“Hey,” Sarah complained, shoving his hand away. “And we’re making cupcakes, not cookies.”
“Well, let me help you.”
When Brad tipped his pinkie again in the batter, Mary lifted the mixing spoon and slapped it against Brad’s shirt.
“No cheat eating!” Her adorable pout was signature Mary.
“Hey! I like this shirt.” Brad peered down at the white batter smeared against his navy-blue polo.
In response, Mary stuck her spoon back in the bowl and began to mix it again.
“That’ll teach you to cheat eat,” Charles said, laughing.
Being the rebel Brad was, he dipped his pointer finger into the bowl and licked his finger clean.
Mary’s mouth slipped ajar in a visible O, and in retaliation, Sarah dipped three fingers in the bowl and rubbed it against Brad’s shirt.
“You guys,” I scolded.
But it was all for nothing because as Mary got in on the action and dipped her hand in the batter, Brad was faster and smeared some white batter on Mary’s cheek.
“Guys, stop!” Charles commanded.
There wasn’t a second round because, with his words, they all stilled, all eyes wide and fingers full of batter—Brad included.
“Mary … Sarah … get changed.” He pointed to the door. “Brad, you should know better.”
“She started it.” He pointed to Sarah, going for cute, but Charles tipped his chin to the door. “Get them changed.”
When the culprits filed out of the room, I laughed. “It’s amazing how a few words from you shuts them down quick.”
He advanced toward me, pulling me into him so fast that I almost stumbled back. Automatically, my arms wrapped around his neck.
“Kiss,” he said with heated affection. “There’s one word for you.”
I sighed. “You can be bossy with everyone else, but your tactics don’t work on me, mister.”
“Kiss me.” His voice was sharp, meaning business, but there was a lightness in his eyes that made my stomach flip.
I closed the gap between us and met his lips. He smelled of mint from his toothpaste, and the masculine scent of his aftershave filled my nose.
He pushed me against the counter, and the edge of the island dug into my side. My body tingled with anticipation. It had been days since we’d last been together, and besides stolen kisses here and there, there were no other opportunities other than this weekend—when Brad had promised to take the girls again.
When he pushed his hips into me, I could feel how much he wanted me. When he flicked his tongue over the seam of my lips, I opened my mouth to let him in. This felt dangerous, as though I were at the edge of a cliff, about to fall, but what a wonderful fall it would be.
“Daddy?”
We separated as fast as we’d come together. Chests heaving. Breathing hard. My hand flew to my mouth in utter horror.
Her face was shell-shocked.
“Sarah.” Charles’s features crumpled.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, but he didn’t hear me because Sarah had darted out of the room and Charles had gone after her.
Charles
Sarah ran, and I followed her outside, past our pool. I watched her climb up the tree house that Brad and Mason had bought the girls.
“Sarah!” I called out, but she’d already shut the door.
I gritted my teeth and kicked the ground, lifting a piece of grass from the roots.
That had been reckless; I should have known better.
Fuck.
“Sarah,” I called out again.
“I wanna be alone right now.” Her voice was soft, shaky, and I wondered if she was crying.
Fuck, fuck. Me and my stupidity.
I one hundred percent blamed myself. There was excitement in stealing kisses from Becky when the girls weren’t looking, skirting the edge, watching the flush in her cheeks, but I hadn’t thought I’d get caught before telling them.
I should’ve told them sooner. Fear had been pushing this conversation off. Stupid. I shouldn’t have put it off. Well, cat was out of the bag now.
“Sarah, honey … we need to talk.”
Silence.
I knew my daughters individually, their strengths, what motivated them, what they were into, what they wanted for their birthdays, and also what made them angry. Sarah … she’d need time to process, simmer. Time alone.
I touched the base of the tree house, placing my hand on the bark of the maple tree, and released a silent breath, peering up at the house that held part of my world.
Sarah was old enough to remember Natalie. They’d been two peas in their mismatched pods in looks, but in personality, they were similar. Sarah had a bond with Natalie that I could never touch, and when Nat passed away, I spent thousands of dollars