Tll be there tomorrow.”
He hung up.
was updating my wardrobe for the season, getting rid of old clothes. I put down my phone and went back to cleaning. By the time !
was done, it was almost ten. The early winter nights were getting colder, but the heating hadn’t been turned on yet.
That night, I kept getting hotter and hotter as I slept
I woke with a start, realizing the heat was coming from another body. I tried to move away, but an arm tightened around me.
Wet, soft kisses traced a path along my neck. “Clara,” he whispered. “Happy New Year.”
‘Are you insane? I murmured. “It’s only November.”
“You haven’t said it to me in four years.”
I turned my head away, trying again to escape his embrace. The man behind me suddenly thrust his hips forward. A deep, delibera-
le movement.
A hot rush of blood went to my head. I twisted around and bit down on his shoulder.
‘I thought you were coming tomorrow.”
“Couldn’t wait. The kid’s coming tomorrow.” He slipped a hand under my back, pulling me flush against him. He tilted my his mouth capturing mine.
“Let’s get back together he panted, his hand tightening around mine. ‘Chloe misses you.”
“I need to think about it.”
“Then take her to the park once,” he cut in immediately. “She wants to play with her mom, just once.”
I said. “The new amusement park in the south of the city has more family–friendly rides.”
He lowered his head, burying his face in my chest, and bit open the front of my nightgow
like a wild dog.
chin
- up.
This directly resulted in us being two hours late to pick Chloe up from the airport. By the time we met up with them, the nanny’s car was already in the city.
Chloe’s face was a thundercloud. She wasn’t talking.
Adrian rubbed d his nose and reached out to her. “Sweetheart, Daddy will re–braid your hair into a pretty style. We’ll go play, okay?”
She turned her head away.
“Don’t be mad Daddy had to persuade Mommy for a long time, that’s why we were late.”
She remained silent.
Adrian quickly upped the ante. “Mommy promised to play with you all day.”
“I said no such thing.” I Interjected.
Chloe exploded. She burst into tears so suddenly it caught me completely off guard.
Adrian carried her away, his face red as he tried to soothe her.
“Daddy, you can’t be late anymore!” she sobbed.
“Okay, okay.”
“You have to promise me one, no, three things!”
“Anything, sweetheart, anything.”
I pressed my temples. He was signing treaties more binding than any diplomat. After much coaxing, we finally got her to the amu- sement park.
Adrian looked utterly drained.
A cotton candy stick was poked in my face. Chloe, wiping her eyes, held it up to me. “For Mommy.”
I knelt, hesitating for a moment. I tentatively reached out to pick her up.
…She was small, but she was solid.
Adrian quickly reached out to help. “You can’t just lift her straight up like that.”
Tm not carrying her. She’s heavy. Go get me something to drink.”
“Shh,” he whispered. “Don’t let her hear you. She’ll throw a fit.”
Limmediately shut my mouth.
Adrian went to wait in line for drinks. I took Chloe’s hand and sat with her on a bench under a free.
“How did you know I was your mommy the first time you saw me?”
“The first time? It wasn’t the first time,” she said, gesturing with her hands. “Daddy has lots of pictures. He shows me every day. And… we came here to see you before. Daddy said we had to be secret, so we didn’t bother Mommy.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “When did you come?”
“When I was little. I don’t remember,”
“So. were you angry that Mommy wasn’t around?”
She looked at me, swinging her legs, and thought for a long time. “A little. But I love you.”
Adrian walked over with a paper bag and handed me a drink. He was about to speak when he saw my expression and froze.
“What’s wrong?”
Chapter 2
I grabbed his sleeve and wiped my eyes. “Nothing. Let’s go, there’s still a lot to do.”
He studied my face for a moment. Then he took my hand and, through my glove, pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles.
Chloe was laughing at a costumed character.
Happiness felt so close.
“You know,” I said. “Getting back together is a pretty good idea.”
(The End)
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