Page 35 of One Baby Daddy
“I’m going to wait for you.”Who is this girl? How did I get so lucky?For the second time today, she wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly. And for the second time today, my heart stutters in my chest, my body melts into her, and I take one more step to becoming addicted to her sweet embrace. And this is also when I realize I’m so fucked.
Chapter Eight
ADALYN
“You’re making it hard for me to think of other men,” I say, putting my fork down and staring over our empty dishes at Hayden.
“Do you want to think about other men?” He leans forward, hands gripping the table.
“Not in the slightest.” I play with my fork on my plate, and look at Hayden through my eyelashes. “Can I be honest with you?”
“Always.” He relaxes into his chair, crossing his arms over his broad, expansive chest. There is a light patch of hair covering his thick pecs, trimmed short so you barely notice it’s there. It’s masculine, very appealing, incredibly sexy. His hair is ruffled from his peaceful slumber, and he’s been sporting a lazy smile ever since I appeared in the kitchen.
There is an easygoing, fun-loving air about him I find intoxicating. By now, I would have thrown caution to the wind and kissed the man, but with Hayden, it feels different. It feelsokay to wait.
“Can I ask you a question first?”
“Sure.” He looks to the side and quickly says, “Maybe we can sit on the couch though?”
“I’d like that.” Standing, he takes my hand and guides me to the couch where he sits and pulls me down across his lap so my legs drape over his, and my back is against the arm of the couch. Gripping my knee, he soothes his thumb over the bone, back and forth.
“What’s your question?”
His touch is so gentle. It makes me feel cherished—worshipped—such a foreign feeling.
Fiddling with the end of my shirt, feeling a little weird without pants on, I ask, “Have you ever been in love?”
“In love?” He blows out a heavy sigh and rests his head on the back of the couch. “Nah, I don’t think so, not the kind of love that builds a foundation for the rest of your life. I feel like I’ve had puppy love, you know back in high school when you think you love someone, it’s new and exciting. But real love?” He shakes his head. “No. What about you?”
I press my lips together and shake my head as well. “No, I’ve never been in love, or a relationship for that matter.”
“You haven’t had a boyfriend before?”
“Nope.” I twist my hands in my lap as my forehead creases with concern. “I know it’s super early in whatever this is between us, but I thought I would let you know . . . I’ve never done this before, spent more time with a guy than one night.”
Realization hits him and when I think he’s about to grow angry, he surprises me and takes my hand in his, bringing it to his lips. “So you’ve never been on a date?”
“No, I’ve been on dates before, but second and third dates? Not so much, nor have I talked to a guy like I’ve talked to you.”
“Does that scare you?”
I nod and lean my head against his shoulder as he wraps his arm around me, pulling me in close. “You’re a professional hockey player, Hayden. You live in Philadelphia; you’re only here for a short amount of time; it feels ridiculous to even think about starting a relationship with you, let alone my first one, and who knows if you really want a relationship with me, I’m just . . . ugh, I’m getting ahead of myself.” I take a deep breath and say, “I guess I want to feel you out before I dive any deeper into this thing between us, because I’m already starting to feel things for you, and I’d like to nip it in the bud if you’re not feeling the same thing.” God, I sound like a rambling idiot. “No pressure or anything. It’s not an ultimatum, sorry if it sounded like one. Ugh, can you tell I’m not good at—”
“Stop.” Hayden pinches my chin with his thumb and index finger, bringing my eyes level with his. That smile, those eyes, his rumpled hair . . . it eases the tension building in my chest.
“Adalyn, I wouldn’t have made dinner and breakfast for you, or tracked you down through multiple hospitals if I wasn’t interested in you, if I didn’t feel the same thing you’re feeling. Believe me, I understand our lives are different, and when hockey season starts again, it’s going to be hard, but I’m not worried about that right now. What I want to focus on is getting to know you.”
“But what happens when you do have to go? Is it worth starting something?”
“To me it is.” He twists his fingers through my messy hair. “I want more of you. I’m not ready to say goodbye, are you?”
I take a second, weighing my options. This is all new to me, getting to know someone on a deeper level, not jumping into the physical right away, feeling like I’m swept up into another world. The big question is, do I want to dip my toes into the unknown with someone who’s bound to leave no matter what? Do I want to put myself out there with the huge possibility of getting hurt in the end?
“What’s wrong?” he asks, cupping my cheek. “Why do you have that worried look on your face?”
Knowing he will appreciate my honesty, I say, “I don’t want to get hurt, Hayden.”
He lets out a long breath and pulls me in closer, resting my cheek on his chest. He kisses the top of my head and strokes my shoulder with his thumb. “I would like to promise I’m not going to hurt you, but I can’t make that promise, because I don’t know what the future holds, but what I can promise is to try. To put in the effort. To make you laugh. To make you happy. To continually make that beautiful smile appear on your lips. That’s what I can do, and hopefully, everything else will fit into place if it’s meant to be.”
