Page 18 of Secret Baby with My One Timer

“She’s independent,” Adam says. “She’s gonna be a handful, this one.”

Mia hands me her boots, and I kneel on the floor and help her put them on.

“Let’s go.” I sweep Holly in my arms. My heart melting when she wraps her little arms around my neck.

“Let’s go. Giddy up,” she says.

I turn to Adam, who bursts out laughing. “You have gallop and pretend you’re a horse. She has a slight fascination.”

It’s a good job I’m super fit because galloping across the sand is harder than I expected it to be.

Up ahead, Taylor and Harrison are sitting on the sand, their legs crossed and their feet buried in the warm grains, but it’s their bodies leaning towards each other that causes a deafening roar of blood to pump through my veins, muffling any other sounds around me.

I slow down when Taylor smiles at something Harrison says. Watching as the sun casts a golden glow on her face. Her hair gleams in the sunlight as he leans closer to her. The act causes my jealously to mingle with curiosity, igniting a fire within me, and all I want is to listen in on their conversation.

As I inch closer, I notice he has a sketchpad in his hand, I’m not sure if he’s drawing the landscape of the white tips waves ahead or if he is sketching Taylor.

I strain to catch snippets of their conversation over the crashing waves, desperate for any clue who Harrison is to her. But the soft breeze carries their hushed words, leaving me taunted with glimpses of their close connection.

Then I see Harrison’s hands moving across the sketchpad with a fluidity that enchants me. He turns to Taylor once more, and I realize his strokes are capturing Taylor’s face. Each line etching her image onto the paper and I find myself jealous of his artistry, wondering what else he sees in her.

She’s mine.

“Should we sneak up on mommy?”

Holly’s enormous eyes stare at me for a moment. She’s been in my life for only hours, and I’m not letting her go ever again. “Yes.”

I turn and look at Mia, silently begging her to leave us alone. I understand her need to protect this little girl, but I’m not planning on harming her. I’m planning on being in her life forever.

And her mom’s.

“Go on.” Mia says.

“I left my car keys in the house.”

“I noticed,” she says. “Just so you know, Taylor and Harrison are best friends. Nothing more.”

My heart rate slowed just a little.

I nod. “Thanks.”

I place Holly gently back on her feet and take her small hand in mine before we wade through the sand toward her mom.

“Mommy,” Holly squeals, her voice cutting through the air like a ray of sunshine.

Taylor and Harrison turn to her and me as we walk hand in hand. Holly tugs free and I smile as her tiny feet kick up sand in her wake as she battles to get to her mom, still wearing her rubber boots.

“Hey there, my little sunshine,” Taylor says, sweeping Holly up into her arms before she burrows her faces in her golden curls.

Holly’s laughter bubbles filling the air.

Taylor glances over her shoulder and smiles at me. Then Harrison glances my way, before he gestures at me to sit with them.

“You draw really well,” I say, staring at the pencil image of Taylor as she pensively looks ahead.

“Thanks. I draw her for my gaming apps.”

“When he sells them, I’ll be famous.” Taylor laughs. “And then I’ll get my royalty payments.”

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