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“What better way to release those creative juices than with dirty, sweaty sex with a gorgeous single man.”
“Please don’t say sex and juices in the same sentence.” My face betrays my inward cringe. “And that’s why I have three battery-operated devices in my nightstand,” I tease.
Before moving to Aspen Grove, I only engaged in casual flings since I never stayed in the same place for too long. Since living here, I haven’t been with anyone romantically. My focus has been on my art, spending quality time with Waffles and my friends, and more recently my responsibilities as Lola’s nanny.
“You wouldn’t need those battery-operated devices if you hooked up with the hot, single dad next door instead of running out of there like your hair was on fire.”
“Okay, that’s it. I’m cutting off your phone privileges,” I say with a small smile. “We’ll talk more when you get back.”
“You can count on it,” she vows.
I’m not sure if it was from all of Quinn’s high-pitched excitement, but my headache is now a migraine. Once she hangs up, I get up from the couch and go up to my bedroom. I’ll take a quick nap before I start on my next painting and when I wake up, I’ll feel as good as new.
16
DYLAN
LOLA SLEPT IN YESTERDAY, BUT by late afternoon, she was back to running around in her favorite unicorn dress, asking when she could play with Waffles. She wasn’t happy when I wouldn’t let her go to Marlow’s.
The plan had been to give Marlow the day off, but it took every ounce of willpower not to go over and see her.
I regret not doing more to comfort her after we shared what was the best kiss I’ve ever had. Instead, I stood by and watched her leave. It’s been a long time since I’ve dated, and it’s clear, I’m out of practice where women are concerned.
I wish I had the courage to tell Marlow that I’m incredibly attracted to her, and if our situation was different, I wouldn’t hesitate to take things further. As it stands, my life is overly complicated, with juggling being a single dad, working a high-pressure job, and wrestling with my feelings toward my daughter’s nanny.
After having time to unpack my own emotions, I’ve come to the conclusion that my fear of being hurt is the underlying issue. The last time I put my heart on the line, I was left alone to mend the shattered fragments.
Honestly, I don’t think I could survive that again.
What terrifies me the most is now that I know what it’s like to kiss Marlow, I’m consumed by an insatiable longing to do it again. And whether or not I’m ready to admit it, she has the power to alter the course of my life. For better or worse.
It’s Friday morning, and once again, I’m pacing the entryway. I have no idea what I’m going to say when she gets here, but I guess I’ll come up with something when I see her.
I look at my watch, frowning when I see that it’s already 6:10 a.m. Marlow’s never been late. I text her and follow up with a call that goes straight to voicemail.
Now that I think about it, yesterday was abnormally quiet at her place, and she wasn’t in her studio last night.Yeah, I noticed.A sense of unease takes hold of me, fueling the pressing need to make sure she’s okay.
First, I check on Lola, who’s fast asleep, snuggling with her plush unicorn. I turn on her old baby monitor that I haven’t gotten around to getting rid of, just in case she wakes up while I’m gone.
It’s freezing outside, and as I approach Marlow’s house, I can hear Waffles barking inside. I knock on the door, and when there’s no response, I check the handle, not surprised to find the house is unlocked. Marlow and I really need to have a serious chat about her safety.
I stick my head inside and all the lights are off.
“Marlow, it’s Dylan. Are you home?” I call out.
I tentatively step inside when there’s no answer. The second I cross the threshold, Waffles leaps into my arms, yipping with excitement. I try pushing him off, but I give him a good scratch behind the ear when that doesn’t work.
“Where’s Marlow, boy?”
He beelines for the stairs, and I follow him up to the second floor, to what I presume is Marlow’s bedroom. He stands in the hallway, wagging his tail, waiting for me to make the next move.
The door is wide open, and the room is dark, with the curtains drawn.
“Hello?”
I step inside when there’s no reply. This is such a bad idea. Marlow probably slept through her alarm and is going to be startled when she finds me in her bedroom.
I move cautiously across the room and find her curled up in her bed. There’s a trashcan on the floor nearby and a box of tissues on her nightstand.
