The King Next Door

“Right.”

He stared after her for a long minute even after the door was closed and he was alone. She’d wanted one night. But now he wanted more.

That realization told him two things.

He was walking on dangerous ground—and he had no intention of turning back.

* * *

The downside to Connor getting older was the advent of nightmares.

Nicole tucked the blanket around her son, then smoothed one hand across his baby-soft blond hair. He was curled up on one side, hugging his stuffed alligator to his tiny chest. She had held him and soothed him and then settled him down again. Now, with his trusted buddy cuddled in tight, Connor slipped back into sleep, whatever nightmare had awakened him already forgotten.

Moonlight slid through the windows of Connor’s borrowed room. Most of his things were still at their house, but Griffin had made it a point to bring over enough of Connor’s toys to make the boy feel more comfortable—a gesture that had both surprised and touched Nicole. He wasn’t who she’d expected him to be. Who would have thought that Griffin would realize how important familiarity would be to a two year old? Having his things around him had made the transition to this temporary move a lot easier on Connor.

She glanced around at a few of the books he loved to “read.” The toy cars at the foot of his bed and the chalkboard in the corner. Treasures that made up the center of Connor’s world. Just as her son made up the center of Nicole’s world.

She shifted her gaze to her little boy. He looked so small, lying in the wide double bed that had been pushed up against a wall. She had piled pillows on one side of him so he wouldn’t roll off, but that only served to make him look even smaller than he was. But she smiled, remembering how excited Connor had been to be given a “big-boy bed.” He was growing up right in front of her.

How fast it had all gone, she thought.

The quiet settled around her and she walked to the window, staring down at the street that was as familiar to her as her own name. The neighborhood in Long Beach was old and settled, with bungalows tucked back from the street and yards filled with big trees that shaded the road in summer in what looked like a long, green arch. Families lived here. It was safe. Quiet. And Nicole loved everything about it.

She’d run here, run home, when her husband left her. There had been renters in her grandmother’s house then, but she’d broken the lease and moved in herself. Being in that house, with the memories of love surrounding her, had grounded her when she’d most needed it. Being on this street where she knew everyone had soothed raw nerves and helped her find her way again.

Then she and Katie had gotten close and that had helped Nicole remember who she really was. She’d found the strength to face the fears of being alone and pregnant. She’d let go of the fury she’d felt toward the husband who had deserted her when she needed him most and realized that being on her own was better than being with the wrong person.

Then Connor had been born, and from that moment, she’d been nothing but grateful. The last few years hadn’t been easy, being both mom and dad and scrambling for clients to help grow her business. But she wouldn’t change any of it. She’d become stronger than she had ever thought she could be. And she had Connor. That was enough.

At least it had been.

Now, after only one shattering experience with Griffin, Nicole wondered if there might be more for her out there somewhere. Oh, not with Griffin, obviously. He wasn’t the staying kind of guy, which was exactly why she’d come up with this whole night-of-wahoo idea in the first place. Although he was really sweet with Connor.

“And,” she whispered, “he’s fun to be with, to talk to, to argue with. And he really looks good and wow, what that man can do to a woman—”

Stop it! Her mind shouted at her, dragging her back from fantasy to reality with a crashing jerk. Right. She was a mom, he was a player and never the twain should meet. Well, probably shouldn’t meet again, anyway.

Sighing softly, she glanced at her son again, then quietly walked across the room and checked the night-light before slipping out the door into the hall. A few steps later, she was in her own room.