“Enough to know better than to ever give you a reason to be jealous.” I kiss her harder this time, pushing my tongue into her mouth so I can taste her. Fuck, I’ve missed this. Missed her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask once the kiss ends.
“I’ve been here since five o’clock,” she admits sheepishly.
“What? Why didn’t you let me know?”
“I didn’t want to bug you while you were working. I’ve been answering the phones and scheduling appointments. I met Willow and Gage. They’re really nice. Oh! And I put ads in the classifieds to hopefully find you a permanent receptionist.” I stare at Celeste for several seconds, absorbing everything she just told me. I texted her that I was too swamped to get dinner, so she showed up here and spent her evening answering phones and scheduling clients. A woman who pays other people to assist her, sat here all night and helped me.
When I don’t say anything, too in awe of the woman I’m falling for all over again, she says, “I should probably get going. I have an early morning meeting tomorrow and you’re scheduled to come in at nine for a touch up.”
“We don’t even open that early,” I say, finally finding my voice. “We don’t open until noon during the week. Ten on the weekends.”
“Oh.” Celeste frowns. “I didn’t know that. My office opens at nine, most do, so I just assumed you guys opened at nine as well…I can call him to reschedule,” she says, stepping out of my arms.
Needing to feel her, I pull her back to me. “No, it’s okay. I’ll be here at nine. Thank you for everything.”
“Are you sure? Because I can—”
With a quick shake of my head, I slant my mouth over hers. Her fingers tangle in my hair as my hands grab her ass, picking her up and pressing her back against the glass door. We kiss for several minutes, until Jax clears his throat, reminding us we aren’t alone.
“Come home with me,” I say once we break the kiss.
“I don’t want to take you away from Skyla. You said she isn’t feeling well.” My heart swells at her statement. She may think she doesn’t have it in her to be a good mom, but she has no idea just how selfless and caring she really is.
“She started her period. I was thinking we could pick up some chocolate and rent a movie to watch with her. Then once she’s in bed, I can spend the rest of the night relearning every inch of your body. Four days without being inside you is too long.”
“You’re such a good dad.” Celeste smiles softly. “And that sounds perfect.”
After stopping by the store to pick up Skyla’s favorite chocolate—as well as tampons, pads, bubble bath, and a bunch of other shit Celeste insisted my daughter might need to make her feel more comfortable—we swing by the deli to pick up dinner, then we head home. Skyla is ecstatic to see Celeste walk through the door with me. We spend the rest of the evening eating, watching movies, and Skyla even puts on a fashion show for us when Celeste asks to see the new clothes Skyla bought recently. When it’s well after midnight, Skyla says goodnight and heads to bed. Quinn went home a couple hours ago. That leaves just Celeste and me sitting on the couch together in the living room.
“I should probably head home,” she says, pulling out her cell phone to call for a car. I pluck it out of her hand and place it on the table. Picking her up bridal style, she squeals in shock, and I kiss her lips to muffle the sound.
“The only place you should head to is my room,” I tell her, carrying her upstairs. Once we’re inside, I shut and lock the door and then drop her onto my bed.
I climb up her body, my legs on either side of hers. “Stay the night. I wasn’t kidding when I said I missed you like crazy. I need to be inside you ASAP.” Dropping my head down to hers, I give her a kiss. “Please.”
“Only on one condition. You make sure I’m up and gone before Skyla wakes up.”
When I give her a confused look, she adds, “She deserves more than a woman who her dad is screwing, coming and going out of her home.”
My eyes trace over Celeste’s features: her beautiful onyx eyes. They’re so dark, you could get lost in them. Her button nose that has just a small spatter of freckles that stay hidden with her makeup, but at night, when she wipes it all off, I get to see and kiss. Her plump, fleshy lips that have me addicted to not only her kisses but the words that come out of her mouth. Celeste is the entire package. Sexy and classy, independent and mature. She’s caring and thoughtful. Tonight, when I thanked her for buying all that stuff for my daughter because she started her period, she just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. And here, right now, in my room, her only concern is that Sky doesn’t get hurt or confused by whatever is happening between us. Celeste doesn’t see it, but I do. She doesn’t see the selfless, nurturing person she is. I want to explain all this to her, but I know she would fight it. She would come up with excuses or tell me I’m wrong.