“Yeah. I really am. The last six months or so, and probably since having Lottie full-time—” After a glance to ensure Lottie was still focused on her screen later, he carried on. “Well, we haven’t really seen each other all that often. We were just going through the motions, you know?”
Air whooshed out of me. I wasn’t even subtle about it. Since we rarely talked about our romantic lives, sex lives… whatever… I’d had no idea the state of his. Knowing that their relationship had been degenerating for a while shouldn’t have made me so happy, but I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t.
“I’m happy you’re not cut up over it. And let’s get this straight. Wankface was never good enough for you. You know that, right?”
With twitching lips, Eddie nodded. “I know, but it happened, and it’s done.”
My grin was back. “When you’re home tomorrow and Lottie’s tucked up in bed, we’ll celebrate.”
“We will?” His brows lifted high. “And how exactly will we celebrate, since the countdown to your first playoff game is on?” There was a hint of teasing in his voice that I liked entirely too much.
While he was right and I couldn’t get wasted, nor could he really since there was Lottie to consider, I’d think of something. “You let me worry about that. Just know that you not having Wankface in your life anymore deserves to be marked by something epic.”
I couldn’t very well let him know my first thought was me on his dick; that would be all levels of hot—I meant wrong… right? So with that potentially, maybe, probably off the table, I’d work something else out.
“Why do I have a feeling I should be nervous about whatever you’re proposing?”
Flames lit my cheeks. “Shit, did I say me on your dick aloud?” At his widening eyes, flushed cheeks, and with the way his mouth gaped, I figured not.Fuck. “Shit, fuck… uhm—”
“Daddy, I need the bathroom.”
My salvation came in the form of a ten-year-old. I jumped out of my seat, startling both Eddie and Lottie. Both pairs of eyes were locked on me. “Uhm… okay. I’ll leave you guys to it. See you both tomorrow.” Pointedly ignoring Eddie, I focused on Lottie, dotted a kiss on the top of her head, and ran like my ass was on fire.
Holy mother of cock. I swore I was going to duct tape my mouth. How the hell did I come back from that epic brain spew? On autopilot, I left the hospital ward, heading toward the exit.
I supposed the only thing to do was distract Eddie with a celebration so he’d forget what an idiot I was, because surely to God, the idiot in me was strong. It wasn’t the ideal way to reassure the man I’d make excellent boyfriend and stepdad material.
CHAPTER9
EDDIE
Pearce droppedhis SUV at the hospital this morning so I could get Lottie back to his place safely. While I didn’t ask him to do so, I was grateful for how considerate he was. This caring, thoughtful side of him didn’t help diminish my growing feelings for him.
It was only now, with the changes over the years and our developing friendship, I was able to look beyond what was once the young, carefree twenty-four-year-old I’d first met to finally see him as a man who I could depend on.
It wasn’t just his age that reflected that. It was his love for my daughter, his desire to care for us both. He’d changed in so many ways, while remaining in that relaxed, almost happy-go-lucky state of mind.
As I settled Lottie in the bedroom she’d claimed as her own about three years ago, my heart swelled beyond comprehension when I found a bag of new clothes and toiletries for her. In “my” room—one of the guest bedrooms I slept in when staying over—I’d discovered a note letting me know I could help myself to his closet alongside a bag of new underwear.
It made sense since we were almost identical in size. While I’d gained a few pounds and was nowhere near as firm as I had been in my pro days, I made an effort to stay in shape.
The note led me to standing in the kitchen preparing a salmon salad wearing a pair of his gray sweatpants and one of his Eagles training tees. Had I liked putting his clothes on? That’d be a firm yes. I wasn’t even that embarrassed that I’d sprung a boner when I’d luxuriated in tugging on the sweatpants, remembering him wearing the exact same pair and thinking how fucking delectable his ass looked in them.
At the sound of the garage door opening into the laundry room, my heart ratcheted up. The words he’d blurted yesterday remained burned in my memory, and unintended or not, there was no erasing them.
Not that I would, even if that was an option.
“Hey,” he greeted, entering the kitchen.
Looking over my shoulder, I raked my gaze over him. He looked freshly showered and tired. Not surprising since he’d been training for hours.
“Hey, everything go okay today?”
He nodded, dropping his bag next to the door and untying his laces before kicking off his Nikes. “Yeah. It was full-on. Watched a fair amount of tape, practiced until I thought I was going to keel over.” While he chuckled, his exhaustion was easy to read.
“You hungry?”
“I sure am.” He tugged open the fridge and pulled out a protein water. As he chugged it back, draining the whole bottle, I forced myself to look away. This was getting ridiculous. “This” being my attraction, my horniness, my regressing into an awkward teenager.
