“Okay!” He turned to Vic and launched himself into his arms.
Vic held him and gave him a tight hug in return.
“Night, Daddy.”
“Goodnight. Love you.” Vic kissed his cheek and put him back down on his feet.
“Love you more!” The kid spun around and ran through the kitchen and down the hall.
“I better go,” Vic said.
The kitchen was spotless. If it hadn’t been for the aroma still lingering in the air, he would have thought he had dreamt up the meal.
“Here. You can take some home with you. I have a habit of making too much food.” She hurried over to the counter where a lone bag stood. She brought it over to him with asmile on her lips. “You can either have this for lunch or dinner tomorrow.”
“Thanks.” He took the bag and glanced inside. She’d packed it carefully. He appreciated the small gesture.
“I’ll walk you to the door.”
They strolled down to the foyer and paused in front of it. The glow from the hallway light highlighted her beauty. She was breathtakingly gorgeous. Not in the fancy, red-carpet way that Sydney had always perfected. No, Tachina was different. She was warmer. Real. A beauty that didn’t need much to shine, and that thought hit him hard in the gut.
“Thanks for picking him up and bringing him home,” she said.
“Of course,” he murmured.
Silence lingered between the two of them. Their eyes caught, and neither of them looked away.
He wasn’t sure when they’d gotten so close. He reached up and brushed the backs of his fingers down the side of her face. She inhaled sharply. He froze, not realizing what he was doing until now.
Then it happened.
He leaned down and kissed her lips.
A barely there kiss. A whisper of their lips brushing. Her lips were so damn soft. Just as he remembered. His entire body went rigid. Every muscle stiffened.
Especiallyhis cock.
Her eyes were wide when they pulled away from each other. Heat rushed through his body.
They’d didn’t speak.
They just stared at each other.
That spark. It was still there. Even after five years. Vic dragged air into his lungs and made himself to take a step back away from her.
“I’ll call you later,” he rasped.
“Okay,” she whispered.
He forced himself to open the door and step outside. His legs moved on autopilot toward his vehicle. When he slid into his SUV, he exhaled hard and gripped the steering wheel.
Why had he kissed her?
He wasn’t sure, but one thing was made painfully clear.
Whatever he and Tachina were about to embark on, it wasn’t going to be simple.
Tachina tried not to overthink the fact that she was pulling into Vic’s driveway for the first real family Friday night. They’d never done this before. Spend the night because of a reason? Sure. But for the purpose of bonding as a family unit…never.