Page 6 of Enemy Ex's Secret Baby

I start to respond, but Gillian quickly snaps her attention back to her daughter. “Come on, come on! Before the doors close.”

Stella leaps off the elevator, taking Gillian’s hand.

“I’m here to see Harley.” I push down every thought I’ve had about her on the way over here, all the ways I can try and worm my way into her head and make her back off. This just…isn’t the time.

Gillian shakes her head as if she’s somehow forgotten that’s where she’s just come from. “Right. Of course. That’s nice of you.” She emphasizes nice as if I’ve never been nice in my life.

“Yeah, well,” I reply, watching the doors close behind her. Yes, I hurry in every aspect of my life. But when it comes to Gillian, I… don’t. Besides, walking away would probably be a death sentence. She’d most likely shout after me that I was scared to face her or something. And that’s not the case. Not at all.

Okay, that’d be a lie.

I’ve been scared of her my whole life but extra scared for the past seven years since–

“We were just talking about you!” Stella peeps, jumping up on her tiptoes.

I look down at her and smile. Stella has always been a particularly outgoing little girl. So much like Gillian that being friends with her almost feels like Gillian and I are still friends somehow.

Almost. Because no one could really replace Gillian.

“Oh yeah? Good things I hope?” I speak.

Stella looks up at her mother with wide eyes. “Um…”

Okay, bad things. I’m sure Stella has gotten a whole earful from her mother about the Seton play lot. I wonder if she sees me as an enemy.

For now, though, with her tender ears right nearby, we’ll be on our best behavior.

Maybe not best, just behavior.

“You know what?” Gillian interrupts, holding up a hand and forcing a smile. “Stella, if you want that ice cream, we’re going to have to go now before it’s too late. I don’t want you up past your bedtime and it’s already–” Gillian reaches into the pocket of her tight khakis for her phone, but struggles.

“Eight-ten,” I answer for her.

“I can do it,” she mumbles under her breath, pulling out her phone and reading the time aloud. “Eight-ten.”

“Wow, that late already?” I say dryly.

Gillian glares at me, brown eyes scalding. “Anyway, we should be–”

Suddenly, Stella touches my hand. “Do you want ice cream, Axel?”

I resist jerking my hand away like she’s some sort of diseased leper. It’s not that I don’t like kids. I just can’t imagine Gillian wants her daughter touching me.

Before I can respond, Gillian tugs Stella away. “Axel is here to see Aunt Harley and the new baby, sweetheart. Maybe–” Gillian eyes me again. “Maybe another time.”

Code for ‘How about never?’

“Say buh-bye, honey,” Gillian says, starting off toward the door with Stella.

Stella looks over her shoulder at me, her big green eyes looking puppyish and sad. Not sure why she wants to spend time with an old guy like me, but…it is flattering that a little kid might think I’m cool enough to hang out with.

Then, my eyes travel to a place I try and stay away from. Gillian’s ass. God, she filled out so nicely after her pregnancy. She was always beautiful and curvy, but something about becoming a mom just did something to her figure. I feel ashamed even thinking about it.

But I know how she felt before. The width of her hips, the creaminess of her thighs, the heavenly scent of her neck.

What does she feel like now?

“Wait!” I call out. What the fuck are you doing, dude?

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