Back to You(88)

When they reached her car, Lauren started it and blasted the heat before pulling Erin’s present out of the backseat and shutting the door.
She walked around the front of the car to where Erin was standing on the sidewalk and handed her the pink bag with purple and silver ribbon curling from the handle.
“I believe y@. ck you toou said you needed one of these. Every princess should have one,” she added with a wink.
Erin reached in and pulled out the crown, a silver, sparkling tiara complete with purple and pink jewels.
She gasped and looked up at Lauren before she threw her little body forward, wrapping her arms around Lauren’s neck with a strength Lauren didn’t think a four-year-old was capable of.
Lauren smiled, hugging her back, and as soon as she released her, Erin put the crown on her head. “Daddy, can I wear this in the bath?”
Michael laughed. “We’ll see.” He turned to Lauren. “Thank you for that. For everything. Really.”
“You’re welcome,” Lauren said as she stood. When he held his arms out to her, she didn’t hesitate stepping into them this time. Her arms came up around his neck, and he slid his around her waist, holding her securely against his body.
Michael’s hand came to her head, stroking down the back of her hair, and she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. His familiar scent filled her nose, and without thinking, she turned her head slightly, nuzzling into the side of his neck.
She felt his breath catch before he tightened his hold on her, turning his face into her hair.
Butterflies exploded in her stomach, and the surface of her skin began tingling.
She could feel the heat of his breath shivering along the side of her neck with every exhale, and she slid her arms down from around his shoulders, knowing she needed to end the contact. But even as her mind sent the warning, she fisted her hands in the front of his jacket, refusing to let him go.
He turned his head a little further, and Lauren felt the fullness of his lips brush against the shell of her ear. Her heart felt like it was going to crash through her chest, and she tightened her fists in his jacket as she warred with herself over what she wanted to do and what she needed to do.
She turned her face away from his neck, taking a deep breath of cold, unscented air, and it was just enough to clear her head.
Lauren released his jacket and took a step back, breaking his hold on her. “Good night, Michael,” she said.
And before he could even respond, she was walking around the back of her car. “Good night, Erin,” she called.
“Good night, Miss Lauren. I love my crown,” she said, holding it on her head with both hands while she spun in a circle, and Lauren smiled as she slid in the car and shut the door.
She drove off without looking back.
She could not allow herself to look back.
Her heart was still racing, and the faint tingling continued to dance over her skin.
Tonight had been about Erin. Tonight, she wanted to make Erin happy. All her focus had gone into that, and not so much into watching her interactions with Michael. Too many times tonight, the line had gotten blurred.
But the scariest thing was, she hadn’t cared enough to pull back.
She needed to submerge herself in something that would occupy her mind, something that would prevent her from thinking too closely about what had just happened.
She had a case study coming up in one of her classes. It wasn’t due for several weeks, but as she drove home, she began planning how to start it. Lauren knew from experience that the tedious research would be just what she needed to lose herself for a little while.
As soon as she walked through the door, she powered up her lapt@es"> shoulderop and made herself a cup of tea. Then she sat on her bed with her laptop beside her and a textbook sprawled over her thighs, burying herself in her work.
About an hour into her research, the soft chime of a bell sounded from the computer, notifying her she had a new e-mail message.
She pulled her eyes from the textbook and leaned over, clicking on her mail icon, and her heart leapt into her throat when she saw it was from Michael.
Lauren knew opening the message would be unwise, not to mention counterproductive, but she clicked on it anyway.
Lauren,
Thank you again for tonight. And just so you know, Erin did wear the crown in the tub. In fact, as I type this, it’s lying on the pillow next to her head as she’s sleeping. Figured you’d get a kick out of that. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for her. And for me. You’re still the same in the best ways, but you’re different in the best ways too, if that makes sense. Anyway, I attached a song to this message. It makes me think of you. Actually, it makes me think of us.