Page 41 of My Not So Wicked Boss (My Not So Wicked 3)

When Miles was done cooling down Henry’s food, he thoughtfully turned his attention back to Chloe. “Tell me, Chloe, are you enjoying school?”

Chloe tore off a piece of roll. “For the most part I love it, except math.”

“Ah, arithmetic, the bane of my existence,” Miles commiserated with her.

“It’s a pain. I really don’t care what x equals,” Chloe commented. “I like creative writing, though, and PE.”

“You’re a writer?” Miles was very interested.

She tossed her head from side to side. “Not really. I’ve had to write some short stories for school, and in sixth grade my poem about the janitor won a contest.”

I smiled thinking of that sweet poem. I had saved it along with the award. However, I had to say that sometimes the traits of Leland’s that came out in Chloe worried me. Thankfully she wasn’t writing angsty teen poems and songs yet. But she did have a knack for writing. She had even asked me if she could take guitar lessons. I told her no because we couldn’t afford it, but that was only part of the reason. I didn’t want her to be like Leland. Not even the few good parts he had to him.

“Your janitor?” Miles asked, surprised.

“Mr. Smith. He’s the coolest. He’s blind but he can see you. He even knew all our names.”

Miles tilted his head. “How so?”

“He memorized our voices and how we walk. He said everyone has a different footstep. That’s cool, right?” Chloe popped the piece of bread in her mouth.

“Very cool. I’d love to read this poem.”

“I have a copy,” I offered.

“I look forward to it.” Miles took the ladle from me and dished his own plate. “So, do you like to read too?” he asked Chloe.

“I love the Harry Potter books.” Her eyes brightened with a thought. “Do you know J.K. Rowling?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Jo is a lovely woman.”

Chloe sighed dreamily. “You’re so lucky.”

“That I am.” Miles winked at me.

That wasn’t a flirty wink, right? And he meant he was lucky because he knew the most famous author of our time? I’m sure that’s what he meant because we were keeping this professional. I signed a contract and everything. Just to make sure I didn’t draw attention to it or my internal fretting, I did what any woman would do when one of the most beautiful men alive possibly winked at you, I started shoveling food into my mouth.

“This is fantastic.” Miles pointed at his stew with his spoon.

“Mmm,” Henry agreed.

I swallowed down my rather large bite. “I’m glad you like it.”

“We should do this more often,” Miles suggested.

I looked at every face around the table. Two, I was more than fond of. One, I didn’t want to be, but I had a feeling he was going to do his best to make that difficult. “I would like that.” That was the truth. Besides, my mom said I would have to open up some to teach Miles how to be a good father.

“I’m happy to hear that.” Miles turned from me and mussed Henry’s hair before trying to wipe his messy face. He had no idea how happy that made me, and Sophie too.

After helping Chloe with homework and getting Henry bathed, I met Miles in Henry’s room. Henry was looking adorable in his striped little man pajamas and combed back wet hair. Miles looked unsure about what he should do. It made me wonder what he had been doing before I entered the picture. I waved him over to the bed that Henry was now jumping on. I grabbed his cuteness midair and kissed his belly until he was giggling uncontrollably. I loved that sound. Selfishly, I wanted to keep on doing it, but I handed Henry over to Miles who was now sitting on the bed like me. “Uncle’s turn.”

Miles took Henry and held him out and away from him for a second, looking at him like he was a foreign object.

I cleared my throat and with my eyes and head gestures, I tried to tell him what he should do.

Henry helped him out and wrapped his arms around Miles’s neck. Shelby would have called it a precious scene. I would have agreed with her. Miles relaxed and put his arms around Henry and held him close. He naturally rubbed his back. Miles looked over Henry’s shoulder at me, his eyes asking if he was doing a good job.

I mouthed, “You’re doing great.”

That earned me his smoldering smile. The organs in my body certainly liked it. Heart was zinging more than stinging and my stomach was swishing. I reminded them both he was my boss and we all really needed to become immune to his charm.

I pulled the covers back on Henry’s bed.

Miles kissed the top of Henry’s head before laying him down.

I pulled up the covers and tucked him in tight with his teddy. “What should we read tonight?” I asked Henry.

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