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“Yeah,” Max scoffed, like the idea he’d changed his mind was ludicrous.
Kia scooped up a toy car from the middle of the living room rug. “Don’t forget you gotta clean up your stuff before you go.”
“Ah mom, I’ll clean it later,” he whined.
“Nope, you know the rule. My ears turn off when that tone comes out of your mouth. So if you want me to hear anything you gotta say, it has to be said in your normal voice.”
Max huffed, but when he spoke, the whiney tone had left and in its place was his normal childlike voice. “Can you help me, please?”
Kia grinned at Max. “Absolutely.” She crouched and began picking up pieces of Lego from the floor. Max scooped up a car from under the coffee table. Unable to stand and do nothing while the other two cleaned, Jeff bent and grabbed the corner of a piece of plastic that stuck out from under the sofa.
“You don’t have to help clean up.”
“Yeah, I do,” he replied.
Kia glanced up at her from her position, kneeling on the floor. “Thank you.”
His dick instantly surged to life as he looked down at her. Not cool.
It’s not like Kia was doing anything remotely seductive. She was picking up toys. There was a kid in the room. What the hell was wrong with him?
He spun around, looking for something else to pick up just to stop his dick from getting other ideas. If Kia had any clue he thought about her like that she wouldn’t be so eager to have him in her house. He mentally berated himself for thinking of her that way. Yes, the woman was gorgeous, and kind and sexy as shit, but she was dating someone, and if that didn’t instantly put her off limits, the fact she was Max’s mom should.
This new relationship was precarious at best. The last thing he needed to do was screw things up by making her uncomfortable.
With the last of the toys cleaned up, he sat back on his heels and surveyed the room. He didn’t have a lot of experience with kids, but watching Kia maneuver Max so effortlessly made him realize just how much he still had to learn. Hell, he’d just assumed Max didn’t help clean up. Isn’t that why Knight was complaining about needing a new housekeeper, because his wife said she didn’t have time to look after the kids and clean?
It sure made sense to him they’d need a housekeeper. He didn’t know how Kia managed everything as a single mom. He’d seen the schedule on the fridge. Between taking Max everywhere he needed to go, working, getting groceries, and cooking, cleaning seemed like the last thing she should have time for. Maybe that’s why Max helped.
Turning to Max, he watched as the little boy shoved the last of the Legos in the box and snapped the lid on. Max pressed his hands against the edge of the bucket. Jeff bit back a grin as he watched the kid push the bucket of toys across the floor like he was running a football drill. When the bucket thumped against the wall. Max stood up and surveyed his work.
“You ready to head out?” Jeff asked.
“Yeah.” He zoomed over to the front door and grabbed a blue sneaker.
“What about your backpack?” Kia asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Max hopped off the floor and zipped down the hallway to his room. A second later, he was back with a Marvel backpack slung across his shoulder.
Jeff eyed the stuffed backpack. What the hell was in there? They were only going out for the afternoon. What could the kid possibly need?
He glanced over at Kia, who smirked at him as if to say, just you wait. Christ, maybe he wasn’t ready for this.
“What’s in the backpack, bud?” he asked.
“Uh…” Max’s brow wrinkled as he thought. “Sunscreen, snacks, toys, books, toilet paper.”
“Toilet paper?” Jeff blinked at Max, then looked over at Kia, who shrugged. What the hell was he signing on for here? “Why do you need toilet paper?” He was equal parts intrigued and terrified about what the answer might be.
“Cuz you never know?” Max replied.
“What do you mean cuz you never know?” Jeff asked.
Max stared at him in confusion. “Well, you never know when you might need toilet paper.”
“True, but I promise there are bathrooms everywhere we’re going today.” Pleased with himself, Jeff smiled. That should ease Max’s mind a little.
Max placed his hand on his hip and stared him down. “But can you promise they have toilet paper?”
