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"Oh, I want to meet a guy like Noah." Samantha sighs, swooning at the television.
Alisha sends me a wink. "I love men who have a confident and cocky attitude to the outside world but who also have a soft and romantic side."
I roll my eyes, but when I sense a small warm hand touching and pinching my thigh for a second, my body shoots into a higher gear.
"You're way too young to have a boyfriend."
Alisha laughs when Sam sticks her tongue out at me. "I'm not. I'm fifteen. Not a baby. Jeez. How old were you when you had your first boyfriend, Alisha?" Samantha asks.
Alisha coughs and grabs her drink from the table. "Fifteen," she mumbles before taking a gulp of her iced tea.
"See, even Alisha was fifteen. So there is nothing wrong with wanting a boyfriend at my age."
I massage my temples, feeling that vein at the side of my head thumping as my blood pressure rises, just thinking of my daughter coming home with a boy.
"Okay, Sam. Why don't we drop the boyfriend topic for now and focus our attention back on watching hot Noah? Because I don't think your father can deal too well with the fact that you're growing up at this moment."
I narrow my eyes at Alisha, who pats my knee before diving her hand back into the popcorn bowl.
When the film ends, Samantha says goodnight and disappears towards her bedroom. Alisha brings the bowl and empty glasses to the kitchen and places everything in the dishwasher.
"Stop the staring, Cole. Nothing is interesting about packing a dishwasher."
"You're wrong. It’s fascinating, especially when a gorgeous woman is doing it."
She closes the door and turns to face me. "Time for me to go home. I have to work tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep."
I stroll over to her as she lets out a yawn, and when I'm standing in front of her, she presses herself on her toes to reach my face. "Good night, Walker," she says with a husky voice.
Her soft lips burn on my skin, and without thinking, I whisper, "Stay." I caress my fingers through her hair. "I just want to hold you and feel you next to me. These last six days, I slept crappy, not knowing where you were."
She lets out a long breath, grabs my hand. "I'd love to stay because I can use a good night's rest myself." She pulls me towards the hallway that leads to my bedroom. Her eyes find mine. "But no funny business, Walker. We're going to sleep, and that's it."
Fifteen minutes later, I lie in bed and watch her reappear from my bathroom in one of my shirts.Damn.I brush my hand over my beard.Down boy, now is not the time, I mutter internally when my body reacts. She slips under the covers and scoots herself sideways until she's lying with her head on my chest.
"Hmm, this feels nice." Another long yawn leaves her body. I place a kiss on the top of her head—inhaling her scent.
"Goodnight, Alex."
"Night, my personal Thor."
I chuckle, and after hitting the light switch next to the bed, I pull her body closer against mine. A few minutes later, Alisha's breathing becomes even and deep. Her small hand is lying possessively on my chest, and she has wrapped her top leg over mine. I glance down and smile.I've got her back.
And with that felicitous thought, my brain relaxes, and I drift off to sleep.
28
ALISHA
"Samantha,we're leaving in ten minutes," I call out.
"Okay, I'll be there in eight."
I chuckle, wandering back through the living room onto the balcony.
A month has passed since Cole and I admitted our deeper feelings for each other. At first, I thought it might be awkward telling Samantha, but I was wrong. When I told her Cole and I were seeing each other romantically, she said, "I already told him that I was cool with him dating you."
I stroll over to the balcony and stop at Cole's spot. The place where he stands at the beginning and end of each day. In the mornings, he enjoys the view while drinking his espresso, and in the evenings, he sips on his exclusive Australian beer, watching the evening sky.
