Page 35 of Hat Trick Holidate

I grab her hand. “I have the same ones. Do you want to see them?”

Emmaline says, “Yes, we do.”

That’s when I realize I’m in a towel and the look of desire darkens Emmaline’s green-blue eyes. When we reach my master suite, I open the door to my shoe closet and let the girls in. “I’m going to put on shorts. The Dunks are on the left, third or fourth shelf.”

Taking out a pair of underwear and shorts, I slip them on quickly and return to the closet.

“See, we have the same color. Where did you get them?” I ask Emmaline.

“There’s a sporting goods store around the corner; think it’s locally owned. We were walking past on the way to the park, and I thought tennis shoes were more appropriate for the park.”

Emmaline is a caring and sane person who knows you don’t wear patent leather shoes to play at the park. Unlike Francesca.

Jolie pulls out the Nikes that are the same as hers and then puts her feet inside my shoes and slides around. Her little feet can’t pick up size thirteen shoes.

Emmaline tips her head, and I follow her out to mybedroom. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop but was that Jolie’s mom?” she asks.

“Yeah, she’s no help. It’s sad, and I know how Jolie feels to be left. I’ll never do that to her.” Emmaline’s mouth parts as she admires my chest. “Emmaline, my eyes are up here.”

I let out a deep sigh, irritated over Emmaline putting us in the friendzone when there’s so much between us other than sex. We admire each other. Trust each other.

Emmaline is the opposite of Jolie’s piece-of-shit mother.

“Oh sorry.” She uses her pointer finger and makes a circle in front of my chest. “This is very distracting. You’re still wet and…”

“Rusti.” I shift my weight and move closer to her. “Are you thinking of how sweaty we were that night and how I made you feel?”

chapter 12

EMMALINE

Yes.

For the next week, as I’m playing games with Jolie or organizing her room the way she wants it, I think of how Bryce made me feel when we had our rendezvous so long ago.

How he still makes me feel with only his eyes, his tone of voice, and his constant praise.

“This is the best vegetable lasagna I’ve ever had.”

“You look so cute with your messy hair.”

“You’re amazing with Jolie.”

So yes, yes, yes, I’m thinking about how he makes me feel.

chapter 13

BRYCE

Watching Emmaline squirm has to be my favorite activity. It’s better than any hockey game I’ve played. We both know the attraction between us boils just under the surface and even though I want to kiss the fuck out of her every day, she’s my daughter’s nanny, and I can’t. But that doesn’t stop me from flirting and pushing her boundaries.

Emmaline Rustavelli is mine whether she knows it or not. We continue to play cat and mouse games and my relentless flirting and intimating that there’s more between us is breaking her resolve.

Do I respect that she’s putting my daughter’s needs first? Hell, yes.

What she hasn’t quite figured out yet is how good we are together. How we work as a unit to make Jolie’s life interesting, and fun while making sure she knows discipline and restraint. Like last week when we went trick or treating in the park across the street. Businesses were giving out full-size candy bars, and Emmaline said, “Pick out one candy bar or pick out three little candies for tonight.”

Jolie’s in her room playing on her tablet, so I flop onto the couch, dragging Emmaline with me. She needs to understand that we’re good together, and this attraction between us hasn’t filtered off or waned. If anything, it’s increased tenfold.

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