At the Stroke of Midnight (Naughty Princess Club 1)

“Oh my God, you guys are so gross,” Anastasia says as she comes down the stairs. We break apart, but PJ still keeps one of his arms wrapped securely around my waist.

“You sure you don’t want to come with us, sweetheart?” PJ asks her. “My mom makes a mean apple pie.”

My body literally melts against his and I want to pinch myself, wondering if this is all a dream. Even though PJ and I have spent a lot of time together naked in the last week, he’s also made it a point to include my daughter in things. You know, when we’re not naked. Because, eew. The three of us went to a movie, miniature golfing, and last night, all three of us curled up on the couch to watch a movie.

I found out later that night, after PJ had gone home and I went to say goodnight to Anastasia, that at some point during the evening, when I’d excused myself to go to the bathroom, he’d had a heart-to-heart with her, making sure she was okay with him spending so much time here with her and with me. He reassured her that he would do everything he could to never hurt me or her, and that if she ever needed anything, she shouldn’t hesitate to come talk to him.

Anastasia tried to play it down, telling me he was such a dork and that she couldn’t believe I liked someone so weird, but she couldn’t hide the happiness on her face when she talked about him. It made me so damn angry that all of this is something her father should be doing. Something he should have been doing her entire life—paying attention to her and making sure she felt safe and loved and included. But he never did. And it’s his loss. And I’m so thankful PJ understands how important she is to me.

“I’ve got a science project due tomorrow. Can I go next time?” Anastasia asks with a hopeful look on her face.

“Absolutely. I’ll check with my mom and see if she’s free next weekend, does that sound good?” PJ asks her as I grab my purse from the side table by the front door.

“That’s good for me, but you two better not make out the entire time or I will open up the car door and jump out into oncoming traffic,” Anastasia mutters, jumping off the bottom step and walking across the hall into the kitchen.

“I think she likes me,” PJ says with a smile as we walk outside and head toward his truck parked in the driveway.

“Awww, you’re so cute. Just remember that next weekend, when it’s PMS city up in this house and she threatens to cut off your balls,” I say, laughing as he opens my car door with a horrified look on his face.

“Would it be appropriate to just buy ten cases of chocolate, open up her bedroom door, throw them at her, and then run away screaming? You wouldn’t think any less of me, would you?” he asks as I get myself situated in the passenger seat.

“That’s probably your best option.”

“Excellent. We’ll stop at a store on the way home.”

He leans into the open door and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before closing it, and I watch him through the windshield as he rounds the car and to his side.

There’s no way I’m in love with him or he’s in love with me. It’s too soon. It’s insane to even consider that idea. But when I think about how he is with Anastasia and how he is with me, I know it’s a hell of a lot more than lust. A man who believes in you and pushes you to follow your dreams, who supports every decision you make and lets you be who you want to be is a man you should never let go of.

After PJ gets into the truck and starts it up, he immediately reaches for my hand and laces our fingers together on top of his thigh as he backs out of the driveway.

I give his hand a squeeze as I stare at his profile, hoping I can hold onto him tight enough.

Chapter 26: Speaking of Sex . . .

Lunch with PJ’s mom was amazing.

As soon as we got to her house and she opened the door, I knew I had absolutely no reason to feel nervous. Considering she pulled me right in for a hug and the first words out of her mouth were to tell me she could feel that I had nice, perky boobs, clearly I had no reason to worry I might say or do anything to make an ass out of myself.

Poor PJ just kept trying to tone her down the entire time we ate the most delicious homemade lasagna I’ve ever had, followed by warm apple pie that was out of this world. But she wasn’t having any of that, telling him over and over again to stop telling her what to do.