One Cup of Daddy and a Dash of Love - Victoria Sue Page 0,11

to him, but seeing as how he’d never had a story read to him other than by his gran, it might invite questions he couldn’t answer.

Jensen gazed down at him. “I could read to you.” He smiled. “If you want to, that is.”

Dash gaped. “Really?” The question was out of his mouth before he could bite it back, but Jensen just passed Dash the bear from the nightstand and turned the tablet on.

“The hot wind out of the desert…”

Jensen stared down at a sleeping Dashael. He hadn’t even made it to the end of the first chapter before his eyes had drooped and he had failed to open them one last time. Jensen knew he should move, but the thought of going back to a cold bed was less than appealing.

Liar.

He had a perfectly adequate electric blanket. If he was honest, it was the thought of going back to a lonely bed that didn’t thrill him. Jensen reached over and brushed a hair from Dash’s eyes. He was sound asleep, and Jensen wasn’t worried that a light touch would disturb him, but did the boy ever need some decent sleep. Deep purple shadows under his eyes made him look more like he’d gone ten rounds than a few sleepless nights.

He tried to think how long the Realtor had said the store had been for sale. Months. And Dash had tried to keep the business going some time before that, so it was conceivable Dash’s gran had died at least six months ago, maybe longer. He was surprised her finances had been in such a bad shape though that Dash had been forced to sell everything. Chris—his attorney—might do some digging and find out what had gone wrong.

He really needed to move and go back to bed. He didn’t want Dash to wake and see him staring like some weirdo. He seemed to have enough things he was frightened of. The doctor had said he was frightened of the dark and had anxiety attacks. Dash himself had mentioned migraines, and he made a mental note to make sure the doctor knew about those when he took him back to clinic on Tuesday.

That was the nice thing about their small hospital. The doctors that ran urgent care were also primary care doctors and often saw the patient long term. You wouldn’t have gotten that in any larger place.

Being careful to make sure he moved as quietly as possible, Jensen regretfully went back to his own room.

Four

The next morning Jensen smelled the tea before he opened his eyes. He’d heard his phone alarm twenty minutes ago and decided to ignore it a little longer. Widening them in shock, it took him a second to work out it was Dash standing quietly next to his bed holding a steaming cup of tea. “I heard your alarm, or I wouldn’t have waken you. It’s just breakfast tea, but I can make something else if you prefer. I didn’t know if you had sugar, and I found a couple of packs. They’re in my pocket, and I have some milk in this glass, and—” Dash’s words cut off abruptly as if he realized he was talking and hadn’t meant to.

Jensen grinned and sat up. “That’s really kind of you. Regular breakfast tea is my favorite. I’m not so much a coffee drinker, and thank you for the milk.” He took the cup, poured a little milk in it, and took a sip. “Perfect.” He’d even taken the bag out which Jensen preferred. Dash smiled shyly.

“Where’s yours?”

His breath hitched. “I had some water.”

Jensen didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but he’d drunk all the tea last night. “Because you wanted water or because you didn’t feel confident in helping yourself to things in the kitchen?” Dash blushed, and Jensen tried not to smile, but he was downright adorable.

“How about if you take my tea into the kitchen and make yourself one while I go to the bathroom, then we’ll investigate what there is for breakfast?”

Dash seemed to be okay with the suggestion, and Jensen got up, glancing at his phone as he did so. Seven thirty a.m. and he’d slept later than normal. He had already read the email from Eric detailing the board meeting that had come through about eleven last night. He’d canceled his appointments for the day and told Eric he would be gone all weekend which wasn’t unusual. Weekends were usually taken up with traveling to his different restaurants or checking out his