I reached out and put my hand over his on the shifter. “It’s nothing bad in this case. I promise. I’d just like to spend some time with you and I haven’t cooked for anyone but my sister and Adi in ages.”
Booking out a restaurant didn’t exactly fit in my budget but I had some skills in the kitchen to show off. It wouldn’t be anywhere near as fancy, but Chris flipped his hand over to take mine, then smiled at me before turning his attention back on the road.
“That sounds great,” he said. “What time?”
“Seven?” I suggested, a flurry of butterflies suddenly appearing in my stomach. I had just successfully asked a handsome guy out on a date. Never thought I’d do that again.
When he smiled at me, one of the butterflies lodged itself in my throat while another made it all the way to my chest cavity and started causing havoc there.
“What can I bring?” he asked, that same smile still in place.
I shook my head. “Nothing. You’ve done way more than enough. It’s my turn to spoil you now.”
“Okay.” He didn’t argue but brought my hand up to his lips to kiss the back of it before he let it go. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Same.”
This time when Chris dropped us off, Adi didn’t make any comments about him kissing me. She hugged him tightly instead and looked up at him like he’d personally hung the moon. “Thank you for tonight.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He ruffled her hair. “See you soon, okay?”
“Okay. Good night.” After giving him a wave, she headed inside and called over her shoulder. “I’ll brush my teeth and put on my pajamas, Mommy.”
Chris reached for my hand again once she’d disappeared inside, giving me a firm but gentle tug toward him. I could’ve easily stood my ground, but I didn’t. I landed against his hard chest with one hand in his and the other flying to his shoulder.
It was such a romantic moment that Luna would have swooned, while I should’ve been disgusted by it. I wasn’t, though. Not in the least.
As he leaned down and searched my eyes, I pushed up on my toes and kissed him like a real girly heroine might have. The kiss was soft and sweet.
Unfortunately, he let me go seconds later. “Good night, April. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he spun around and marched to the stairwell, shooting me a last smirk before he, too, disappeared. I stood in the doorway for another minute or so trying to get my racing heart under control and cursing it for racing at all.
Adi was already in bed when I got to her room, her nose buried in a book from her school. She looked up when she heard me coming in.
“That was an awesome night.” She grinned but her eyes didn’t quite lift the way they should have. “Do you think Chris will take us there again?”
I thought Chris would take her wherever she wanted to go whenever she wanted to go there, but I didn’t say so. The whole attachment thing lurked at the back of my mind, and I didn’t necessarily want to encourage it.
“We can always ask,” I replied. “Would you like to go there again?”
She nodded, covering her mouth as she stretched out on a yawn. “I’d love to.”
“Then we’ll ask him. Want me to read with you for a while?”
“Nah. I don’t think I’m going to read much longer. I only read while I was waiting for you. I’m too tired.” She shrugged her little shoulders, her tired gaze filled with a sad kind of curiosity as she closed her book. “Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?” My head might still have been in the clouds because of that kiss, but it came crashing back down to earth at the next words out of her mouth.
“Why isn’t Daddy more like Chris?”
She might as well have shot an arrow straight through my heart. I sucked in a breath, my head already shaking even though I had no idea how to answer her.
Eventually, I settled for the truth. “I don’t have an answer for that, baby. People are just different, I guess. I’m sorry. I wish there was something else I could tell you.”
There were so many things I could tell her, but none of them were good. Despite everything, I wouldn’t say those things to her now. She wouldn’t understand, and I was afraid she’d think I regretted having her with Craig if she knew how much I regretted ever trying