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She removed her hand from my arm, something I mourned the loss of, and lifted a piece of bacon to her mouth. Just before she popped it into her mouth, she noted, “Well, you should know, I think this breakfast was absolutely delicious.”
I laughed again, trying not to focus my attention on her mouth as she chewed. “Well, I’ve gotten a lot of practice on scrambled eggs with Rhys. He loves them.”
“Yeah, but Rhys seems to love everything you feed him,” she teased. “He’s just a growing boy with a huge appetite.”
For the third time in a matter of minutes, I found myself laughing. It felt so good, not just having the lighthearted conversation after how this morning had started, but also to know that I could feel genuine happiness again. “Fair point.”
“I’m just joking with you. I’m sure Rhys would turn down anything that wasn’t good. He’s a smart kid.”
“Well, I have yet to see that, but I’m sure it’s still a possibility,” I told her. “So, how was everything last night? Did you sleep okay?”
Lamise picked up a piece of toast and replied, “It was wonderful. Thank you again for allowing me to stay here last night. I’m not convinced I would have made it home safely with the way it looked outside yesterday.”
“I’m glad you didn’t fight me on it,” I noted, recallingthe thought I had when I was driving myself home last night. All I could do was think about how I wished I’d left work earlier in the day, so she could have made it home before the roads got so bad. I didn’t want Lamise taking any chances and attempting to drive in the unfavorable weather conditions.
“I heard the plows going through the neighborhood earlier this morning, and when I woke up, I looked outside. It seems like the roads are clear now, so I’ll be able to get home this morning and give you time alone with Rhys before tonight,” she noted.
As much as I wanted her to stay, I also knew she needed to go home. We had dinner planned for tonight, and I still needed to run an errand before she got back here.
“After we finish breakfast, I’ll go get your car shoveled out,” I told her.
“Oh, Banks, that’s not necessary.”
My brows shot up. “Do you think I’m just going to hand you a shovel and sit in here to watch you while you do it yourself?”
“You have Rhys,” she reasoned.
I grinned. “Yep. And I bet he’ll be thrilled to see you here first thing this morning. I’m sorry, Lamise, but this is non-negotiable. As it is, it already messes with my head that I won’t be picking you up for dinner here tonight.”
Something washed over her expression. She swallowed hard, sat back, and acquiesced, “Okay. Thank you for being willing to shovel my car out for me.”
I was quickly learning that wasn’t the only thing I was willing to do for this woman; more thoughts and emotions I was battling with.
Lamise and I took the next few minutes to finishour food and coffee. No sooner had we taken those final sips when Rhys started to stir.
“Like clockwork,” I announced proudly.
“Hey, you had me all to yourself this morning. At least he’s trying to work on sharing,” Lamise noted.
Maybe she was merely trying to tease me after what I’d said to Rhys last night during dinner, but I wasn’t sure if she realized the effect she was having on me. The more I was around her, the more I was learning just how much I liked it, how much I wished I really had been able to have her all to myself this morning.
Ignoring the innuendo in her words and how hard it was becoming to resist Lamise, I suggested, “Why don’t we head up, so I can say good morning to him before I head out to shovel some snow?”
Practically jumping out of her seat, she bubbled, “I can’t wait to squeeze him.”
Wanting her to have what she wanted, I swept my palm out in front of me and urged, “Lead the way.”
At that, we made our way to Rhys’s room. By the time we got there, he was wide awake and very happy to see the both of us. And I had to admit, there was a small part of me that wondered if this was something I’d be able to give him permanently at some point down the road.
SEVENTEEN
Lamise
The smile on my face might not have indicated what was happening on the inside. I was a mix of emotions, both nervous and excited.
I had just arrived back at Banks’s house for our planned dinner tonight.
There were parts of me that had been wrestling with this whole thing. Was I betraying Graham?
