The Single Dad (The Dalton Family #3)(57)

“Will you be going anywhere fun?”

I laughed. “I’ll only be seeing the inside of my hotel rooms and the homes and offices where I’ll be meeting my clients and probably some restaurants. Unfortunately, aside from that, there won’t be time for any fun.”

“I hate that for you.” She brought the glass close to her lips but didn’t drink from it. “Travel, somehow, someway, should always be enjoyed.”

I broke the second pie in half, the cream oozing out the middle. “There will be good food involved, I’m sure. Scotch that’ll rock my world. And some of the clients I’m meeting I’ve known my entire career, so hanging with them is never a bad time.”

She wiped her crumbs away now that she’d finished and returned to her wine. “Speaking of food, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

I finished swallowing and said, “Food. All right, hit me.”

“Craig doesn’t need to stop by while you’re gone. Since Everly likes cooking so much, I’d like it to be something she and I can do together.”

My brows rose. “What about the grocery shopping?”

She nodded. “I’ll handle that too.” As if she could sense my hesitation, she added, “I know what Eve likes to eat, and it would be a great lesson to take her to the store and talk about ingredients, teaching her about healthy options and foods from different cultures.”

Something I didn’t have time for in my life.

But I could picture the two of them, holding hands as they walked the aisles.

Everly’s loud, contagious laugh.

Sydney’s patience.

“So, you want me to give Craig the week off, huh?”

“If that’s all right.” She reached across the open space, her fingers gently touching my arm. “You’re going to have to trust me. I know you already do on some level. I mean, you’re leaving your daughter in my care, but food is something I can easily tackle. I promise.”

“Our conversation in my office should prove how much I trust you. I don’t tell anyone about Rebecca, only my brothers, parents—that’s it. But I wanted you to know, maybe even needed you to know.”

Her expression warmed, her hand tightening on my skin.

“As for the food, I didn’t want to burden you with the weight of having to do all the cooking and shopping. But if it’s something you want, then I’ll cancel Craig.”

She pulled her fingers back. “Thank you.”

My arm tingled where she had touched me.

Fuck, I wished she hadn’t let go.

In fact, I wished she would lift the bottom of my shirt over my head and undo the button of my jeans and let me lift her onto the island.

Jesus Christ.

I need to fucking stop.

As our stares locked, silence passed between us, my brain spiraling even further out of control.

As though she could read my face, hear my thoughts, she said, “I should probably go to bed. It’s getting late.”

“Yeah … I should do the same.”

Except I wanted her under my covers.

I wanted to kiss her in the morning before I left for the plane, tucking the blanket around her since I was no longer in there to keep her warm.

She made no effort to leave and go upstairs.

And I knew I couldn’t move—my feet would only lead me to her—so I reached for the bottle. “I hope you don’t mind if I have more?”

“No, please. Have all you want.”

The second I set the bottle on the island, my glass now refilled, I realized I needed to put more distance between us, and I backed up a few paces until the range hit my ass.

It was only two feet.

Maybe three.

Still, I wasn’t sure it was enough.

Since, once again, my stare found hers.

And within the quietness that passed, so many words were spoken.

Needs.

Emotions.

If Sydney didn’t know what I was feeling, she had to be fucking blind.

But …

Goddamn it, she’s your fucking nanny, Ford.

Everly needs her.

You push every woman away because you fear they’re going to abandon your daughter. Sydney’s different. She’s here for Everly—that’s who she chose.

She’s the first non-family member who Everly’s fallen for.

You can’t afford to fuck that up.

Her eyes broke away from me, and she whispered, “I’m going to go to bed … unless you want me to stay.”

The war inside my head halted.

She was giving me an invitation.

One that involved spending more time with her, one that would allow me to continue gazing at her.

Did I want her to stay?

Of course I fucking did.

I also wanted to fight these urges.

I wanted to tell her to go to bed and lock the door.

I wanted …

Her.

“Don’t go,” I ordered. “Don’t move a fucking inch.”

As I took a deep breath, I smelled her in the air.

A coconut breeze that made every part of my body hard.

“Sydney …”

Her arms moved behind her, and she gripped the edge of the island, her hair framing her cheeks, her eyes filled with a seductive glare.

The new pose, with her shoulders pushed back, caused my eyes to dip to her tits.