Page 52 of Play Dirty

“What?” I blink because I’m not sure I understand.

“I want you to meet my mom, and the kids already love you. It’ll be a low-key day, just hanging out, probably by the pool. My mom is planning to make beef stroganoff. Spend the day with me. With us.”

I should say no.

The feelings of vulnerability have started to pass and I’m still hovering somewhere between embarrassment and resignation.

But he wants to spend the day with me, wants me to meet his mom.

He doesn’t need help with his kids since he has his mom, so there’s only one reason he wants those things.

I could sit here and think about all the reasons why it’ll never work, or I can dip my toe back in the dating waters with a sweet, thoughtful man who seems to genuinely put me first. Which has never happened before.

And there’s no way for me to say no to that.

Overthinking things will get me nowhere, and the simple truth is—I like him. More than I want to admit.

“Okay,” I whisper. “I need to take a quick shower and have some coffee first, though.”

“How about you get in the shower and I’ll run to that coffee shop up the street and bring us back coffee and breakfast?”

I smile. There he goes being thoughtful again. “That sounds perfect.”

I tell him what I want, and he drops a quick kiss on the tip of my nose before he slides out of bed and starts getting dressed.

I’m almost to the bathroom when he calls to me.

“Hey, Stevie?”

I glance over my shoulder.

“Don’t for a single second doubt that turning you down just now was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

I stare at him for a second, a tiny sliver of insecurity creeping in. “You’re not…mad?”

“That you wanted to make love with me? God, baby, no.” He comes over to me and pulls me close. “I just want it to be right, both physically and emotionally. It’ll be the first time for both of us since our mutual relationship disasters—let’s make sure it’s on our terms.”

“You haven’t been with anyone since…” I stare at him in surprise.

“There was a blowjob,” he admits. “But I couldn’t…I don’t know. It just wasn’t right. I didn’t want to fuck her. That’s crude, but it’s honest. I was okay letting her pleasure me, but once it was time to reciprocate, everything fell apart. I felt bad for her, so instead of taking a chance of that happening again, I decided to wait until I was sure.”

“Are you sure…about me?” I whisper.

“Very, very sure.”

* * *

By the timeI’m out of the shower and dressed, Marty’s back with lattes and breakfast sandwiches. I’ve packed a bathing suit, sunscreen, a hat, and a towel into a small bag and he takes it as we head out to his SUV.

“You’re going to have to bring me home later,” I tell him.

“I know.” He reaches across the center console for my hand and doesn’t let go the whole way to his house. He’s still holding it when we walk inside and only lets go when Emma throws herself at him as if she hasn’t seen him in months instead of since just last night.

“Daddy, where was you?” she demands when he scoops her up.

“I was watching Stevie film a movie,” he tells her.

Her eyes round. “Is itCinderella?” she asks.

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