Defensive Daddy

With a smile on my face and my nerves going haywire, I scurried to put away my heels and freshen up. After another shower, I realized that he’d hear me through the walls and know I was putting in extra effort for just a simple coffee and walk through the park. But it was too late to worry about that now. I slipped into a pair of jeans, fuzzy socks, and brown boots, and threw on a thick gray sweater.

Glancing down at my phone, I noticed I had to sit and wait anxiously for another half hour or so, which quickly led to my decision to go ahead and indulge in that godforsaken doughnut I so badly craved. I contemplated on a glass of wine as well, but figured I’d better save that for later in the evening.

Knowing my luck, it’d be needed.

Thirty minutes passed overwhelmingly fast, and as soon as I heard the playful knock on the door—five quick raps followed by two slower ones—my stomach filled with butterflies the size of birds. I plucked the paper bag that doughnut had been in from the coffee table and hurried to throw it away. Then, with a deep breath, I answered the door.

“Well, hey there,” he greeted me.

His small, crooked grin caused my insides to become knotted and my knees to grow weak.

Fuck, he’s so delicious. This whole hockey player slash next-door-neighbor slash nanny thing is going to inevitably get me into trouble, I thought to myself. But he’s just the kind of trouble I might be willing to get myself into.

“Hey.” I brushed my dark hair off my shoulder. “I just have to grab my coat and purse. You can come in for a minute, if you’d like.”

I stood frozen in the doorway, though, because I could tell Cooper was holding back laughter. “What?” I asked defensively.

He brought his hand up to my face, rubbing his thumb against the corner of my mouth, sending a trail of wild electricity straight down my spine.

“You had a little white stuff on your lips.”

My cheeks filled with heat, and I immediately blurted out, “Oh, it was just a doughnut.”

Cooper somehow held back his laughter, probably to keep from embarrassing me even further. I was already humiliated, though. Suddenly, I wished I had indulged in that glass, or bottle, of wine.

I grabbed my things, and we walked to his pickup truck. It was an older style, but I could see it was his pride and joy and he took very good care of it. Cooper walked me to the passenger door and opened it for me, helping me step inside.

Not only is he sexy as sin, but he’s a gentleman.

“Thank you,” I mumbled softly, surprised. Ethan used to be chivalrous, but that faded quickly after I’d given birth to Levi. It never quite made sense to me, how he could all of a sudden stop loving me like he used to.

The driver’s door squeaked as it opened, jolting me from my own thoughts. I was fully focused on the fact that I was sitting in the front seat of Cooper’s pickup truck, about to go on a date with him.

A date. Could I even call it that?

My body began to shiver from the cold, and more than likely from my nerves as well. Cooper turned the key in the ignition, and the truck let out a deep roar as it rumbled to life.

“Have you ever been to Clara’s Café?” he asked through a clenched jaw, a feeble attempt to stop his teeth from chattering. He reached out and turned the heat on full blast.

“I can’t say I have.” I could see my breath as it escaped past my lips.

“Well, we’re about to change that. Clara has the best coffee in the city.” He sounded confident, and he reached behind the seat and grabbed a wool blanket, passing it to me. “Here. It takes a bit for this ol’ girl to warm up.”

Grabbing the blanket from him, I placed it over my lap and gave him a warm smile, noticing I was far less nervous now and quite excited about the idea of an evening out with him.

We made a quick stop at the infamous Clara’s Café, then Cooper pulled his truck into a parking spot in the lot near the city park. I inhaled and exhaled, over and over, trying not to make it too obvious that I was mentally preparing myself for a more intimate setting with him. I reached for the door handle, but Cooper reached out for my arm at the same time.

“Don’t.” He said it firmly.

“I’m fully capable of opening my own door.”

“I know you are, but I said don’t.” Cooper playfully narrowed his eyes at me, and in response, I felt my bottom lip involuntarily pulling over my teeth. He hopped out of the truck and walked over to my side, opening the door for me. Our

coffees were set on the side of the truck bed, which was good, because when he held his hand out to me and I stepped down, my foot slipped off the running board and I careened forward. He caught me, steadying me against his muscular chest.

Great. What a splendid foot to start off on.

“You good?” he asked, brushing my hair from my face, his blue eyes locked with mine.