Page 69 of Second-Rate Superstar

Panicked, I watched as she got on all fours, then pushed off the ice with her hands, regaining a standing position before taking off on her stomping trek again. The breath flew from my lungs as I stood there, stunned.

Sliding an arm around my waist, Braxton whispered in my ear, “Kids are resilient. None more than that one. When she sets her mind to something, she will stop at nothing to get her way.”

Leaning into his hold, I mused, “Hmm. Wonder if that’s an inherited trait—Slate stubbornness.”

I could hear the smile in his voice as his lips grazed my ear. “Trytenacity, sweetheart.”

A shiver rolled down my spine. Maybe Bristol was right, and I’d met my match. His way with words spoke to me. And I had a feeling he knew exactly what it did to me, as evidenced by the way his grip on my waist tightened.

Could he really be the perfect guy for me? My heart was ready to take the leap, but my brain warned that he seemed almost too good to be true. There had to be a flaw hidden somewhere, right?

Braxton rolled to a stop outside my house. We’d had such a fun evening with Charlie, snagging pizza at the snack bar after we finished skating, and now her soft snores filtered from where she was securely strapped into her car seat in the back.

As far as first dates went, I didn’t mind sharing. Braxton was an attentive uncle, and it only highlighted how good he was with kids.

Peeking back at his niece with a smile, he sighed. “I’d love nothing more than to walk you to the door and give you a goodnight kiss, but I can’t leave her alone in the car.”

Unclipping my seatbelt, I turned in my seat, leaning across the center console and capturing his lips in a quick kiss that had my skin buzzing with electricity. Before I could slink back to my side of the car, Braxton gripped the back of my neck, hauling me closer and slanting his mouth over mine.

He parted my lips with his tongue, and I whimpered, sinking deeper into the kiss. I admit I didn’t have much experience, but Braxton knew what he was doing, so I let him take the lead as he teased and tasted. Emboldened, I nipped the corner of his lower lip, and that simple action elicited a groan from deep within his chest that had the pulse between my legs beating in time with my heart.

After a few softer brushes against my lips, Braxton released his hold, allowing me to slump back against the headrest of my seat. Our heavy breathing had fogged the windshield, and I bit back a smile.

Braxton shifted in his seat, and I thought I caught the tiniest hint of a bulge in his jeans before the shadows hid that area from my view.

I had been a self-proclaimed bookworm most of my life, so guys didn’t often approach me. I never had a problem with the lack of attention, preferring to lose myself in a fictional world rather than face the realities of the harsh one I lived in. But now that I knew what I’d been missing out on? What it felt like to be desired, to have that rush of attraction toward another human being? I should have looked up once in a while.

Eyes flashing gold from the streetlamps casting light off the hood of the car, Braxton stared at me with such intensity—as if I were the only thing he cared about. That kiss had warmed my blood, but the look on his face now warmed my heart.

“That was better than an awkward kiss on the front porch. No risk of nosy neighbors getting a good peek.” Braxton’s gravelly voice went straight to my core, the throbbing there intensifying.

“No, just a sleeping audience of one in the backseat,” I teased.

We both turned to check on Charlie, who was still out for the count.

“We wore her out.” A smile crept onto my face.

“Yeah,” Braxton agreed. “But she had the time of her life.”

I couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful little girl, her face relaxed in sleep, rosebud lips parted as deep breaths eased past them. “She looks like an angel.”

“It’s hard to believe Beau was this little when Jaxon stepped in as his dad. But easy to see how he stole his heart.”

My chest tightened, knowing my own father had walked away. How could you look at your child, this innocent being that you created, and not love them with your whole heart? Charlie was working her way into mine, and she was merely Braxton’s niece.

Needing to shake the dark thoughts threatening to ruin this perfect evening, I mused, “I think she looks a little bit like you.”

“You mean, she looks like Jaxon.” I could hear the edge to his voice.

Tearing my eyes away from the sleeping toddler, I shot him a look that said,You know you look exactly like your brother, to which he rolled his eyes.

“So, what you’re saying is . . .” He gestured to his face. “This is a good look on a girl?”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Fishing for compliments?”

That broke the blanket of tension over him, and a hand flew up to his chest. “Never.”

Another peek back at Charlie, and the words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Do you think you might ever want kids?”

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