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She gives me a toothy grin. “Good.”
I laugh because she says it with such enthusiasm, showing me she really is doing well. “Great, baby. It’s all Mommy wants.”
Remi looks up at me with concern. “Are you feeling better?”
He remembered. My heart whoomps. “Yeah, thanks.” I bite my lip to hide the giddiness coloring my face.
“Cat?” Isabel won’t be distracted from her request. She’s shrewd and tenacious, like me.
But no cats.
“We’ll talk about it later.” I boop her nose before setting her in Remi’s lap. “I’m going to get changed, and then we’re ordering dinner. What are you in the mood for?”
As soon as I ask him, I want to smack my forehead.
Right on cue, that signature smirk forms and the devil dances in his eyes. “Whatever you want to feed me, Queeny.”
Fighting a smile and losing, I shake my head and shuffle up the stairs. My buoyed mood follows me all the way to my room as I hum the song Remi sings to Isabel. Going to my dresser, I find my softest yoga pants—that I do anything but yoga in—and a top. A sly grin graces my face when I look in the mirror.
Skipping down the steps, I find Remi and a tired Isabel cuddled in his lap on the couch, and there is nothing I want to do more than curl up with them. My limbs go limp, agreeing, but I can’t just sit with them, can I? That would be blurring the line I’ve drawn.
I shift on my feet, playing with the hem of my shirt. It’s not like we’re going to lay down. Remi’s sitting upright with his legs stretched out in front of him. His arms are occupied with my daughter.
When he catches my stare, he pats the cushion next to him. Longing tugs at my heart.
What the hell is wrong with me? There’s nothing wrong with sitting by the manny. He’s holding my child, whom I’ve missed. And we are friends.
Awkward as an emu, I settle on the couch close to them, tucking my feet under my butt. This position inches my body closer to him. While I’m not actually touching Manny, I feel the heat waves rolling off his skin.
When he notices what I’m wearing, his eyes sparkle. “I do believe you are trying to seduce me, Ms. Keller.”
I break out in laughter. He knows just how to make everyone comfortable around him. “You love my wiener shirt that much, do you?”
“I do. It tells me everything I need to know. ‘It’s not a party until the—’”
I smack my fingers over his mouth. “I just got my sight back. Please don’t take out your dick.” Flinging my hand toward it, I ask, “Do you even have a permit for that? It should be a registered weapon.”
Umber eyes light up, taking the bait I didn’t mean to cast. With a sexy smirk, he holds his hands over Isabel’s ears. “As a matter of fact, I do have a concealed carry permit for it.”
My gaze drops to ‘it’, and flames lick up my neck before I regain sanity.
“Don’t swear in front of the baby.”
“Oh, because you abstain so well.” I pick up my phone and search through the food delivery service.
A cheeky, crooked smile creeps onto his face. “I will admit, abstaining is quite difficult around you.”
Oh, he plays dirty.
Ignoring his dangerous innuendo, I start spouting off takeout choices. “Ooh, Ranchito Burrito sounds amazing. I haven’t had good carnitas in awhile.”
Something about that statement wipes the playfulness right off of Remi’s face.
“Let me guess, you hate burritos. I’ll never understand you. How about—”
“I love them.”
I’m still looking through my phone, so I’m not sure what he’s talking about. “Hmm?”
