Page 40 of Single Dad's Second Chance

I heard the regret in his tone. That maybe if we hadn’t rushed to come here, we could’ve continued with what we had been doing at my place.

“He could wake up yet and ask for me,” I said.

“Yeah. But don’t feel like you have to stay all night for him. I bet he’ll sleep well.”

I set the kitchen towel down on the counter and walked up to him. His stare stayed locked on me with every step I took. I hadhis full attention, and after his making me come earlier, I felt charged and wired to revisit that sensation.Withhim this time.

“Do you want me to stay foryou?” I asked. The second the words left my mouth, I felt slightly anxious. I was being as direct as possible, putting it all on the line.

He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer until my chest was flush against his. “Yes.” He looked me dead in the eye as he stated that one word clearly. Then he followed it up with a heady kiss. “I want you to stay. For me.”

Oh, my God.I would melt. He was incinerating me, making all my dreams come true like this.

All I’d wished for was to stay with him, to truly, deeply feel like I was far more than “just an employee” for him.

As he led me toward his room, I held my breath and tried to bottle in all the excitement brimming over.

“I appreciate your even wanting to come over the way you did,” he said as he turned to close the door to his masculine room. It was huge, bigger than my teeny apartment, but it somehow felt smaller when I faced him.

Henry had always been larger than life, but in the private security of his room, he seemed to loom even bigger, more of a force to contend with.

“I know I’ve said it before,” he said softly as he walked up to me and backed me up to the bed, “but I’m very grateful for how you let Jason into your heart.”

“How could I not? He’s a great kid.”

“He is.” He set his hands on my sides and lifted me to toss me on the bed. As I bounced a bit on the mattress, smiling up at him, he joined me. Leaning on one hand, I watched as he crawled closer to relax with me. “And you’re a great woman to be so inclusive and welcoming of him.” He dropped closer, kissing me tenderly. “It wasn’t easy to give up what we were doing at your place to rush here.”

“I would always rush to help him,” I said, meaning every word.

“I know.” He smiled, gazing at me with so much adoration in his eyes. “It’s meant a lot to me. Being a single parent isn’t easy.”

“You’re doing the best you can, though.”

He sighed, lowering his gaze. “I try,” he admitted.

For the next hour or so, we talked. And talked. He explained all the ways he worried he wasn’t doing a good job of being Jason’s parent, and that segued into talking about his dad pushing him to find a woman to settle with. That opened up a line into a conversation about Ann, and even his ex, Jason’s mother. Late into the night, we simply lay there, content with each other’s company, and talked. About everything and anything, but notus.

“I’m not sure about opening Fifty now.” He lay back and rubbed his face.

“The club in Miami?” I asked, leaning over him more to see his face. I rested on my right elbow to watch his expressions.

“Yeah. If opening it now will prevent me from giving Jason what he needs, maybe it should wait.”

Henry did travel, but overseeing a new location opening in Florida would require more trips.

“Ever since Ann made that fucking comment about a boarding school, he’s been more anxious.”

“I bet Jason could come on some trips. And when you’re gone, Laura and I could keep him company.”

He nodded but didn’t smile. “I know. But…” He shook his head. “I can’t even find the dancer I want to hire. The dancer I saw who could star there.”

Mentally, I cringed. He was saying he couldn’t findme. This should’ve been a moment where I could open up and tell him the truth. That it was me he wanted to hire for Fifty. But I didn’twant to throw in the complication of having to own up to lying to him for so long.

“You can find other dancers.”

“No.” He frowned, looking up at me. “I want her.”

Oh, boy.Pride filled me, but the funk of lying to him soured it.

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