Page 76 of Her Holiday Heartthrobs

Henry closes the distance inch by inch, mouth hovering so close to mine. “Don’t kick me out.”

My mouth parts to tell him that he has to go, but his thumb across my lip silences me.

“Let me stay.”

I suck in a breath, wishing with everything inside me that he could, but it’s not the right time. He needs to process this. Decide without pressure from me and Paxton what kind of dad he wants to be. I can’t make up his mind for him. And as much as he says he wants the responsibility now, I can’t hold him to it.

About to shake my head and deny him, I barely take a breath before he’s kissing me—soft, tender, full of everything I’ve always dreamed of and more.

If he doesn’t want this, it will break me, although not completely. Nothing can ruin me except for the loss of my son. Losing Henry would be a close second—now that I’ve had so much of him.

With a shaky hand, I run my fingers through his hair, cradle him to me. This kiss isn’t about sex like so many of the others have been.

This is something new. Something more.

Still, when he asks again, I remain firm. “Not tonight. You need to process this. Let it fully sink in.”

However long it takes, I don’t want to be there when the surprise wears off and turns into regret.

ELI

This is not good. It’s so not good that I’ve been in the office for hours, waiting for the bomb to drop in today’s edition ofTheBaltimore Sun.

I wipe a hand down my face as sunlight filters through the windows at my back—the ones that Paige loves to look out of in the evenings after work. When she finally lets her hair down and unbuttons the personality she only shares with us when we’re alone.

I shake myself back to the issue at hand, typing out yet another email about the pending article. A friend of mine fromThe Suncalled me a few hours ago with the scoop they were running on Rockwell International—on me, Jake, Henry…and Paige. An article he should have been able to pull, except for the picture proof included.

It’s the Shelby debacle all over again. Only now, I’m a grown man with no excuses other than how deeply in love with Paige I am. Regardless if she’s my employee or my best friend’s youngest daughter. I can’t shut it off.

And I don’t want to hide it, but this isn’t how I wanted it to come out.

Sucking in a slow breath, I force myself back from yet another derailment. I return to the drafts upon drafts of releases, emails, official comments—anything I can do to prepare for the onslaught about to hit us. We have to brief the investors, the employees…it’s time to close ranks and salvage what we can of our reputation.

Too many people rely on us to sign their paychecks and make them money, and I cannot let them down.

When Jake steps into my office, his eyes narrow on me. “You’re here early.”

And whereas I’d normally make jabs at him for being so prickly in the morning, I don’t have the energy. Don’t feel lighthearted enough to enjoy the normal banter. “Have you checked your email this morning?”

Jake frowns and pulls out his phone. “No.”

“Well, do. It’s going to be a long day.” I stare at my computer screen without seeing it as Jake opens the email I sent him when I got to the office.

He sits heavily in the chair opposite me. “They have pictures?”

“And quotes.”

“From who?”

I narrow my eyes at him this time. “Who do you think?”

His brow lifts. “Your dad?”

And as on cue Henry walking in. Perfect timing. “What did the great Eli Rockwell, Esquire do now?”

Jake lifts his phone to show Henry the article that will be live in a matter of minutes.

“What the fuck is this?” Henry asks, angry indignation taking him over.

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