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“Yeah, mostly. I spent a lot of time in training camps and traveled for Olympic Games and other competitions, but Berkeley has always been my home base.”
“It’s a great place. And there’s no snow which is always a plus in my book.”
I chuckle. “Not a big fan of winter?”
She crinkles her nose, which is adorable. “Taking a walk or two in it can be pretty cool, but other than that, I prefer watching it from inside.”
“That sounds about right.”
Unfolding her limbs, Harper stretches and yawns behind her hand. Then she glances and points at the heater. “You weren’t wrong about them getting toasty. It’s awesome.”
“It’s nice to be able to go outside year-round.”
“I bet.” Her gaze flickers to the pool. “Do you use it all year long?”
I follow her gaze. “Not really. The Jacuzzi is probably getting more of a workout than the pool these days.”
Her eyes widen. “Oooh, I didn’t see the Jacuzzi.”
“It’s on the side, attached to the pool. I don’t use it nearly enough.”
Her blond waves slide to the side as she moves. “That’s a shame. Someone should make good use of it.”
Feel free to jump in.The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I bite them off.
Pictures of Harper in a bikini flood my mind, and I know I need to shut them down. The last thing I need is to complicate our relationship—or lack thereof—by fantasizing about the woman carrying my child. But I can’t stop the sexy pictures from playing like a movie in my head. Seeing her on top of me and underneath. Knowing she’s carrying my child now has me wanting to stake my claim.
I nod my chin in the direction of the pool. “You’re always welcome to use it.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Yup.”
“I might take you up on that offer.”
“Good.”
Harper pulls her feet up on the cushion once more. I’m still fascinated by how much younger she looks without the makeup, although it doesn’t take away from her beauty.
Her blue eyes that rival the sky on a sunny day, her straight nose and rosy lips. She’s still as alluring to me as the first time I laid eyes on her in that bar.
Focus. You wanted to get to know her better, not think about how stunning she is or how hot the sex was.
Afraid she can read my inappropriate thoughts, I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. “Is it just your dad living out here?”
Her gaze flickers to her lap as she chews on her lip. “Uh, yeah, it’s my dad and my stepmom. He moved here when I was just a few years old, so it’s normal for me to have one parent on the East Coast and one on the West Coast.”
Ouch. Talk about a reality check.
“Are you close with him?” I can’t imagine having my parents on opposite sides of the country while I grew up, but I know lots of kids grow up with one parent for the majority of their childhood.
I’m extra curious about her relationship with her dad, knowing it could be the same for our child.
“Yeah. We have a good relationship. I spent as much time out here as I could during school breaks, and he visited me whenever he could. And we spent a lot of time on the phone, still do.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you’re close.”
She nods but avoids my gaze. I hope I didn’t say anything wrong. The last thing I’d ever want is to burn bridges with her. I still have no clue how this is all going to play out, but I’m in. All the way.
