other hand travels down her torso and my thumb finds her pointed nipple threatening to be touched through her shirt. I apply pressure with my thumb and swallow down Emily’s gasp. I almost come in my pants when she sucks my bottom lip between her teeth.

I fly back from her because this is not how I want our reunion to be. “Okay, that’s enough.”

“You started it,” she says. Her eyes are wild and her lips are swollen from my assault.

“I know. And now I’m stopping it.”

“Ever the gentleman,” she states as she bends and gets her purse.

“Stay the night this weekend.”

She leans forward and pecks my lips. “Yes.”

It’s beenthree days since Emily knocked me on my ass and came back into my life. When I got home from dropping her off, Jenny assumed something good happened based on the smile that wouldn’t leave my face.

Now I’m picking Dylan up from school which is rare as he chooses to ride the bus. I’m standing at the front of my truckwaiting for him to appear. The bell ringing from the school sounds and my heart races. Is Emily on pick-up duty? This really is something we should discuss. Because getting even a small glimpse of her in her element is such a mind trip.

The school doors open and surprisingly, he's the first one out. His backpack flops against his back as he runs to my truck.

“Did you run out of class, buddy?” I ask him.

“No.”

“Okay,” I say and move to open his door for him. I take his backpack and let him climb up. Popping his bag in the middle seat, I close the door and round the truck. As soon as I open the door, I see Emily standing there with kids swarming around her as they walk to their parents' cars. She wears a long skirt with a cream sweater tucked into the front and what Jenny calls “booties” on her feet. If I could take her picture without looking like a creep I would, so I send her a wink instead and get a bashful smile out of her. Emily sends a small, last-minute wave as I pull away from the curb and head to the house.

“Hey, Dylan?” I ask when we’re almost home and look at him in the rearview mirror.

“Yeah, Daddy?”

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