8
He arrives at 6:00 p.m., and I open the door in track pants and a white tank top. I clearly haven’t made any effort, but he doesn’t seem to mind. My long dark hair is piled on top of my head in a topknot, the salt water all washed out. He smiles at me over his handful of groceries.
“You ready to be amazed?” he asks in greeting.
I step aside and let him in. “I’m just hoping this confidence isn’t just bravado.”
He chuckles and heads to the kitchen, and I close the door and follow behind him. I help him unpack the groceries while trying to check him out in his white T-shirt and jeans without his catching me.
He looks good in white.
But better shirtless.
His phone rings, and he looks at the number before answering.
“Hello?”
His brow furrows. “What’s wrong?” He looks to me and winces. “Yeah, I’ll be there soon.”
He flashes me an apologetic look and tells me, “I have to go pick up my girls, their mom isn’t feeling well. Do you want to come with me for a drive?”
“Ummm.”
I don’t know how I feel about this. I’m already confused about having him at my house and now I’m going to meet his children. This is really escalating.
“Come on,” he says, taking my hand and leading me to the door. “They won’t bite, I promise.”
“Are you sure about this? We can reschedule—”
“No, it’ll be fine. It will only take ten minutes and then we can come back and I’ll start cooking while you sit and relax. I have a feeling this is my one chance with you and you’ll find a way out of rescheduling,” he continues in a gentle tone that has me amused, since he’s probably right.
I lock the door behind me and walk toward his car, where he opens the door for me once again and waits until I’m seated before he goes to his side and does the same.
“Your baby mama is sick?” I ask as he pulls out of my driveway.
“Said she has the flu and doesn’t want the girls to get it. I don’t mind taking them, of course, but tonight was meant to be my night to woo you,” he replies. “Guess my girls are going to do that for me though.”
“Woo me? Who even says that anymore?”
“Who wants to say shit that everyone else is saying?” he returns, quickly looking at me looking at the road. “Relax, Celina. You’re so tightly wound. I think you need a massage tonight after dinner.”
I put my window down, needing air. He’s going to cook for me—and his daughters—at my house, and then he’s going to give me a massage.
Also at my house.
I met him yesterday.
Yesterday.
Fucking hell, how is this my life?
“You smell good,” he says, breaking the silence.
I turn to face him with an unimpressed look. “Do many women meet your daughters so soon?”
“No woman I’ve been with has ever met my kids, actually.” He pauses and smirks. “Except Flora, but I don’t think she counts, considering she gave birth to them.”
“No one has ever met them before?” I ask again, eyes flaring. “But—”
“But what?” he interjects casually, eyes on the road.
“How long have you been single?” I decide to ask, because the Why me? that almost flew out of my mouth probably wasn’t the best response.
“About three years now. How about you?” he asks.
“A year,” I reply hesitantly, dragging the word out. In three years, he’s never met anyone he wanted to introduce to his kids, but he’s letting me after just meeting me yesterday. Or maybe it’s just because he happened to be with me when they needed him. Right place right time. Or wrong place, depending how you look at it.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I found out too late that he was a waste of space. What happened with Flora?” I ask him in return.
“We had heaps of issues,” he says, cringing. “Trust issues mainly. It’s not easy being with a man in the MC if you don’t trust him.”
That’s what I need.
Someone I can trust, someone who I know will be loyal to me, only have eyes for me, and someone who can be my best friend and my lover.
“Are you trustworthy?” I ask in a soft voice.
“Yes,” he replies without hesitation. “I’m a man of my word, I don’t lie or cheat, and I’m loyal. How about you? Are you trustworthy?”
“Yes, I am,” I answer, staring at his profile. “If I’m in, then I’m all in.”
“But it’s hard to get you ‘in,’ isn’t it?”
“I’m just being careful. I don’t want to give all of me to the wrong man.”
Again.
I won’t do it again.
My guard is high, my walls impenetrable.
I don’t date men with kids.
Yet here I am, on my way to pick up his kids and bring them back to my home, like we do this all the time.
He turns his face to me and smiles slowly, brown eyes full of warmth, before bringing them back to the road. I want him to look at me again, to feel that connection sizzling through my skin, but I suppose it’s best that we don’t crash.
Priorities.
We turn into the driveway of an older-style brick home, small and neat, with beautiful pink roses out front.
“Give me a second,” he says, reaching out and touching my hand.
I nod, and he studies me for a moment before walking up to the front door. He knocks a few times, and two beautiful young girls come pouring out, both of them jumping on him and hugging him tightly. He returns the favor, kissing them on the cheek and hugging them in turn.
Yep, definitely a good dad.
They all walk in a row to the car, with Knuckles in the middle, the girls’ long maxi dresses flowing all around them, and then they separate to get into the car, the oldest daughter sliding in behind my seat.
“Willow and Westley, this is Celina. Celina, these are my daughters,” Knuckles introduces us, watching me, then glancing behind at the girls.
“Hello,” I say with a little wave. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Willow, the oldest, replies, pushing her bangs out of her brown eyes. She has thick, shoulder-length brown hair and very delicate features. “Dad says we’re having dinner at your mansion tonight.”
I throw a droll look in his direction before bringing my attention back to them. “It’s not a mansion, and yes, apparently your dad is cooking for us all.”
“Dad is a great cook,” Westley pipes up, her eyes twinkling, so much like her sister’s and father’s. She has a very sweet, adorable face with dimples that make me want to squeeze her cheeks a little. “And he said you have three dogs! Three! I’m so excited to meet them. What a time to be alive.”
I laugh at her overly enthusiastic response. “I’m sure they would love some extra attention. I’ve heard the two of you are big animal lovers.”
“We love dogs,” Westley explains, looking at her big sister. “We’ve always wanted one, but Mom says no.”
“Well now you can play with mine.”
“What are their names?” she asks, leaning between the front seats.
“Snape, Carlton, and Kobe,” I tell them. “Two of them are big dogs, but you don’t need to worry, they won’t hurt you. But they might lick you though.”
“You like Harry Potter, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and basketball?” Willow asks, eyes going wide. “I love you. Dad, don’t mess this one up. She’s a keeper.”
I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time, and when I stop it just comes out again. His kids are great, and I wasn’t sure how I’d be with them, but they’re making it so easy.
“She’s wise, that one,” I tell Knuckles.
“I’m trying,” he mutters under his breath, sighing like it’s a difficult task. “The good women are always difficult but worth it.”
I roll my eyes. “The good men are always bad for you.”
“That makes no sense,” he tells me. “And I wouldn’t classify myself as a good man.”
“You’re the best man I know,” Westley pipes up from behind.
My icy heart melts, just a little.
“I can see bringing the girls was a good idea,” he says, grinning to himself.
Another eye roll, and I look out the window.
He doesn’t need to know that he might be right.