I’m actually disappointed when it’s time to climb off of him.
“I almost fell asleep.”
“I’m glad one of us did,” he says, breathing heavily. “I’m done for the day.”
“How is your shoulder feeling?”
“Good.” He rolls his shoulder, rubbing it with his opposite hand. “There’s no more ache.”
“That’s great.”
Does that mean you’ll leave soon?
I should ask the question, but I don’t want to know the answer. Not yet.
“You okay?” He tips my chin up gently and searches my face.
“I’m great.” I offer him a smile and turn my face into his hand, kiss his palm, and then pull away. “I should just go in and get a little work done.”
“Need any help?”
The best part about this man? Aside from the smoking hot body and the sex? He’s sincere. He’s a millionaire, but helping me with menial household tasks is a no-brainer for him, just like it is for my family, and that is very, very attractive to me.
Maybe too attractive, because I could get used to it. And that’s not good.
“I’ve got it handled. I also need to take a trip to the grocery to pick up a couple things. Do you mind keeping an eye on Sam?”
“We could all go.”
I shake my head. No, I need a break from all the testosterone flying around here.
“It’ll be really quick. I just need a couple things.”
He tips his head to the side, watching me carefully, but then he just kisses my forehead and nods. “No problem.”
***
“Mom, I’m bored.”
I roll my eyes and continue chopping celery for the tuna salad. “Baseball camp starts on Monday.”
“That’s, like, four days away. What am I supposed to do for four days?”
“Read? Ride your bike? Clean that pit you call a bedroom?”
“None of that is fun.” He lowers his head to his arms, sulking at the breakfast bar.
“I don’t think that’s true. Besides, Uncle Beau will be around over the weekend and you can pester him, I’m sure.”
“Yeah. Maybe we can build a birdhouse or something.”
“That would be cool.”
“Maybe Mr. Rhys can help.”
“I’m sure he’d enjoy that.”
Sam nods. “But that’s still days away.”
“Two days.” I load the bread up with tuna salad and pass Sam his lunch. “And guess what?”
“What?”
“Your puppy is coming home on Tuesday, after baseball camp is over.”
“Really?” He squeals, all smiles. “He’s coming home?”
“He is.” I nod and ruffle his hair. “So, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy in just a couple of days.”
“We need to get him food bowls and blankets and toys.”
“And a bed.”
“No, he’s going to sleep with me.”
“He can sleep in your room, but he’ll have his own bed.” Sam frowns at me, and it’s like looking in a mirror when I’m being stubborn.
It takes everything in me not to laugh.
“I mean it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Why do you look like someone just took your birthday away?” Rhys asks as he saunters into the room. He eyes the tuna salad, then me, as if he’d like to devour both of us.
He must be hungry.
I immediately make a sandwich and set it before him.
“Mom won’t let the puppy sleep in my bed with me. She’s going to make him sleep way down on the floor!”
“Dogs are supposed to sleep on the floor,” Rhys says reasonably and bites into his sandwich. “They aren’t people.”
“But he’s a baby. He might get scared.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” I say sternly, giving Sam the look that says that this conversation is over.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I just got a call from Chicago,” Rhys says, watching my face, and my stomach clenches.
This is it. He’s leaving.
God, I don’t want him to go.
“The team wants me to come up for a checkup with their doctor and therapist, and I need to have a meeting with the coaching staff. I’m flying out on Tuesday.”
“Are you leaving forever?” Sam asks with wide eyes, voicing exactly what I’m thinking, and it breaks my heart that he’s clearly become just as attached to Rhys as I have.
And I don’t know what to do about it.
“No, buddy, just overnight.”
“Oh, good!” Sam goes back to his lunch.
Oh, good.
“You should come with me.” Rhys’s eyes are still pinned to mine, watching me closely. “I’d love to show you Chicago.”
“I can’t.” I shake my head and turn away, cleaning the kitchen.
“Think about it.”
“Let’s go, Mom!”
“I can’t,” I repeat. “I have a business to run, Rhys. I can’t leave on such short notice. And Sam starts baseball camp that day.” He looks disappointed, so I soften my tone and reach over to cover his hand with mine. “Thank you for inviting us. Really. But I can’t get away.”
He turns his hand over and grips mine tightly. “I know. I just thought it would be fun.”
“It would be fun,” Sam grumbles.
“You’re grouchy today,” I say to him and spoon some fruit onto his plate.
“You’re mean today,” he replies. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Samuel Beauregard Boudreaux, I love you, but you are on my very last nerve today. Please adjust your sails.”
He sulks some more. “Can I just go read in my room?”
“I would be thrilled if you did that.”
He skulks away to his bedroom.
“What’s wrong?” Rhys asks.
“He’s bored.”
“No, what’s wrong with you?”
I frown and keep my gaze pinned to the countertop as I wipe it down. You’re leaving soon, and I’m falling in love with you, and my child loves you, and I need to work harder at keeping a distance from you.
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.” He circles the island and cups my face in his hands, searching my gaze.
God, his eyes are potent.
Dumb eyes.
“You’ve never lied to me before.”
“Or so you think.”
His nostrils flare in annoyance. I think this is the first time he’s been angry with me.
And I don’t like it.
“Nothing’s wrong, Rhys. My mood is probably reflecting Sam’s. Maybe I just need to adjust my own sails.”
He pulls me into a tight hug, tucking my face against his chest, right over his heart, and the sound of his heartbeat makes me want to cry.
And why that is, I have no idea.
Except he’s leaving. And even if it is just for one night, there will come a day in the not-too-distant future that he’ll be leaving for good.
And that hurts.
Chapter Twelve
~Gabby~
It’s a gorgeous Monday morning. There are still a few hours before the guests will start to arrive, and Sam is at his first day of baseball camp. His friend Henry’s mom picked him up and will drop him back off when it’s over.
Tomorrow I have car-pool duty.
The ceiling fans are whirling above on the front porch, combining with the breeze coming off the river to make us cool. Rhys is sitting next to me, his computer in his lap, typing away. Every once in a while, he’ll murmur to himself, scratch his head, then get back to it.
I actually have a little time to read, so I’m indulging in the newest Laurelin Paige novel, full of lust and sex and lots of romance.
Romance novels are my biggest guilty pleasure.
And this woman can write.
I glance up as a car pulls into the driveway, surprised to see my longtime friend Cindy. I haven’t seen her in a couple of months. I usually don’t hear much from her when she’s with a new guy, and last I heard, she had found some rich guy to dig her claws into.
Cindy climbs out of her car and waves, a smile on her pretty face. She’s much taller than me, with long, platinum blonde hair and a pretty face, but she’s always dressed way too skimpy for my taste, and she makes no apologies for the fact that she enjoys men.