Page 43 of Just Like That
“Back to the office?” she asked.
“I’ll be there if you—he—needs anything.” I cleared my throat, hoping she didn’t catch the tiny slip.
Hazel nodded and lowered her lashes. A lock of wavy hair tumbled in front of her face, and my fingers itched to brush it aside. My palm rose, tempted to see what would happen if I gave in.
My fingers curled into a fist and I turned toward Teddy. “We’re doing guys’ night in while Hazel goes to her book club. Are you okay with that?”
Teddy shrugged. “What guys?”
I tried to act casual. “Just some of your ... um, uncles.”
I probably shouldn’t have referred to them as that, but what else was I supposed to call them?
Teddy’s face lit up. “Yeah!” He pushed open the passenger door and bounded toward the house.
When I looked over, Hazel was smiling at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Guys’ night?” She asked, and I tried not to stare at how pretty she was when she smiled.
I did what I could to play it cool. “I don’t know what to do to keep a kid entertained while you and your coven do whatever it is you do. I figured between all of us we could keep Teddy alive.”
Hazel blinked and gave me a flat, unimpressed look. “That’s very comforting.”
With an impatient sigh, I ignored her jab and leaned toward the glove compartment. I didn’t have to, but I let the back of my hand absently drag across her bare knee. She didn’t move away, and the jolt of her skin against mine was intoxicating.
I pulled a stack of papers from the glove box and handed them to her.
She accepted the papers with a puzzled look. “What’s this?”
I gestured toward the stack. “It’s everything needed to enroll Teddy in second grade here. They’ll want an address. You can use mine.”
She thumbed through a few pages and blinked up at me. “You contacted the school for me?”
With a stern nod, I sat back in the driver’s seat. “I took care of it. I know it’s going to take a while to get the paternity results back, so he might as well enroll here. Registration is all paid for, but it’s not a big deal if you make other plans.” I looked out onto the yard so she wouldn’t detect the nerves simmering at the edge of my voice.
A tightness seized my chest as I waited for her to confirm they’d be leaving.
“Um ... thank you.” She seemed surprised that someone took the initiative to handle something for her.
“I could tell my sister’s questions about the school year freaked you out. Now it’s one less thing you have to worry about.” I was used to taking care of things. I just wasn’t used to how satisfying it felt to take care of things forher.
Her hand brushed against the handle of the car door.
I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted to stay locked in the cocoon of my BMW and show her what I would rather be doing instead of going to the office. I wanted her to thank me with that lush mouth of hers, only to prove I’d done it because I’dwantedto.
The silence in my car grew as we both stared. Her eyes were locked with mine, but in my peripheral vision, I could see the rise and fall of her chest.
“Thank you.” Her eyes were soft and unwavering as she looked at me in a way that made me feel twenty feet tall.
The air inside my car was fraught with unanswered questions and lingering tension. I knew better, but the feral part of me didn’t care who she was. I lifted my hand and brushed that stray lock of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. I should have dropped my hand, but instead I reveled in the way my fingertips could feel the hammering of her pulse behind her ear.
Her mouth opened as if she was going to say something, but stopped when I dropped my hand.
“Goodbye, Hazel.” I sat back in my seat and stared out the front window.
Without a word, she pushed open the passenger door and left, taking my breath with her.