Page 20

THIRTEEN

ALEJANDRA

The sounds of Zoe’s little whimpers coming through the baby monitor pull me from sleep faster than any alarm clock ever could.

I go to climb out of bed when I realize Gage’s heavy tree trunk of a leg is thrown over mine and his arm is around my middle, anchoring himself to me.

Shit. I slept in bed with him last night.

That’s when last night flashed through my mind and everything we did and everything that was said hit me.

What does all this mean now? If we are going to be a thing, I can’t take money from him for caring for Zoe.

Fuck, what the fuck was I thinking?

“Gage,” I nudge him and he groans.

“Five more minutes.”

“Zoe’s crying. I need to go get her.” Reluctantly, he lifts his leg and moves his arm, rolling to his back. I catch the wince as he adjusts the sheet around his lower half.

“When I’m done with Princesa , I’m checking your side.” I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, and bending over, I grab my thong and t-shirt.

“Whatever you say, baby.” Then I hear him let out a groan. “I’m already missing the taste of you on my tongue and seeing you bent over like that is not helping.”

I roll my eyes, pulling my thong up and yanking my shirt over my head, forgoing my bra.

He’s still calling me baby. My heart flutters in my chest and I head towards the door, leaving it open.

Zoe’s nursery is dim, and going right to her crib tugs at my heartstrings.

I’m too attached. I’ve never been this way with any other child I’ve cared for.

Why is she different?

“ Buenos días, nina. Did you sleep good?” Lifting her and making the side step to the changing table, I get her changed and in a clean outfit. Once I have her situated, I cradle her, nuzzling her to my chest and kissing her perfect head of hair. “Let’s go see your daddy, huh?”

“Will you take her so I can grab some pants from my room and then go make her a bottle?” Turning into Gage’s room, I notice he hasn’t moved at all. He’s still in bed under the covers, probably naked.

I stand there and ponder the last bit and clench my thighs together. It’s been a long time since I’ve had sex and last night with Gage awakened my libido for sure.

“Bring her here.” He sits up, positioning himself with pillows and then holds out his arms for her. “But… no pants.”

I make my way over to him and hand him his daughter, giving him a look. “Seriously?”

“Oh, I’m so serious. You have a gorgeous body, Ale. I could stare at it all day.” Gage grabs my hand and tugs me toward him. When my mouth hovers over his, he says something I don’t expect. “Can I kiss you?”

God, could I fall for him any more than I already am?

A man that asks instead of takes.

What did I do to deserve him?

“Yes,” and he pulls my arm around the back of his neck and presses his lips to mine.

“ Eres tan hermosa, carino. ”

I swear if this man keeps whispering things to me in Spanish, I’m going to wind up pregnant.

Gage speaking my native language is such a turn-on, and it’s messing with my head.

As if his being ridiculously attractive wasn’t bad enough, he has to speak decent Spanish too.

There is this stupid part of my brain that’s telling me a baby wouldn’t be horrible, I’m twenty-five, so it’s not like I’m too young.

But as I break away from his kiss and hurry out of the room, I want to slap myself for even thinking it.

He is your boss, Alejandra.

But his lips feel so good on mine. His touch makes me feel alive and his words caress a part of my soul that I never knew needed them. Needed him.

I rush out of the room and I can feel Gage’s eyes on me, I know he’s watching me leave. I try to shake off the feeling of his gaze, but it only seems to intensify the butterflies in my stomach. I make my way to the kitchen, trying to focus on making Zoe’s bottle.

I’m still trying to process everything that happened last night.

The way he touched me, the way he made me feel.

It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

And now, this morning, he’s being so sweet and gentle with me.

At the counter, preparing Zoe’s bottle, I hear Gage come into the kitchen behind me, Zoe fussing in his arms. He’s still shirtless, his bandaged side needs changing, and his hair is mussed from sleep.

He looks adorable, and I feel my heart skip a beat as he approaches me.

“Hey,” he says softly, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “I think she wants you.”

I nod. “Of course,” I reply, trying to sound casual despite the fact that my heart is racing, she needs me as much as I need her.

Gage nuzzles his face into my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Do you want to feed her in bed?” He whispers in my ear. “I can make breakfast for us while you do.”

“Yeah, I can do that.” With her bottle ready, I turn and take her from him, and almost instantly she calms against my chest. Gage just smiles at the two of us, then leans to kiss the top of her head. When he comes up, he stops just inches from my lips and waits.

I roll my eyes at him. “You have my permission to kiss me whenever you want, Gage.”

His soft lips hover and before he presses them to mine, he lets out a little chuckle. “You better remember you said that. Because there's no going back now, Ale. I’m gonna kiss the shit out of you. Whenever. I. Want.”

With Zoe nestled on my chest between us, he looks at me with such adoration in his eyes that I feel my heart melt. And then he leans in and presses his lips to mine. It’s a soft, gentle kiss at first, but as our lips touch, it deepens into something more passionate.

Zoe starts to fuss a little, but he doesn’t break the kiss. Instead, I adjust her slightly and continue to kiss him. I feel like I’m melting into him, like our lips are meant to be together.

The world around us fades away until all that’s left is the two of us and Zoe, lost in this perfect moment. The kiss is so intense that it leaves me breathless when we finally break apart for air.

Gage smiles down at me, looking smugly satisfied with himself. “I’ve wanted to do that all morning,” he says, moving back and heading towards the fridge to start pulling out things for breakfast.

Heading toward the staircase, I peek back over my shoulder to catch him watching me with a big-ass grin on his face. My face flushes and as I hit the first step, he calls over to me. “When I said feed her in bed, I meant mine. Our bed. ”

Our bed.

I need to get on some birth control ASAP.

I head upstairs to Gage’s bedroom, with Zoe cradled in my arms. I try to clear my mind of the lingering desire from our kiss. My main priority is to feed Zoe and make sure she is comfortable, as it is my responsibility. I’m supposed to be completely focused on her. Not her father.

I sit down on his bed, propping myself up against the pillows as I get Zoe comfortable in my arms. As she drinks, I try to rationalize why getting involved with Gage is a bad idea.

We barely know each other, and yet the chemistry between us is undeniable.

But what about the risks? What about the fact that I’m not on birth control and we’re already hot and heavy?

The thought of getting pregnant while Zoe is a newborn sends a wave of panic through me.

I don’t have the means to take care of a baby if things with Gage were to go sour. Or if he were to change his mind. What if he ended up seeing this as another bad decision and then I’m just left to raise a kid by myself?

Zoe is nearly three months old, and the last thing either of us needs is another baby to worry about. And yet, as I look around Gage’s bedroom, I can feel myself getting drawn in. This feels like a safe space, like a haven from the chaos of my life.

I’m always the one putting my life on hold for other people.

What about what I want? I’ve dreamed of having my own family.

Children of my own, marriage, and building a beautiful life with someone.

But I have always put my own desires second.

I had to come here to go to school and get a good job just to help my family back home. My dreams never mattered.

What if they could now?

Just as I’m getting lost in my thoughts, telling myself I’m stupid for thinking he would even want to complicate his life even more, Gage appears at the door with a tray laden with food.

He smiles at me as he sets it down on his bedside table.

“Breakfast in bed,” he says, sitting down beside me on the bed.

As Zoe continues to drink her bottle, Gage picks up a piece of sausage and holds it out to me on a fork. “Eat,” he says softly, his eyes locked on mine. “You eat while she eats. If I’m not feeding her, I’m going to make sure you get fed.”

If the man is trying to seduce me. It’s working.

Fuck, am I ovulating or something? Because this man is looking more and more attractive by the second.

I take a bite of the sausage, feeling a little self-conscious about eating in front of him. But as he feeds me bite after bite—eggs scrambled just right, fresh fruit sliced into perfect wedges—something shifts inside me. It feels intimate, this quiet morning moment we’re sharing together.

Gage takes another piece of fruit from the plate, placing it gently against my lips, and I open, allowing him to place it inside my mouth.

Chewing slowly, never breaking eye contact with him.

I swallow, then lean forward, reaching for the orange juice glass, taking a small sip from the straw. Our eyes locked the whole time.

It was so tense between us, you could practically feel the attraction. We know where this might lead, but neither of us wants to stop, even though everything is screaming at us to. To think and be rational for just a second.

How can I be rational when he looks at me like I’m the most beautiful thing in the world alongside his daughter?

Hormones say, You can’t.

“Gage,” I look at him and it’s like he already knows what I’m going to say.

“I know.” He bites his lower lip, scratching the back of his head and whispering. “ I know .”

Situating Zoe on my shoulder to burp her, he leans across the space between us and kisses me again.

This kiss feels different. The only way to describe it would be that it’s no longer just hesitant and full of unbridled want.

No, this kiss is sure, like it knows what we are and where this is going.

Even though I’m almost positive that Gage and I don’t have a clue.

While he kisses me and I get lost in all the what ifs, Zoe lets out a burp, and warm spit-up cascades down my back and all over the pillows.

“Did she just—” he says against my lips, then pulls himself back, wide-eyed.

"Puke on me,” I gag a little and nod. “Mmhm.”

I scoot and get off the bed, making a beeline for her nursery. “Ale,” he calls after me, his footsteps right behind me. I have her on the changing table, cleaning her up, when he appears next to me. “Go shower and I’ll get her situated. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Stepping aside, he grabs my hand and pulls me back. His lips connect with mine in a searing kiss. “I smell like vomit, Gage.” I try to pull back.

“Still beautiful.”

Once in my room, I grab some clothes and head into the bathroom.

I turn the shower on and let the steam envelope the room, leaving the door cracked for when Gage comes in.

I pull the shirt over my head and chuck it in the hamper, stripping from my thong and heading into the shower to start without him.

After a few minutes, I just stand under the hot stream of water, taking a moment to re-evaluate my life choices, when I hear what sounds like the doorbell.

“I got it,” Gage shouts and I hear his feet thumping down the stairs. I turn off the shower and I practically jump out of my skin as I open the door and hear Gage’s booming voice from downstairs.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”