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Instead of answering me, Barry’s gaze went back to CJ. “Who the fuck is this?”
“Hey. Watch your mouth.” CJ checked over my shoulder to make sure none of the children were paying attention. “You can’t say stuff like that over here. Geez, Barry. It’s the children's area.”
The dude rolled his eyes heavenward and pretended to clutch pearls around his neck. “Oh no. They’ll be ruined if they hear a little f-bomb.”
I cleared my throat loudly, pulling the attention of both men. “As the father of one of the kids playing, I’d appreciate it if you kept your profanity to yourself. In fact, maybe you should move on.”
CJ turned his hand over in mine, slotting our fingers together. “I think that’s an excellent idea.” I finally worked up the nerve to steal a glance his direction and found him smiling at me adoringly. Much like he had that first night at Rafters when he gave me my options of dealing with the ketchup stains. Reflexively, I smiled back.
“So what? You two like dating or something?”
Wow. This guy was a real piece of work. “Yes, we’re dating. And we were enjoying a nice afternoon out with my daughter, so…”
His brow furrowed as he turned to CJ. “You actually expect me to believe that you’re dating this guy, and he’s not just some other manny trying to help you save face. Sure.”
It took a lot to make me mad. My focus stayed on my daughter and whatever it took to give her a good life and a stable home. That was one of the reasons that I’d decided that dating wasn’t in the cards for me, at least not until she was older. Much, much older. But this guy’s rudeness to a man I respected and admired, someone I’d happily date if I didn’t have a no-dating rule and he wasn’t my employee, pissed me off. So I did the only thing that made sense. “It’s no hardship proving it to you.”
Then I leaned in and pressed my mouth to CJ’s plush lips. It was only supposed to be a peck, a quick public-friendly display of affection, but I’d been dreaming of kissing him again for weeks now. The first time we’d been together, it had been about lust and desire for a hot as fuck man, but I knew him now. I’d watched him take care of my Lex-Lex and observed his attentiveness and devotion to her. I’d become a recipient of his care and addicted to how he doted on us, feeding us and making sure we had every little thing we needed. So instead of pulling back, I pushed in, licking between his lips and swallowing down the groan that sprung from him as we deepened the kiss.
“Ew. Okay. Damn, you give me crap for kids being present, and you’re over here mauling each other.”
I reluctantly broke the kiss, hating that it was over. Despising that it wouldn’t happen again. As much as I disliked whoever this Barry was, I kind of felt like I owed him for giving me an excuse for a momentary lapse in judgment. CJ stared at me, baby blues glimmering with amusement and desire, but said, “Barry, you can leave now. My life is none of your business.”
“None of my business?” He snorted. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.” He tipped a fake hat in our direction. “See ya around, CJ.” As his eyes cut to me, he smirked and strutted off.
After he was ten feet away, I squeezed CJ’s hand and whispered, “Who was that?”
He checked the direction the Barry character had gone and leaned closer to me. “Why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know,” I said, keeping my voice quiet.
CJ laughed, that booming hearty one that filled the walls of my house, warming it—warming me. “He’s gone.”
As unhappy as I’d been to break the kiss, I released CJ’s hand. His smile slipped, but I pretended I didn’t notice, turning back toward the play area. “Sorry about that. I shouldn’t have…”
CJ brushed one of my wayward curls off of my forehead, and I wanted to tip my head into his palm. I’d already been inappropriate enough for one day, though. “Huh. I need a haircut.” Scooting away, I put a few feet between us and cleared my throat. “If you want to find another job, I understand. I’m not sure what came over me.”
He chuckled. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Kevin Wadsworth. I’m in this for the long haul. Besides, someone needed to put my cousin in his place.”
“That…that was your cousin?” I asked, horrified that I’d mauled him in front of a family member. This just kept getting worse.
“Unfortunately.”
“CJ, I am so sorry.”
“For him being my cousin? Me, too,” he teased.
“Why aren’t you mad at me? That was so inappropriate. I’m your boss, and I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong. Now your family’s going to think…” I groaned. “What are they going to think?”
He stretched out his leg, tapping his foot to mine. “That I’m dating a handsome and kind man who didn’t put up with my cousin’s crap. Even my Aunt Barbara knows her son’s a jerk. She keeps hoping he’ll grow out of it.”
Side-eyeing him, I asked, “Does he care that you’re gay?”
CJ snorted. “Amazingly enough, no. He hates that I’m a manny. We went to high school together, so we know a lot of the same people. He finds it horrifying that I babysit for a living. As you heard, it’s not manly enough.”
I stared off in the direction Barry had disappeared. “I’m not sure he really knows what that means. You’re pretty perfect at your job.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us watching Lexi toddler babble with another little girl about her age. Both of them were giggling, having fun. CJ reached over and touched my arm gently. “Thank you.”
