ChapterFifteen
Mandy played with Maximus while Zoe packed a bag that included clothes she’d need for work on Monday.
The last time she slept at another person’s home was before her accident. Since losing her hearing, she’d maintained a sort of safe space in which to exist and rarely strayed from it.
Nate and Mandy made her brave inmanyways.
He set her laptop bag beside her suitcase on the bench at the end of her bed. “I can drive you to the library Monday morning and come pick you up at lunch to get your car.”
Shaking her head, she reminded him, “I have the finance committee meeting bright and early at City Hall. I don’t want to pull Mandy out of bed an hour earlier than usual. I’ll follow you out to the house.”
“Makes sense.” He stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek. “I’m pretty sure you think of everything.”
Smiling, she said, “My dad called me a walking day planner. Back when day planners were a thing.”
“He sounds like a good man.”
“He truly was. I hope he knew how much I loved him.”
“There’s no doubt you showed him, Zoe.”
She thought about Lionel Green and it felt good to remember all the good things they’d shared. For a long time, it was hard to recall much before the accident that changed her life and claimed his and Kimmie’s so fast.
“He was the same father to me that you are to Mandy. Encouraging, a little silly, a steady source of strength.” Meeting his gaze, she confessed, “It was seeing the way you are with her that pushed me from attraction to love.” She paused. “That must seem strange.”
“It doesn’t. I wanted you from the start and ogled you every time you drifted into my line of sight. You were so different from the people I dated before…uh, I shouldn’t talk to you about this shit.”
“It’s alright. Mandy mentioned it and I deduced it myself after seeing Jessica.” She lifted one shoulder. “Physically, we’re total opposites. That doesn’t matter.”
“I never want it to, Zoe.” She watched him inhale deeply. “Part of meknewnone of those women liked children but I figured Mandy was hardly ever around them, so it didn’t matter. I didn’t knowsheknew how they were. The day you said yes to getting coffee, I was excited to tell her. At first, she worried I’d mess up her friendship with you.”
“Nothing would have done that,” Zoe assured him softly.
“After I explained how serious I was about you, she told me all the women I’d dated were like her mother. I was stunned, ashamed. I’d never looked at it from her perspective.”
He held her shoulders and maintained eye contact. “I wasn’t looking for some replacement mom. I wanted you for myself. All my motivations were selfish initially. Seeing you together, the way you talked to Mandy, treated her, I realized you were the perfect woman for me and another strong female influence for my daughter. By the time you drove away after our first dinner, I loved you.”
“Nate.”
“I’m not overly emotional. I’ve never told women I loved them. Not even Mandy’s mother. I refused to lie even though it would have made a lot of situations easier. I used them, I let them use me, but that lie wasn’t between us.” Pulling her close, he tilted her face. “You’re the first person to get the words from me because this is the first time I’ve felt them. It feels amazing to love you.”
“I feel the same way about you, Nate.”
Kissing her lightly, he said, “Finish up so I can take you home. I’d offer to put you in one of the guest rooms like a gentleman, but I’d just end up there with you so…”
Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, she considered her words. “Your bedroom is the only one downstairs. Convenient.”
His hands tightened on her shoulders. “Hurry up.”
Laughing, she grabbed her toiletry bag and walked into the bathroom. Quickly placing her basic products inside, she zipped it up.
Nate lifted her hair to kiss her neck. She closed her eyes, leaned back, and his arms went around her. They stood like that for a long time, his warm palms smoothing back and forth over her stomach.
Looking at his reflection, he told her, “Bring enough to stay, Zoe.” He ran his hands over her hips and pulled her ass snugly against the hard ridge of his cock. “Can we take Maximus?”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“I’m ready for you to move the fuckin, Zoe. I’m trying to be calm and reasonable but you make it hard to think straight. Let me show you some of the benefits.”