Lib Novel Page 51
Zoe
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – When Harry Met Sally
Impatient knocking sounds at my door, making me frown. Did Joy forget something?
I finally managed to get her out of here and go home to her husband. She put up a fight, but I already feel guilty enough for stealing her from Jacob for this long and besides, I really need to figure out how to be a single mom sooner rather than later.
I look around for something she could have left behind, but nothing catches my eye so after another fit of knocking mixed with Mellie’s wailing, I open the door and freeze. Apart from the chilly, fresh autumn air, I am greeted by the furious eyes of Matteo Loverson.
What is he doing here…looking like he’s about to kill someone and feel no remorse for it? But then in a blink his eyes shift to the fussy, crying baby in my arms and his demeanor changes just like that.
The tension seeps out of his shoulders, dropping to a relaxed position. That sexy body of his stops vibrating and those brown eyes filling up with love and mushy emotions instead of ones that could land him in jail. His balled-up fists uncurl, making the bag he was holding in one of them drop to the ground—why does he have a bag with him?
Is he leaving town again? Oh God, he is, isn’t he? He probably came over to say goodbye. And why does that make me feel like curling up into a ball and crying myself to sleep? I have no claims on this man or his young, free spirit. I could never be the one to tame this beast and won’t try it.
But why was he so mad when he got here? None of this makes sense to me and before I can even open my mouth to say hello, he reaches for Mellie, taking her from my arms and instantly, my crying daughter stops.
She just stops. As if she wasn’t screaming her lungs out since she woke up and nestled her little nose into his half-covered, tattooed chest. I can’t even blame her or call her a little traitor because given the chance I’d gladly nuzzle into his warmth as well.
Damn this man and his unbuttoned shirts.
I must be too stupefied about this whole ordeal because I just stand there and blink, watching him slowly rock her, cooing some gibberish that she listens to intently.
I didn’t even put up a fight when he pulled her out of my hands. What kind of mother am I?
The wake-up call finally rang, snapping me from Matteo-trance and I go to take her back, narrowing my eyes at him but just as my fingers graze her, she gives out a tiny cry sound, protesting my action and I retreat with a sigh.
Great, he got us both eating out of his hands now.
Way to go, Mellie…
“Matteo, what are you doing here?” Do I sound detached? Like having him stand in front of me, holding my daughter with a look of pure love and adoration does nothing to my heart?
“Moving in,” he says casually without taking his eyes off Mel. I blink and open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out and I look like a lost fish. Matteo uses that moment to scoop up his bag and push past me into the house without an invitation.
“Sure. Come on in. Make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.” He flashes his dazzling smile and starts looking around the house like he belongs here, strolling toward my bedroom in the back.
Well, that makes me move, blocking his way. “What do you mean you’re moving in? Did you get kicked out of your apartment?”
There must be a logical explanation for all of this.
“Nope.” Again, with that casual tone as he sets up his stuff by the couch and wanders off into the kitchen, which is now a beautiful, warm part of the cottage instead of the seventies gone wrong situation it was before. I completely remodeled the whole place after I moved to LC, including building an additional bedroom downstairs for Mel since originally the house only had one, which Matteo is off to next.
“Then I don’t understand. And stop snooping.
“I’m not snooping. I’m looking.” He keeps going, peeking into the brand-new bathroom. It’s pink. To match the house. And to make me smile every time I walk in there but seeing this hunk of a man in the cotton-candy world, nearly breaks out the giggles out of me.
“For what?”
“For whom,” he counters, and I draw my brows together.
“And who is that ‘whom?’”
“Someone who shouldn’t be here.”
“Wow, Matteo. You impress me with your solid logic once again,” I tell him, crossing my arms across my chest and Matteo turns his gaze to me, one that starts roaming over my body and that’s when I realize I look like crap in front of possibly the hottest guy I’ve ever met.