She was as different from Oceane as an ocean was to a still lake. His late wife could be calm one second and temperamental the next, while T.A.’s undercurrents had you wondering what was going on inside. She had kneed him when she believed he hadn’t come to her defense, then apologized it for it later. Oceane never apologized. He had learned to skirt around her anger, loving her enough her bouts of temper never fazed him. Enjoying her anger-fueled desire had been some of the best sex he had ever had.
The way they carried themselves was different too. Oceane had walked as if she’d floated on air, every movement filled with grace and beauty. T.A. walked as if she would miss something if she didn’t hurry. She didn’t have the fine classical facial features Oceane had had either. They were more girl next door; the more you looked at her, the more beautiful she became every time you saw her. T.A. wasn’t a prized fine figurine you would be afraid to touch. No, she was one you would touch, stroke, and bring to life.
That he was attracted to her weighed heavily on his conscience. She was much younger than him. T.A. seemed to be Grace’s age, which normally would have put her out-of-bounds for him. On the other hand, she wasn’t his daughter, so the ick factor wasn’t what was keeping her out-of-bounds. It was that she wasn’t Oceane. He had never cheated on Oceane from the moment he met her, and had remained faithful to her since her death.
The last time he and Oceane had sex was before her heart condition had been diagnosed. He’d had no desire for any woman since his wife passed. Until T.A. had taken his arm to walk him to Viper’s house. The hardening of his cock proved him wrong that he would never be attracted to another woman, which he had sworn to Oceane.
Dalton scrawled his signature onto the scene clapper. “Dax, you should sign this one too.”
He was reaching for a visitor pass from his last movie when T.A. rose from the chair she was sitting on.
“I better be going. I have some errands I have to take care of now that Stud gave me my car this morning.”
Going to the other side of Killyama’s bed, she stared down at her. “If you need anything, call. I can bring it tomorrow when I come to see you after work.”
“You don’t have to come. Dr. Price said he’ll release me in the morning.”
“Oh. Okay. I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”
Dalton saw the hint of pain in T.A.’s eyes before she quickly concealed it when Killyama looked up.
“Later.”
T.A. gave a friendly smile at everyone in the room. “I’ll see you in the morning, Sex Piston. It’s been nice seeing everyone else again.” Giving a quick nod, she left as good-byes chorused around the room.
After she left, Dalton finished signing the last of the things Killyama had wanted signed as Grace and Lily talked with Killyama and Sex Piston.
Giving Killyama a polite smile, he held out his hand. “Take care of yourself and that little girl. I hope everything goes as expected, and you’ll be able to be released tomorrow.”
Killyama gave him a strange look. “Thank you. I appreciate you coming by. I promise when you come for Thanksgiving, I won’t make you sign the turkey.”
His lips moved in a simulated smile. “I’ll be looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with you and your families.”
Stepping back, he went and waited by the door for the rest to say their good-byes before leading the small group outside. Grace talked to Lily as they walked through the hospital, but as they came outside, his daughter fell behind to walk next to him and Dax.
“I’m going to miss you both.”
Dalton looked down to see Grace’s eyes were filling with tears. “I wish we weren’t going back tonight, but Penni, Sawyer, and Vita want to be home for Thanksgiving.”
Putting an arm around her shoulders, he pulled Grace closer to his side.
“Dax and I are coming for Christmas. That’s why we won’t be there for Thanksgiving. We’ll be able to get the majority of the film done a week before Christmas, and we’ll be able to relax.”
They stopped at Shade and Lily’s car. He and Dax had rented a car for the two days in Treepoint. Grace and Ice were going back to Shade’s house and would be flying that night on Kaden’s plane, while he and Dax were going on to the airport after they said their good-byes.
Trying to put her in a more cheerful mood, he asked her the same question he usually did this time of year. “What do you want for Christmas?”
It didn’t lighten her mood. She seemed even more despondent.
“For you to spend more than a week at Christmas.”