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She stared at him, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. Her unpainted lips begged to be touched, but he wouldn’t do anything to confuse Piper further. If she’d already heard him talking with Tanner and Cash, then he needed to talk with her so she wasn’t led astray. He didn’t want her to think anything was going on here, because it wasn’t. Well, other than the business arrangement and the flirting and his all-consuming need to have her.
Maybe it would be best if they hashed out all the details and she left. Maybe then he could get his mind back on his priorities and stop living with this real-life fantasy always in his personal space.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea if I stay,” she countered. “Maybe we could just talk on the phone.”
Jax laughed. “Careful, Liv. Your fear is showing.”
Piper chose that moment to bound back down the stairs and Jax reluctantly let go of Livie’s hands.
“Can we have popcorn and a movie?” Piper asked as she stepped between Jax and Livie.
Those bright eyes stared up at him and he had such a difficult time when she was being sweet. It was nearly bedtime, but he figured a movie wouldn’t hurt.
“Sure.”
Piper’s smile widened as she turned to Livie. “You’ll stay, right? I’ll share my popcorn with you and you can even pick from my movies.”
Livie glanced up to him, but Jax gave no indication that he wanted her to stay—and he did. But he wanted her to decide. He wasn’t going to beg.
“Please,” Piper added when the silence stretched too long.
“I’d love to,” Livie finally said. “I can never turn down popcorn. It’s my favorite snack.”
“I like chocolate kisses, but Daddy won’t let me have those this close to bedtime.”
Livie laughed. “Probably because he wants you to get a good night’s sleep.”
Piper ran toward the television and started digging through her basket of movies. He did a double take at her pajamas.
“Did you buy those, too?” he asked.
Livie patted his shoulder as she eased around him. “A little girl always needs one satin gown.” She took a seat on the floor next to Piper as if she belonged here. “That was the very first thing she asked for when we got to the store.”
Jax listened to her defense, but he couldn’t get over the way she looked almost at ease here in his home. She smoothed the skirt of her dress around her legs and started chatting movies with his daughter. No woman had ever been in his home, let alone cozied up with Piper ready for movie night. There was so much wrong with this moment, so many reasons he needed to guard his heart and his family, but all he could think of was the kernel of something deep within him that said this wasn’t wrong at all.
Livie tossed a glance over her shoulder and grinned. A genuine grin that clenched his heart and made him want to know what the hell he was thinking letting her infiltrate every aspect of his life. The airport he didn’t have much control over since half was legally hers. But he’d voluntarily let her into his personal life, into the life of Piper.
“We’ve got this,” Livie stated, still smiling. “Why don’t you go start that popcorn.”
Right. Popcorn. For the movie night. A simple evening that should be relaxing, but seemed more like a family night in . . . and that hit very close to his scarred heart.
As he headed to the kitchen all he could think about was the last woman he’d let into his personal space. She’d been beautiful and charming, she’d stolen his breath with just one look and she’d vowed to love him forever.
He couldn’t risk letting down his guard again, not when he had a precious, impressionable daughter who needed stability. There was nothing wrong with the obvious friendship Piper and Livie had formed today, but there was something terribly wrong with the way his heart kept tugging at the image of them laughing and chatting.
Jax rested his palms on the center island and hung his head between his shoulders. He was barely hanging on to this slippery slope and if he wasn’t careful, he’d lose his grip and find himself in the exact position he’d been in once before.
* * *
By the time they reached the middle of the movie, Piper had curled up in Olivia’s lap, laid her head on her shoulder, and promptly gone fast to sleep. Darkness had fallen outside and the only light in the living room came from one lamp on the side table and the rolling credits on the television.
Olivia had never thought about having children before, had always been too focused on the next rung on the corporate ladder, but after spending the day with Piper, there was a definite possibility. Having someone who trusted you with everything, who encouraged you to not only have fun but to thrive in the moment, it was all so much to take in.
She hadn’t been sure how today would go with attending a toddler birthday party, but it was an absolutely perfect day.
Piper had her little purple painted fingers resting on Olivia’s arm, her knees tucked up under her satin gown, and her curls spiraling over her shoulder.
“I can carry her up to bed.” Jackson came to his feet and reached for Piper. “Give me just a minute.”
