Page 97 of Time To Learn

Fuck. She looks just as gorgeous as she did when she leftme.

I glance quickly at Wenn at the kitchen counter, her back to us, and trail a finger down Laura’s slender neck as I walk past her to sit next to Ailith. I’m aching to touch her, but I don’t want to come across too strong. And I don’t want Ailith to become suspicious of our relationship.

The shiver that runs through her makes me smile, but I suppress the need to tease her anymore.

“Good morning, Ailith,” I smile at her as I sit down. “What are you readingnow?”

She beams at me and shows me the front of her book, making my smile widen when I read the title.

“I love Harry Potter,” I tell her as I place my arms on the table. The guarded expression in Laura’s eyes doesn’t make me too happy, but I guess it’s only natural.

“Youdo?”

Ailith’s excited voice draws my attention back toher.

“Yep. He kicks ar..um, I mean, butt.”

Shit. Best watch my mouth from nowon.

The amused smile along with the small headshake Laura sends my way makes a thrill run throughme.

“He sodoes!”

I look back at Ailith and wink ather.

“Here you go,” Wenn says as she places a plate, with a mountain of toast on, in front ofme.

“Thankyou.”

How the hell am I going to get through all ofthis?

“I hope you’re still happy with the flat?” she proceeds to ask as she sits down in front ofme.

“Oh, yes, it’s great,” I smile and butter the first piece of toast.

“And the bed doesn’t squeak, does it?” she prompts.

I shake my head, unable to stop myself from grinning.

“Nope, definitely not.” I turn back to Ailith. “So, you’re still on your holiday, aren’t you? When are you going back to school?”

She sits up straighter in her seat, her book forgotten fornow.

“I think it’s in three weeks, isn’t it, Mummy?”

I glance at Laura as shenods.

“Yes.”

I bite down on my toast and shuffle in my seat so I can give Ailith my full attention. The need to show Laura that I know Ailith comes first, that they’re a package deal, is at the forefront of my mind—it has been since she left me earlier. Despite my lack of experience when it comes to dating single mothers, I’m not a fool, and spending the best part of my youth with my mum taught me a thing ortwo.

Showing Laura that I realise getting to know her means that I need to make an effort with her daughter as well is paramount. And from what I have seen of Ailith so far, it will be easy—so bloody easy—to find myself caring for her just as much as I care for her mother.

“Do you like school?”

As Ailith starts to tell me about her favourite classes—English and Music—and her best friends, Maria and Cate, I do my best not to stare at Laura too often.

She makes it pretty bloody difficult, though, and she doesn’t even know it. Whenever she moves in her seat, my eyes are drawn to her. I watch as the tension in her body seeps away while she settles in to listen to her daughter telling me about her life. I have to concentrate on Ailith’s chatter when Laura licks off a crumb from her lips, her pink tongue tempting me to kiss her senseless as blood rushes down to settle in mylap.