A Baby for the Billionaire(46)
I’ll always have the memory of our one perfect night. It’s better than nothing.
Wasn’t it?
“I should get going,” she said, setting the coffee down.
“Now?” he asked, glancing at the stove clock. “Where do you have to be on a Saturday morning?”
“I thought I’d head back to my place to pick up some more clothes. There’re a few things I’m missing and a few errands I need to run. I’ll probably be gone most of the day.”
“Hey,” he said, stepping into her path when she tried to leave the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” she said, looking anywhere but at him.
“Really? Then you’re not wondering where we stand? Because I sure as hell am.”
Her gaze flew to his. “You are?”
“I don’t make a habit with sleeping with my best friends. This is new territory for me too.”
She bit her lower lip. “What do you think?”
His gaze softened. “I think I’d like to have this conversation when I don’t have a hungry baby in my arms. Then I’d brush back your hair and assure you I’d love nothing more than to repeat last night.”
She drifted closer. “I would, too.”
His smile widened. “Then we’re on the same page.”
“No promises, no strings.”
“And no stopping.” He brushed a kiss over her lips. “Is that okay with you?”
She reached up to cup his jaw. “I won’t lie and say I’m not a little nervous about this no commitment thing, but I do get it. A lot is changing right now. Hunter needs to be the priority for both of us.”
She brushed the downy baby hair off Hunter’s forehead before dropping a kiss on his head.
“I’m sorry I can’t—”
“Hush,” she said. “I get it, Walker. Let’s just take this one day at a time.”
“Thank you,” he said, leaning down to join their mouths. The kiss was light and sweet, but it still made her body shiver in remembrance of just how good things could be when they touched.
“Go get your stuff,” he murmured against her lips. “And come home soon. I have so many plans for our weekend.”
She grinned at the suggestion. “All of them lascivious I’m sure. Okay, I’ll try to be fast.”
With a last brush against Hunter’s cheek, she grabbed her bag and headed from the condo.
All the while smiling while she went.
…
“You did it, didn’t you?”
Clara sighed. “Turns out you were right. And don’t worry, I called Todd and let him down easy. It’s not his fault he got involved in all this.”
“Don’t worry about Todd,” Diane said from the phone. “He’s a big boy and it was just one date. I’m more interested in the fact that you and your other half sealed the deal after all these years.”
Clara tugged a strand of hair behind her ear as she wandered the length of her apartment. Had it always been so small? “I can barely believe it myself.”
“Walker’s really on board with this?”
She shrugged. “Seems to be. We’re not making any plans or promises for the moment, but yeah, we’re as close as we’ve ever been to a couple. I’ve never had him pursue me that way before. I wasn’t just his friend when he looked at me. It was more like…”
“He was looking at a woman he wanted,” Diane interjected.
“Exactly. I’ve never been that to him.”
“Or maybe you have and he just didn’t know how to tell you.”
Clara smiled, wrapping her arms around herself. “Maybe.”
“Listen to you,” Diane said. “Must have been a hell of a night.”
“It was,” she said. “I’ve never had a night like that with anyone.”
“Love makes sex different.”
She sighed. “I’ve loved him for years but not romantically. I don’t really know how to move forward with all this. How to feel about it.”
“Honey, you’ve been head over heels for that man for as long as I’ve known you. All this best friend this and companion that. Sometimes I just wanted to shake you and say, ‘Wake up. He’s right in front of your eyes. Figure it out.’”
Clara twisted her fingers together. “Well, looks like we did.”
“Finally. I know you’re trying to keep things on the more casual side, but this is major.”
A real smile curved her lips. “I know. Walker might be…”
“Your last relationship.”
Clara sighed. “Think you can rephrase that in a way that doesn’t make it sound like I’m dying?”