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Mac and Delaney returned to the kitchen, laughing about the number of stuffed animals on her bed. “How do you even have room to sleep?”
“I move them to my chair,” Delaney said, her sweet face upturned to his.
Mac raised a brow. “Your chair is covered in stuffed animals too.”
“There’s plenty of room,” Delaney insisted.
“If you say so,” Mac said lightly to her before asking me, “You ready for dinner?”
“I am.” But the thumping of my heart was telling me a different story. I wanted more with Mac, despite my recent divorce, my daughter, and the B&B.
Delaney covered her stomach. “I’m starved.”
“You’re always hungry.” I ruffled her hair.
“Are you a bottomless pit? That’s what my mom always said to me,” Mac said.
“Yeah?” Delaney asked as they headed out the door.
I grabbed my purse and keys, taking a second to myself to recover from the sweetness that was Mac with my daughter.
“I’ll drive,” Mac said when he saw me head to my SUV.
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sure you want to head home after dinner. I bet you’re tired. Your job is so physical.” Then I blushed because I’d essentially admitted I was aware of his fit body. He’d reduced me to a girl with a crush.
“When I say I’m taking my girls out, I’ll drive.”
“Please? I want to see his truck,” Delaney pleaded, and Mac was already opening the back door to his truck.
I couldn’t resist these two when they wanted something.
His truck was an extended cab with a car seat in the back.
“I bought this so I could take Maggie with me.”
“Do you babysit her often?” I asked to cover the effect his admission was having on my system. I felt warm all over.
Carter never had a car seat in his car. He said it would ruin his leather seats. It was a great excuse for him to never take Delaney anywhere by himself.
“I love spending time with her, so I don’t see it as babysitting. She’s my niece, you know?” He gave me a soft look that had my heart flip-flopping in my chest.
He was literally killing me.
Then he lifted Delaney into the backseat, and she sat on the leather. “This is so cool.”
“You need help with the seat belt, or do you have it?” Mac asked while I struggled to suck in air.
“I got it,” Delaney said as she reached for the seat belt.
Mac waited until it was secure before closing the rear passenger side door and opening mine.
“You need a boost?” he asked, his voice amused, as if he knew what was running through my head.
There was a running board, so I said, “I’ve got it.” I wouldn’t survive with his hands on me. I’d combust into tiny pieces he’d have to put back together.
He waited until I was in and then shut the door.
My heart was pounding in my chest. What had I gotten myself into? Was this a friendship? If so, I wouldn’t survive it. I was falling more and more for him with each word and soft look. He was the man I would have imagined for myself if I could conjure up the perfect one.
