Page 561 of One More Kiss

Andrea

I droppedMaddie at my mom’s, then headed home to meet Mick. Tonight we were going to have our first date alone as a couple. I was as nervous as a teenager with her first crush.

Things with Mick had been going extremely well over the past week, and a smile curved my mouth. Mick was so kind, so sweet. We'd made love twice more since then, and it only got better each time.

My mom had practically beaten the promise out of me to bring Mick around. I hadn't told her much about him, especially not that he’d spent nearly half his life in jail. I wasn't sure how to broach the subject, or if I even should. I’d thought of it less and less over the past couple of weeks since Mick and I started spending time together. Unless it came up or became an issue, I didn't think my mom needed to know.

As of right now, I wasn't even sure where our relationship was going to go. He’d said he wanted to be there for the long haul, but only time would tell. I knew I was taking a gamble by letting him be around Maddie so much, but I trusted Mick implicitly with our safety. Her words to him the other night had brought tears to my eyes. Children trusted so fully, judging only what they saw. She was getting attached to him—and so was I.

I felt like Mick truly cared for Maddie, and I knew she liked him as well. She’d smiled so much more these past couple of weeks. It worried me, but that fear was overridden by the elation of being with Mick. I could see him in our future, fitting seamlessly into our lives. He was the type of man I'd always wanted my husband to be, and he was the perfect father figure for Maddie. He was a hard worker, strong and loyal.

I still hadn’t found a good time to tell him about the baby. Tonight was my chance to finally get him alone and explain everything. I hoped he wouldn’t freak out. Mick was as steadfast as they came, but he was still getting used to Maddie. He’d been thrust into the role of father figure almost overnight, and I could only begin to imagine what he would say when I told him he had a child of his own on the way.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I wasn't paying attention as I unlocked the door and stepped into the house. Before I even had a chance to react, a hand shot out, stopping the door from closing. My heart thudded heavily in my chest as I whipped around, and my stomach clenched as a man stepped inside, closing me in with him.

I fell back several steps, eyes wide as his face came into focus. “What are you doing here?”

My ex smiled at me, his lips tipped up in the smirk I used to find so sexy. Now I just found it repulsive. “Came for you, baby. Can't I come see my old lady?”

“I'm not your old lady,” I snapped.

Blaze pushed off the door and came toward me. “Don't be like that, babe. I just want to see my favorite girl again.”

Girl, singular, as if Maddie wasn’t even a ping on his radar. And why would she be? He’d wanted nothing to do with her six years ago; more than likely, he’d want nothing to do with her now. Even if he did, I wasn’t inclined to let him within ten feet of her.

“You're so full of shit.” I managed a small laugh. “If we meant so much to you, where the hell have you been for the last few years?”

His eyes darkened. “You know I did a little time. But I'm out now and ready to start fresh.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “We weren't important enough for you before you got locked up. What's changed?”

There was a flicker of something in his eyes. Guilt, maybe? It was gone a second later, replaced by that cocky, confident smirk. “Come on, babe. Give me a chance. I know it wasn't so good last time. I fucked up and made my mistakes. It'll be better, I promise.”

The only thing that would make this better would be for him to leave. He’d walked out of my life as soon as I told him I was pregnant. I was supposed to get child support from him, but then the asshole got arrested. I neither wanted nor needed anything from him. “I think you should go.”

“Just give me a chance,” he said again. “It was so good between us once.”

I lifted a brow.

“We could be a real family.”

The way he said it almost made me feel like he believed it. But then I remembered who I was talking to and what he’d done. I believed that people could change, but I would be stupid to invite him back into our lives on his word alone.

“If you want to be involved with us”—I stressed the word—"then you can start by visiting once or twice a week.”

He shook his head. “I wanna be here all the time, baby.”

More like he wanted a free ride, somewhere to stay with someone to take care of him all the time. The thought sparked a memory. “When, exactly, did you get out?”

There was no mistaking my question, and Blaze’s steps faltered as he moved toward me. “Couple days ago.”

Of course. I huffed a merciless laugh. The asshole had nowhere else to go. “I can't let you stay here,” I lied. “It's against my rental agreement.”

“He don't gotta know,” Blaze wheedled as he stepped closer to me.

“Well, I would know,” I shot back.

I tried to dodge him, but Blaze had me pinned up against the wall before I could blink. “Come on, babe. For old time’s sake.”

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