Page 45 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

“Sure. What do you need to work?”

He shrugged. “I can help you.”

My heart squeezed in my chest, surprising me. Emotion welled for this little boy. It occurred to me that he didn’t have a father figure in his life. At least not that I could tell. I doubted Samantha’s father was involved. She’d indicated that Pax was the result of failed birth control last night. Did that mean the boy’s father had abandoned them?

Longing filled me as I considered that I could fill that role. I had a lot of problems, but I knew I’d been a good father to Victoria. Would Samantha allow me to be a father-like person in his life? Was there a way for me to stay in his life, even if I couldn't be with Samantha?

The sound of the door opening and Samantha's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Pax, are you in here?" Her green eyes scanned the room.

"Mommy, I’m helping with work.”

Samantha sent me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Henry. I didn't mean for him to interrupt your work."

"It's no problem at all, Samantha," I assured her, trying to keep my emotions in check. "In fact, I was thinking maybe we could all go out and do something fun together.” It was a crazy thought. But like all my crazy thoughts around Samantha, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

She hesitated, her expression wary. "I appreciate the offer, but I have some things to take care of this afternoon.”

My heart sank. It was a testament to how much this woman and her son had infiltrated my life.

"Okay.” I swallowed the disappointment. "How about I take Pax, then? Just for a few hours?"

Samantha looked uncertain, reluctance shining in her eyes.

"Please, Mommy? Can I go? Please, please?" The boy knew how to beg. He looked up at her with big blue eyes, a hopeful expression, and his hands clasped in prayer.

She wanted to say no, but she sighed. “Okay, but just for a little while."

“Yay!” Pax’s hands shot up into the air in victory.

“Run up and get your coat and mittens,” Samantha told him.

Pax was out of the room in a shot. The sound of his feet clopping up the stairs made me laugh.

“You don’t have to do this.”

Her words stole away my amusement. “I want to, but if you don’t want me to, just say so, Samantha.”

“He’s not your responsibility.” Her eyes closed after she spoke, as if the words bothered her.

I knew they bothered me. I didn’t need to be reminded that Pax wasn’t mine or that I was jealous of the fucker who had created Pax with her. “Where is the man who should have responsibility?”

She stared at me but said nothing.

“He’s not here and I am. Whatever is or isn’t between us, I care for Pax.”

She swallowed and nodded but still didn’t say anything.

I sat nextto Pax in the car as Knightly drove us out of the garage.

“How about a museum?” I asked.

Pax made a face. “Like pictures?”

“Pictures? No.” I shook my head. “We’ll see dinosaurs and sharks and bugs and planets—”

Pax clapped his hands. “Yes, I want to see all that.”

Up front, Knightly laughed. “I take it we’re heading to the American Museum of Natural History?”

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