Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Watching you, I see it shouldn’t be that way. I guess I never had to face that the boy needed a mother figure. He had—” she cuts off. “Listen to me. I’m sure you don’t want to hear this.”
I want to tell her that I do. I’m nosy and this is some Maury shit, I wasn’t expecting from this prim and proper woman. I get lost in my thoughts as we enter the playroom and set up for tea.
Of all the things I’m still hurt and angry about, I don’t think I can place Chloe on that list. I don’t know when it happened, but this little girl has stolen my heart. I want to see her happy. If I can fill a void for her, I’m here.
“I’ll have them bring us some finger food. We can have lunch while we’re at it,” Eileen says, breaking into my musing.
“Sounds good. I’ve worked up an appetite.”
“I’m sure you have. How’s the painting coming along?”
“It’s doing. The love is still there. I think that’s the biggest thing I was worried about when I stood before the first canvas. I was afraid I lost the love.”
“Um,” Eileen hums. “Sounds familiar.”
My cheeks heat but I don’t want to dig into her words or go down that road. Instead, I take a seat at this little round table in the center of the playroom. My thoughts go to finding Brodi in here a few days ago, sitting with Chloe as they had their own tea party.
She was so happy to have the attention. Yeah, this little girl needs a friend more than I need to hold a grudge I shouldn’t have against her. As I take a seat at the tiny table and Chloe climbs into my lap instead of sitting in her own chair, I know I’ll be here for her as long as she needs.
She’s not her father and his choices. She’s a baby in need of love and comfort. I can relate.
“You will make a wonderful mother,” Eileen says a few hours later as we wrap up our tea party. Chloe is now asleep in my arms.
Tears fill my eyes, but I hold them in. I give her a nod as words won’t come. She rubs a hand up and down my arm before she takes Chloe so she can place her in her room.
I go to my studio, close the door and slide down it to the floor, landing on my butt. I pull my knees into my chest and start to sob. To be a mother, I have to have a partner I trust. Since I can’t seem to allow anyone else in, I either need to find a way to forgive Brodi or give up on ever being a mom.
“Mommy, I wish you were here. I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared,” I cry, feeling like a lost child.
Chapter 26
Off The List
Gregor
It’s been a long day. I’m waiting on one more call before I head home. Clay needs to check in and update me on what’s going on back home.
I sit in the sitting area of my office in the accent chair with a tumbler in my hand. I take a sip as I stare off into space. My thoughts go to Cee. She looked beautiful this morning. She had on one of my T-shirts that’s now paint splattered. It hung off her shoulder, revealing her freckle-covered skin.
It made me think of the time she did a striptease for me. I run my tongue over my teeth and push a hand through my hair. My cock swells with the memory.
We’d watched that Fifty Shades of Grey movie and she was all excited because we’d played a few times and she understood the difference between the movie and the life.
Chloe turned on one of the songs from the soundtrack of the movie, “Earned It” I think it was. She then stood before me in patent leather heels and one of my shirts hanging off her shoulder. I sat in an accent chair, a glass in hand as I kept my eyes on her.
She turned her back to me and bent at the waist as she reached beneath the shirt and peeled her panties down her long legs. I slumped down in my chair and took a sip of my brandy, narrowing my eyes as her pussy lips glistened back at me.
Slowly she lifted the panties and tossed them back to me. I caught them in one hand and brought them to my nose, inhaling deeply. A grin came to my lips.
“You smell like heaven, baby. Come here.”
She turned and gave me a bright smile. Before making her way to me, she reached for the hem of the T-shirt and slowly tugged it up. With a wicked smile on her lips, she peeled the shirt over her head and tossed it.