Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Slowly, I released her, savoring the feel of her body next to mine. The fresh scent of her perfume smelled like a mix of happiness and sunshine. Perfectly her.
She wrapped her arms around my waist, looking up at me through dark lashes, her green eyes twinkling with something I didn’t want to name. It couldn’t be like this with us. Barclay was right to make me promise. She was every man’s dream—the girl you crushed on in high school from afar.
Still, I wanted to press my lips to hers, let her happiness become a part of me. She had to feel my body reacting to how close she was to me. It was obvious I wanted her.
With all the strength I could gather, I covered her hands with mine and brought them in front of us. Though our bodies weren’t touching any longer, the heated attraction still radiated between us.
“Thank you, Maggie.” I raised her hands to my lips, caressing her knuckles with the softest of kisses. This simple brush of my lips felt more intimate than I’d imagined because it came from my heart, not my carnal needs.
The baby cooed in the background, reminding us we had an audience. The moment was broken between us, which was for the best. Maggie was here for the baby—not me.
“Watch her for me. I need to make a fresh bottle.” Maggie skipped out the door before I could protest. I wasn’t ready to be alone with the child yet. I was done ignoring her, but what should I do? Maggie talked to the baby as if she understood every word. I guess I could try that approach.
Esmé squirmed on the bed. Her chubby legs were kicking in the air, but she still had her thumb in her mouth, sucking with all her might. Maggie was right. She was getting hungry.
I sat down on the bed beside the small thing. Her eyes connected immediately with mine. She stared at my face, taking me in, likely wondering where the pretty lady went.
It was my fault too. We’d never been properly introduced. Hell, I didn’t even remove her from the seat Saturday night. Since Maggie walked through my front door, she’d been taking care of the baby’s every need. My response was drinking a bottle of scotch. Not my finest moment.
I reached for one of Esmé’s tiny toes and gently wiggled it. “Hey, little one.” My voice was soft, barely above a whisper. She blinked her lashes as I looked into her version of my eyes. Sure, I had a piece of paper declaring I was her father, but the color of our eyes sealed the deal.
“My name is Lucas.”
I moved closer to her, cupping a hand behind her neck. Her skin was as soft as silk. Her barely there blond wisps of hair curled at the ends. She was perfect.
This was one act in life I couldn’t pretend. There was no plastering on a game face. This was real. A tiny human being needed me to prepare her for life. I didn’t have the strength to lie to myself and believe I was worthy of her. But I hoped to be someday.
“I’m your daddy.” After the words passed through my lips, Esmé smiled up at me with the most beautiful toothless grin. Her entire face lit up like she knew what I was saying to her. If a heart could truly burst with love, mine just did.
23
Lucas
Last night, I did the unthinkable and surrendered to fate. For years, I protected my feelings from the outside world. The image I presented made me appear successful in every aspect of my life. The billionaire playboy who had it all, but nobody knew the real Lucas Shaw—not even me.
I struggled with giving up control, wanting to hang on to the familiar instead of exposing myself to the unknown. The cage I’d locked myself away in had room for only one person—me. And the loneliness was slowly killing me. I hadn’t recognized it until after meeting Peaches. She’d ruined me. Instead of going back to the paid lover routine, I craved a relationship with meaning.
The weight of learning I had a child had slapped me across the face, awakening me to the cold hard facts. I lived my life in a cage locked from the inside, and I couldn’t keep Esmé in there with me. Either I unlocked it and walked out, embracing my daughter, or I gave her away to her mother with a big fat payoff as a goodbye. I chose Esmé.
I’d slept outside on the terrace for the second time since I’d moved to my castle in the sky, skipping the scotch. I’d learned my lesson. The girls had my bedroom while I stared up at the handful of stars breaking through the city lights. It was the best sleep I could remember.