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The next morning, I woke to the sounds of music and laughter. I peeked in the kids’ room, but it was empty, the beds already made. I blinked a few times then went to get ready for the day.
When I got downstairs, Ellie was dressed in yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt, her hair in a loose bun on top of her head. Her face was devoid of makeup, and she looked young. Pure. Innocent.
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
I could just imagine her on her knees for me. Those big doe eyes peering up at me. Wanting to please me. My breath quickened, my pulse skittering.
Whoa. I jerked my head back.Where did that thought come from?
“Oh, hey.” She smiled, and I forced myself to push those dark fantasies from my mind. “Want some coffee?”
“Um. Yeah.” I accepted the mug of steaming coffee from her. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” She smiled, and my eyes were drawn to the curve of her lips. They were pouty and pink and luscious.
And…dangerous. This is dangerous.
I quickly refocused my attention on my coffee and took a few sips, my taste buds rejoicing. “Damn. That’s really good.” I peered down into the cup as if searching for answers. “How did you make that again?”
“My secret is freshly ground beans and a pour over.” She gestured to the counter, where a variety of coffee paraphernalia was laid out. A white ceramic cup with a base. A travel-size coffee grinder.
“You really do love your coffee,” I said, forcing myself to focus on a safe topic. Anappropriatetopic. Instead of how badly I wanted to see her lips wrapped around my cock.
She laughed. “Yeah. I blame the Aussies and their coffee culture.”
I took another sip, still trying to wrap my head around this new norm. The kids were happy and helpful. I was being served fresh coffee. After the unending slog and loneliness of the past year, it felt as if I’d hit the jackpot. “I’ll make the kids’ lunches.”
She returned to the stove and flipped the pancakes with ease. “Already done.”
“Really?” This was too good to be true.
“Yep.” She mussed Maddox’s hair, and he smiled up at her. “Maddox and Savannah helped.”
“Really?”I was beginning to sound like a broken record, but seriously?
I usually had to beg them to get dressed. Nagging them the entire morning as we barely made it out the door on time. Now they’d gotten ready without a fussandhad helped pack their lunches? I wondered how long this would last, but I’d take it for as long as it did.
“Yep. And I’ll pick them up from school.”
“And River,” Savannah said from the table.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I’d forgotten that I’d offered to pick up River so Bennett could take Wren to her doctor’s appointment. They’d only recently told the guys and me that they were expecting, and Bennett was beyond ecstatic. I was so happy for him, for their family.
“I can pick them up,” I said, not wanting Ellie to feel responsible for an additional child. She’d already done way more than I’d ever hoped for or expected.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got it covered. We’ll have fun. Right, kids?” She glanced over her shoulder at them.
“Right!” Maddox and Savannah cheered.
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“Absolutely.” She smiled, and something in my chest eased. “I’m here to help, and I’m happy to.”
After all these months of doing it alone, ofbeingalone, I hadn’t realized how much Ellie’s support would mean to me. I hadn’t expected to trust her so easily or for the kids to latch on so quickly. She’d only just arrived, yet my relief was immense.
And my attraction to her was off the charts.Fuck.
“Thank you,” I said, hoping she’d hear the sincerity in my tone.
