her. "And maybe we can have ice cream with them?"
She nodded. "If you’re a good listener at the park."
Jeff relaxed in his chair. So far, the evening was progressing perfectly. He'd been surprised earlier to acknowledge he was nervous. All day, he'd been eager for this night to arrive. Not wanting to be late, he'd allowed extra time. But her directions had been spot on.
Yet when he'd pulled into her driveway, he'd hesitated. Convincing Marisol had taken twenty-nine days. Jeff had lost track of how many times he'd officially asked her— but it was easily a dozen. He didn't want to blow a month of effort with a mistake. His heart had actually been pounding when he rang the bell. But then she'd opened the door— gorgeous, sea blue eyes welcoming. And here they were. A fun dinner with a sweet little boy and a beautiful woman who was slowly, cautiously starting to lower her guard.
Jeff couldn't remember ever experiencing this level of uncertainty before. Part of him resented feeling this way. Obviously— it was the part that had always taken anything he ever wanted from the opposite sex. But the rest of him was enjoying the hell out of the challenge. The rush of uncertainty would definitely keep him fully engaged. There was no danger of complacency with Mari. There would be no games— not that he'd ever really been into that. But he also knew she wouldn't put up with them.
He'd already sensed she wouldn't tolerate a slacker, but he was absolutely certain she wouldn't risk exposing Hector to getting his feelings hurt. He'd met up with Hector accidentally— but staying on the fringes of his life would be solely up to Marisol. That made this date— and any he might be fortunate enough to secure in the future— high stakes. The way he viewed it— he had two choices. He was either all in and betting with confidence or he should fold his hand and get out tonight.
"Can we go to the park soon, Jeff? It's gonna get dark."
"Hang in there, Sport. We have plenty of time." He smiled over Hector's worried expression. "Let's make sure your mom has finished dinner."
"Mari, pleee-ze? Are you done?"
She hid her chuckle behind her napkin. "When you ask so nicely, how can I possibly refuse?"
"Okay, Hec. Lead the way." Jeff caught her glance and winked, hoping to provoke another blush. She'd done it all evening. For someone so tightly in command of her emotions, it was perhaps the one thing Marisol couldn't control. It probably drove her crazy— that a purely physical response could reveal all sorts of secrets she didn't wish to share. Did she blush like that around every guy? Or was her reaction reserved solely for him? Was it possible he made her nervous? The thought made him smile.
He'd thought of no one else this past month. From the moment he'd set eyes on her— she'd been it. Until she trusted him enough to let the wall down, her blush was one of the few signals he had to gauge her thoughts. And before they were through, that wall was gonna tumble.
Oh, yeah. He was all in.
***
Marisol blew the wayward curls out of her face. Still flushed from the heat in the bathroom during Hector's bath, she was supremely conscious of the fact that she was completely disheveled. If her son hadn't insisted on Jefferson tucking him into bed, she wouldn't have cared so much about her appearance. But he was still here— waiting patiently to tuck him in. Then they would finally head downstairs together— alone for the first time. And she was a straggly mess.
She chewed her lip in frustration. Why did it matter how she looked? She wasn't getting involved with anyone— remember? Just because Jeff was stunningly gorgeous— even after a sixty minute stint in the park chasing her son— even after another hour spent crawling on the living room rug playing trucks.
"Mama— come on! I'm dry. Let's get out there."
She finished buttoning his pajamas, her frazzled thoughts calming with the basic task. "Jeff is waiting, carino. He won't leave
She nodded. "If you’re a good listener at the park."
Jeff relaxed in his chair. So far, the evening was progressing perfectly. He'd been surprised earlier to acknowledge he was nervous. All day, he'd been eager for this night to arrive. Not wanting to be late, he'd allowed extra time. But her directions had been spot on.
Yet when he'd pulled into her driveway, he'd hesitated. Convincing Marisol had taken twenty-nine days. Jeff had lost track of how many times he'd officially asked her— but it was easily a dozen. He didn't want to blow a month of effort with a mistake. His heart had actually been pounding when he rang the bell. But then she'd opened the door— gorgeous, sea blue eyes welcoming. And here they were. A fun dinner with a sweet little boy and a beautiful woman who was slowly, cautiously starting to lower her guard.
Jeff couldn't remember ever experiencing this level of uncertainty before. Part of him resented feeling this way. Obviously— it was the part that had always taken anything he ever wanted from the opposite sex. But the rest of him was enjoying the hell out of the challenge. The rush of uncertainty would definitely keep him fully engaged. There was no danger of complacency with Mari. There would be no games— not that he'd ever really been into that. But he also knew she wouldn't put up with them.
He'd already sensed she wouldn't tolerate a slacker, but he was absolutely certain she wouldn't risk exposing Hector to getting his feelings hurt. He'd met up with Hector accidentally— but staying on the fringes of his life would be solely up to Marisol. That made this date— and any he might be fortunate enough to secure in the future— high stakes. The way he viewed it— he had two choices. He was either all in and betting with confidence or he should fold his hand and get out tonight.
"Can we go to the park soon, Jeff? It's gonna get dark."
"Hang in there, Sport. We have plenty of time." He smiled over Hector's worried expression. "Let's make sure your mom has finished dinner."
"Mari, pleee-ze? Are you done?"
She hid her chuckle behind her napkin. "When you ask so nicely, how can I possibly refuse?"
"Okay, Hec. Lead the way." Jeff caught her glance and winked, hoping to provoke another blush. She'd done it all evening. For someone so tightly in command of her emotions, it was perhaps the one thing Marisol couldn't control. It probably drove her crazy— that a purely physical response could reveal all sorts of secrets she didn't wish to share. Did she blush like that around every guy? Or was her reaction reserved solely for him? Was it possible he made her nervous? The thought made him smile.
He'd thought of no one else this past month. From the moment he'd set eyes on her— she'd been it. Until she trusted him enough to let the wall down, her blush was one of the few signals he had to gauge her thoughts. And before they were through, that wall was gonna tumble.
Oh, yeah. He was all in.
***
Marisol blew the wayward curls out of her face. Still flushed from the heat in the bathroom during Hector's bath, she was supremely conscious of the fact that she was completely disheveled. If her son hadn't insisted on Jefferson tucking him into bed, she wouldn't have cared so much about her appearance. But he was still here— waiting patiently to tuck him in. Then they would finally head downstairs together— alone for the first time. And she was a straggly mess.
She chewed her lip in frustration. Why did it matter how she looked? She wasn't getting involved with anyone— remember? Just because Jeff was stunningly gorgeous— even after a sixty minute stint in the park chasing her son— even after another hour spent crawling on the living room rug playing trucks.
"Mama— come on! I'm dry. Let's get out there."
She finished buttoning his pajamas, her frazzled thoughts calming with the basic task. "Jeff is waiting, carino. He won't leave
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