Chapter Six
Aurora
T he day was a success, I think. Prince Eric and Ariel joined everyone to sing happy birthday to Leah, who made a wish and blew out the candles.
Although I had no time to talk to Nick, I thanked him for his contribution to the party.
Of course, he made sure his newfound daughter had her prince.
It seems we are going to have to have a talk about not spoiling Leah, but I still smile at the thoughtful gesture.
After what seems like hours, but in reality, is only another sixty minutes, the cake is eaten, the Disney characters go home, and all the guests depart—all except Mark and Nick.
I don’t expected Nick to leave, and Mark normally helps me clean up after a party.
But given Nick’s presence, I’m surprised he stayed.
I do my best to ignore the twisting in my stomach about having to deal with both men.
Then, we all clean up in silence, dumping the plates and utensils into a big green garbage bag.
The party company that delivered the tables and chairs will be picking them up tomorrow, and I don’t have to be home for their arrival .
Leah and Mimi are inside watching cartoons on television, and I won’t be surprised if Leah is already passed out and fast asleep.
“You did a great job with the party,” Nick says, coming up beside me.
Does he have to smell so good? I can’t very well not breathe around him, but inhaling his potent scent arouses so many feelings, it’s hard for me to sort through them all.
“Not a bad effort for someone who never had a birthday party of her own, huh?” I try to change the subject, but slip and let my vulnerability escape. Again.
Nick puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes tight.
“You know I’m here, too, right?” Mark asks, joining us from outside, a tied garbage bag in his hand.
Nick opens his mouth to speak but I put a hand up. “Nick, please take the garbage and toss it into the pail in the garage. Mark, let’s go talk.”
I lead my neighbor to the hallway where we can speak without being overhead. “Mark, what is going on?”
“I should be asking you that very question.” A hurt look crosses his face.
I sigh, knowing I have to nip whatever this is in the bud. “Nick is Leah’s father,” I say softly. “She doesn’t know yet.” I don’t feel as if I owe him any more details .
“Wow.” He blinks, obviously stunned. “That explains a lot. So, he’s here to get to know his daughter?”
I briefly close my eyes, then open them again. God spare me from dense but well-meaning men. “Nick and I have history and unfinished business.” I’m not sure if the latter is true but it is kinder than telling Mark I’m not interested in him.
“I thought if I gave you time, you’d come around. We’re good together,” he says, stepping closer.
I move back. “As friends. I’m sorry, Mark.”
“Are you and he…?” He trails off and I straightened my shoulders.
“That’s none of your business.” I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly uncomfortable. “You should take Mimi home. It’s been a long day.”
He nods, and after another lingering look, he walks towards the family room. A few minutes later, he’s collected his daughter and her gift bag. I let them out, leaning against the door once he is gone.
Once I regain my composure, I check on Leah, who has indeed fallen asleep on the sofa while the television plays in the background.
“Well, that was awkward and unexpected,” I say as I reentered the kitchen and notice the counters are clean. Nick has done a good job finishing up while I was dealing with Mark.
Nick leans against the granite counter and studies me. “Are you seriously telling me you had no idea he has a thing for you?”
I’m not even tempted to tell him off for asking or inform him my private life is none of his business. That unfinished business I mentioned to Mark is alive and well.
I understand Nick’s disbelief about Mark because I feel the same way. “I kid you not…” I shake my head. “Until you showed up in our lives, he was my friendly next-door neighbor and we had kids in common. But according to Mark, he was giving me time to come around.”
Nick narrows his gaze. “Could that have happened?” he asks, stalking closer.
This is my easy out. Tell him yes , a voice in her head insists. If I’m interested in someone else, he’ll have to back off and turn his focus to his daughter.
“Aurora?” I move, and he backs me against the refrigerator, invading my personal space. “Are you at all into your neighbor?” he asks in a dark voice, that heaven help me, turns me on.
“No. But that doesn’t mean you and I can get involved.” No matter how much my body wants him.
He raises an eyebrow as if to contradict me, but I have the perfect excuse to back up my statement.
“There’s a little girl in the other room who can’t have her parents screwing around and messing up any chance at co-parenting in peace.
” My heart slams rapidly against my chest, my words belying what I really want.
“No matter what happens between us, Leah is my priority, just as much as she is yours.”
He speaks with such conviction, I believe him. “Then you agree we should keep our relationship platonic.”
I am proud that I am able to suggest such a thing when my body throbs with need for this man.
But I don’t want to rely on him only to be disappointed in the end.
I am still finding it difficult to believe that the Kingstons welcomed me so easily into the family, and that the tight bonds of love between them are now mine, too.
Nick reaches out, sliding his fingers through my hair. “We have a second chance, Aurora, and I don’t intend to squander it. That is, unless you tell me you don’t want me to kiss you,” he says, his forehead touching mine. “Then I’ll back off.”
Arrogant, frustrating man. He probably sees my hard nipples beneath my snug shirt and notices my body trembling with desire.
“I’m not looking for a relationship,” I say. I close my eyes. Why don’t I just tell him to back off, that I don’t want him to kiss me? I swipe my tongue over my dry lips, and he groans, low and deep .
My eyes fly open, and his deep blue gaze locks on mine. “Say it, and we’ll be nothing more than those platonic co-parents you mentioned.”
Though I know he’s too cocky, and his confidence in getting past my emotional walls should be another reason for me to be careful…
“I can’t,” I whisper, as his lips come down on mine.
I’ve been wanting this all day. Every time I caught sight of him across the lawn, saw him with Leah, noticed him watching me… I wanted him. But things are just so damned complicated between us, and I am too afraid to let him in.
But that doesn’t stop me from reacting to his kiss. And when his tongue sweeps over my lips, I open and it doesn’t seem that complex at all. I taste a hint of chocolate and know he’s been eating candy. I want to eat him.
So I do what my body craves, push all thoughts out of my mind, and let myself feel. I wrap my arms around his neck, keeping him close, inhaling his scent. Need washes over me, and I rub my body against his, letting arousal settle inside me.
He nips at my lower lip, then licks with his tongue, and I can’t get enough. Not because it has been so long since I’ve been kissed like this , but because Nick was the last one to devour me, and now I know— nothing about the way we reacted to each other was a fluke.
And that makes my life so much more frightening.
As if he is in tune to my feelings, he slows down and backs off, ending the kiss but not moving away.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says. “Not when my family is here.”
I know he isn’t referring to his siblings, and my stomach flips. Family . It is something I never had and desperately want to give my daughter. But do I dare? I have no doubt Nick will be in Leah’s life. Whether or not he stays or remains part of mine is another story.
His phone rings in his pocket at the same time Leah walks into the room, barefoot, her hair wild and tangled. “Mommy, can we open presents now?”
Nick holds up a finger and steps out of the way to take the call.
I deliberately chose not to have Leah open the gifts at the party for a number of reasons. I didn’t want to make the day all about things, or make any of Leah’s guests feel bad if their parents aren’t as well-off.
“It’s really not a good time,” Nick says to whoever he is talking to. “I’m not joking. I’ll call you later, and we’ll discuss it.” He disconnects the call, a frustrated look on his handsome face.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
He nods. “We can talk about it later. ”
Nerves take up residence in my belly but I nod.
“We’re going to open presents! Are you going to stay?” Leah asks.
Nick bends down to her level. “Do you want me to?”
Leah nods, her enthusiasm so real, because that is all children know how to do—be open and honest and true. And that makes what I am about to do so much easier.
“Then I’ll stick around,” he says.
“Yay!”
I smile, and Nick rises to his feet.
“Leah, your first present is a big one, and it’s something Nick and I want to tell you about together.”
“What is it? What is it?” Leah jumps up and down, causing both Nick and me to laugh.
I glance at him.
Obviously surprised, I see the question in his eyes, and I nod, slipping my hand in his and squeezing it for support.
I look from Leah to my child’s father. “Let’s go into the family room so we can sit and talk.”
** *
Nick
My heart pounds hard in my chest as we settle onto the sofa, side by side.
The presents from the party are a distraction across the room, but Leah doesn’t seem to notice, as her gaze darts from her mom to me.
She obviously senses something huge is about to happen.
I push the business call I took a few minutes ago out of my mind.
I’ll deal with the California hotel issues later.
Nothing is more important than this moment.