Singled Out

Chapter 10

What had I done?

What the hell had I been thinking?

Why, why, why had I kissed Max? Shirtless, irresistible Max who I was not supposed to kiss?

The questions pounded through me with every step up that hill away from him.

I full well knew the answers, I admitted as I let myself into the guest bedroom.

I’d been thinking, Distract! Divert attention! Do whatever you can to change the subject!

I’d changed the subject from what I might want to do for the rest of my life, all right, and I’d screwed myself well and good in the process, because I was not going to forget what it felt like to kiss Max Dawson anytime soon.

I peeled my wet boxers and cami off, patted my body dry with a thick towel from the bathroom, and pulled on the running shorts and cropped tee I’d brought to wear in the morning. As I was towel drying my hair, a distant sound caught my attention. I froze to try to hear it better.

Was that crying?

I opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hall.

It was faint, but I was pretty sure that had to be Danny. My heart lurched in a panic.

I didn’t know the first thing about babies or toddlers or kids of any age. The cry didn’t have a screaming-bloody-murder tone to it, so I hurried back down the hall, through the guest room, and out the door. Max was still where I’d left him, sitting in the lake, his back to me.

“Max,” I said in a whisper-yell as I went down the hill.

He turned when he heard me.

I reached the sand and said, “I think Danny’s crying.”

He was up in half a heartbeat, rushing to the walkway to a white box I hadn’t noticed before.

“Damn battery’s dead,” he said, taking off for the house in a jog.

I followed him to the family room door and up to the main level.

“Dadaaaa.” The cry came from the other side of the kitchen. My heart cracked a little at the sound of fear and need in it.

Max rushed into Danny’s room. “Daddy’s here, little man. It’s okay.”

By the light of a night-light, I saw Daniel Dawson up close for the first time. He was standing in his crib, gripping the side of it with one hand, and holding out his other for his beloved daddy. He had dark-blond, shaggy hair hanging over his forehead. His lips quivered as his eyes locked on Max.

“Hey, Danny boy,” Max said in a low, soothing voice. “Come here. What’s going on, bud?” He picked up the boy. “Ah.” He lowered Danny back to stand in the crib but didn’t let go of him. “You need a diaper change, huh?”

I stood a few feet back, entranced, as Danny took in a big, shuddering breath. His little fist clung to Max’s arm as if he knew everything would be okay as long as his daddy was there.

My heart did a full-on flip.

Witnessing that micromoment, that instant of innate, pure trust between a boy and his father… That packed a punch. I’d thought kissing Max was going to mess me up for a good long while, but this was only going to make it harder to keep the man out of my mind.

“Let’s get you changed,” Max said in that mesmerizing dad voice. “Harper, could you switch on that lamp?”

I looked where he pointed and saw a lamp on a chest of drawers. I turned it on and noticed it had a rocket at the base and the shade was covered in stars. There were stars painted on the walls too and planets and moons. We were in outer space.

When I turned back to Max, he had Danny lying in the crib and was already stripping him down to change the diaper, which I could now smell. I didn’t blame the boy for screaming about that.

I kept my distance but didn’t leave, just watched Max, listened to the way he kept up a mostly one-sided conversation with his son.

“Poop happens, doesn’t it, little man? Not usually in the middle of the night for you though. Was this from the cookies Aunt Dakota gave you? I bet it was.”

Danny had a stuffed yellow dog in his hand, one of the ears in his mouth. A quiet, happy laugh came out, muffled by the dog.

“Your auntie’s breaking all the rules, isn’t she?” Max continued, his hands never slowing down with the smelly clean-up and then the new diaper.

When he was done, I was still standing there watching.

“I need to get some dry clothes on. Then we’ll rock for a while, okay?” he said to his son.

“Dada.” Danny pulled himself up to a stand again, then grabbed Max’s forearm.

“I’ll be right back. I bet Harper will keep you company for a minute.” He pulled Daniel out of the crib, into his arms for a hug, then asked me, “Would you mind?”

“No,” I said automatically, trying not to let my awkwardness with kids show. “What do I do?”

He hesitated, as if reconsidering. “Will you let Harper hold you?”

The little boy stared at me with his intense blue eyes but didn’t answer.

Max stepped closer, his eyes on Danny. “See if he’ll go to you.” He handed his son over to me.

I supported the boy with my palm on his pajamaed little bottom, puffy from the diaper, expecting him to protest. His gaze settled on one of my earrings—a small round amethyst from Naomi’s collection. It was pretty and purple and apparently pleasing to this little guy because he didn’t fuss or complain when I put my other hand on his back to support him.

“I’ll be back in two minutes, Danny,” Max said, and he left me with his son.

The little guy and I stood there and checked each other out. “Hi, Danny. I’m Harper,” I said in what I hoped was a quiet, soothing tone.

He studied me for about five seconds, with me smiling like a dork because I didn’t know what else to do or say. Then Danny let out a sigh and rested his head on my shoulder, grasping my T-shirt in his fist.

I melted a little bit.

Maybe more than a little bit.

I didn’t have much experience with kids, had never babysat growing up, kept my distance from ankle biters in general because, I’ll be honest, they made me uncomfortable. You never knew what they would need from you or what they might say.

That this little guy trusted me, felt comfortable enough to rest his head on me?

“You’re trying to steal my heart, aren’t you?”

He didn’t say a word, just let out another sigh.

I stood there without moving, not wanting to disturb him or do anything that would disrupt this peaceful moment. He smelled like baby shampoo and innocence.

I craned my chin down to see if he was asleep, but his eyes were open, staring back up at me. So he was relaxed but not enough to sleep. That was fair. He’d just met me.

“I’m sure your daddy will be back any second now,” I told him, hoping Max would return before I did something to upset his son.

Once I was out of Danny’s room, I swore under my breath at myself and strode across the family room toward the master.

What the fuck had gotten into me?

How had I let myself lose my damn mind enough to kiss Harper? Because I had kissed her, willingly and aggressively. She might’ve started it, but I’d done the opposite of ending it.

All while my son was inside alone.

I didn’t think he’d been crying long, judging by how quickly he’d calmed down, but that wasn’t the point.

Who knew when the battery on the monitor had given out? Was it even working when I’d set it down outside? Had I checked, or had I been so distracted by a pretty girl that I just rushed off without a thought to my responsibilities?

I stormed into my bathroom, shedding my soaked sweats and winging them to the tub. Not wanting to leave Danny longer than necessary, I dragged a towel over my damp skin and tossed it to the tub next to the sweats.

In the connected walk-in, I grabbed the first dry sweats I found, plus a T-shirt, and pulled them on, then headed back toward Danny’s room.

None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t agreed to the damn auction. None of this would’ve happened if Harper hadn’t taken my sister’s lame-brained dare to bid on me.

Danny was fine this time, but I couldn’t help but think about the many discussions my cousin Jamie and I had over the years about our asshole fathers who never made their kids a priority.

Since Jamie’s death, since the day Danny had been entrusted to my care, I’d felt twice the pressure to be and provide everything that sweet boy deserved. For Danny, but also for Jamie.

I had no room in my life for casual dating or women. Not a year ago and not now. Danny deserved as much of my efforts and attention as I could give him around the demands of my career.

When Talia Latimer had asked me to participate in the auction, she’d wisely focused on the fundraising aspect, how the money raised would make a difference in kids’ lives. I’d been all in for that. I’d figured I could spare a couple hours on a date for a good cause, then go straight home to my boy and get back to life as usual.

The element I hadn’t counted on was Harper Ellison. She’d managed to distract me without even trying.

That was on me, but the sooner I could get her out of here, the better.

When I walked back into Danny’s room, I was stunned to find him snuggled up to Harper. I hadn’t been sure he’d go to her at all, but I damn sure didn’t expect him to relax and accept her so easily.

Understandably, he was hesitant with anyone outside our family. He was used to me, my mom, Levi, and Dakota. I’d never left him in anyone else’s care. If my family couldn’t stay with him, I canceled my plans.

It appeared my son had as hard a time resisting the allure of Harper as I did.

Any other time, I would’ve been relieved to see it, but at the moment, it was like rubbing salt into my self-imposed wound.

Biting down on my annoyance, trying to reclaim an ounce of calmness for Danny’s sake, I stepped toward her and reached for my son. “Let’s get you back to sleep, Danny boy.”

I was careful about how I took him back, touching Harper as little as possible, not wanting to catch her scent again. I’d be hard-pressed as it was to get her out of my mind.

Danny came to me as he always did, but he peered back at Harper with interest. She smiled and gave him a little wave.

“Can I do anything else?” she asked.

“You’ve done enough. Just go to bed so I can get him back to sleep.”

I didn’t realize how harshly the words came across until I saw Harper stiffen, her mouth open as if she’d been about to say something and then thought better of it.

She pressed her lips together, lowered her chin, and walked out the door without another word.

That was shitty of me and I knew it, but my priority now was getting Danny back to sleep, so I let her go.