Chapter 15
CAN POPPY READ ME A BEDTIME STORY FIRST?
Dallas
Dinner has come and gone in a complete blur.
I can’t stop replaying my daughter’s words as I push food around my plate, every so often putting pieces in my mouth while I smile and laugh at the conversations around me. I couldn’t even tell you half of what was said because my mind is on two people at this table.
“Dallas?” Tucker asks.
“Ya?” I say, snapping out of inner thoughts.
“I asked if you thought we had a shot at a winning league this upcoming season?”
“Are we coaching the same team?”
“Yes. Future champions, baby!”
I shake my head. As hesitant as I was about accepting Tucker’s help to coach the kids, he’s actually been really great.
I like to think it’s because it’s quite literally a kid himself.
He’s goofy, relates to the kids, and makes the practices go fast. He claims he doesn’t know how to handle children, but they listen to him. Which is more than they do for me.
Archie straight up told me “You suck at coaching,” and he’s right.
I do.
In every aspect of the word.
But the whole team needs work. This town has been without baseball for so long that most of them don’t know what they’re doing. Which I expected going into it. I’m eager to help them fall in love with it the way I am, but also know that it’s okay if they don’t love it the same way.
Regardless, it’s something for them to do.
Something for me to do.
“I need to make it to one of these practices you got, just to see Talkative Tucker in action.” Nan laughs.
Tucker sits up, lifting his chin proudly. “I’m the best assistant coach this town’s ever seen.”
“You’re the only assistant coach this town has ever seen,” Griffin adds.
The whole table erupts into a fit of laughter, including Poppy. This is a nice change, considering she’s been quiet and has kept to herself most of this meal. It’s had me mildly on edge if I’m being honest.
It makes me wonder if I’m the cause.
“I still can’t believe you got this up and running again,” Nan says. “I know we talked about it, but I didn’t think it would actually happen with you only being here a short time.”
My chest tightens with her words. It’s the same thing I’ve repeated to myself since agreeing to coach these kids.
Am I crazy for doing this?
Who the hell is going to take over when I go back to San Francisco? I’m scheduled to leave right after the season even starts.
I didn’t have all the answers, but I knew in my gut I needed to do this.
“My daddy is the bestest!” Sage adds.
There goes my heart again, beating a mile a minute.
All I’ve ever wanted in life was for my daughter to be proud of me after constantly feeling like luck wasn’t on my side.
Since stepping foot in Bluestone Lakes, I’ve never felt luckier than I do here.
I’m at peace, even without baseball. I have everything I could ever want.
Looking over at Poppy, I question if that statement still rings true.
Maybe I don’t have everything I could ever want because I don’t have her.
And fuck, do I want Poppy Barlow in the worst way.
Sage yawns at my side, resting her head on my arm. “I’m tired. My belly is so full that it’s making me sleepy.”
“Do you want to get going, bug?”
She nods repeatedly.
I look at Griffin, who’s looking at Blair like she’s hung the moon.
I open my mouth to announce our departure, but can’t help but revel in their love momentarily.
Tucker told me that Griffin used to be the town grump.
Everyone hated talking to him because he never smiled and was in a constant state of misery.
Seeing him now, there’s no trace of that anymore.
Clearing my throat, I stand from my seat. “We’re going to head out. Sage is tired.”
“Of course.” Griffin stands, rounding the table to meet me. “Thank you for coming tonight.”
“And thank you for the cheese board,” Nan adds.
I laugh. “Anytime. Thank you for having us. I think we needed to get out of the house a little bit and do this.”
“You’re welcome anytime,” Griffin says before turning to Sage. “You too. Oh, and hey, do you like horses?”
Sage looks to me for reassurance, and I shrug. “I think I do. I’ve never seen them up close.”
Griffin barks out a laugh, bending at his waist before crouching down to meet her level. “Well, you’re welcome to Barlow Ranch anytime to see the horses.”
“Oh my gosh. That would be so, so fun. Can I, Daddy? Can I?”
“I’ll set something up with Griffin.”
“Yes!”
“Hey, Dallas,” Lily says, standing quickly. “Do you think you’d be able to give Poppy a ride home since you live right there?”
“You hate driving people home, huh?” Blair chuckles.
Lily shrugs, and a mischievous grin forms on her face. “It worked last time.”
“Lily,” Poppy warns.
“What? He literally has to drive past your house to get to his.”
I have no clue what the subcontext of this conversation is, but it sounds like Lily has done this before. “It’s no problem, Poppy. As long as you’re ready to go.”
“She’s ready,” Lily states matter-of-factly.
Poppy stands and, at the same time, lets out a yawn. “I am getting tired.”
“Is your belly so full that it’s making you sleepy, too?” Sage asks.
“Yes. I’m so full.”
“We can drive you home then.” Sage nods.
Poppy smiles at Sage before lifting her head to look at me. Our eyes lock, and it ignites everything inside me all over again. It’s starting to drive me insane how one look from her, and she has me ready to get down on my knees for her, give her the world, and then worship her like she deserves.
My cock stirs to life with that thought, but I force myself to stop.
Not here. Not now.
I clear my throat. “Ready?”
“Ready,” she says, grabbing her purse and saying goodbyes.
As hard as it is to control myself around Poppy Barlow, I remind myself that I’m just offering her a ride home.
She lives next door to me.
That’s it.
The drive is too short.
I get that it’s a small town, but couldn’t I have gotten lost or something? Anything to continue to feel her all around me in my SUV. Her honey and vanilla perfume lingers in the closed-in space, and I’d like it to stay here for good.
Driving past her house, she snaps her head in my direction.
I smirk, pulling into my driveway. “A true gentleman walks a woman home.”
“Can Poppy read me a bedtime story first?” Sage says from the backseat.
“I think she wants to get home, Sage.”
“Pretty pleassseeee?”
Poppy’s elbow nudges my arm resting on the center console before she leans in close enough that if I lean over and press my lips to hers—
“I’m okay with reading her a bedtime story if you’re okay with it, Dallas.”
And fuck, my name on her lips.
I need more of it.
What the hell has gotten into me tonight?
“Of course,” I say before meeting her over the console, even closer than before. “If you wanted to come inside, you could have just said that.” I wink and pull away before doing something in front of Sage in this car.
Poppy blushes, tipping her head down as she brushes a loose strand of hair away from her face.
The small move reminds me that this is a terrible idea.
She’s too young for me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt her when I leave.
But dammit, I can’t help myself and the pull my body has toward her.
“So that’s a yes?” Sage asks, climbing out of the car while Poppy rounds the front. Poppy smiles at her and nods her head. “Yes!”
She grabs Poppy by the hand—a hand I would like to hold—and drags her up the front porch. They wait hand in hand while I take the keys out, and the sight before me makes my heart skip a few beats. Sage bounces excitedly and looks up at Poppy like she put every star in the sky.
No sooner do I unlock the door than Sage tugs Poppy in and through the house to her room. I hear her telling her all about her stuffed animals and her collection of books that she can choose from. Poppy’s laughter flows through the house.
It’s addictive and beautiful.
Everything about Poppy is.
I decide to leave them alone for the bedtime story and go to my bathroom to catch my breath.
Having Poppy inside my house is making me tense.
It’s not even about her reading Sage a story; it’s more about her being in my space.
She’s been a temptation, and I’m not sure I can fight it off any longer.
The need to press my lips to hers and confirm if they are as soft as they look is overwhelming.
I crave to make her laugh so I can hear it on repeat.
I want to strip her and taste every inch of bare skin she’s willing to let me devour.
Pressing a palm to my jeans, I will my cock to stay down. Now is not the time to be having these thoughts. It’s damn near impossible not to think about this though when she’s here. In my house. Reading a bedtime story to my daughter.
“Fuck,” I growl before running my hands through my hair and pulling at the ends. Exhaling, I finally have it in me to leave my bathroom.
As I make my way down the hall, I hear Sage giggle and Poppy’s voice carry through the house, forcing my steps to slow.
“Clumsy Gloria fell on the turtle,” Sage says through a deep laugh.
“The tortoise trotted off with a huff and a grumble, muttering, I’m not a rock,” Poppy says in a very animated voice.
A smile tugs at my lips as I stop in the doorway of her room, listening in.
It’s not the first time I’ve invaded their private moment.
This time feels different. This time feels more intimate.
A bedtime story is a big deal for kids. I should know because most of the fights leading up to my divorce were because I wasn’t home in time to read one to Sage.
Guilt consumes me with the thought.