Page 8 of Puppy Love
I turned my head briefly, finding her looking at me.
“I am,” I replied, looking back at the road.
“Me too. Can I tell you something?” she asked.
“Of course, Cece. You know you can tell me anything.” I quickly glanced at her. She was fidgeting. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I wanted to tell you that…umm…I’ve fantasized about you and always hoped that one day you’d take me on a date,” she confessed.
My eyes widened in shock at her confession, the car slowing down. I processed what she said and snapped myself back to reality, pushing onto the gas pedal to return to the speed limit.
“Wow,” I managed to get out. “I didn’t realize that you felt that way about me…I’m flattered?—”
“But?” she interrupted.
“I think you’re a gorgeous woman, but we can’t do anything. Your dad will kill me if he ever found there was something going on between us,” I told her.
“So, you thought about me, too?” There was a hint of mischief in her tone.This little vixen knew what she was doing.
“I didn’t say that?—”
“You don’t have to. I see the way you look at me, Uncle Leo.”
Hearing her call meUncle Leomade my cock twitch at the forbidden nature, especially now that she just confessed that she wanted me.
“Even if I wanted you, we couldn’t do anything about it. You’re off-limits…my best friend’s daughter—old enough to be my own daughter?—”
“But I’m not,” she cut me off.
“Regardless, your dad will kill me.”
She sighed, then looked out the passenger side window. I knew she was disappointed. I was, too. As much as I wanted her, having her as a date and flirting is as far as I could go. I couldn’t betray Michael’s trust.
The rest of the drive down was quiet except for the sound of music playing in the background. The rain started forty minutes into the drive, but we were almost to our destination.
“I’m sorry for mentioning things to you, Uncle Leo. I hope it won’t be weird between us,” she said softly, regret laced in her voice.
“Of course not, kiddo. Things won’t be weird,” I reassured, glancing in her direction. Calling herkiddowas a reminder to myself, and to her, of who she was to me.Why was I doing this to myself?When she looked at me, she was all woman, thekiddoin her was gone.
She gave me a small, tight-lipped smile, her eyes filled with sadness as moonlight casted a bit of light on her face. My lips tipped up in a crooked grin, hiding my own displeasure in all this.
I hoped it wouldn’t be awkward between us the rest of the night, either. Even though I tried reassuring her that it wasn’t going to be awkward, I had a feeling I might make it awkward. I’ve never had to hide my feelings for someone. If I wanted to be with a woman, I was able to get her.
Pulling into the hotel, I parked my car at the valet, then got out of the car, handing one of them the keys while the other young man opened up Cecilia’s door. I saw the way he looked at her, his eyes raking down her body. My jaw clenched.Why was Imad?This kid was probably closer to Cecilia’s age and would be a better fit to date than me. I watched his hand hold hers as he assisted her out of the car.
Before he could do anything more, I glared at the valet attendant, his eyes suddenly shifty.Yeah, punk. Don’t mess with my woman.Who was I kidding? I wanted her to be mine. I wanted to claim her and show every single man here who she belonged to. I stepped in between them, then the valet attendant finally dropped her hand. Cecilia looked up at me, her eyes twinkling. I took her hand, electricity surging up my arm at the touch of her skin, then threaded her arm in mine. We walked into the hotel, and I felt all eyes on us. I’m sure it’s because we looked like an odd pair—I was way too old for this young, gorgeous woman.
We entered the ballroom and were greeted by colleagues I’ve met from other fire departments across the state.
“Leo,” one of the guys called out, approaching Cecilia and me.
“Kevin, good to see you,” I said, shaking his hand.
Kevin was in the same fire academy I attended many years ago, but he ended up staying in the city, working at one of the fire stations there when we graduated.
Kevin’s eyes diverted to the sexy woman by my side, flashing a bright, white smile that would make most women weak in the knees. He was a tall, broad man with beach-blonde hair, blue eyes, and dated a lot of women, from what I remember. I’m sure things haven’t changed. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t married. That was the type of man that he was, but who knows? He could have changed through all these years.
“This is Cecilia,” I said, my arm was hooked around her waist as I introduced Kevin to her.
