Page 21 of Paddy

“I wasn't sure if Iwantedto burden you, but I don't think my husband was thinking when he hired you, considering the morning is when I'm most productive. I wouldn't ask, but I was firm on not wanting my husband to know that I know.” Which was reasonable given how many secrets her husband likely kept from her.

“Understandable. But I wonder, if you have any time to give. There’s a place I wanted to take you.

“Me?” she questioned, coquettishly.

“Yeah, you.” Unable to fight the smile creeping from making her smile.

“Can I know where?”

“Can’t tell you. But I know a lass like you could benefit from being with me—I mean, going to the place I planned to take you,” I said, surprised at how poorly I’d minced my words. Ms.Washington was the first person who genuinely made me really nervous. Womennevermade me nervous.

“Typically, I give myself between eleven and two to break or run errands. Helps me approach my afternoon block with more enthusiasm. But I fear three hours wouldn’t be enough.” She spoke as if her answer would disappoint me.

“Three hours would be more than enough,” I assured.

“Then it's a date,” she ended with a lift of an eyebrow, all while giving me the pleasure of watching those dangerous curves prance up the stairs.

A woman like that, I'd constantly be keeping pregnant. Morning, noon and night, I'd be all over her. Ain’t no way we'd only have one kid. Vernon was clearly an eejit, because they definitely didn’t make a lot of them like Pretty.

***

Once I got settled and dressed, I used my key to head upstairs to wake Elijah. Strangely, I was starting to see myself in the kid, as knocking on his door, he was already dressed. “Hey, kid, you hungry?”

“Yeah,” he said, excited.

“You didn't give me much to do. You're so prompt and organized. Saves me time to make breakfast.” As I took his hand and led him to the kitchen table.

“You'regoing to cook the food?” Elijah asked surprised, like he’d never seen a man cook before.

“I'm not too proud to admit I can take care of myself. You see, I served this thing called a tour, and not the kind your mom does. I served this country in the army, and you learn a lot in that environment.” I continued on, shuffling through the fridge for bacon, eggs and bread.

“Like what?”

“Well, I learned how to cook for starters. Wash clothes. Probably some other stuff I'm not supposed to talk about,” saying that last part in a hushed tone. “But most of all, I learned that not every domestic thing is women's work. Just basic life skills. But don't tell your mother I said that?—”

“Don't tell your mother you said,what?” Ms. Washington’s voice caught me off guard but hadn’t startled me.

“Just what it smells like to have a man's skin melt off.” I winked in Elijah's direction.

“Yeah, you’re right. That istoographic to be explaining to a child.” She doubled down. “You're cooking him breakfast?” she asked, a confused smile lighting up Ms. Washington’s face.

“Kids gotta eat. Just don't be surprised if he prefers my cooking to yours,” I bragged, matching her smile with an up curl at the corner of my mouth, as she joined me at the stove.

Boiling the water she intended to make tea with, I tried my hardest not to notice her hips sway in that flight suit. Lord, have mercy for all the degenerate thoughts I was having of this woman in front of her son. You wouldn't be able to keep me in an office if I had a wife with a body like hers. Child bearing hips a man's thrusts could spend all day getting lost in.

Bellamy had truly been onto something.

“You'resomuch easier to talk to with a shirt on,” she murmured through gritted teeth, meant only for me to hear.

Unable to hide my snarling smile, I licked the top row of my teeth, flattered that she was still thinking about me. “Sorry to distract you,” I dragged out. “Can I offer you a plate?”

“I probably shouldn't. Bacon goes straight to my thighs,” she said, turning it down. She was saying that like it was a bad thing. “But I was wondering if you could just give me the address of the place that we planned to meet. I don't think I'll run too late, butI'm a girl of routine, so the chances of me getting there exactly at eleven are low.”

“I wouldn't expect anything less from a starlet like yourself.” One thing I knew about entertainers is that they wererarelyon time.

Slipping myself a few extra slices of bacon, I set up Elijah's plate, insisting he take his time. “Just try to be there by eleven thirty. I need you for at least an hour,” I said, as I licked the savory bacon grease that stained my fingers.

“Will an hour be enough?” She quickly questioned.

---