Iwasn’t sure how in the heck I had let Noel talk me into coming to pajama story hour at the library. It wasn’t that I didn’t love doing things like that with my daughter, I did. Hell, I’d do anything she asked when she stared at me with those baby blue eyes of hers.
But pajamas, at a library, with one of the hottest women I’d ever seen sitting up at the front reading a book to the kids and their parents? It was all too much.
“Daddy,” Noel whispered as she tugged on my shirt. “Are you listening to Ms. Emma.”
Smiling, I tapped the end of her nose. “I am, angel.”
She smiled and hugged her stuffed moose closer to her chest.
I glanced back up and moaned internally.
Emma.
The children’s librarian who worked at the central library in Boston. The first time I’d seen her I nearly tripped over my own feet. She had curly brown hair that was usually pulled back in a ponytail or piled on top of her head. Her vivid blue eyes reminded me of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Being a Navy SEAL, I would travel all over the world, and one my favorite places ever was Italy.
Pulling myself from my thoughts, I looked back at Emma. Oh yeah, I was moaning internally when Noel had interrupted me. Emma had her hair up in pigtails.Pig. Tails.Someone needed to tell her how cruel she’s being. Dressed in a one-piece Wendy the Pooh pajama suit, pigtails, and glasses. If you looked up sexy librarian, Emma’s picture would be right there. Maybe minus the pajamas.
My eyes caught on someone walking into the children’s area of the library.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said in a low voice.
“What’s wrong?” Doug, one of my long-time friends and fellow firefighter, asked. He was holding his daughter Olivia in his lap.
“Lucy is here.”
“What?” he nearly shouted.
Emma glanced over at us and frowned before she focused back on the story.
Doug handed Olivia to his wife, Lee. “You need to get her out of here, Harrison. She’s crazy.”
“You don’t think I realize that. Do me a favor, watch Noel for me.”
“Of course, go take care of it.”
Leaning over, I got Noel’s attention. “Angel, Daddy needs to go take care of something. I’ll be right back. I want you to stay with Uncle Doug and Aunt Lee, okay?”
Without taking her eyes from Emma, she nodded. “O-tay, Daddy.”
Kissing her quickly on the cheek, I got up and made my way over to Lucy. She smiled brightly when she saw me. I took her arm and made my way through the rows of books to the back corner.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper-shouted.
She sighed and placed her hand on my chest. “Harold. I’m so glad I found you. I was hoping tonight would be the night.”
I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath. “My name is Harrison.”
She laughed. “That’s what I said.”
Sighing, I knew I was about to make a mistake by asking, “Tonight would be the night for what?”
“That you finally admit that you have feelings for me.”
I was pretty sure my mouth fell to the floor. “You really are insane, aren’t you?”
She tilted her head and smiled. “I see you’re still fighting this.”
Scrubbing my hand down my face, I exhaled a long breath. “Lucy…I need you to listen to me and listen closely. I have no feelings for you. I hardly know you. We bumped into each other at the coffee shop a week ago. You haven’t gotten my name right since we met.”
