Page 49 of An Unexpected Kind of Love

Sleepy, I smile into his shoulder. “For the record, I’m mortified that you’ve seen how I live but…I had a great time too.”

And I really do mean it, against all odds of letting myself have any fun. He’s been entirely delicious and I’m not sorry for indulging in some vegan dessert.

“Does that count as a second date, fixing your sink?” he asks, nipping my ear.

I hook my leg over Blake’s. “I think that’s the natural progression. Vegan restaurant and meat snacks straight to sink repair. Seems about right. Imagine what date three will be like.”

Blake laughs with delight. “Can’t wait.”

His fingers continue to trace my skin, the pale freckles, the outline of the dragon that lives in indigo on my shoulder. Goose bumps rise. “Tell me about this tattoo. It’s great.”

I shift slightly, better to look at him over the pillow. “It’s a dragon,” I say lightly.

“I can see that. Don’t make me tickle you,” he teases with a growl.

“Oh God, please no. I’m not into that.”

Blake grins. “’Kay. No tickling, but I’m curious. It’s really nice.”

“Thanks. It was a splurge,” I admit. “Before everything with the shop. I used to read a lot of dragon books. Especially when I was a teenager. And so did my dad. He got a matching one, because he read dragon books too. Actually, he got me into them. And now whenever I see that tattoo, I think of him. He…he died a couple of years ago.”

“I’m so sorry you don’t have him anymore,” Blake murmurs, his gaze soft.

“Me too.” I sigh, reaching to trace his jaw, the comfort of stubble beneath my fingertips. “He was a brilliant dad. Cool. Funny. I miss him a lot. I just wanted him to be proud of me, you know?”

“Of course.” Blake kisses me then, and I don’t feel alone. Comforted. Like I can be vulnerable in front of him and it’s okay. “How could he not be proud of you? You’re amazing. Funny and cool too, by the way.”

I give him a wry smile, thinking of the shop struggles. And a wash of earnestness that I had to admit I rather liked. “I try my best, but sometimes I’m not sure it’s enough, you know?”

“Life has ups and downs,” Blake admits. “And family can be complicated. I don’t know what I’d do without mine, though. I totally hear you about wanting your dad to be proud of you. I’m the same with mine. And sometimes it’s complicated. But they mean everything to me.”

We share a smile, another kiss. It’s scary how easy it is, talking with him like this. Like it’s something we’ve done before. Something we might do again.

“Your family must have some fancy house like we see on the programs from America,” I say at last into the silence.

It’s his turn to laugh. “Oh no. I grew up poor, in the south, on a small farm that probably costs more to run than it’s worth. My dad raised us, or tried to. Me and my two younger sisters, Lexi and Leah. They’re still home. It was the hardest thing I’ve done, leaving home and leaving them. I’m working to help support them too. So I get when you’re talking about how family’s so important to you. ’Cause they’re everything to me.”

“No mum?”

The corners of his mouth turn down and twist sour. “She took off a long time ago. And she hasn’t been part of our lives since.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be, gorgeous. It was her choice. For the longest time, I thought maybe if I’d been better—a better kid, better student, better worker on the farm—maybe she wouldn’t have gone. It took me a long time to figure out that it was all her and not me.”

“You were only a kid when she left?”

“I was nine, the girls six. Twins.”

“They’re lucky to have you, though.”

He gives me a sad smile, unexpected. “But, you see, I left them too. To follow my dream to perform. So, all of this doesn’t come for free.”

What he’s saying makes sense, all things I didn’t know or couldn’t imagine from looking at him, or his sleek Instagram photos. “But you seem so glamorous.”

Blake smiles. “Thanks. That’s just styling, though. Marketing. Really, I’m just a simple guy, trying to make things work. I’ve been lucky enough that it’s worked so far. This was my biggest break yet, as a supporting actor. So I had to take the chance. And I don’t regret it. Especially not since it’s given me the chance to meet you.”

“Me?” Imagine, Blake Sinclair excited to meetme.What a mad idea that is. “I’m sure you could find men having a lark with bookshops closer to home.”

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