Athica Lane: The Carpino Series

Athica Lane: The Carpino Series by Brynne Asher Page B

Book: Athica Lane: The Carpino Series by Brynne Asher Read Free Book Online
Authors: Brynne Asher
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fainted.  I don’t even know what that would feel like.
    I hear a beer bottle hit the table and look over to see Cam getting up.  He walks in front of me, putting one hand to the back of my chair, entirely invading my space by leaning in close. 
    I feel his hand come up to firmly cup my chin and his thumb brushes my bottom lip when he says in a low voice, “You’d better take a shower since you’re worn out from all the cleaning.  Thanks for dinner, darlin’.  And I’m grateful for my clean kitchen.”
    I can’t help but fidget from his touch and mere closeness.  I swear his eyes narrow as if he caught it, too.  I somehow find the words, “No problem.”
    He gives my chin one more squeeze before he stands and yells for his kids.  Jordy and Cara come running.
    “What do you say?” he instructs them in a dad voice.
    “Thanks!” Cara yells.
    “Yeah, thanks for the pizza,” Jordy adds.
    “Bye Jordy.  See you tomorrow, sweet girl,” I smile back at them.
    “Bye, sweet Paige!” Cara yells back, making me smile.
    Cam scoops up Ariel and looks back but doesn’t say a word.  He doesn’t need to.  His look says it all with that grin in his goatee.  He turns to follow his kids home while carrying his daughter’s dog that’s named after a mermaid, proving to me he’s not just hot, but hotter being a dad.  And he wasn’t once an asshole tonight.  I guess he was sort of an ass when he asked me if I had a dick, but it was kind of hot at the same time. 
    Oh my.  I think I might need a cold shower. 
    *****
    “Night, punkin’ pie,” I say and lean down to kiss Cara on the forehead.  “Love you.”
    “Love you, too, Daddy,” she says.  I turn to leave her room when she calls back to me, “Daddy, what day is it?”
    I sigh knowing where this is going, “Wednesday, baby.”
    “How many more days?” she asks.
    “Two ‘til Friday.  Your mom has something to do after work, she’ll be here to get you a couple hours later than normal,” I explain.
    “Okay,” she says and hearing my girl’s sad voice cuts me deep.  I’ve had primary custody since she was two and Jordy was four.  Cara barely knows her mom, not the way a kid should know their mom.  And it cuts me even deeper when they have to leave every other weekend because I can tell they don’t want to go with fucking Bekki.
    “Sleep tight, Cara.”
    “Does that mean I have two more days with Paige?” she asks, avoiding sleep like usual.
    “Yeah.  Time for bed,” I say.
    “I like Paige.  Maybe she can take care of us all summer,” she pushes.
    “Sorry, Miss Sophia will be back next week.  You like her, too,” I say, trying to soften the blow because I can tell my shy girl has opened up to Paige in a huge way.  A way I can’t help but like since she doesn’t open up to much of anyone. 
    I turn to leave and pull her door shut when I hear, “Daddy!”
    “Cara,” I warn.
    “The kitchen smells good,” she delays.
    “Caroline,” I give her a firm warning with my voice.
    “Okay, night-night,” she sighs.
    “Night,” I call, pulling her door shut.
    I walk across the hall to Jordy’s room and open the door where he quickly hides his game under the covers. 
    “Put it away, buddy,” I say walking to him.
    “All right,” he pulls it out and sits it on his nightstand.
    “Goodnight,” I say and rustle his hair, leaning in to kiss his head.  “Love you, bud.”
    “Night, Dad,” he calls.  Then he asks, “Was Cara asking about mom?”
    “Yeah, why?”
    “Just wondering.  She cries a lot there and mom doesn’t like it when she cries.”
    I stand and frown, “Why does she cry?”
    “I don’t know, who knows what makes her cry.  But she cries more there than here,” he shrugs his shoulders. 
    “What does your mom do?” I ask.
    “She tells her not to cry.”
    “That’s it?” I ask, the knife cutting deeper because now I have something else to worry about. 
    “Yeah,” he answers as he settles

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