Page 38 of Reckless Single Daddy

I chuckle, and yet I’m excited about the simplicity of it. Getting to see Cade and Liam interact in their domain sounds like the perfect night to me.

I want to learn more about Cade, but maybe me pressing him on these issues is what’s holding him back. If I just allow myself to be present in the moment, see how he navigates his life with Liam, and learn to be happy with what we have, then the rest will follow suit. I have to believe it will, because that’s the only hope I have left.

Chapter seventeen

Cade

Last night was one of the best nights I’ve had in a very long time. Sloane spent the night at the estate, and it felt so normal to have her here. Liam enjoyed it as well. It’s been a while since we’ve had a female presence in the house, and Liam liked the fact that she could hold her own in Mario Kart, something I can’t do. Watching the two of them interact felt familiar, but also new. I didn’t realize how nostalgic I’d be for that feeling of having someone I care about be present for my son.

I take advantage of being alone with her now, watching her sleep peacefully beside me. She’s curled into my body, small and perfect. My fingertips stroke her arm gently as her breathingevens out. Her nose crinkles as her beautiful ocean-blue eyes open to meet my own crystal-blue ones. I smile warmly at her, pressing her closer to my bare chest as we stay nestled under my covers. She hums softly.

“I could get used to this,” I say as she giggles into my chest, pressing a kiss to my skin.

“Are you going soft on me, Cade Hart?” she teases, and my eyes widen with a wicked, playful grin.

“Well, I sure hope not. We’d have a real problem there,” I chuckle, raising my eyebrow at my own innuendo.

Her jaw drops, and she playfully swats my arm. I tug her on top of me, pressing my lips to hers. She smiles into our kiss, and we start getting lost in the bliss of being in each other’s presence.

“You’re naughty,” she murmurs before kissing me again and pulling away as she gets up, stretching. Her tank top rises, exposing her bare skin, and I soak up the view for as long as I can.

“Only for you,” I reply as she turns around and narrows her eyes wickedly.

She points her finger at me before walking around the bed to head to my bathroom. “Good answer,” she says before she walks inside.

I sigh contentedly, looking up at my ceiling, unable to contain the smile that threatens to consume my face. Has this woman completely wrecked me for anyone else? I think so. I think Sloane Bennett has officially managed to wiggle her way into my heart. I never thought I’d see the day that would happen.

She walks out, her face washed and her blond hair in a messy bun, and I have to look away because I’m that enamored by her. If I stare at her any longer, I’ll never leave this bed. Is that so bad? I’d say it isn’t, but my clients would say otherwise. And Liam wouldn’t have it if I kept Sloane to myself.

“What are your plans for today?” she asks as she turns to look at me.

I sit up, stretching, rolling my neck, and rubbing my arms tiredly. “I have a conference call today, but nothing else, really. What about you?” I ask, assuming I will have to take her back to her parents’ house for her to do more wedding preparations.

“Well, I need to meet with Mike later to talk about how the operation went yesterday with the RVPD,” Sloane answers. “And I figured I’d work on my collection.”

I sit up straighter at the mention of the plan the police department set up last night. I managed to offer as many services as I could on short notice. I wish I could have done more, but I hope what I could provide was enough.

I get out of bed and stretch my back, listening to the cracks and snaps. When I look over at Sloane, her eyes are dancing along my exposed torso like I’m a feast. I lick my lips and bite my bottom lip as I take in the effect I have on her.

The feeling is very much mutual, love.

And as much as I’d like to get lost in my impure thoughts with Sloane and turn them into reality, we have to get our day started. I’d like to make sure I’m available when we make contact with Mike. So I push those thoughts down for another time and walk past her to get dressed, but not before giving her backside a playful swat on my way to my closet.

She yelps and jumps, and just when I think I’ve one-upped her, she comes up behind me and pinches my butt cheek. I hiss and give her a playfully dirty look. She smirks in challenge, but I let her have this one.

Next time, though.

It’s game on.

…

I walk upstairs after my conference call, rolling my neck to hopefully release some tension. Between permits and other aspects with the mayor’s office, the marina renovations are proving to be more of a hassle than I’d like. I’m still happy that I managed to purchase it so I can restore it to its former glory, but all the internal parts I need to bring it back up to code are taking longer to arrange than I thought.

This marina deal isn’t like becoming a silent partner to the local businesses, which continue to run as normal. The marina is owned by Hart, Inc.; no one else’s name is tied to it, as the owner didn’t want anything to do with it—that much is clear based on how little they kept it up.

I walk down the hall, and the smell of paint fills my nostrils. That’s something I have to get used to. At least it’s good for clearing the sinuses.

When I reach the open door, I see Sloane standing in front of a canvas, examining her creation. I lean against the doorframe as I watch her work. She steps forward, applies a few grays and browns to fill certain areas, then grabs another brush with red paint. She steps back again after adding the red, and I can see what she’s working on.

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