Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors #2) - Layla Hagen Page 0,70

enough to give me a taste of all that passion he was barely keeping at bay.

“Sneaky kissing. I like it,” I whispered, grinning.

He grinned back. “There’ll be plenty more when we come back.”

“Why not now?” I teased.

“Because if I get another taste, we might not leave at all.”

His tone was playful, but that intense glint in his eyes told me just how plausible that scenario was. He grabbed the paper bag with breakfast in one hand, and we headed out to the corridor. My heart was beating insanely fast, as if we’d just been caught doing something wrong.

“Ready to go shopping?” Ryker asked Avery.

“YES,” Avery practically yelled. Yeah... she was definitely my daughter. No danger of hospital mix-ups there. If there was any opportunity to shop, Avery didn’t want to miss one minute of it.

“After you, my ladies.” Ryker opened the door. Avery skidded out first, mimicking a runway walk all the way to the elevator.

“What’s the first stop on the list?” I asked as we rode down. “Or wait, is there a list? Do we have an itinerary?”

I caught Ryker and Avery exchanging a glance. They’d been conspiring again?

“Bergdorf Goodman,” Ryker said.

Holy shit, that had escalated quickly. I’d expected Costco or Target.

“What exactly are we shopping for?” I inquired. This wasn’t my usual playground. It was out of my way, and honestly, above my paycheck.

“They have toys,” Avery declared. “The special collection Barbie dolls.”

“And we can’t find those anywhere else?” I asked.

“No, it’s an exclusive line. Some girls at my school have it.”

I barely hid my smile. My mother bribed Avery with actual animals. Ryker had only gotten to dolls. I didn’t know if I should consider myself lucky or brace myself for an escalation.

I took my phone out, sending a quick email to Danielle. I resolved not to think about any of this today and just enjoy our time together. I wasn’t going to let Ryker worry about anything today either. Usually, something like this would have sent me spiraling out in a panic, but I felt oddly at ease, feeling it in my bones that we really could work out everything together.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Heather

Saturday in Manhattan was crazy busy, especially on a gorgeous day like this one. It was the beginning of May, which meant half the flowers in the parks were in full bloom. Everything was green anyway.

I felt like royalty from the moment I stepped inside Bergdorf Goodman. Everything from the way the merchandise was arranged in displays and on shelves to the faint jasmine smell in the air dripped with elegance and luxury.

We went directly to the children’s section. Avery and Ryker were in the lead, whispering. It felt like we were a little family, traipsing around and discussing the pros and cons of every toy.

Ryker kept taking out his phone from time to time, typing notes on it.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Writing down potential investors for Skye and Tess.”

I’d resolved to not let him worry, but this was something else: he was finding solutions. I barely refrained from suggesting he take a seat in the coffee shop across the street and finish his list. He’d insisted that he did want this shopping trip... but he already had so much going on. An old worry resurfaced, wondering if this change in lifestyle was too much, but I pushed it away, choosing to focus on what was in front of me.

When Avery stopped to inspect a huge, turquoise Smurf figurine, I pulled Ryker to one side.

“How many items did you negotiate?” I asked him.

“What do you mean?”

“How many items is she allowed to choose?”

Ryker cocked a brow.

“Please say you’ve told her how many items she’s allowed.”

“That’s no fun. We’ll just play it by ear.”

“Have you ever been shopping with a seven-year-old before?”

“No.”

I pressed my lips together, but still couldn’t hold back laughter.

“I’ve got this,” Ryker said confidently.

“Okay. You do your thing. I won’t interfere.”

I was curious to see his tricks. After all, he’d cut his teeth on Wall Street wolves. Fifteen minutes later, I realized Ryker’s trick was saying yes to everything. Clearly, his Wall Street rules didn’t apply to Avery. We already needed a cart to carry around our acquisitions.

I’d said I wouldn’t interfere... but he needed saving from himself. I was torn between saying something and just watching Ryker and Avery. They were having so much fun that I just couldn’t bring myself to interfere. Midway through the spree, I went to buy water. Upon my return, there were three more items in