Page 16 of Falling Together

“You’re not making me. I’m offering.”

The offerwastempting, but Erin couldn’t ask her to do that. She could make it through the rest of her day on her own. God knows she had a ton of practice at it. “No, seriously. You’re clearly with someone right now. I don’t want to interrupt.”

“You’re not.” There was laughter on the other end of the phone and Erin was pretty sure she heard Blair tell her friend to shut up again. “Marisol was just getting ready to leave. Give me a half hour and I’ll be over.”

Erin felt her throat constrict the way it did when she was about to cry. Between how tired she was and how sweet Blair was acting, Erin had to work very hard to not break down. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me. Seriously.”

It was an hour later when Blair arrived, but Erin wasn’t bothered by her lack of timeliness. She was just excited to have her there. It had actually worked out perfectly since Nolan slept for fifty more minutes once she hung up the phone. She could have used that time to get work done, but she took advantage of the peace and quiet and laid her seat back and shut her eyes. She probably looked crazy to her neighbors, sleeping in her driveway like that, but she didn’t care. She woke up feeling refreshed and finally ready to get some work done.

“Thanks again for doing this,” she said as she opened the door for Blair, who looked unfairly good in her tight jean shorts and black t-shirt with a very low V-neck.

She immediately shook these thoughts from her head. She needed to stop thinking like that.

Blair grinned so widely that Erin was practically blinded by her pearly white teeth. “Don’t worry about it. Like I said, I have nothing going on until much later tonight. I’m good for as long as you need me.”

“Big plans later?” Erin knew it was none of her business, but Blair was most likely doing something fun and Erin needed to live vicariously through her.

Blair shrugged. “Just meeting up with some girl I met out at the bar last night.”

“That’s cool. What are you two doing?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Erin realized what a dumb question that was, and the way Blair looked from her to Nolan, confirmed that she was right. “Of course. Sorry. It’s been so long since I’vemet upwith someone, I think I forgot what it meant.”

Now that shewasthinking about it, her thoughts were betraying her, and she was picturingNolan’s babysitterdoing things she definitely should not be picturing her doing. She wondered if Blair took things fast or slow. If she led the girl to her bed or had her way with her right at the door. A fire burned inside of Erin as she pictured how each of these scenarios would look.Holy shit, what the hell is wrong with me?

She closed her eyes to try to clear these thoughts from her head, but it only made it worse. It only made the pictures that much more vivid. Why did she have to be blessed with such a great imagination?

She opened her eyes and immediately brought them to Nolan, which was all she needed. All of her dirty fantasies flew from her mind when she focused on her sweet, innocent child.Phew.

“I doubt that’s true.”

“Huh?” Erin couldn’t even remember the last thing Blair said, so she had no idea what apparently wasn’t true.

“I’m sure you don’t have any trouble… you know.”

Oh! That! Did Blair seriously believe what she was saying? She actually thought Erin had been with women since her ex?What a cute idea.Erin put her hands over Nolan’s ears. “Bit hard to find the time.”

“Well, if you ever need a babysitter…” Blair pointed to herself.

Erin shook her head. “I doubt I’ll be needing you for that. It’s been… very long. I don’t think anyone is interested.”

Blair smirked. “Now I know you’re lying to me.”

The wink she added made Erinwishshe had someone to help take care of the need suddenly surging through her body. Was Blair actually hitting on her or was she just naturally flirty? It had to be the latter, because there was no way this hot twenty-two-year-old was hitting onher. And even if she was, it wouldn’t matter,Erin reminded herself.

“Mommy, don’t touch my ears.” Nolan swatted Erin’s hands away.

Blair squatted down in front of Nolan. “What do you want to do, buddy?”

Instead of returning Blair’s smile, Nolan crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. “Today is special day with Mommy. Not Bear.”

“Nolan.” Erin’s voice was stern. “Be nice. Blair came here last minutejustso she could hang out with you. Now, tell her you’re sorry.”

“Sorry,Bear.” He at least said the words, but the tone of his voice didn’t make it believable that he actually meant them.

It clearly didn’t bother Blair, though. She laughed and ruffled his hair. “It’s okay, dude. Your mommy is much cooler than me. I get it.Butwhat if I played with your dinosaurs with you? Then do you think it’d be okay if I stayed?”

Nolan furrowed his eyebrows as if he was actually considering his options, then slowly nodded. “Okay, but I get to be the T-Rex.”

Blair put both hands in the air. “Of course, he’s all yours.”

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