Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Upstairs, I clean up Camden’s face and hands, help him brush his teeth, and wet his wild locks. “Look how handsome,” I coo at him, when he’s all dressed in his little suit. I don’t bother with the jacket just yet, and I might not at all. He might hate it, and he looks adorable without it.
“Need help?” Baker asks from the doorway.
I glance at him over my shoulder. “I was just telling Cam how handsome he is.” I turn back toward Cam and tap his nose with my index finger, making him laugh. “You’re handsome, just like your daddy.” The words are out of my mouth before I can think better of it. This is not the time for me to be dropping truths about how hot my friend-slash-boss is.
I feel Baker step close, his body aligned with mine. One hand lands on my hip, while the other he presents to his son. “Very handsome,” he agrees, talking to Camden. “And Sloane is beautiful,” he says, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.
“Swoan, butaful,” Camden repeats.
“You’re a charmer.” I smile at the boy and ignore his sexy-as-sin father.
Baker rests his chin on top of my head. Camden is holding one hand while the other still rests on my hip. “Are we ready to go?” he asks, his voice soft.
“We are,” I answer, my voice barely a whisper because he’s touching me, and his body heat is warm and inviting. I curse myself because this is not the time for this. I can’t go there with him. Not while I work for him. Right?
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it’s not the feel of his lips against my temple before he steps back and reaches for his son, lifting him into his arms. “Where’s the diaper bag?” he asks.
“I’ll grab it.”
“I can carry it,” he counters.
“You’ve got precious cargo; I can handle the goods,” I tease, trying to lighten the moment because my heart is racing and my body is calling out for him to touch me again. Anywhere, anytime—now, preferably.
With his free hand, he rests his palm against my cheek, and I can’t resist leaning into his touch. “You’re both precious cargo,” he says softly. “You saved my a—behind today,” he says, correcting his wording for his son’s benefit.
“I know you’re used to doing everything on your own, but I’m here now, and I want to help.” There’s so much meaning to those words. I do want to help him. I know being a single dad isn’t easy. Baker is one of those men who just handles business. Camden is his son, and he wants to be everything for him when his job allows. But this, everyone needs a shoulder, and I know he has to be lonely. Yes, he has the guys and our entire friend group, but he comes home alone. He hasn’t dated since Natasha told him she was pregnant. He’s isolated himself to being Camden’s dad, but he’s also still a man, and he’s looking at me right now with so many emotions swirling in his hazel eyes.
I see pain, sadness, appreciation, and hunger. His lingering touch tells me that I’m the cause of his hunger, and while I know it’s wrong, if he needs me, I’ll take one for the team and be whatever he needs. I’m not a hookup kind of girl. Sure, I tease and talk, but my heart can’t separate sex and emotions, but for this man, for my friend, I’d make the sacrifice.
“I wouldn’t have gotten through this without you.” Leaning forward, he places his lips to my forehead, making Camden giggle and lean toward me, as well. I step close so that he can reach me. Baker slides his arm around my waist, while his son mimics his daddy and places a kiss, albeit a sloppy one, on my forehead.
Baker pulls me closer, and I lean into him. Giving him my strength, giving it to both of them on one of the hardest days they’ll have to face.
“We should go,” I say, stepping back. He drops his hand and nods. Turning on my heel, I walk out of the room. I try like hell to hide my attraction to him because today is not the day. He’s emotional and overwhelmed. That’s all this is. I need to lock down these feelings swirling inside me.
In the kitchen, I grab the small diaper bag I packed and the larger one.
“Two bags?” Baker asks.
“Yeah, the smaller one we can take into the services, and the larger one has more reinforcements: extra snacks, clothes, toys, the travel cooler with extra milk, and juice.”
“You’ve thought of everything.” He smiles softly.
“Just trying to take some things off your shoulders,” I admit.
He parts his lips as if he’s going to reply but quickly closes it and nods. “I’ll get the door,” he says, as he leads the way to the mudroom, pulls open the door, and motions for me to step into the garage.