Page 33 of Unexpected Love
Jules is not interested in me. She’s made that clear enough. But as I shift again, I can feel the weight of her gaze on me, and it makes me wonder if maybe I’m wrong.
Chapter 13
Jules
He shouldn’t be so handsome sitting there with a sick baby snuggled against his bare chest.
But he is.
His broad shoulders fill the chairback, and he’s sprawled like he needs to take up as much space as possible. I give in to the temptation to study him.
He’s muscular, but not in the bodybuilder kind of way. His chest has a smattering of hair, and a scar blemishes one shoulder just above the collarbone. With his broad shoulders and big arms, he exudes strength. I imagine him tossing me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and repress a shiver.
I should be ashamed of myself. He’s being vulnerable, admitting that he feels guilty for leaving his little sister, while he is caring for said sister’s baby, and here I am reducing him to a sex object.
Whatever opinion I’ve held for him in the past has slowly ebbed away as I take in the man before me. This man panics at the slightest threat to Charlie’s well-being, and he bought her pink hair bows, for crying out loud.
“You wanna know what I think?” I ask, leaning into the couch and getting comfortable. I draw my legs up and don’t miss the way his gaze lingers on the hem of my sleep shorts. He’s watching me like a starved man might gaze upon food.
Okay, that’s a little much, Jules.He’s a dude with a decent pair of legs on display before him.
He clears his throat and looks down at the sleeping toddler in his arms.
“Yeah,” he mutters as he presses a kiss to her chubby little cheek.
It’s adorable the way he looks at Charlie. He’s wearing his heart on his sleeve, and he doesn’t even know it. It’s incredibly attractive, and I’m not even a “daddy” chaser.
“I think you’re a good person who did what he had to do to get out of a bad situation. You said you offered your sister help, right?”
He nods, staring into the dark room like he’s deep in thought.
“She obviously took you up on your offer. It just wasn’t in the time frame or the way you planned.”
His chest heaves with a sigh, and his eyes close like maybe I’ve just given him a little peace and he’s absorbing it. After a moment, he opens his eyes, and the loving way he peers at Charlie in his arms makes my heart stutter.
“I also think you have a hero complex.” The blue gaze spears me, but I shrug it off. “You can’t help it. You want to save the day, and when you can’t, you don’t know how to handle it.”
I uncurl and stand. It’s late, and after a hell of a day covering Lissette’s shop, I’m dead on my feet. Plus, the growing intimacy between us has obviously affected my ability to hold my tongue. I pause at his chair, running a hand over baby Charlie’s curls.
“But know that you’ve done right by this little one and call it a win. You’re doing a great job.”
I press a kiss to his hair and feel his gaze lingering on me as I pad to the door. The softclickas I pull it closed behind me does little to soothe the level ofwhat the fuckrising within me. These two are doing something to me when I don’t have time for a man, especially one with a kid.
But if he’d asked me to stay. I would have.
“Jules—” Cal’s rumbly voice is yet again in my ear in the middle of the night. It’s been two nights since Charlie came down with hand, foot and mouth. Cal should’ve been at work but ended up calling in so he could take care of her.
At this rate, I’m worried he’s going to get into trouble with the amount of time he’s been out. But he’s committed to taking care of Charlie, and I do respect that.
I check the time on my phone. “It’s six in the morning? Why can’t you call me in the daylight hours like a normal person?”
“Do you…” He clears the rasp away and starts over. “Is it possible for adults to get this virus?”
I snuggle deeper into my comfy bed, relishing that it’s so quiet in my apartment.
“Cal, did you know that Google is your friend?” I smother a yawn. “I have no idea. I’ve never heard of it.” I put him on speakerphone and do a quick search. “Huh. Look at that. Dr. Google says that anyone can get it. Grown-ups included.”
A groan fills my ear. It’s oddly erotic and makes me squirm against the silky sheets wrapped around my legs.
