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8
Ava
Roan’s warning played on repeat through my head all night long, so I was a little groggy when I trudged into the kitchen late the next morning. But I perked right up when I found Roan standing at the stove, making breakfast without a shirt on. Hungry for something other than food, I devoured every inch of his muscular chest with my gaze before I headed over to the girls to drop kisses on the top of their heads. “Morning, my beauties. Did you sleep well?”
“Uh-huh.” Cassidy nodded and gave me a syrupy grin. “But Daddy is a grumpy bear.”
I looked up as he strode toward us with two plates of French toast in his hands. “He is, huh?”
“That’s what happens when you toss and turn in an empty bed all night.” He gestured toward the chair next to Cassidy, and I sat down to dig in to the breakfast he set in front of me.
“I could sweep with you tonight, Daddy,” she offered.
“Thanks, sweet cheeks.” Roan stroked his hand down Cassidy’s hair before taking the seat next to Daisy’s high chair. “But then all of your stuffed animals will be lonely in your big girl bed.”
“Oh, right.” Her shoulders slumped, but only for a second. Then her eyes brightened, and she said, “But I—”
Before she could offer to drag all of her favorite stuffed animals into his room, Roan reassured, “Don’t worry, I’m a big boy. I’ll be fine.”
“Sooo big,” Cassidy sniggered, her entire body shaking as she giggled.
Sharing breakfast with Roan and the girls was a blast, so it sucked that I had to rush through it again. At least yesterday, we were in a hurry because we were going to do something fun together. Today, I had to drive downtown for my interview. Which I guess was a good thing, depending on how I looked at it. If I got the job, I was one step closer to being able to move to Long Island.
With that goal in mind, I headed up to the guest room after we were done eating. I had hung the outfit I was going to wear for my interview in the closet—a pair of black skinny jeans with a super cute purple top. I took extra time after my shower to straighten my hair and put on my makeup, then I got dressed.
When I was ready, I headed downstairs, pausing at the bottom of the stairs to eavesdrop on the story Cassidy was telling. “And then they ate twenty pizzas.”
“Twenty pizzas sounds like an awful lot for only ten dolls. They must’ve been awfully hungry,” Roan drawled.
“Uh-huh,” she chirped.
Making a mental note to stop off at my favorite pizzeria after my interview so I could bring a couple of pies back for dinner, I joined them in the den. Roan lifted his head, his eyes narrowing as his gaze swept down my body. “That’s what you’re wearing?”
I smoothed down the front of my blouse with shaky fingers. “Yeah, I thought it looked good.”
“Too damn good, if you ask me,” he muttered, getting up from where he’d been sprawled on the floor next to the girls.
“You look bootiful!” Cassidy screeched, jumping up and racing over to give me a big hug.
“Do you like this top?” She nodded enthusiastically. “The reason it’s so pretty is because your mom talked me into buying it.”
“She did?” Cassidy’s eyes widened.
“Uh-huh, she had really great taste in clothes.” I tapped her nose. “And I bet you will too since you always know how to pick the perfect outfits for your dolls.”
“Did you hear that, Daddy?” Cassidy raced back to Roan’s side. “I’m gonna be just like Mommy!”
“You sure are, sweet cheeks.”
The smile he beamed at her warmed my heart…and made my panties damp. Which was bound to make me uncomfortable during my interview, so I forced myself to say my goodbyes. “I have to head out so I’m not late for my interview. Be good for Daddy while I’m gone.”
Cassidy puffed out her bottom lip. “Aw, you gots to go now?”
“Yup, but I’ll bring some pizzas with me when I come back,” I promised. “As long as we don’t need twenty.”
She giggled and shook her head, avoiding a possible meltdown over me leaving. Roan flashed me an appreciative smile as he pulled a key fob from his pocket. “I don’t want you driving your car downtown. Take the SUV instead.”
“I know it doesn’t look like much, but my car got me here just fine.” That was stretching things a bit, but he didn’t need to know how I’d white-knuckled it through the entire drive.
