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She put a finger up to his lips to stop the words. “I want. I so want.” She gave him a rather embarrassed smile. “Not saying I don’t like sneaking up here while Jeremy’s having lessons. It’s rather titillating, I have to admit. But things would be a lot easier if... we had every night together.”

He let out a sigh that sounded so relieved, it made her smile even wider. But then his brow furrowed again. “How would your parents feel about you moving in with me?”

That he was even concerned about that made her throat tighten, but she kept her tone light. “Mom would be delighted. Dad... well, he likes you. Respects you. So I think he’d be okay with it.”

He looked as if he was about to say something else, but changed his mind. Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her again, long, deep and thorough.

And they nearly didn’t finish before Jeremy arrived.

*

“I understand whyyou got scared,” Nic said to Jeremy. “So did I.”

The boy looked up at her, some of the hot chocolate he’d just finished drinking rimming his mouth. “You did?”

“When I found out who came to see your dad, yeah, I did. I was afraid he was going to take you and go back to L.A.”

“Me too. That man, he sounded so mean—”

“He did. That’s why I told him to get out.”

She looked up as Jackson spoke, just as he came to a halt at the table with a second mug for Jeremy. He’d spoken calmly enough, but there was an edge in his voice that made her wish she’d been here to see him tell the guy off.

His boss, essentially. He’d kicked his boss out.

He pulled out the chair on Jeremy’s other side and took one of the boy’s hands in his. “You’re happier here than you’ve been in a long time.”

Jeremy gave him a rather sly look from under lowered lashes. “So are you.”

Jackson shifted his gaze to her as he said, “Yes. I am.” Nic felt a more searing heat than the hot chocolate flooding her, and she couldn’t answer except to hold that gaze.

“Lark says it’s okay. To be happy again. That it doesn’t mean we love Mom any less.”

She felt Jackson go very still before he said, in the tone of a man who felt as if he were walking on eggshells, “Do you think she’s right?”

Slowly, the boy nodded. “She asked when Mom was the happiest, and that she bet it was when I was happy.”

“She’s right.”

Jeremy nodded. “So that’s why it’s okay to be happy.” He gave his father a sideways look. “You too.”

Jackson’s mouth curved into that lopsided half grin she loved. “Thanks,” he said, reaching up to tousle the boy’s hair.

“So,” Jeremy said hesitantly, almost but not quite fearfully, “we’re not going back?”

“We are not,” his father answered firmly. “We’ve made more of a home here in six weeks than we ever had in L.A.”

“But your boss, he was mad.”

“He’s not my boss anymore.” He gave Nic a sideways look that told her where Jeremy had gotten the knack. “If he’s willing to keep on a half-useful hand, your dad is.”

Nic couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped. “He’ll be willing.”I’ll make sure of that.

Jeremy was eyeing them both now, too young to hide the mental calculating he was doing behind those eyes so like his father’s. “Maybe Nic could stay here with us.”

Judging by his expression, that had caught Jackson as off guard as it had her. That easily, the task of explaining to the boy was... unnecessary.

“I’d like that,” Jackson said after a moment. “A lot.”