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“Y-you do?”
“Harper told me.”
Blake felt her face flush in embarrassment. When she was a teen, a house burglar had killed her best friend and Blake had never gotten over it fully. Add in the 9-11 terrorist attack that had taken her dad’s life when she was six years old, and she had learned early that the world was not necessarily a safe place.
Morgan went back into his room, pushing his door closed, then came back swiftly, this time in a pair of gym shorts. His magnificent chest was still on display, a black tattoo above his left pec that she guessed was a Celtic knot. She didn’t dare look closer to see for sure.
Downstairs, they found Ciara asleep on the living room sofa, a half-eaten peanut butter sandwich on the coffee table next to her.
While they quietly smiled at each other over it, Morgan’s sultry gaze on Blake made her realize he was not the only one dressed in revealing nightwear. Blake’s pajamas were tight boy shorts that showed the bottom of her buttcheeks and a tank so lightweight that her nipples were clearly visible.
Blake often snuck from her bedroom to check on Ciara and usually threw on a robe but had forgotten tonight. So there they were, in the dim hallway at the entrance to the living room standing about a foot apart, eyes locked on each other. She could almost hear the air crackling with sparks between them.
Morgan began leaning toward her, his eyes on her mouth, and she knew he was going to kiss her. And Blake knew she would not stop him or turn away. Because she wanted his kiss so badly. In fact, she could not remember a time when she had ever wanted a man to kiss her as much as she wanted that and more from Morgan.
“Dad, is that you?” Ciara called out, sitting up on the couch.
They jerked apart quickly and Morgan stepped from the shadowy hall into the living room where Ciara had a small lamp on. “It’s me, sweetheart.”
“And me,” Blake said, walking forward. “I checked to see if you were sleeping all right and you weren’t in your bed.”
Ciara twisted her lips and shrugged. “I got hungry for peanut butter.”
Morgan laughed and said, “Do you want to finish your sandwich or just go back to bed now?”
“I guess I ate enough,” Ciara said.
“You go ahead with her, Morgan. I’ll clean this up.” Blake was grateful to be able to look at the half-eaten sandwich instead of facing him after what had just happened. Oralmosthappened.
She could sense Morgan’s tension too, when he just lifted Ciara in his arms and carried her up the stairs.
Tonight, as Blake sat next to him at the big round table at The Blue Albatross, she could not help wondering where she and Morgan were headed.
He ordered a blue cheese burger and green salad. Ciara chose the fish and chips.
When Blake ordered a cup of mushroom chowder along with her uncle’s special seafood salad, Morgan turned to her and said, “The last time you had that seafood salad you were so angry at Harper and me you didn’t eat it.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “And you didn’t eat your dog biscuits.”
Harper burst out with a laugh and Morgan gave her a smile that turned her to butter.
“I can drive home, if you’d like to have a drink,” Blake said.
He shook his head. “Thanks, but I only drink beer and limit myself to one when I’m out with Ciara. So we’re good.”
Her eyebrow lifted. “You just don’t want me to drive your BMW.”
“Hey, I’m not controlling like your brother. In fact, I wouldn’t be allowing you to pick up my daughter after school if I wasn’t sure you were a good driver.”
When their drinks and food were delivered, Blake glanced over at Ciara and lowered her voice. “Phil is so good with kids. Even when my father was still alive, Phil used to play Santa Claus for us.”
“He didn’t have his own children?”
She shook her head. “He and his wife tried but couldn’t. Before I was born they adopted a baby and it died. SIDS. So they never tried again.” Suddenly Blake understood the look she used to see on her Aunt Ginny’s face, the same one she sometimes wore herself. “I was six when we lost my dad, so Phil and Aunt Ginny became a second set of parents to Harper and me and our two sisters. And right now, it looks like he is ready to play grandpa to Ciara.”
Morgan turned to watch them. “Nice thing for her since she doesn’t have one.”
“Both have passed on?”
