Page 44 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy 3

“You saying that like you’re planning to be my sugar daddy or something.”

“I’m serious as hell. I ain’t telling you no lie, love. I want us to be able to co-parent without all that toxic shit and communicate about whatever we need to when it comes to Oaklynn. But I don’t wanna close the door on us.” When she didn’t respond, I asked, “Do you?”

She chewed the inside of her cheek for a second. “I’m not saying I wanna close the door either, but this situation is messy, Ozyris. We come from two different worlds. That’s something we already know.”

“Love, that two-different-worlds shit ain’t even gon’ matter after tomorrow. Soon as that song hits the radio, everybody gon’ wanna know who you are. Then once they find out you got my baby? Shit, they gon’ be all in your business.” I crossed my arms, smirking a little. “You already in my world, Noree. You just ain’t realized how deep yet. So, you gon’ have to find another excuse.”

She laughed. “I guess so.” Then her expression shifted. “Damn. That sounds scary.”

“It will be at first, but you got this.”

“Okay, well… can we at least get past tomorrow before we start talking about closing and opening doors?”

“Aight. We can do that.” I nodded, then studied her for a moment. “But don’t get shit confused, love. Me wanting you don’t mean I’m not still hurt. Every time I look at Oaklynn, I think about everything I missed. I can’t get none of that back.” I shook my head. “So yeah, I want you. Bad. But I’m still tryna figure out how to forgive you.”

“I know,” she said softly.

“Nah, I don’t think you fully do.”

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “And I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

We stood there staring at each other. When her eyes dropped to my lips, mine did the same.

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“The same thing I was scared of before when it comes to you. The unknown. I don’t know what this is or what it could be…I don’t know why I can’t shake you or why I feel the way I feel. I just don’t know, Ozy.”

“I ain’t asking you to have it all figured out right now. Hell, I don’t either. I just know I want you, and I’m not about to keep pretending I don’t.”

“But you just got out of a relationship.”

“Yeah, I did. And I ain’t gon’ sit here and act like Ginger was never there for me, because she was. But outside of that, everything between us was built on bullshit. That ain’t the same as what I feel when I’m with you.”

She didn’t say anything, so I uncrossed my arms and stepped back.

“I don’t want you upset with me,” she said.

“I’m not upset with you. Frustrated? Yeah. Still hurt? Hell yeah. But I meant what I said. I’m willing to figure this shit out.”

She gave me a small smile. “So am I. I’m just not ready to rush into anything.”

“Aight. I can respect that.”

I checked the time on my phone again. “For real this time, I gotta head out. And if it’ll make you feel better, you can keep working until I find somebody else.”

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Oaklynn can stay with you in the guesthouse on the days you work. That way, you ain’t gotta keep taking her back and forth to your mom’s, and it’ll give me more time with her.”

“You sure?” she asked apprehensively.

“Hell yeah, I’m sure. I just found out I got a daughter. Of course I want her close to me.” I nodded toward Oaklynn. “Whatever she needs out here, make a list. I’ll have it handled.”

A small smile appeared on Noree’s face. “Okay. I’ll do that.”