Page 15 of Totally Off Limits

As always, it was no use arguing with her mother. So Sierra took Mia’s hand, kissed her mother on the cheek, and said, “I’ll take it under advisement. For now, though, I just want to get home.” And, as she sped down the highway back toward Winchester, she knew she wouldn’t be able to get away with the headache excuse much longer. More than that, there was her daughter. Maybe not now, but there would soon come a time when Mia would be able to tell grandma therealreasons why they weren’t at the Hayden household 24/7.

Like Sierra’s schoolwork.

And Mickey, even if only for a short time.

But she thought she could get away with it for a little longer. And she planned to, consequences be damned.

But now, as she stared at those fucking chicken breasts mocking her attempts at serving the sort of food her mother would have, she wondered why she hadn’t just picked up some takeout.

Of course, that was when the doorbell rang.

At least she’d had time to change out of her scrubs and take a two-minute shower.

Mia looked up from her spot on the floor near the table where she’d been playing with Mega Bloks. “Mama’s gonna go get the door. You wanna come?”

Mia nodded, standing up, and Sierra felt a knot clench her gut. Mickey hadn’t had much chance to look at her daughter at the wedding, but here for a few hours he’d have unfettered access. Fortunately, the bows in her daughter’s hair and the pink dress emphasized Sierra’s features on her face.

That was what she’d assured herself, at any rate.

But if he asked any questions, she had lies prepared to throw him off the scent. Just because Sierra could see Mickey every time she looked at Mia didn’t mean he’d feel like he was looking in a mirror when he gazed upon her. The child had the Hayden nose—Roman and unafraid—which meant it overshadowed just about everything else on her face…even that adorable cleft in her chin that had, without a doubt, been a gift from her father.

Holding Mia in her arm straddling her hip, Sierra gave her a tiny kiss on her nose before walking through the short hallway toward the front door. “Mommy loves you, Mia.” The small condo was nothing like the palatial estate her parents owned, but it was hers—and that was all that mattered. There was plenty of room for her and Mia, which was all she’d wanted.

Besides…they weren’t going to be there forever.

Before opening the front door, Sierra glanced in the mirror hanging on the wall beside it. With her free hand she smoothed her hair a bit and opened her mouth to check her teeth and decided that, even though she looked tired, she was presentable. No beauty queen, but she never had been.

After unlocking the deadbolt, she turned the knob and pulled the door open—and there he stood. Mickey Morton. Not just the clichéd sight for sore eyes, but so much more. Handsome from head to toe, he exuded an optimism nowadays that Sierra didn’t recall from the past—although she and Mickey had never been close friends, so maybe he’d always been that way.

Her biggest connection to him was that one night…the night that had resulted in the child she now held closely—and so, even though he would never know, Sierra would always be eternally grateful to the man.

Seeing him in the flesh made it hard to forget that steamy night.

He wore faded blue jeans, not too tight, and a Slipknot t-shirt that, while also not too snug, still managed to emphasize his pecs. And the facial hair was meant to look scruffy, like he didn’t care, but Sierra could tell that it was carefully maintained. And that goddamned cleft. If she weren’t holding Mia, it would have been nearly impossible holding herself back from attacking him.

Even that wasn’t true, though. It wasn’t Mia holding her back. It was Sierra’s mother. Mickey wasn’t and never would be a suitable suitor for her.

But one dinner wouldn’t hurt a thing—and what her mother didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

“Thanks for coming, Mickey.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” As he stepped through the open doorway, he leaned over and grinned at the child in her arms. “Mia, right?” When Sierra nodded, he said, “You are like a beam of sunshine.” Mia smiled in response as he closed the door and then turned back again. “And maybe you were shy the other night, but you don’t seem afraid at all now.” He shifted his eyes to Sierra. “Maybe it was all the commotion and people at the reception.”

“She tends to be a little shy—but she likes you.” God…if only he knew.

“That’s just because she’s picking up on my chill vibes.”

“Maybe so.” She started walking toward the back of the house where the kitchen was located while Mickey followed.

“I used to say I was never gonna have kids, but this little cutie has me rethinking that.”

Oh, God. If only he knew.

“I have to warn you we’re probably gonna be eating mac and cheese out of a box.” When she got to the pile of plastic blocks by the table, she gently set Mia down so she could return to playing—but Mia didn’t seem quite as interested now.

“I’ll eat whatever you feed me.”

One thing Sierra’s memory hadn’t forgotten was how damn sweet Mickey was. Just a genuinely nice guy. She knew he wasn’t that way with everyone—after all, she’d witnessed a particularly brutal high school fight with him and the kid who’d pushed too hard too many times—but he’d always been a beautiful soul around her.

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