Page 35 of The Sweet Part
He pockets the keys. “Nah, it’s fine. I’ll give it a fresh polish, and it’ll be good to go.” He searches my expression. “You’re trembling. C’mere.”
He opens his arms to me, and I don’t hesitate, stepping into his arms and hugging him tight. His strong arms wrap around me, steadying my world.
After a long moment, I pull away, wiping my eyes. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Our gazes meet and hold with an intensity that tells me I can no longer ignore what I’m feeling for him. I want to spend more time with this man. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight just the two of us?”
His voice is husky. “I’d like that very much. This time I’ll make it. You can come to my place.”
“Great,” I say.
“Great,” he says.
We stand there smiling at each other. A rush of affection goes through me, and I spontaneously hug him again.
When I pull away, he squeezes both my hands gently. “Seven good?”
“Seven’s awesome.”
I walk back to my car in a daze.
Sophie pipes up from the back seat. “I saw you hugging Mason.”
“Yes. We’re going to have a grown-up dinner tonight.”
“What’s a grown-up dinner?”
I pull out of the lot. “It’s the kind where you only talk about boring grown-up things and eat a lot of vegetables.”
“Oh. I don’t think I want to grow up, then.”
I look at her in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got plenty of time.”
“I know all about how babies are made,” she says matter-of-factly, shocking me speechless. I swear I’m going to go prematurely gray because of her.
“Hmm…well, it seems we have a lot to talk about, starting with how you never, ever drive a car. You could’ve gotten seriously hurt!”
“Sorry, Mommy.”
“And I was really scared. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you. Promise you’ll never do anything like that again.”
“I promise. I love you, Mommy.”
I let out a breath. “I love you too.”
I put on her favorite kids’ music and stare wide-eyed out the window. Sex talk. Not what I expected on the way home. This will take some careful thought. And nerves of steel.
“I want a baby sister,” she says.
It’s going to be a long car ride.
“Let’s play the quiet game.” My little trick to see how long I can keep her quiet. She’s gotten better at it.
I relax a little. I have something to look forward to tonight, dinner with Mason just the two of us at his place. Am I really ready to take this step? Can I let go of my inhibitions for once and enjoy the most gorgeous sexy man I’ve been fantasizing about ever since I discovered his show?
But is that wanting a fantasy and not the man?
