Page 159 of The Playboy Billionaire

“Can we show Daddy and Caleb?” Lois says, jumping up and down. “You can dance with me. Big sister, little sister.” She grabs my hand once more and pulls me towards the door.

“I think Caleb is playing cars with your brother and Dad,” Sarah says as I’m pulled past her and out of the door.

We find Caleb and Tim with Nick on the floor of the living room. Caleb appears to have built a car park out of old boxes. There’s even a ramp leading to the upper levels. When I look more closely, I see that there’s also a road system.

“What have we here?” I say, standing in the doorway, Lois still clutching my hand.

Caleb looks up, his eyes sparkling, as he catches our joined hands. “I told Nick I build buildings, so we built a garage to house his toy cars.”

“Impressive,” I say, my heart melting a little more as I watch my billionaire lover play with a stranger’s child on the floor of their living room.

“It’s sturdy, too,” Tim says, clearly impressed.

“Daddy, April’s been teaching me a dance,” Lois says, stepping into the room. “Do you want to see it?”

Tim turns his attention to his daughter. “I’d love to.”

Lois scowls at the mess the boys have made, and I bite my lip to hide my smile. Tim looks at his daughter. “Although I think you might have to show me somewhere else.”

Lois’s scrunched-up face smoothes. “I could dance it on the lawn. It’s dry and not too cold,” she says.

“I want to learn a dance,” Nick says, his little bottom lip sticking out.

It’s my turn to step into the room. I crouch down next to my little brother.

“Boys don’t dance,” Lois says, clearly not wanting to share this moment with her brother.

I turn and smile at her. “They do. I have lots of boys who attend my dance school.”

Lois tilts her head and stares at me wide-eyed. “Really? We don’t have any boys in our class.”

“They don’t all do ballet,” I tell her. “There are lots of different types of dancing.”

“So, can I do a dance?” Nick asks.

“You can,” I say, touching his hair before I can stop myself.

There’s a small noise behind me, and I look to find Sarah in the doorway. Her hand over her mouth, her eyes full.

“Sorry,” she says before turning and leaving the room.

Tim goes to stand, but I put a hand on his arm. “Let me go,” I hear myself say. Knowing somehow, it’s me she needs to speak to.

Lois reaches for me. “Stay with your daddy a moment. I want to talk to Mummy.”

Lois nods her head, her eyes falling on the structure Caleb has made for her brother.

I leave the room, finding Sarah in the kitchen bent over the sink, her head bowed. She senses me enter, and turns to face me, her eyes puffy and bloodshot.

“Sorry,” she says, giving me a weak smile.

I move into the room and lean against the counter opposite her.

She wipes her face with her hands. “I’m just being silly,” she says.

“Why silly?” I ask, not sure I understand. She invited me here.

Is this not what she wanted?

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