Chapter 20
From head to toe, inside and out, Libby was buzzing. Tonight had been more fabulous than she’d ever imagined. As they walked back to Manui, she was practically skipping alongside Dan, who was carrying her very sleepy baby against his chest.
That image alone, of Dan holding her child like that, made heat radiate from her heart deep into her belly. Reining in that particular sensation, she refocused on what they’d just been talking about.
“That was golden Happy Content back there, Cranky!”
“I only did it to amuse the kids.” Chuckling, Dan shook his head. “Now they’ll all think I’m as odd as the colonel.”
“And little do they know that you’ll soon be blowing up the internet with that move.” Libby’s mind raced. “Just when people thought you’d given up…lightning strikes.”
“You think?”
“Dude, what I’ve caught on camera is dynamite. When everyone in the UK sees Dan Jones dancing, they’ll go wild.”
“Thanks to you.”
“Thanks to us,” she corrected.
Over Karim’s head, he smiled. “We make a great team, Libby.”
Oh, man. His soft, British accent. The way he looked. The way her child slept against him, like it was the most natural thing ever…
Her stomach took a tumble.
Yeah, she had to keep these tumbles in check before they got out of control.
But was there really any harm in enjoying the flutters he caused?
Especially after such a fantastic evening.
A crush on Dan was like…taking a vacation.
Fun, carefree. She was a teenage girl having the time of her life swooning over an unattainable film star.
But only in the safe haven of her own mind.
Because that’s where she’d keep the part of her Dan Jones vacation that was all sex and spice.
But man, when he’d hugged her and Karim earlier, the strength of his arms had shot straight through her, re-igniting lost memories of how it felt to be a woman.
Not just a mom. A single mom. But when they reached Manui, Libby slammed on the brakes.
She couldn’t allow her mind to race toward forbidden, impossible places with Dan.
Dreams. Fantasies. Crushes.
They were all okay—for somebody else.
For somebody who hadn’t been burned before.
Feigning a big yawn, she unlocked the door and asked, “Are you all packed and ready for the flight?” When Dan nodded, she added, “Andrea’s coming at ten. My little alarm clock will have gone off way before then, so there’s no risk that we’ll sleep in, is there, sweet cheeks?”
Karim raised his sleepy head. The back of her hand brushed Dan’s chest as she reached for her son.
“Let’s go clean our teeth, honey,” she said, then glanced over her shoulder at Dan. “Get my laptop out and review what we shot this morning. I’ll start uploading tonight’s footage as soon as Karim falls asleep.”
No more fantasies. Just work.
That’s what would build her and Karim’s future.
Not crushes. Not sexy fantasies. And definitely not lightning strikes.
Dan watched Libby go, his gaze drifting to those curvy hips that made his hands twitch to touch them.
They’d had a great time tonight. But that didn’t mean he should be looking at her in a way that made him wonder… Nope. Libby was a friend. A friend he worked with.
So while she put Karim to bed, Dan sat on the sofa and picked up her laptop. There were other things he could do with his hands to keep them busy.
For starters, as Libby said, there was the footage they’d shot earlier that morning, of him diving into the harbor with the kids.
The interview they’d done afterwards as he’d dried off on the beach—where he’d talked about winning his first gold—had come out really nice.
Libby had captured him casually and comfortably as he’d relived one of the best moments of his life.
It was surprising how much he actually liked being in front of the camera when he was in control of the content.
Dan closed down the footage of the beach and scrolled through the file list, searching for the interview they’d shot next, where Libby had asked him about his training regime. Flicking through the thumbnails, he paused at one of Libby’s mouth pressed around a mango.
Hello, what’s this?
Her eyes cheekily glanced at the camera, beckoning him. He hit Play.
“Hey guys…” Libby was in the forest. “So delicious…” She sucked on the ripe fruit, then licked the juice that had trickled down her wrist, her full lips wet and glistening.
“Hmm…too good. This is too good.” She was almost groaning, like she…
Like… Dan swallowed hard. From the screen, Libby winked at him like she could read his dirty mind and then said goodbye.
Whoa.
He sucked in air.
“What’s up?” Libby padded over to him, barefoot.
She’d changed into very short shorts and a T-shirt, with no bra underneath.
He dragged his gaze away from her bouncing breasts.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she added, flopping down next to him.
She winced at the screen. “Aw, man. I see you’ve found another of my less-than-interesting videos. ”
“It’s the best one yet, Libby.”
“Right,” she drawled.
He stared at her. “You don’t like it?”
“Of course, I don’t,” she choked out. “It’s boring—”
“No way—”
“And I look stoopid.”
“You look hot. Don’t tell me you didn’t know what you were doing when you were sucking on that helpless mango.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Her brow crinkled like an amnesiac who’d just been told her real name. Couldn’t she see how beautiful she was? How every room lit up the moment she walked in?
She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me hot before. Not even Elli—oh, never mind.”
That turd… Had he knocked her confidence? “You do know your ex is an absolute fucking tool, don’t you?”
“Yes.” She snort-laughed. “I do know that. Which is why I hate that I…that…”
“What?”
“That I begged him. I literally sobbed at his feet to let me stay until at least Karim was born. I’m so ashamed that I got so desperate.”
“You’ve got nothing to be ashamed about. It’s him who should be ashamed.”
“Yeah.” Libby let out a shaky breath. “But going through something like that… Well, it doesn’t do wonders for a woman’s self-esteem.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Dan immediately hated the turd even more. She’d sobbed at his feet and… “What happened afterwards?” he asked, trying to keep his voice even. “That’s not when he told you to move out, was it?”
When she nodded, he ground his teeth together.
“Elliott said he needed time to think and that I should leave by the end of the week. It was a Wednesday night.”
“He gave you two days? What a—”
“Oh, I know. I’ve called him every name under the sun.
But…” She looked at her hands. “But even up until Karim was born, I still thought he might take an interest in us. I sent him a photo of Karim when he was two days old. I thought Elliot would…that he’d become besotted with his son, just like I was, and that he’d want to be in his life. I was so stupid.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing. I saw that he’d read my message, but he didn’t reply.
” Libby raised her gaze to meet his. Firm and strong.
Defiant. “I then sent the photograph to his parents. At least they replied.” Her eyes turned hard.
“They asked me who the father really was. He’s too dark skinned to be Elliot’s, they said. ”
Dan tensed—this was none of his business; he had no right to feel so protective of Libby and Karim—but he absolutely could not believe what he was hearing. Swallowing his anger, he said, “I hope you told them all to fuck off.”
Libby choked out a laugh. “Of course, I did. Believe me, I’m not always all sunshine and rainbows, and you know?
Once I got over the hurt and anger, I felt like I’d dodged a bullet.
I’m so glad I didn’t go down the route of a paternity test to force him to pay child support.
I had good health insurance. I didn’t need his money for that.
But at one point, I actually thought Elliot and his toxic family had a right to be part of my baby’s life.
” She shook her head. “I mean, no way. Karim is my world, and I’m his.
No one undeserving will ever be allowed to enter it. ”
Dan’s admiration for her shot through the roof. “You want to know what I think, Libby?”
“What?”
“You’re the most fun, optimistic, kick-butt person I’ve ever met. And you’re beautiful, inside and—”
Libby’s lips were on his, stealing his breath. Her skin smelled of coconut and petals, but before he could even close his eyes and savor her velvet warmth, she pulled away.
“Thank you,” she said. “You’re a sweet friend, Daniel Jones.”
“Wha—uh…”
Sweet? A friend?
Of all the words…
Those were not the ones running through his mind right now.
Aw, man. What had possessed her to kiss him like that?
Dan’s kind words had burned straight through to Libby’s lonely heart but—dammit, dammit, dammit—all she could do now was turn that kiss into something platonic before he made a hasty exit and everything got awkward between them.
“I’m a sweet…friend?” Dan was saying.
“Yes, indeed, Cranky.” Oh, good god, how could she have been so foolish? She pasted on a We’re good friends and I meant nothing by that kiss smile. “You’re a very kind man.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Argh. Why wasn’t this damn couch swallowing her up and making her disappear?
“Mind if I have a go?” Dan asked.
Eh? Wha—?
Then his lips were on hers, hotter, wetter and more intent on…on…kissing her back? His hand cupped her jaw, her breath hitched in her throat, her heart beat faster, and when his tongue brushed against hers, she damn near exploded.
Then slowly, he pulled away, his eyes wide, his lips still parted as if to ask, What just happened?
Hell if she knew.
Heat flushed through her.
This was not her life.
This was not what she did after her son went to bed. “It’s late.”
“Yes, yes, it is,” he said, but his body was still turned toward her, his arm still on the back of the couch behind her.