Page 49 of Accidental Doctor Daddy

I gently lifted Summer from her crib, cradling her to my chest. She let out another soft cry, then blinked up at me. Her dark eyes, so much like his, made my heart twist.

Dom inhaled sharply. He was silent for a long moment, justlooking.

I watched as his chest rose and fell, as his hands flexed at his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them. And then, with slow, careful movements, he crouched down, bringing himself eye-level with Marissa.

His daughter.

Something changed in his face. I had seen Dom in many different ways—cocky, commanding, teasing, distant. But I had never seen this.

This was pure, unguarded awe.

“They’re beautiful,” he murmured.

A lump formed in my throat. “Yeah. They are.”

Dom stood beside me, close enough that I felt his warmth. “Can I?” he asked, holding out his arms.

Wordlessly, I transferred Summer into his waiting grasp. Her cries ebbed, replaced by curious little whimpers as Dom rocked her gently, brushing a fingertip across her cheek. Marissa shifted in her crib but stayed mostly asleep.

The tension in the room shifted, from fraught to quietly intimate. I watched Dom with our daughter, my throat tight. He’d told me he wanted to be here for them, for us. Seeing him handle Summer with such tenderness affirmed that promise more than any words ever could.

“I have baby daughters,” he said softly, almost like he was saying it to himself.

A single tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wiped it away quickly, but I knew he saw.

We both stood like that, lulled by the hush of the nursery, until Summer’s eyelids began to droop. Dom smiled at her, that soft, almost disbelieving smile I loved, then carefully settled her back into the crib. She let out a tiny sigh and nestled into the blanket.

My heart felt too big for my chest, and at that moment, he turned to me, and neither of us spoke. I should have stepped away. Ishouldhave put distance between us. But I didn’t.

Instead, I let him reach for me. His fingers skimmed along my cheek, brushing away the stray strands of hair that had fallen from my haphazard bun. His touch was warm, steady. My name rolled off his tongue like it was something precious. “Ella.”

I knew what was coming. I saw it in his eyes before he even moved. I should have stopped him. But I didn’t.

His lips met mine, slow and sure, sending warmth spiraling through my exhausted body. It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t hungry. It was something deeper, something deliberate. Somethingreal.

I felt the tension in him, the restraint, the need coiled just beneath the surface. I stiffened for half a second—fear coiling in my stomach—then exhaled, letting the warmth of his kiss wash over me.

It was nothing like the frantic, impulsive heat we’d shared by the ocean months ago. This was sweeter, tinged with uncertainty and gratitude. For a few precious heartbeats, I let myself melt into it, savoring the comfort, the promise.

Then reality crashed back. I pulled away, pressing a hand to his chest. My breath came in shaky bursts, my mind swirling with guilt and longing. “I’m sorry,” I blurted, cheeks flushing. “I’m just…I’m kinda overwhelmed right now.”

He froze, concern darting across his face. “Right, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to?—”

“It’s okay,” I assured him quickly, feeling my emotions seesaw between wanting him closer and needing distance. “I just—I have so much in my head, Dom.” My gaze dropped.I’m lying to you about your son.

He nodded, though I saw the strain in his eyes. He wanted more—more closeness, more certainty. But he respected my boundary, stepping back. “I get it.”

My heart twisted at the sight of him controlling himself, that fervent desire banked in the lines of his jaw. I quickly smiled, trying not to cry or beg for more. Whatever was going on, I didn’t trust myself to speak. Smiling was far safer.

He took a slow step back, giving me space. But the look in his eyes told me everything. This wasn’t over. Not even close.

Chapter 18

Dom

The alarm never got the chance.

I was already awake, staring at the ceiling, chest tight with the familiar pull of anxiety.

---