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Smiling, I nodded. Avery jumped up and down, and the three of us headed out. I was acutely aware of his hand on my arm as he led us both outside. His grip was possessive, as if I belonged to him. As if we both did.
“I know who you are,” Avery said suddenly before we climbed into one of the cars waiting outside.
“Who?” Ryker prompted, raising both eyebrows.
“You’re Prince Charming.”
Ryker’s eyes bulged. The two of them talked the entire ride home. I kept glancing between them, barely managing to get a word in. It was the first time Avery was so chatty in front of a person she’d just met.
When we arrived in front of my building, I was surprised when Ryker climbed out of the car too. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“What kind of prince charming would I be if I didn’t walk you to your door?”
Avery squealed. Her happiness was contagious. I couldn’t hide my smile as I opened the door of the car. Avery led the way. She had so much energy that it would take her a while to fall asleep.
Then again, it would take me a while too. Ryker went up with us.
As I unlocked the front door, I told Avery, “Say goodbye to Ryker and go straight to the bathroom and brush your teeth.”
Avery sighed. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, it’s late.”
She held her tiny hand out to Ryker again. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Ryker.”
“Likewise, Ms. Avery.”
Avery formed an O with her mouth, looking up at me, then back at Ryker. “I thought only old ladies are Ms. I can be a Ms.?”
“Of course. If you want to.”
“I want to.”
“Avery. Teeth,” I repeated, fighting laughter.
“Goodnight, Mr. Ryker,” Avery said, nodding eagerly before disappearing into the apartment.
I lingered in the doorway, even less ready to say goodnight than I’d been at the party.
“Tonight was... incredible,” I murmured.
“Yeah, it was.”
He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. My entire body was on edge from that one touch.
“Do you have time for that movie tomorrow?”
“I have a deadline for an article on Sunday. Next week?”
“We have a big project coming in on Monday... it will keep me at work until late in the evening. Next Friday?”
“Yes, that works.”
He trained his eyes on me, and I was overwhelmed by the mix of heat and determination in them.
I had to be honest with him. “Avery asked me if it’ll be just the two of us for a while, and I said yes. I don’t think she wants us to have someone else in our life.”
He cupped my face in both hands. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that little girl feels safe around me. Make sure she’s happy. And then we’ll take it from there.”
