Page 340 of Branded
The kid had impeccable timing.
“Jules.”
She bit her lip, released it. Then her chin came up. Her shoulders straightened. “I’m a single mom. I go to school and work the night shift. I’m not exactly in a dating…mode right now.”
“Good.”
Her head jerked, brows drawing together. “Good?”
“Yup.” I smoothed my thumb over her abused bottom lip. “Because that means I get you and your dirty mind all to myself.”
“I don’t have a dirty mind,” she protested.
I lifted my brows.
“I just read dirty books.”
I grinned.
Pink, pink cheeks. “It’s not?—”
Another kiss, this one deeper and wetter, but not longer…because footsteps began pounding on the floor again, only this time they were coming toward us.
“We’ll argue about this later,” I said, releasing her.
“You—”
“We’ve got to get Ethan to school, gorgeous.” A nudge toward the fridge. “You get his lunch. I’ll grab his backpack. Then you can give me a piece of your mind over pancakes at Donna’s.”
“Donna’s?” she whispered, and the awe in her tone mirrored Ethan’s when I had mentioned the sleepover.
“You ever been?”
A shake of her head. “No, but I’ve heard it’s good.”
“It is, gorgeous.” Another nudge. “And you’ll find out today.”
“I’ve—” She shook her head again.
“Don’t hold back, sweetheart. Not with me.”
Her throat worked. “The only one who’s ever taken me out to eat is Lake.”
I clenched my jaw. Not because Lake Jordan had been the one to give that to her, but because Nate hadn’t, because her father hadn’t. And because even though Lake was the one to give it to her, he was still a pain in the ass on the ice and I wanted to hate him purely on principle.
Yeah, yeah. None of that was fair.
Which was why I shoved the thoughts down, told her, “I’m glad Lake was good to you, sweetheart. Glad he gave that to you.” Then I leaned in pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And I’m glad that I’m going to get to give Donna’s to you today.”
“Cas,” she whispered, eyes all soft, mouth so fucking kissable.
Focus.
“Lunchbox, gorgeous. We’ve got to get Ethan to school.”
Her hand lifted and she ran her fingertips through my beard. “Okay, honey.”
Fuck, I liked that—the touch, the way she called me honey. So, I had to kiss her one more time before I let her get the lunchbox, went to the hall for Ethan’s backpack.
