want me to make you one?”
“Yes, please.”
His daughter watched his every move as he put all the ingredients in the blender, which made him nervous, which was ridiculous. He substituted yogurt for his normal scoop of protein powder and flipped the switch. Her hands flew up to her ears as the ingredients mixed together. Once it was done he filled the mug to the rim. “Here you go, Gabby.”
Billy didn’t know if the wide smile he received from her was for the smoothie or from the use of her nickname. It didn’t matter why, only that he made her happy and damn if he wouldn’t do anything in his power to see that smile again and again.
“Thank you.” She went to take a sip, but then asked, “Do you have a straw?”
He didn’t and he wished he could run out to the store and buy some. “No, I don’t, sorry.”
“That’s okay.”
Billy breathed a sigh of relief. He made his oatmeal while Gabby happily sipped her breakfast. He hoped he’d done the right thing. Angel hadn’t gone over Gabby’s meal schedule, so he had no idea what she normally ate for breakfast. Well, one time couldn’t hurt and a fruit smoothie was healthier than those sugar-laced cereals.
Billy noted the time on the oven clock. “Should we wake Mommy up with breakfast in bed?”
Gabby nodded with excitement.
Using a baking pan as a makeshift bed tray, Billy placed a cup of tea and a buttered muffin on it and let Gabby lead the way. He couldn’t say who was more surprised, Angel who gushed over the simple fare or him as he salivated over her nipples which puckered underneath the thin, white tank top. What else lay beneath the covers? He instantly regretted his decision last night to be patient. He’d give a whole new meaning to breakfast in bed by feasting on her. “I have to leave for practice but I already made Gabby breakfast.”
“I had a milk shake,” said Gabby. She climbed onto the bed to sit next to her mother.
Angel’s annoyed gaze landed on her prey. The mama bear stare was fiercer than any defense he’d played against, he held up his hands in mock surrender before she launched into another tirade. “A fruit smoothie,” he explained. “I swear.”
Chapter 10
“G abrielaaaa…” Angel stretched out her daughter’s name in a shocked tone that prompted an explanation of Gabby’s white lie.
Gabby shrugged. “It tastes like one.”
Billy laughed. Angel breathed a sigh of relief he wasn’t mad that she had jumped to conclusions. Hadn’t she learned anything from her little outburst last night? The poor man probably didn’t know what hit him. Here he was trying to do the right thing and she jumped all over him—and not in the jump-your-bones good kind of way that kept her up most of the night wondering what would’ve have happened if the gentle kiss led to more.
“Lanie will be here around ten to show you Gabby’s new school. Then to the bank to set up an account for you and a college fund for Gabby.”
Would their daughter like her new school? Would she make new friends? Worried for Gabby she only managed to mutter, “Okay, thanks.”
Guilt etched his features. “Look I’m sorry. I’d take you myself, but I have practice.”
“I understand. Really.”
Billy nodded before bending down to kiss Gabby goodbye on the cheek.
“Now kiss mommy.” Gabby giggled.
Where did that come from? Angel turned her head. “Daddy isn’t—”
Instead of catching a cheek, which Billy must’ve been aiming for, his lips grazed hers. Stunned, she didn’t finish whatever it was she was about to say. Billy leaned back but still remained only a breath away, his blue eyes searching hers. What did he see? Shock? Panic? Desire? All those feelings whirled inside her.
“Yay!” Gabby clapped.
She needed to have another talk with Gabby to remind her that Mommy and Daddy were just friends. But with her lips still tingling from Billy’s soft kiss, Angel couldn’t form a coherent sentence. It was just as well
“Yes, please.”
His daughter watched his every move as he put all the ingredients in the blender, which made him nervous, which was ridiculous. He substituted yogurt for his normal scoop of protein powder and flipped the switch. Her hands flew up to her ears as the ingredients mixed together. Once it was done he filled the mug to the rim. “Here you go, Gabby.”
Billy didn’t know if the wide smile he received from her was for the smoothie or from the use of her nickname. It didn’t matter why, only that he made her happy and damn if he wouldn’t do anything in his power to see that smile again and again.
“Thank you.” She went to take a sip, but then asked, “Do you have a straw?”
He didn’t and he wished he could run out to the store and buy some. “No, I don’t, sorry.”
“That’s okay.”
Billy breathed a sigh of relief. He made his oatmeal while Gabby happily sipped her breakfast. He hoped he’d done the right thing. Angel hadn’t gone over Gabby’s meal schedule, so he had no idea what she normally ate for breakfast. Well, one time couldn’t hurt and a fruit smoothie was healthier than those sugar-laced cereals.
Billy noted the time on the oven clock. “Should we wake Mommy up with breakfast in bed?”
Gabby nodded with excitement.
Using a baking pan as a makeshift bed tray, Billy placed a cup of tea and a buttered muffin on it and let Gabby lead the way. He couldn’t say who was more surprised, Angel who gushed over the simple fare or him as he salivated over her nipples which puckered underneath the thin, white tank top. What else lay beneath the covers? He instantly regretted his decision last night to be patient. He’d give a whole new meaning to breakfast in bed by feasting on her. “I have to leave for practice but I already made Gabby breakfast.”
“I had a milk shake,” said Gabby. She climbed onto the bed to sit next to her mother.
Angel’s annoyed gaze landed on her prey. The mama bear stare was fiercer than any defense he’d played against, he held up his hands in mock surrender before she launched into another tirade. “A fruit smoothie,” he explained. “I swear.”
Chapter 10
“G abrielaaaa…” Angel stretched out her daughter’s name in a shocked tone that prompted an explanation of Gabby’s white lie.
Gabby shrugged. “It tastes like one.”
Billy laughed. Angel breathed a sigh of relief he wasn’t mad that she had jumped to conclusions. Hadn’t she learned anything from her little outburst last night? The poor man probably didn’t know what hit him. Here he was trying to do the right thing and she jumped all over him—and not in the jump-your-bones good kind of way that kept her up most of the night wondering what would’ve have happened if the gentle kiss led to more.
“Lanie will be here around ten to show you Gabby’s new school. Then to the bank to set up an account for you and a college fund for Gabby.”
Would their daughter like her new school? Would she make new friends? Worried for Gabby she only managed to mutter, “Okay, thanks.”
Guilt etched his features. “Look I’m sorry. I’d take you myself, but I have practice.”
“I understand. Really.”
Billy nodded before bending down to kiss Gabby goodbye on the cheek.
“Now kiss mommy.” Gabby giggled.
Where did that come from? Angel turned her head. “Daddy isn’t—”
Instead of catching a cheek, which Billy must’ve been aiming for, his lips grazed hers. Stunned, she didn’t finish whatever it was she was about to say. Billy leaned back but still remained only a breath away, his blue eyes searching hers. What did he see? Shock? Panic? Desire? All those feelings whirled inside her.
“Yay!” Gabby clapped.
She needed to have another talk with Gabby to remind her that Mommy and Daddy were just friends. But with her lips still tingling from Billy’s soft kiss, Angel couldn’t form a coherent sentence. It was just as well
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