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“What?” he asks, bewildered. “What are you laughing at? This isn’t funny,” he says, shaking his head. “Max could’ve walked in. How in the hell would we have explained my hand down your pants?" he whisper-yells. His movements are jerky and fast, and his hands are shaking. I’m hoping that this doesn’t scare him away, so I approach him gently. He runs his hand through his hair and takes a deep breath. I push him down into a chair and kiss him gently on the lips.

“Let me go check on Max. Don’t move,” I say, pointing at him as I begin to walk away. He doesn’t respond but watches me with a terrified look on his face. In three strides, I’m back in his face. Gripping it tightly, I tilt my mouth over his and give him the quickest, most heated kiss I can manage. When I pull back, he has a goofy grin on his face, and I’m fairly confident my kiss served its purpose. “Now, don’t move!” I demand, walking back to Max’s room.

It turns out that Max had a bad dream, something about dragons and leopards. I listened to him tell me about it, and then I held him, soothed him, and reassured him that he was safe. It was only a matter of minutes before he was sound asleep again, nestled under his comforter.

When I walk back into the kitchen, Ty’s seat is empty—completely empty—and tucked in neatly under the table. I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly, resting my hands on top of my head. A lump forms in my throat and I can feel the tears start to burn my eyes when I feel two warm arms wrap around me from behind. A light sob rips from my throat and a few tears manage to escape. “Hey… “ Ty says, turning me around. He cradles my face in his hands and brushes the tears away. “Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know, I just—” I shake my head, trying to find my words. “I just saw the empty chair, and after Max interrupting us, I guess I thought…I don’t know. I guess I thought that maybe you changed your mind.”

“I had to use the bathroom,” he says, watching me carefully. “And never again…I am never going to leave you or walk away from you again. Got it?" he says, leaning down so we’re eye to eye.

“Got it,” I answer feebly. He slides his arms down to my butt and lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and bury my head in his neck as he walks us to the couch and sits down with me still attached.

He pulls back, and I sit up and face him. “Harley…I know we still have a lot to talk about—and we’re going to—but I’m not sure I made myself clear earlier. When I asked you for a second chance, I meant it. But probably what I should have said is that I want you and absolutely everything that comes with you, including Max. I’m not going to run because he interrupts an intimate moment or because he throws a fit out in public or whatever crazy thing he will inevitably do, but I need you to remember that this is new to me. I’ve never really been around kids before. I’ve never been interrupted unexpectedly like that and it scared me, which obviously scared you. But I’m not going anywhere, okay?" I smile and nod as he leans forward and kisses me tenderly.

HARLEY’S ARMS ARE WRAPPED so tightly around my neck that I’m afraid she might seriously cut off my airflow. But there is no way in hell I’m making her move because this—right here, right now—is absolutely perfect and wonderful and any other sappy word you could come up with.

I hate that she thought I’d left, but I won’t lie—Max scared the shit out of me. I’m going to have to be more conscious of him being around. It’s going to kill me if I can’t touch Harley or kiss her anytime I want, but I know she’ll want to take things slow when it comes to Max and I’m more than okay with that. If we’re going to do this, I want to do it right.

“I thought you said he wouldn’t wake up,” I murmur, running my fingers through her silky hair.

She sits up and rests her hands on my chest. “Well, technically he didn’t get up.”

“Okay,” I chuckle. “But close enough." She’s watching her hand as her fingers draw little circles and shapes across my chest. The light graze of her nails makes my arms break out in goose bumps, and she laughs when she notices. I can tell she’s getting lost in the moment, taking it all in and trying to absorb everything that’s being said and everything that’s happening. I know because I’m right there with her.

“He had a bad dream. It’s totally my fault though," she says, waving her hand in front of us. “The kid’s a little vagina-blocker." Wait…did she just say vagina-blocker? “I totally should’ve known that the second you decided to even get near it, he would find some way to interrupt."

My face feels like it’s going to break from smiling so much. “Did you call your son a vagina-blocker?” I ask through a laugh.

“Absolutely!” she replies, her face stone-cold sober and her head n

odding like a bobblehead. “It’s the truth! He’s done it before!" Okay, I don’t really want to know that. It fucking guts me to think of Harley with someone else.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” she says, shaking her head gently and stroking her knuckles down the side of my face. How did she know what I was thinking?

“I’m a single mom, and sometimes I have to find ways to, um…to, uh…enjoy myself. And there has been a time—maybe two—where Max has walked in." Her eyes fall to her lap as though she’s embarrassed, which she absolutely should not be. God, the thought of Harley touching herself makes me instantly hard. “He’s never seen anything,” she adds quickly, “I’m always in my bed under the covers…or in the bathtub.”

I tilt her chin up. I don’t ever want her looking down like that again...I don’t like it at all. “Don’t be embarrassed, Harley. I think it’s fucking hot, and one of these days I’m going to watch." Her eyes snap to mine and brighten with mischief. She likes the thought of that…I’m going to have to remember that for future reference. How did I not know about this little fiery side to her?

“We’re just going to have to be a little more careful," I state, trying to keep my wits about me around this girl. "I don’t ever want Max to walk in on anything.”

“I agree,” she nods. “I got carried away. I mean, I’ve waited for that for…well, forever, and—”

“Don’t," I say, putting my finger up to her lips. "Don’t ever be sorry for getting carried away with me. In fact, feel free to get carried away with me anytime. Well, almost anytime." She smiles softly and nuzzles her face in my neck. I can feel her warm breath against my neck when she yawns, and I realize that it must be getting late.

“What floor are you on tomorrow?” I ask, running my hands up the back of her shirt, needing to feel her soft skin one more time.

“7 West,” she mumbles.

“Pediatrics. That seems perfect for you.”

“I love it,” she says, yawning again.

“Have lunch with me tomorrow?”

“Okay." She sits upright, rubbing at her tired eyes, and cocks her head to the side. “Are you leaving? Please don’t leave,” she begs, pushing out her bottom lip.

I pull her face toward mine and laugh against her mouth. I suck that sexy-as-hell bottom lip into my mouth and bite it playfully. She groans, closing her eyes. Damn, I shouldn't have done that, because now I want to do it again. Only this time I want to add a little hand action and—

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