No Commitment (Capital Kingsmen #1) - Lisa Suzanne Page 0,25

I stopped him.

“Are you going to see him again?” His words are cautious, and I don’t blame him.

I stand, and I pull Luna up into my arms. We walk over to him. Luna lifts her cute little arms toward Ford, and he grabs her and swings her up into the air. She giggles before she rests her head against his chest, a sweet smile lighting her face.

“I’m not planning on it.” Not right now, at least.

He presses his lips together and nods, and I get it. He’s scared that the life we’ve built together will just disappear tomorrow. He’s scared our little family will be taken away from him.

Luna looks up at him with love in her eyes. She adores her daddy, and I do, too.

But I’m not sure that’s enough of a reason to keep my daughter from her biological father for the rest of her life. She isn’t even two years old yet. I’m not sure life would really shift all that much for her in a way she’ll remember, anyway. But it could cause a massive shift for me, and for Ford, and for Tyler. Especially for Tyler—because Ford and I have been bracing for this in different ways since the day we agreed that we’d keep this secret.

All secrets come out eventually. Too many people know too many things, and even if I lie about her age to Tyler, what happens when my sister wishes her a happy birthday on social media or when she starts school or any one of a hundred other things that could go wrong? Or what if I lie about when Ford and I first got together, and the timing overlaps with when Tyler and I were in our committed no commitment phase? He’ll know it’s a lie. As soon as Tyler finds out she exists, I’ll have a problem on my hands.

I have no idea how to separate my own feelings from what’s right here. I have no idea how to ensure the kind of future for my child that includes a father who will physically be there for her. One who can attend her soccer games and cheer from the stands and drive her to kindergarten and take pictures at her prom without being gone all the time because he’s off touring with his band.

Sometimes I wish it was Ford who’d knocked me up.

But I was already pregnant when I agreed to that first happy hour with him.

I hadn’t slept with anyone since Nate and I broke up. Tyler was the guy who gave me back the courage and the confidence to feel like a woman again—to feel sexy and wanted and beautiful again. Just one look from him set me on fire, made me moan with need, made me want things even Nate had never been able to give me.

But we had such limited time. And then Ford and I started hanging out. He held me and told me everything was going to be okay after I admitted I was pregnant.

I believed him.

I chose him.

And he chose me back even though he knew I had feelings for someone else.

Tyler deserves to know. I just don’t know how to tell Ford that. Nothing has to change. Tyler isn’t even on the birth certificate—Ford is. Since we were married when the baby was born, it was assumed he was the father.

And whatever happens, he’ll always be an important part of Luna’s life, and that makes her one very lucky little girl.

“What?” he asks.

I realize I’m staring at the two of them, a dreamy smile on my face. I shake my head. “Nothing. I just love seeing you with her.”

“I love her,” he says simply. “She’s my number one girl.”

“I know she is.” I squeeze his arm in solidarity.

“I don’t like any of this, Danielle. I’m trying to be understanding here, but I don’t want to lose either of you.”

“I won’t let that happen,” I say, but I’m not sure how much I believe those words. “And I’m just as scared as you.”

Seeing him today made me think I need to tell him.

I wish I could say those words to Ford. I try to say them. I even open my mouth to try to force them out, but they won’t come.

CHAPTER 14

TYLER

The closer I navigate my truck to home, the less I want to be there. I wish I didn’t invite Tommy and Brett to live with me...or, at the very least I wish Dustin lived here, too. At least then