She looked back again. Yes, it was lovely. Sexy without being sleazy. Fitted without being tight.

“Wear that necklace he gave you for Christmas with it. And the tangerine cardigan I gave you a few years back.”

“I need you with me every day to make these fashion choices for me.”

“Whatever, girl. I’m just here to gawk at your hot-looking man when he arrives.” She snapped a picture with her phone.

“Hey!”

“I promised. It was the cost for not having us all here.”

She tried to look severe, but it wouldn’t work anyway. Her doorbell rang and she blushed. “He doesn’t have to do that. He has a key.”

“I’ll let you get it. That’s always the fun part. I lied about the waiting-to-spy-on-you part. I just wanted to get a gander at you.” Jules squeezed her hand and headed out the back door before Gillian could argue.

She was still smiling when she opened the door to Adrian holding a bouquet of flowers so large it obscured his face.

“Come in.”

He peeked around the flowers and waggled his brows. “You look amazing. Is Miles here or did he already go to Jason’s?” She took the flowers with a kiss.

He took them away from her, placed them on her table and eased her against the door. “Now then, I ruined it by asking about Miles first.”

“Be quiet. He went straight there after school and says he’ll see you tomorrow. Now you may kiss me.”

“Now who’s cheeky?” He bent his legs and dipped to kiss her.

He nipped at her bottom lip and a sound she didn’t remember making came from deep in her throat.

She sucked his tongue into her mouth and he groaned, squeezing her a little tighter.

“Now,” he said, putting her away from his body, “that was a better introduction. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. These are gorgeous and you also look really tasty. You sure you’d rather play pool?”

He swatted her butt on the way past. “Get those in water. You and I are going out. Pizza. Beer. Pool. It’s going to be rockin’. There’s going to be karaoke tonight too apparently. Erin is all buzzed about it.”

“If you say so.” She made it extra prim and set about putting the flowers into two vases since the bouquet was so large. He couldn’t seem to resist crowding her, but she wasn’t complaining about it. She loved the way he smelled, the heat of his body as he stood so close.

She loved being irresistible to a man like him.

He helped her into her sweater and coat and then into his car like a total gentleman.

On the way back over they chitchatted about their respective days. He told her about the song he and Erin had finished and sent off to Reg earlier that day. She leaned back against the heated seat and watched as he drove. Greedily took in his handsome features as he mimicked Brody or Miles. Loved his smile and quick laughter.

This was new for them. Despite the afternoons they had before Miles came home from school or the evenings after he’d gone to bed, this was the first outing they’d taken together just as a couple. It made her giddy with first-date anticipation even though they’d already made it to the thirteen-year-old-son part. And should be past it.

He reached out and took her hand, keeping it as he drove.

“I’m liking this dating thing a lot. I’m wondering what you’re wearing under the clothes. Hoping you’ll let me stay over.”

She laughed, charmed. “Maybe. I don’t want you to think I’m too easy. Perhaps I’ll make you wait. What’s the average wait time? A month? A few weeks?”

“Ha! Didn’t you date when you were young?”

“No.” She was so tempted to hold it there, but she wanted to try to be more open with him. “I didn’t know any boys back home who were worthy of dating. The nice ones I liked wouldn’t have given me a second glance. And then here? I chose piano instead.”

“You were young when you moved to New York. I love New York City, but hell, even as an adult I find it daunting sometimes. How did you handle it?”

“I think it was that I didn’t know any better.” She laughed. “Really I was just so happy to be away from home.”

“I’m sorry it was so bad.”

“It’s long past now. It made me into who I am today, which is good and bad, I guess. But it’s not unique and it wasn’t horrible. In truth, I think it makes me appreciate what I have a lot more than I might have under other circumstances. It makes me hyperaware of how I’m parenting.”

He knew she was uncomfortable with the focus on her, but it made him happy she’d shared without any prompting from him.

“I was just thinking about this the other day. I use Brody as an example of what a good father is. Not the one I was born with.”

“He’s a good example to make. Then again, Adrian, you’re doing a fine job yourself. It’s hard to tell you’ve only been doing this since October.”

Pride warmed him. “Really? I feel like an amateur next to you.” “Really. And I don’t know why you’d feel like an amateur. I make mistakes all the time. Half the time it’s Miles who teaches me how to do this.”

He laughed again. “Do you know I think I laugh more with you than I ever have before, and I laughed a lot as it was.”

“I bet you’re agitated a lot more too.”

“Yes. Can’t deny it. Also can’t deny it makes me hot. So be it, I’m a weirdo. I can accept it. Your prickly, buttoned-up-to-the-neck thing works my libido hard.”