Page 22 of Best Kept Secret

Before I could say more and shove my foot way down my throat, she raised her hand to silence me. "It was averynice kiss. Can we leave it at that?Please."

Women didn't usually ask me to shut up. I wasn't the kind of man you ordered around, and yet, this slender, fairy-like woman was doing precisely that, and for some reason, I didn't mind it. In fact, I liked knowing she could take charge. Would she be demanding in bed? Would she tell me how to eat her pussy? Ask me to fuck herhard?

My lips curved and my cock went rock hard. "It was aspectacularkiss, darlin'," I said seductively, and was rewarded with a sigh from Mira. "And, yeah, we can leave it at that."

Chapter 8

Mira

Ikissed Beau Bodine!

Ikissed Beau Bodine!

IkissedBeau Bodine!

I kissedBeauFreaking Bodine!

Chapter 9

Mira

Beau told me his friend, a child psychologist, Dr. Fallon Ashford, would come over after lunch.

"She just wants to meet y'all," he told me as if this was an innocuous meeting.

I was scared. After Asha died, my parents became difficult, and I had to deal with Child Protective Services checking on Pari and me—first while we were still at Asha's place, and later after I moved us into an apartment. Thankfully, the CPS caseworker, who was also Indian, had been incredibly kind and helpful. He reviewed all the information, especially Asha's will, which her lawyer had discussed with him. He assured me there was no wayour parents would get custody of Pari. But then he had to leave for India due to a family emergency, and I got a new caseworker who seemed more inclined to listen to my parents—another thing that drove me to Savannah.

Now, Beau was putting me in the same predicament. This Dr. Ashford was not a caseworker, but she seemed to be fulfilling the same role. Beau was blasé about it, but I was nervous.

"Don't worry about it," Roxy assured me when I confided my concerns about this Fallon woman. "You're an amazing parent, Mira. Don't doubt yourself. Just look at Pari—she's happy, she's healthy. You've shielded her from all the chaos you've had to deal with. You've done an incredible job."

"Tell me about this doctor," I pleaded with Roxy during breakfast.

"They've known one another for years. She and Beau dated for a hot minute…but then Beau dates a lot…or rather he has a lot of sex. They're friends now. She was married, and then got divorced. I don't know her well, Mira. I only met her a few times. But considering that Beau trusts her, I'd trust her as well. He cares about Pari and you—he's only trying to help. He's not lookin' to hurt you."

Roxy hugged me then because she could see how afraid I was, but it didn't do much to assuage my concerns.

I wanted the day to be perfect, which was probably why it ended up being a disaster. Pari had had a difficult night, and I predicted she was getting a cold.

Fallon arrived exactly when she said she would—Friday after lunch, just when the afternoon sun was baking everything into a heavy, sleepy lull. And wouldn't you have it? Pari was cranky, her little face scrunched up with exhaustion from missing her nap, and I could feel the tension in my own body rising before Fallon even stepped through the door.

Roxy had made it sound like Fallon was a footnote in Beau's life, but the way she walked into his house, so polished and poised, and the ease with which she spoke with Beau made me wonder if they were datingnow. Even in her professional clothes, she radiated control and confidence—things I wasn't and would never be. She was adoctorwith a PhD in child psychology, while I had never gone beyond high school.

She kissed Beau on his lips…the same ones I'd kissed the night before, and said something that made him laugh. I watched them from where I sat with Pari on the floor in the living room, where we'd set up a play area for my niece.

I was jealous, I realized, to my dismay. I had no right to be. Beau had kissed me,yes, but as Roxy said, he slept around a lot. Asha had said the same thing and used that as the reason to convince me as to why he hadn't wanted to be a parent.

Fallon nodded speculatively at me after introductions were made but didn't reciprocate my smile. We shook hands, and I felt like I had when I met Beau's brother and mother—I wasn't welcome. They were all only interested in Pari, which was a good thing because I wanted that for her. It didn't make it less hurtful to be sidelined.

"Hi, Pari," Fallon said in that smooth, practiced voice, kneeling down to her level with a bright smile that felt like it belonged on a magazine cover. "My name is Fallon."

Pari didn't respond. She just looked up at me, her lip trembling slightly, her little fists clutching her favorite stuffed rabbit. She was tired and probably coming down with a cold, which made her clingier than usual. But Fallon's smile didn't falter.

I tried to put on my best face, smiling down at Pari and gently nudging her toward the psychologist. "Say hello, myShona," I said softly. "Can you say Fal-lon?"

Pari shook her head and cuddled with me. She wasn't in the mood to meet people. She wasn't feeling great. She sat on my lap and tucked herself into me, not even allowing Beau close.

"I think she's getting a cold," I explained.

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