Page 116 of Pucking Daddy

Her arms come around my waist, holding me just as tightly.

We’ve been close before—kissed, held hands, had sex—but this hug…

It feels spectacular! It feels right and I don’t want to let go.

Her cheek presses against my chest, and I feel her exhale, the tension leaving her in a quiet release.

My hand comes up to the back of her head, fingers threading lightly through her hair, holding her there.

“You’re not going to regret this,” I murmur into her hair. “I won’t let you.”

21

ZARA

Pretty Damn Good Team

Yesterday was… wonderful. It brought Jaxon and me closer.

For a while, it almost felt like we were a real couple. Every time that thought crossed my mind, I told myself not to read too much into it.

But lying in bed last night, alone with my thoughts, I couldn’t ignore the truth. Somewhere along the way, I’d fallen—completely—for my fake husband. My boss.

Had I imagined the way his gaze softened when he looked at me?

I don’t know.

Either way, that quiet, easy feeling is gone today.

An email from Jaxon’s lawyer, waiting for me first thing this morning, replaces it with something sharper. Urgency.

I’ve spread every document across the dining table, trying to make sense of it all.

I trace my finger down the legal brief, highlighting key phrases with a yellow marker.

Stability of home environment.

Primary caregiver assessment.

Character witnesses.

Each term carries weight, each one a brick in the wall we are building to protect Lily.

From down the hall, I hear her laugh—bright and uncomplicated, the sound of a six-year-old who doesn't understand what the adults around her are fighting for.

Mrs. Henriksen's voice murmurs something in response, probably negotiating the great maple syrup debate that has become a morning ritual.

My phone buzzes. Talia's name lights up the screen.

Talia:

Heard about the hearing. The wives are with you. Whatever you need.

I type back quickly.

Me:

Thank you. That means everything.