Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
He nipped at her lower lip, then licked with his tongue and she couldn’t get enough. Not because it had been so long since she’d been kissed like this, but because Nick had been the last one to devour her, and now she knew—nothing about the way they’d reacted to each other had been a fluke.
And that made her life so much more frightening.
As if he was in tune to her feelings, he slowed down and backed off, ending the kiss but not moving away.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “Not when my family is here.”
She knew he wasn’t referring to his siblings and her stomach flipped. Family. It was something she’d never had and desperately wanted to give her daughter. But did she dare? She had no doubt Nick would be in Leah’s life. Whether or not he stayed or remained part of hers was another story.
His phone rang in his pocket at the same time Leah walked into the room, barefoot, her hair wild and tangled. “Mommy, can we open presents now?”
Nick held up a finger and stepped out of the way to take the call.
Aurora had deliberately chosen not to have Leah open the gifts at the party for a number of reasons. She didn’t want to make the day all about things, or make any of Leah’s guests feel bad if their parents weren’t as well-off.
“It’s really not a good time,” Nick said to whoever he was talking to. “I’m not joking. I’ll call you later and we’ll discuss it.” He disconnected the call, a frustrated look on his handsome face.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He nodded. “We can talk about it later.”
Nerves took up residence in her belly but she nodded.
“We’re going to open presents! Are you going to stay?” Leah asked.
Nick bent down to her level. “Do you want me to?”
Leah nodded, her enthusiasm so real, because that was all children knew how to do—be open and honest and true. And that made what Aurora was about to do so much easier.
“Then I’ll stick around,” he said.
“Yay!”
Aurora smiled and Nick rose to his feet. “Leah, your first present is a big one and it’s something Nick and I want to tell you about together.”
“What is it? What is it?” Leah jumped up and down, causing both Aurora and Nick to laugh.
She glanced at him.
Obviously surprised, she saw the question in his eyes and she nodded, slipping her hand in his and squeezing it for support.
She looked from Leah to her child’s father. “Let’s go into the family room so we can sit and talk.”
* * *
Nick’s heart pounded hard in his chest as they settled onto the sofa, side by side. The presents from the party were a distraction across the room but Leah didn’t seem to notice, as her gaze darted from her mom to Nick. She obviously sensed something huge was about to happen. He pushed the business call he’d taken a few minutes ago out of his mind. He’d deal with the California hotel issues later. Nothing was more important than this moment.
“So, remember when you had Muffins with Mom Day and Donuts with Dad at school?” Aurora asked. She glanced at Nick. “I let the principal have it for doing things that weren’t inclusive, but that’s for another time,” she said with a laugh. “There was nothing wrong with Bagel Breakfast and bring a friend,” she muttered.
He could imagine her, pissed off on her daughter’s behalf.
Leah blinked. She was so damned cute, with her wild hair and pink frosting stains around her mouth. “Yeah, I ‘member.”
“What did you ask me that day?” Aurora stroked Leah’s hair. “God, you need that nest brushed.” She leaned over and kissed Leah’s cheek. “Do you remember?” she prodded.
“I asked why I didn’t have a daddy.” Her voice lacked its normal sparkle, and she curled her legs beneath her.
A lump rose in his throat. He hated that he’d missed out on those important things. Worse, she’d been hurt, because she’d obviously known something was different about her family.
“And what did Mommy tell you?”
Leah stared at Aurora with the most serious expression he’d seen on her face yet. “That all families are different”
Aurora nodded. “Yep. What else?”
“You said that even though I didn’t have a daddy, I had aunts and uncles who loved me.” She rubbed her eyes but didn’t look away from Aurora, whose gaze darted to Nick, then back to their daughter.
“And?”
“And even though we couldn’t find my daddy, he loved me very much,” Leah said.
Holy shit. She’d covered his ass even when she hadn’t had to. Now he was near tears.
“Right. So, what if I told you I found your daddy?”
Leah’s eyes opened wide. “You did!?” This time she had her loud voice and Nick knew she was excited. “Where is he?” She looked all around, her big eyes landing on Nick.