Page 35 of Reluctantly Yours

Until now, it hadn’t affected me so deeply.All that mattered three months ago was finding a nanny to keep her safe and occupied while I took care of what was important.

Incredible how suddenly everything could turn upside down.

And it was no secret who was responsible.

The thought of Penny brought a smile to my lips as I left for the day, silently acknowledging those who greeted me in passing.She had changed everything, point blank.There had never been a time I didn’t look forward to seeing my daughter at the end of the day, but now I hurried home.I could hardly wait to be with both of them since that was the only time I truly felt good.Even happy.At peace.Not even when I was married had I ever ducked out of work early, eager to get home.That probably should have been a sign, but what did I know?Back then, I still had faith in people that vows meant something.

The thought of Nicola threatened to tank my good mood, which was why I pushed her out of my mind, determined to focus on what was working in my life.The expansion was going off without a hitch.My partners in the UK and the Mediterranean were fully on board, working out the final details of our agreements.I could imagine taking trips out there, showing Sofia the wonders of Europe, taking her to look at all the art she could handle.She thought Mom and Dad’s collection was impressive?Her head would explode when she saw the Louvre or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.Thinking about it made me impatient, anxious for time to pass faster so I could do all of those things.But then that was a mistake, wasn’t it?I didn’t want her to grow up too fast, either.

Penny would love to hear that.I could see her smile in my mind as I drove home, chuckling to myself.It made her genuinely happy watching Sofia and me together.All she wanted was for the people in her life to be happy, something that took me time to realize, but it was clear now.Something fundamental had shifted between us the night of Mom’s birthday party—a seismic shift, the kind that could rock even the strongest foundation.

Strong enough to leave me wondering if letting her go in December was the right thing to do.

The question rang out in my head, past the point where I parked in front of the house.There was squealing and splashing going on around back, and my heart lifted.I decided to head that way rather than going inside.

“Look at me!I’m a mermaid!”There was more splashing, though Penny’s laughter rang out over it.

“Be careful!”she called out, still laughing by the time I opened the gate and let myself in.

“What is all the commotion back here?”I asked.There was nothing like Sofia’s excited squeal when I came into view.The sound filled me with the deepest, most profound sense of gratitude.It was humbling knowing such a sweet, innocent soul was so damn happy, and all because I showed up.I had never thought about it before.How had I missed it?

“Look, Daddy!I’m wearing my floaties!”Sofia raised her arms overhead, staying close to the wall at the edge of the pool.

“That’s good.Safety first.You look great out there,” I added, grinning at her in her goggles, her curls plastered to her head.

“What brings you home so early?”Penny asked, getting up from her chair close to the pool’s edge and greeting me.She was temptation personified in a white two-piece, more modest than the sort of bikinis I was used to seeing on the beach, but hot as hell nonetheless.

“I realized there was nothing I could do in the office that I couldn’t do here.”With Sofia happily occupied and several feet of space between us, I lowered my voice.“And there’s plenty I could do here that I can’t do there.”

Her cheeks flushed pink before she glanced behind her to where Sofia practiced her doggy paddle.“We have all night.”

My dick liked the sound of that, twitching in my shorts.“You know just the right things to say, don’t you?”God, I wanted to touch her.Her hair was dry, telling me she hadn’t gone in the water, too busy looking after Sofia.

“Daddy!Watch me!”Over Penny’s shoulder, I saw Sofia climb out of the pool.“Watch me jump!”

“Be careful!”I called out.At least she was wearing those blowup things on her arms, but still.They would do nothing if she fell on the concrete.“The patio is slippery.”

I then lowered my head close to Penny’s ear.“Like other things I plan on getting slippery.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she scolded, though it was clear she didn’t mean it.She wasn’t wrong, either.

With a growl, I asked, “Whose fault do you think that is?You do it to me.”

A high-pitched squeal split the air and stopped my heart a second before a loud splash signaled Sofia falling into the water.She wasn’t in the shallow end this time, either.

“Sofia!”Penny called out, marching to the far end of the pool.“What did we talk about?No jumping in the deep end.”

Something was wrong.“Sofia?”I ran across the cement when there was nothing but frantic motion in the water.She was struggling for some reason.

“Sofia!”Penny’s scream sent birds rising from the trees a second before she dove in.I kneeled at the pool’s edge, holding my arms out and taking Sofia in them once Penny lifted her above the surface.She was coughing, choking, struggling to breathe.

“Honey.What happened?What did you do?”Fuck, I wasn’t looking.She couldn’t answer, too busy coughing up water, fighting for air.

“Turn her over!”Penny barked, climbing from the pool.“Across your leg, face down.”I did as I was told, gripped by fear, cursing myself.Once Sofia was in position, Penny delivered a series of firm pats against her back that sent more water splashing onto the patio.Before long, Sofia was breathing more easily, relaxing a little.

I wasn’t relaxed.“What did you think you were doing?”I asked, gathering her in a hug.“You know you’re not supposed to go in the deep end.”

“I was gonna dive…” She was trembling, clearly scared.“And I fell in.There was water up in my nose and my mouth.”

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