Since that moment, Haley had probably called him daddy no less than fifty times, and he seemed to eat it up every single time. Lucie couldn’t blame him. This was a huge milestone for the two of them, and she was just happy she had the opportunity to witness it for herself. After all the heartache she had caused, seeing the bond between father and daughter grow stronger every day didn’t make her guilt lessen any, but she was grateful for the choice she finally did make.
“She’s asleep,” Kane whispered, breaking Lucie from her thoughts. Glancing over, she noticed that Haley was, in fact, asleep, propped on Kane’s shoulder, her teddy bear tucked beneath her arm. Glancing over at the television, she noticed the closing credits were rolling down the screen.
Damn, she had missed most of the movie thanks to her wandering thoughts.
Lucie climbed out of the bed and started to reach for Haley, but Kane waved her off easily. “I’ll carry her if you want to pull the blankets back on her bed.”
Making quick work of getting the bed ready for Haley, Lucie watched while Kane tucked her in before standing back and staring down at her.
“She’s beautiful,” Kane whispered. Lucie barely heard the words, but she felt the sentiment. He was a proud father, and that made Lucie’s heart break even more. How could she have been so stupid for so long?
Turning quickly, she escaped back into the other bedroom and quickly grabbed the empty plates and the bowl of popcorn Haley had been munching on earlier. With hurried movements, she returned everything to the small kitchen, rinsed the plates before stacking them in the dish drainer and dumping the popcorn in the trash can.
When Lucie was finished, she returned to the living area, studying the couch to see whether it actually folded out to a bed like she assumed. She knew there was an extra blanket and pillow in the hall closet, and this would work perfectly, even if it didn’t fold out.
“Are you ok?” Kane’s voice startled her, and she jumped, turning to face him. Surprised to see him just a couple of inches behind her, Lucie nearly stumbled backward, and she would have if he hadn’t slipped his arms around her and stopped her.
“I’m fine.” Ok, so she didn’t even sound fine to her own ears.
“You don’t look fine.” Kane smiled. “Well, that’s not entirely true. You look fucking hot, but you don’t look happy.”
Despite herself, Lucie smiled. Kane had a way of doing that to her.
“I was just trying to figure out how this makes into a bed,” she explained, her hand flailing backward hinting at the sofa behind her.
“Well, I’ve got a better idea.” Kane lifted her easily, and Lucie was forced to wrap her legs around him.
“I don’t want Haley to see us in bed together,” she murmured against his neck, giving in to the emotions that were overwhelming her.
Kane stopped, leaning his head back slightly so she was forced to look up at him.
“Do you trust me, Luce?” he asked, and she was instantly mesmerized by his smoky gray gaze.
“I do,” she said honestly. Lucie had always trusted him. That had never been her issue. The reason she kept Haley a secret from him hadn’t been because she didn’t trust him with their daughter. She had done the unthinkable because she was trying to protect him. In her mind, she didn’t want Kane to feel trapped.
“Then do exactly what I tell you to do,” he whispered as he continued moving toward the bedroom.
Kane carried her to the bed and then stood her back on her feet. Once she was planted firmly on the ground, she looked up at him, noticing the passion and anticipation that had replaced the concern she detected a few seconds ago.
“I’ll be right back. When I get back, I want you naked.” Kane kept his gaze leveled on hers. “And I want you standing right here where I left you.”
Lucie nodded her head in understanding, although she felt a little out of sorts. This was new to her. This place. This man. This feeling. All of it churned together making it difficult to breathe, much less think.
Kane turned and disappeared from the room. For two, maybe three seconds, Lucie hesitated. Finally, when the warmth that had started in her tummy penetrated her limbs, she began to move, quickly disrobing, tossing her clothes on the chair in the corner.
When Kane returned, Lucie was stunned silent as he stalked toward her sans his shirt. The man’s body was drool worthy. The way his shoulders bunched, his biceps flexed, and the perfectly sculpted triangle of his tricep tightened had her clenching her thighs together. That was only part of it. The ripple-effect of his washboard abs made her want to drop to her knees and trace every luscious line with her tongue until she’d gotten her fill of him.