Page 13 of Keeping it Casual
Dustin’s happy expression doesn’t waver. “Hey, fancy seeing you here.”
“We must have in-sync ice cream cravings,” I reply.
His smile widens and he gestures to their picnic table. “Do you want to join us?”
I can’t really say no, can I? That would also be rude. And my mother raised me to be polite to gorgeous men who I have incredible dates with.
“Sure,” I say.
I take the seat opposite Dustin and greet Lachie. Lucy sits down next to Lachie, licking her ice cream. Lachie watches her warily out of the corner of his eye.
I can’t imagine they’re going to find any points in common. She’s a nine-year-old girl. He’s a fourteen-year-old boy. They might as well inhabit different solar systems.
“Can I go look at the goldfish pond?” Lucy asks me between licks.
“There’s a goldfish pond? Can you show it to me?” Lachie asks.
Her eyes light up. “Okay.”
We watch as Lucy leads Lachie over to the bottom of the courtyard, where there is a large, ornate goldfish pond.
Dustin blinks in astonishment as he stares after his son. “I think that’s the most words he’s uttered all day. I mostly just get grunts nowadays.
“Ah, I miss the days when I could communicate using only grunts,” I say nostalgically. “Between the ages of thirteen and sixteen, grunts were my go-to.”
He eyes me skeptically. “I find it hard to believe you went through a grunt phase.
“They might have trended toward expressive, long-winded grunts,” I say, and Dustin laughs.
I look down at the table to hide my reaction to his laugh.
I’m not crushing on the guy who’s not interested in having a relationship with me.
Okay, I totally am, but at least I’mpretendingnot to crush on him, which has got to count for something, right?
Dustin and I sit across the table from each other in the dappled shade, eating our ice cream.
I try not to stare at him too much, but it’s difficult.
He told me yesterday that he was twenty-four when Lachie was born, so using my rusty mental math skills, that would make him about thirty-eight now. He’s definitely a well-preserved thirty-eight. There are hints of salt and pepper in his hair and well-defined smile lines around his eyes, but both only add to the overall package of gorgeousness.
I’ve had a few flings since my marriage ended two years ago, but I haven’t been drawn to anyone like I am to Dustin. Like it’s a scientific phenomenon that’s impossible to fight.
Is he trying to eat ice cream sexily? Watching him swirl his tongue around the top of the cone is definitely causing my cock to take notice.
Ice cream should come with an R18 warning if Dustin is eating it.
He catches my eye and gives me one of those crinkled-eyed smiles. I take the last bite of my cone and wrench my eyes away from his, checking on the kids.
They’re still standing by the goldfish pond, and Lucy is talking a mile a minute, probably telling Lachie the names and the life history of every goldfish in the pond. Lachie’s standing next to her with his hands in his pockets, his expression patient.
“He’s such a good kid,” I say.
Dustin is watching Lachie too. “Yeah, he is. He’s always been good with younger kids. He’s great with his cousins.”
I can’t help grinning at the pride on Dustin’s face. It lights him up, making him even more gorgeous. It was easy to tell from our conversation last night what an amazing dad he is.
He turns back to me, and his gaze drops to my mouth. I can’t help thinking about the moment we had when we said goodbye last night. At least, I think it was a moment. It definitely felt like a moment to me.
