Page 19 of Fall for You (Flirting with Forever 4)

“Fine, Mom. Yes. I like him. More than a little bit. But his daughter is my student, and it’s problematic. Not to mention, he’s paying me to tutor her.”

“Couldn’t another teacher do that? Or a student?” One brow lifts as she watches me fidget.

I shrug one shoulder. “Maybe. But her mom specifically asked if I’d do it.”

“Does she know that there’s something going on between you and her ex-husband?”

I turn away as the microwave beeps, cringing. I take a deep, fortifying breath. “No. No, she doesn’t.”

“Uh-oh.”

When I glance at her over my shoulder, I know my face is pink. Lasagna in hand, I join her at the table, sliding a piece onto each of our dinner plates.

Mom shakes her head, and I’m sure she wants to say something else.

“We’re going to figure it out, Mom. We’re going slowly.” Sort of.

She presses her lips together. “I want the best for you, but you should tread cautiously here. He’s a student’s dad … and he’s paying you.”

I open my mouth to assure her that I’m scared enough about the potential pitfalls to be beyond careful when she holds up her hand. “I know, honey. It’s just that you’re always looking out for everyone. This time, be sure you’re mindful of your own feelings as you work things out.”

I nod. “Okay. I hear you.”

She pats my hand calmly, picks up her fork to get started on her dinner, and promptly drops it. I pretend not to notice as she switches it to her nondominant hand. Fuck. I couldn’t get someone else to tutor Olivia even if I wanted to. Her wrist is getting worse, and I need that money for Mom’s surgery. I don’t have a damn choice.

Chapter 11

Liam

Bad dad strikes again. After almost forgetting the birthday cake last week, I’d thought I was in the clear but nope. This morning I realized I’d screwed up by not going to the grocery store yesterday like I’d intended to. So, when Olivia attempted to fix herself breakfast, we’d been out of bread for the toast she’d wanted. She’s never been terribly picky, and to her credit, she’d rolled with the punches, pouring herself a bowl of cereal instead. Then she’d promptly discovered that we had no milk either. Oops.

And that’s what brings me to the grocery store on a Tuesday afternoon—I sure as hell can’t risk one of her teenage woe-is-me

attitudes tomorrow morning. She’s good about cutting me a little slack; one goof-up she can handle, but a second morning in a row would be tantamount to tragedy, and I’d like to avoid the end of the world.

What it comes down to is I need to implement some sort of system for doing these everyday tasks like grocery shopping. When we lived in Boston, Becky used to place orders online, then swing by the store on her way home from the office. I don’t have that option because in a small town like this, they don’t offer grocery pick up.

Armed with my list, I walk into the store on a mission to get in, get what we need, and get the hell home. At least, that’s the plan until I spy a certain leggy brunette pushing her cart through the produce section. Judging by the leggings, sweatshirt, and hair swept up into a ponytail, I’d bet she’s just come from the gym. I can’t help but drink in every damn inch of her svelte, long legs. It’s felt like forever since that first time she’d come to see me at the cider mill. I’d stripped her naked, wrapped her around me, and driven my cock deep inside her. It had been a mind-blowing, hotter-than-hell experience, and I wanted it to go on and on. I’m not ashamed to admit that once I’d started running into her on a semi-regular basis, I was not upset about it at all. She’s so fucking sexy.

And now I’m getting turned on right in the middle of the damn grocery store. I blow out a quick breath, grab a cart of my own, and head straight for her, paying no heed to the fact that I’m passing by a bunch of the items on my list. I haven’t seen Quinn since the birthday cake pick up at the bakery on Friday … but we have been texting.

I’m discovering Quinn is generous and caring, always asking about me and my day and how Olivia is doing. I wasn’t sure if our encounters had been anything more than a booty call at the start. I thought maybe she’d just been looking for a release. I don’t have much opportunity to date and there was no way I was turning down a beautiful woman offering herself up to me. At first it was just physical, but now it feels like we’re connecting on a whole new level.

I do find it strange that we’d never crossed paths before and now it’s happening over and over again. I don’t know if it’s coincidence or some sort of divine intervention, but I’m glad I’m getting a chance to know her now. She’s like an onion, made up of so many layers. The more I peel away, the more I learn—and the more I learn, the more I really, really like. She’s a very private person who tends to put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own. First and foremost, she’s her mother’s right hand. Literally. It’s become obvious she’s nervous about her mother needing the surgery on her wrist. Add in her friends, who she loves like mad, and her students, who she cares for like they’re her own children, and she’s stretched so thin it’s a miracle she does anything for herself. It makes me feel guilty that Becky was so insistent about the tutoring. Quinn swears she’s fine with it, but …

I think it’s time Quinn had someone look out for her. I just hope that person can be me. The hilariously ironic part is that I’m still trying to figure out how to take care of myself and my daughter.

I stop my cart right behind hers. “So, it would seem we are going to be thrust together by some cosmic force until we admit we’re supposed to be together.”

She whirls around in surprise, then her lips spread into a wide grin. “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Ramsey.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. If, as you insisted, we’re beyond Ms. Lockmore, then we’re most definitely beyond Mr. Ramsey.” I give a rough chuckle.

She steps away from her cart to come closer, looks around, then takes one of my hands in hers and squeezes. I reach for her, craving her nearness, at the same time she takes a step back with a smile, shaking a finger. “Nope. That’s all you get in public.”

I drop my head back in mock agony. “If that’s the case, I need to better strategize where I unintentionally bump into you.”

Quinn lets out a little giggle-snort. “Right. It sounds very unintentional when you put it that way.”

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