Page 10 of Summer Fling (The Kingston Brothers #5)

Chapter Seven

Dalton

A fter Oakley showed up at the house, I'd texted her to see if she wanted me to bring Lilliana the next day, but she hadn't answered. It was starting to feel like she only wanted Lilliana when it was convenient for her, when she wanted to prove to someone else that she was an attentive mother.

Otherwise, it was fine for me to have her. I couldn't complain about getting more time with Lilliana.

But I was on edge, waiting for Oakley to do something, and I didn't like it. So I scheduled another appointment with Ashton.

Ashton folded his hands on top of the desk. "Oakley's attorney said you refused to give Lilliana over the other night."

"She hadn't called ahead to let me know she wanted Lilliana, and we were in the middle of eating dinner.

Oakley wanted to take her out to a restaurant with her friends.

But it was time for bath and bed. I told her I'd call her the next day about taking her back, but she never responded to my text. Was that the wrong way to handle it?"

"You did the right thing. Are you ready to file a complaint for custody now? I don't think we have a choice. I know you wanted to wait a few weeks, but I think we need to make our move now. The court requires the parties participate in mediation before a trial is scheduled."

"Let's file it."

"She's also complaining about your nanny. Blake sounds great on paper, but you know how court cases can be. Oakley might try to dig up anything she can on her."

"I don't know of anything bad in her past, and she's great with Lilliana." She'd been a calming presence when Oakley was in my house, taking Lilliana away from the situation. She had Lilliana's best interests at heart, which was more than I could say for Oakley.

"Is she fine with saying you're dating? That will make you look more stable in front of the judge."

"She's okay with it." I wasn't sure what it would mean for us, other than pretending to be together when we were in public and with my family. It sounded easy enough.

"I'd start being seen around town. Let your family know, so they can spread the word. The idea is that you're dating someone seriously, and she's great with your kid."

I rubbed my hands together. "I can do this."

"Make it convincing. The more in love you are, the more the judge will see you as the stable family. Oakley wants to take your kids to bars, and you're at home concerned about dinner and bedtime routines."

"You're making me sound boring."

Ashton smiled. "We want you to be the responsible one."

My jaw tightened. "And Oakley's not going to look good."

"That's the plan. I'll file the paperwork. You work on convincing everyone that you're happily in love with Blake, enjoying this little family that you've created."

I was attracted to her, so it shouldn't be a stretch. "Okay."

At home that night, I waited for Lilliana to be in bed before I searched for Blake, who wasn't in her room. I finally found her outside on the patio, where she was curled up on the couch with a book in her hands.

I sat on a chair near her, not trusting myself to sit any closer. I needed to maintain some distance between us.

"How did it go with Ashton?" she asked softly.

"He thinks it's time to file the paperwork and tell everyone that we're together. Oakley already mentioned you to her attorney. They're concerned that there's a strange woman living with Lilliana."

Blake shook her head. "I can't believe she's taking it this far."

"She's been like this since she found out she was pregnant. Looking back, I knew she was prone to drama, but I never thought she’d take it this far."

Blake sobered. "What do we need to do?"

"We're going to my family's this weekend for dinner. We can tell them about us then. But we should be seen out and about."

"Maybe we could go grocery shopping together," she said.

"We should probably do something more date-like."

Blake frowned. "What is there to do on the island?”

"We could go on a bike ride, get ice cream." Those were simple things that I'd never done with Oakley. She preferred going out for dinner or drinks.

"That sounds nice. And how do we let everyone know that we're together?"

"We hold hands, we touch, kiss—" Even though I was attracted to her, we didn't have that kind of relationship yet. Would it be awkward to do it for the first time in public?

Blake giggled nervously. "Should we practice? Get used to being around each other like that?"

I grinned at her suggestion. "You could sit in my lap."

She blanched at that. "I'm not quite ready for that."

"Maybe we should dance then." I hit Play on a sultry song and stood, holding my hand out to her. Dancing was a good way to be close to someone. With Oakley, I'd had to stifle my romantic side because she didn't like it.

Blake set her book aside and placed her palm in mine. She stood and moved toward me. My heart was beating hard as I pulled her close.

The song had her hips naturally swaying. I'd assumed a more formal position to dance, one I'd seen done at weddings, but she moved her hands so that they were looped around my neck. Not sure where to put my hands, I gripped her hips which brought her chest against mine.

It was hard to breathe with her so close.

She chuckled nervously. "This is a little weird because you're my boss."

"I don't feel like your boss right now," I said gruffly. The moment was overcharged. All logic had left my brain. All I could do was feel.

Was she not affected by how her body was touching mine?

I hadn't been with anyone since Oakley. Once I moved out of her house, I severed any form of a relationship with her other than co-parenting.

But I hadn't wanted to date anyone else.

I was still burned from my interactions with her, and I wanted to focus on Lilliana.

Now I wondered if it was Oakley's drama that kept me from having the energy to look for something with someone else. Was that part of her strategy, and I'd played right into her game?

Was I aching for Blake because I hadn't been with anyone else in so long, or was it her? She was attractive and kind. I liked talking to her while I was cooking dinner, and I adored the way she cared for my daughter.

"You're so stiff," Blake observed.

My dick promptly responded by getting hard.

Blake's brow furrowed. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

I cleared my throat. "Not at all. I'm just not a good dancer."

"You have to let go and move to the music," she said as if it was that easy.

What if you were attracted to the person in your arms and couldn't relax? What if every nerve ending was on fire? Every muscle poised to make a move? "It's hard."

She massaged the tense muscles in my shoulders, then my upper arms.

I nearly groaned at the sensation of her hands on me. There was a thin layer of cotton between us, but I could feel the heat searing through it.

"Is that better?" Blake asked me, her question innocent, but the way she was looking at me set me on fire.

I loved her hands on me, but I didn't think that was an acceptable answer. "Sure."

Her eyes flashed with heat. "Listen to the music and move."

I forced myself to listen to the beat, not focusing on her hands, which lingered on my chest. Could she feel my heart beating out of control beneath her palms? At any second, she was going to realize my body was reacting to her close proximity, and she'd pull back.

Her palms moved down my arms until she was holding my hands, and she moved them, guiding me to sway. It was awkward, but it kept my mind off the way her body had felt pressed against mine.

Maybe this whole pretend girlfriend thing wasn't a good idea. Why had I thought I could do this without wanting her? Then I remembered how Brady pretended to be engaged to his best friend, Hazel. Maybe he'd have some insight. I needed to talk to someone about this crazy situation.

Her dress swayed around her upper thighs, giving me ideas about sliding my hands up her soft skin. Was she wearing panties?

Then she turned, pressed her back against my front, and moved my arms to wrap around her. It was a pure hookup move. Her ass pressed against my crotch, and I moved slightly away from her so she wouldn't feel the evidence of my desire.

"That's it," Blake said softly.

Her neck was bared to me, and I wanted to kiss her skin, wondering if she'd tremble under my touch. Would she shiver under my lips?

My hand was splayed over her taut stomach, and I wished we were dating. That I was able to move my hands wherever I wanted them.

I wanted to lift the dress over her head and see if she wore lace or satin lingerie. If her skin was tan all over.

I had to get a handle on my imagination, or I was going to blow this arrangement. It was fake. I wasn't supposed to be lusting over my pretend girlfriend. I didn't want to scare away my very real nanny.

Her hips swayed, and then she moved again, dancing the way we were before, her hands looped around my neck.

I tried to think about the upcoming family get-together to distract myself from thinking about her body pressed against mine. Thinking about my parents' reactions to the news of me dating my nanny kept my body in check. "I think we can do this."

"Yeah?" she asked with a smile.

I needed to keep my mind on the end result. I wanted official fifty-fifty custody of Lilliana. I wanted stability. Lusting after my nanny would give me anything but stability. If I caught real feelings for her, I'd mess everything up, and I couldn't afford to lose Blake.

I needed her now more than ever.

Oakley asked if she could see Lilliana, and I convinced her to wait until Monday so that I could take her to my parents.

Thankfully she didn't put up a fight about it.

I'd kept track of the time I spent with Lilliana and the times that Oakley showed up unannounced to drop her off or pick her up.

I wanted to prove to the court that there was a pattern of behavior that wasn't good for Lilliana.