"May I?" I whisper.
She nods and takes the bag from me. I bend down and ever so gently lift the little guy from the floor. I bring him up to my chest, holding him close. He opens one eye, checking to see who's got him, and then drops his head to my shoulder, where it rests all the way to the car. His limp little body molds to mine, and I can feel his hot breath against my neck. Smiling, I give his back a gentle pat, careful not to wake him.
Kylie watches everything, then opens the door to the backseat and I place him in his car-seat while she leans over me and buckles him in. The scent of vanilla and delicate feminine skin wafts up to greet me. The scent awakens something in me. Perhaps it was watching her with her baby all afternoon, seeing her as a mother, and now experiencing the softness of her as a woman that stirs something in me. Compared to the one-dimensional women I usually date, it's a welcome reprieve.
Standing in the driveway with the moonlight pouring down on us, neither of us says a word. Kylie closes the car door and we both check through the window to see if the sound woke Max. It didn't.
"I could have gotten him," she says, turning to me.
"I know."
She watches me intently, as if trying to figure out my angle. It's the same look she gave me when I took Max from her earlier to show him the frog I had found in the garden.
"Drive safe," I tell her.
"I will." Without another word, she slips into the driver's seat.
I remain rooted in the driveway until she pulls away and I can no longer see her taillights. It hasn't even been two minutes, and I'm already plotting out ways to see her again.
Inside I find Sophie stationed at the kitchen island, her mouth stuffed full of a bite of cake.
I grin when I spot her and her eyes widen like she's been caught.
"Don't look at me like that," she says, licking the frosting from her thumb. "I barely got to eat with all the mingling and talking."
Holding up my hands, I motion for her to continue. "Don't stop on my account." I grab a slice of the cake with my fingers. "Here, I'll even join you. Cheers."
"Cheers." She touches the edge of her cake to mine and we eat in silence, enjoying the comfortable moment between us. Sophie already feels like family, so much more so than Colton's ex. That was one woman I couldn't stand being near. Sophie, I wouldn't mind cloning. That thought instantly makes me sad. She had a twin sister that she lost. I can still see a touch of sadness in her eyes, but considering everything, she's doing great.
We eat, moving on to the appetizer trays containing cheese puffs and crab rolls, while Sophie tells me stories of all the extended relatives and friends of the family she met tonight.
"I need your opinion on something," I say, wiping my hands on a cloth napkin.
"Wow, Pace needs me for something … I feel honored," she says, grinning at me. "What is it?"
"There's a woman I'm interested in," I start.
Footsteps behind me cause me to turn. It's Colton, looking for his bride-to-be, no doubt.
"As long as it's not Kylie, go to town," he says.
I hiss out a breath. "I like her, dude. What's your problem?" I'd intended to have a calm, rational conversation with Sophie. I already know my brother's views on this, and it pisses me off.
"She's a single mom," Colton says, like I don't know this fact.
"I'm well aware. Do you think I missed the mini-human who was attached to her hip all night?" I actually viewed him as a sort of bonus.
Sophie's watching all of this, her eyes whipping back and forth between us as she struggles to catch up. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, Colton," she says, placing her hand on his arm. "Pace is a nice guy. Kylie's a sweet girl."
Colton laughs out loud. The fucker. "Pace is not a nice guy."
Sophie's eyes fly to mine again, and her lips purse out as if she's weighing this information.
"The only reason I'm not going to kill you is because it would upset Sophie," I bit out, glaring at him.
"He's sweet, Colton," she says, as if trying to convince us both. Her innocence is adorable.
"He's nice to you, sweetness, because he knows I'd kill him otherwise," Colton tells her, planting a kiss on her neck.
"Pace?" she asks.
"Don't listen to him, cupcake. I can be nice. I'll be the first to admit, a lot of the girls I've gone out with in the past have been … temporary playthings."
Sophie's eyebrows dart up.
I shrug. "I'm just speaking the truth. But I understand the difference between that and a quality girl like Kylie."
"Colt, will you give us a minute, darling? I just want to talk to Pace," Sophie says.
He presses his lips to hers, and grunts out a reply. Reluctantly dragging his mouth away from hers, he finally leaves us alone.
Sophie turns back to me, her expression serious. "So you like her?" she asks.
"I do." There's just something about her. Maybe I'm starting to outgrow the sloppy drunken hookups that my weekends usually consist of. Maybe I'm ready for something real.
"So what's the problem? I know you won't let Colton's opinion stand in your way."
"Nah. He'll get over it. I wanted your advice because Kylie doesn't seem interested in me. Which is something quite new for me." I grin crookedly and shrug. I sound like a cocky asshole, but it's the truth.
"My advice? Honestly? Go get her, tiger." She gives me a playful smirk.
"With all due respect, what the hell do you mean, cupcake?"
"I'm going to let you in on a secret." She pats the stool beside her, indicating I should sit. I do. "A girl likes it when her man goes all alpha male on her ass," she continues.
"What are you saying?"
"Like when Colton refused to accept that I had left. He flew to Italy to win me back."
I remember that trip well. I'd actually tried to talk him out of it. It's great to woo the girl you love, but he was married at the time. I told him he should deal with his baggage first, but his plan had worked. "You're saying I shouldn't take no for an answer?"
"Exactly. Go win her over. Show her why you two would be great together."
How the hell do I do that? I rub my temples. I picture her and her baby son. An idea takes hold, and refuses to let go.
"I got this, Soph."
She grins at me adoringly. "I always knew you did."
Chapter Five
Kylie
Today has been exhausting, and it's only noon. With Max's nanny out of town for the next two weeks for a long overdue honeymoon, I know I'm going to have my hands full. We've played trucks, kicked balls around the yard, finger-painted on sheets of construction paper, made up songs, danced, read books and now I'm ready for a nap. Of course Max is still raring to go.
With Max content for a moment to explore the little plastic farm I've set down in front of him, I plop down onto the couch and kick my feet up onto the oversized ottoman.
I can't help my mind drifting back to yesterday and how it felt to see Pace with my son. If there was ever a form of foreplay for a single mom – watching an attractive, attentive man interact with your child was it. Max is my heart, and so observing how careful and sweet Pace was with him made me feel all kinds of things I'd rather not admit.
A knock at the door breaks my little daydream and Max's head pops up. I push myself up off the couch, wondering who it could be as Max races toward it. I need to teach him about stranger danger.
I pull open the door and am momentarily stunned into silence.
It's Pace.
He's standing on my front porch holding an inflated baby pool and a bagful of water toys.
What in the hell?
He's dressed in a simple white t-shirt and dark jeans that hint at the muscle beneath, and a pair of leather flip flops on his long tan feet. His eyes dart from mine down to the baby at my feet and a slow smile overtakes his mouth.
"Hope you don't mind … Sophie mentioned that your nanny is going to be out of town for the next few weeks … I thought maybe you guys could use some company … "
"I … uh … " I'm at a loss for words apparently. Men don't show up at my house with toys. Especially not men this utterly attractive that make my breasts perk up, my nipples pushing against the lace of my bra, demanding attention. Son of bitch!
Pace's eyes wander from mine downward and I cross my arms over my chest. That damn dimple adorns his cheek while his mouth curls into a crooked grin.
Pace's gaze continues down until he reaches Max, who's currently hiding behind my legs.
"Hey little man," Pace says.