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“No,” I hear myself say. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears and feel his under my palms, and suddenly, I’m too warm.
“Daddy!” Morgan screams from behind me, and I let my eyes fall closed, part of me relieved at the intrusion. “Maddie won’t share the blanket!”
“Get your own blanket, Morg!” Maddie whines.
“I should…” Alex trails off, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. I nod, licking my lips subconsciously. His hands linger for a moment before he drops them to step around me. “Maddie, please just share with your sister.”
“But Daddy!”
The argument fades into the background as I stumble back to the kitchen. My hands shake, and my throat is dry.Was he going to kiss me?My stomach twists as I slowly start moving the finished cookies onto a plate.
If Alex kissed me, it would change everything.
Would that be such a bad thing?
No. I already love his daughters with my whole heart.
And loving Alex would be easy.
???
Halfway through the second movie, the girls are asleep.
I collect the plate of crumbs and the mugs of half-finished milk and carry them into the kitchen. From the corner of my eye, I see Alex shift Morgan’s head from his lap onto a plush pillow before following me.
Pouring the milk down the drain, I turn on the faucet and let the water warm up. The nerves I’ve been fighting all night are reaching a pinnacle, and as I rinse the dishes, I try to ignore his body heat at my side. I reach for the sponge and douse it in soap before rubbing it roughly against the plate.
“I’ve never seen someone scrub at a dish so ferociously.” My scrubbing falters, my eyes flickering to the hot water cascading from the faucet. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?” I say, rinsing the dishes and setting them on the drying rack. When I turn to face him, drying my hands on a dish towel, his brows are raised, and he wears a small smirk.
“You’ve been avoiding me since I got here.”
“No, I haven’t!” He chuckles at my outburst, and I shake my head. “Okay, so maybe I have a little.”
“Why?” His voice is soft, curious. His fingers brush my cheek as he tucks those damn curls behind my ear again, and I jerk away, putting space between us.This is too damn confusing. Something flashes in his eyes, and he drops his hand to his side. “Do I make you uncomfortable, Jana?”
“No!” I step forward again. I don’t want him to think I’m uncomfortable around him. “It’s the exact opposite—I’m too comfortable around you.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” he asks, his eyes softening.
“Yes!” I exhale sharply, pressure building behind my eyes.Crying won’t help this situation, Jana. “Alex, I like you. Like, a lot.”
“I like you too, Jana.” His lips turn up, and a silly grin takes over his face. My heart skips a beat, then another.
“I came here to get over my cheating ex,” I say, turning to face the island. My eyes scan the room, landing everywhere but Alex’s amber eyes, which hold an absurd amount of understanding. “I wanted to figure out who I am on my own.”
“I don’t want to be an obstacle for you, Jana,” he says, moving to my side. He doesn’t touch me, but his hand hovers near mine, as though he wants to comfort me with his touch. “I’m a patient man. I’m willing to be your friend until you’re ready for something more.”
“I can’t ask that of you,” I whisper. I shake my head as tears flow freely down my cheeks. I wipe them away in frustration, hating that I’m so emotionally charged. “You have Maddie and Morgan to think of.”
“I do.” He nods in agreement. “But you’re worth waiting for.”
“See, you’re just so thoughtful,” I say with a laugh. “George never said things like that. He always told me I was ungrateful and didn’t give him enough credit for the things he did for me. As if! He never paid for a damn thing! He made way more money than me, but somehow, I was always the one who had to buy things and pay for dinner. I’m so glad I didn’t marry him. Can you imagine me married to thatprick? And now, he’s engaged to that slut he was sleeping around with, and I’m not even—”
Alex catches my chin with one hand, his touch sending a shock through me and cutting my words short. I blink up at him, and he chuckles, swiping his thumb over my lip. “Shut up about that asshole.”
He’s close enough that our breath mingles, and then he’s even closer, claiming my lips with his. His lips are softer than I thought they would be, a perfect contrast to the scratch of his five o’clock shadow. The gentle pressure of his lips sends sparks through me, goosebumps rippling over my skin at his touch. He pulls me firmly against his chest, one hand cupping my jaw while the other hugs my hip.
