Page 49 of Losing Faith

“Daddy said he loves you.” I fill her in and she smiles before looking back at her screen.

“I love you both, too.”

I look back over at Jackson and his cheeks have a light blush to them.

“What?” I ask when I notice him gripping the steering wheel.

“You need to stop calling me that.” He keeps his voice low, and I feel my confusion grow before it hits me and I bite back a smile. “I’m being serious.”

I hold back my laugh as I look forward. “Whatever you say, Da—”

“Lisette,” he warns, and my laugh escapes me. “I will gladly leave you in the car while we go apple picking.”

I turn to him, and he glances between me and the road, his expression completely serious.

“Not the kind of punishment I was hoping to receive from you, Daddy.” I slowly run my hand down his arm before breaking into a laugh. “Okay, that one was a bit much,” I admit, but when I focus on him, his jaw ticks before he shifts in his seat.

I glance down between his legs when he shifts again, and it’s my turn to blush when I see him getting hard. I face forward and decide, for once, that I need to shut my mouth.

Chapter Sixteen

Jackson

FouryearsI’veknownLisette. In all that time, I barely interacted with her, we simply had nothing to talk about and no real reason to cross paths, but now she’s in my car and I want to risk everything. I want to ruin Easter and the Tooth Fairy and every other special thing her brother is going to spoil for my kid in retaliation for touching her.

“Isabelle.” I put the car in park before turning to her and desperately trying to get my mind off of the woman in the seat next to me. “When we get in there, please do not ask me for a pet pig. We’re not getting one.” I warn her before we even see them because two years ago, she threw a very big fit in front of everyone. I gave her the same warning last year and she was pretty good, but she was asking about the pigs before we left the house today.

She swings her feet back and forth as she smiles at me. “How about wenegotiate?”

A smile grows on my face although I try to fight it.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Lisette starts and I silently curse myself. “How about Isabelle gets a pig and Daddy can get something he wants?” She turns to me, and when I see that smile, I know I’m in trouble.

“What do you want?” She keeps her voice low and it’s as if all the air is sucked out of the car.

“Stop it,” I warn her.

She holds my gaze before her eyes cut down to my lips. “Stop what?”

“Stop looking at me like that.Stop.” I whisper my last word more sternly before forcing myself to look at my daughter. “It’s either a pig or a candy apple.”

“What?” Her brows shoot up to her hairline as she stares back at me. “That’s a hard choice.”

“This is us negotiating.”

“No, it’s not,” Lisette cuts in. “This is an ultimatum. Don’t trick her.”

“Are you tricking me?” Isabelle raises one brow and I can’t even take this seriously.

“You know what? I’m the boss and what I say goes. No pig.” I climb out of the car before either of the girls can disagree.

I’m really starting to regret letting Lisette tag along and not because I suddenly want to kiss her, but because I’m afraid I’m going to have to deal with a tantrum over a damn farm animal before I leave this fair.

My windows are tinted, so I can’t see the girls talking, but when I open Isabelle’s door and see her innocent smile, it’s clear they were discussing something.

“Are we ready?” I help her out of her car seat as she glances at Lisette and giggles.

“Yup.” She climbs out of the car with my help and as I turn to get the door for Lisette, she opens it herself.

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