Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“What is it?” she asked.
He slid his fingers into hers, entwining them together. “Don’t compare me to your ex. I don’t know what this is any more than you do. But…” He slid out of his side of the booth and into hers.
Startled, she let out a little gasp.
He grasped her chin in his hand and leaned in close, the warm vanilla-based scent of her chosen fragrance sending awareness shooting through his veins. “Fallon, I know who I am and who I’m not. And I’m not the kind of guy who plays games.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Clara slowly making her way back to the table.
Fallon nodded at his words, her body still upright and uptight but from the slight drooping of her shoulders and the slow breath she exhaled, he sensed he’d gotten through to her.
“Tell me you’re not trusting that girl with the twins,” Fallon said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
He let out a harsh laugh. “Hell, no. I need someone to watch the girls, not a woman to seduce me. Besides, I was already seduced last week by the only female I’m interested in.”
Her lips parted and Noah leaned in, capturing Fallon’s mouth in a brief kiss before letting her go. “Think about that,” he said, and slid back, then rose from his seat in time to nod at Clara who’d just approached. He helped the older woman into the booth and steadied her cane against the edge of the table.
“Have a good day, ladies,” he said, winking at Fallon before walking out of the diner.
Only when he was on his way home did he realize what he’d done. He’d winked. A gesture he’d never used before with anyone else. A lighthearted one that he felt sure Fallon would appreciate. She’d gotten to him in so many ways in such a short period of time.
He shoved his hands into his slacks pockets and walked back to the office, his mood lighter from seeing Fallon, despite the lack of a nanny and the concerns they obviously both had about one another. For him, it was the age difference, the fact that he’d lived his life with kids and one day, no doubt, she’d want her own. And her wariness was completely understandable.
But nothing would stop him from seeing her. It was as if she called to him, and there was no way he’d put her out of his mind and forget.
* * *
After a full day’s work, Noah arrived home and relieved his mom. The girls were excited that the weekend was coming, reminding him they were going to his parents’ on Sunday for his mom’s birthday. He didn’t know how the visit had slipped his mind but he’d already bought the gift, so at least that was taken care of.
“Are you excited, Daddy? Grandpa said he bought Grammy’s favorite cake and you know it’s mine too,” Dylan said.
“Chocolate.” Dakota wrinkled her nose.
“Oh, stop. Strawberry is weird! Besides, Grammy said she’d make you those yucky strawberry jam cookies. Disgusting.”
“Strawberry was the first fruit to be used at an ice cream parlor in 1776.”
“It’s fruit!” Dylan wrinkled her nose this time.
He ran a hand through his hair, grateful they weren’t talking about pulling brains through dead people’s noses. Still, he wasn’t in the mood for their bickering. “Okay, girls. Enough. I’ve had a long day. Grandma said she left warm lasagna on the counter. Who wants to eat?”
“We helped her cook and set the table!” Dylan ran into the kitchen, Dakota on her heels.
“Girls, who wants to invite a friend over tomorrow?” This way he could get some work done while they played with the school friends they missed. He was lucky he’d found a diligent first-year associate who wanted to work his ass off to one day be partner. He made Noah’s life so much easier but no matter how much work he had, he’d always put his girls first. And after that last interview, he was at a loss about hiring someone who could care for them the way they deserved.
“I want Olivia!”
“Jenny!”
Each girl named a friend and asked to make the call to invite them over themselves. After the meal, he handed over his phone while he cleared the table, rinsed, and placed the dishes in the washer.
Plans made, he was about to suggest they take a bath or shower when Dakota spoke. “Dad?”
He lifted his head, always sad when they skipped over daddy for the more adult word. It didn’t happen often and he prayed it took a long while for them to grow up further and truly lose their little girl behaviors. “What’s up, kiddo?”
She glanced at her sister and he braced himself because that look meant they’d been talking. Which usually meant scheming. “Dylan and me—”
“Dylan and I,” he automatically corrected.