Head over Heels: A Single Dad Romance(11)

There was silence in the room when he left and I dared not look at Mimi. After it became unbearable, she finally whispered, "I just hope you know what you're doing."





Chapter 8





I tiptoed into the darkened house and closed the front door with a soft click so I wouldn't wake Michael and Elizabeth. The heat outside had been unbearable, but as I walked through the blissfully cool house, I once again extolled the virtues of central air. I hadn't planned on adding it to my house - correction - our house, but after living through a run of sub Saharan-like temperatures, I gave into Michael's demand that we include it.

My first stop was the kitchen to plop down a stuffed bunny on the kitchen table along with yet another note for Michael to fix the leaky pipe in the kitchen before it got worse and flooded the house. Next, I stripped off my dirty clothes and headed for a blissfully hot shower. After a full day at the firm, I spent much of my night finishing up some demo work on our house. I was covered with the kind of dust that clung to your skin without mercy and I couldn't wait to be free of it.

So far, I loved working on the house with Michael and his crew. He had a small group of old friends that he planned on calling occasionally to help out, but otherwise, it really was going to be just the two of us - well, the three of us, Elizabeth has some definitive ideas about what her house should look like. We've had a lot of light-hearted arguments about it, but honestly, the redesigns were going to make the final project even better.

I stepped into the shower, and as I sloughed off the grime from my skin, my thoughts went to Michael. I imagined his hands sliding over my skin, washing me clean, his body pressed against mine as he dipped his head to kiss my neck. All the while his hands would slip down to cup my breasts before descending lower. My hands followed the path of my imaginary lover, and I closed my eyes to enjoy the full effect.

This wasn't the first time I fantasized about Michael in the shower - he was also not far from my thoughts while I was in bed, and at work, the job site, driving in the car. Damn it, why was this just a fantasy? I was living inches away from the hottest man in the tri-state area and I was in the shower alone, fondling myself. My anger was building up a good head of steam when the lights suddenly went out.

I finished up my shower before the water went cold, and quickly toweled off before throwing on my summer robe. The house was quiet when I peeked out of Michael's former office - my current bedroom, and I hesitantly walked into the kitchen.

It seemed like everyone was still asleep, but then a flash of lightning filled the room and I yelped when I saw Michael standing in the middle of the living room looking out the bank of windows. "You found Mr. Hopper," he chuckled and squished the well-loved bunny between his hands.

I smoothed down the silky robe that clung to my still damp body and joined him. He was dressed in nothing but boxer shorts and it took all my strength to resist the urge to bounce my fingers off his pecs.

"Nana Jill found it," I said more calmly than I felt. I tried to ignore my jealousy of a stuffed animal, but I was still frustrated that my shower massage ended early. "She called me after you picked up Bethy, so I grabbed him on my way home from the house." The thunder softly in the distance and I wondered when the storm would hit.

"Is that why you were so late?" He wasn't looking at me, but out the window in a sleepy daze.

"Yeah," I answered hesitantly and yanked at the hem of my robe, I never realized how short it was. "She's quite a talker," I went on, "I was so tired that my eyes were almost rolling back in my head when I finally left her house."

Michael barked out a short laugh at the truth in that statement, "she likes you though," he added, "I had quite a chat with her tonight."

I could feel an electric charge in the air that had nothing to do with the storm rolling in. "Oh," I hesitated, unsure of where this was going, "about what?"

Michael was silent as he stared out the window, and if it wasn't for a flash of light, I would have missed the stern set of his jaw. "She's getting married," he said slowly as if waiting for my reaction.

"Jill's getting married?" I didn't even know she was seeing anyone, she never mentioned it before.

"No," Michael's voice was clipped as he went on, "Maggie - Bethy's mom. Apparently, she's been in Italy for the past year and found herself a," he hesitated for a moment while another wave of thunder rolled in and chose his next words carefully, "rich benefactor."

"Oh," I was floored by this news and had no idea how it would impact Michael and his daughter. I knew his ex-wife left about a year after the baby was born and hadn't been in contact since - but I got the impression they worried that might change at any time.

"She's never coming back." His voice was flat when he spoke.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I'm sure you loved her-"

A harsh laugh filled the air and I jumped. "Oh, I'm not worried about me."

There was an anger in his voice that made me bristle, and despite the rising temperature, a chill ran down my spine. I adjusted the lapels of my robe a little tighter and waited for him to go on.

Yeah, I loved her," he went on wistfully, "without her I wouldn't have that amazing little girl upstairs." Another flash of lighting lit up the room, and I could see that the smile on his face matched the love in his voice. "How do I tell her that her mother abandoned her?"