Knocked Up by the Single Dad: A Secret Baby Office Romance Read online

  I wake up when he’s disentangling himself from me to leave. I’m still mostly asleep when he places a soft kiss on my forehead. “I’m leaving my number right here,â€� he says. I groan in response, trying to open my eyes. “Don’t get up. Call me later. If you want, obviously.â€� “I will,â€� I say, finally opening my eyes. I sit up onto my elbows and watch as he pulls a shirt over his head. His abs move and stretch and the muscles in his arms ripple under his skin as he pulls the shirt down. He runs his fingers through his hair and looks at me, leaning over to kiss me again. “I’m glad I met you,â€� he says. I smile. “Me too.â€� I wish I could tell him how glad I am, or how sad I feel that he’s leaving. I force a smile. “Now go, you’ll miss your flight.â€� He nods and smiles, then turns and walks out. When I hear the front door click shut I flop back down in bed and stare at the ceiling. Wow. My birthday definitely turned out better than expected. I turn towards my bedside table and pick up the scrap of paper with his number on it. I smile, bringing it up to my lips. He said he’d be back in New York, but he didn’t know exactly when. He said to call him, that he wanted to come see me. He said all these things and I feel like my heart is about to explode. I roll back over onto my back and sigh. My hand moves towards the scar on my ribs, a movement that has become a habit over the past six months. For the first time since it happened, the scars don’t seem angry and ugly. He kissed them, touched them, made them feel like they were a beautiful part of me. My fingers run up and down along the smooth line of skin and I remember the way his lips felt as they brushed against it. I’ve never felt so naked in front of anyone, or so comfortable. It’s like he made me feel exposed and safe at the same time. I haven’t felt at peace since the incident, and all at once he made me feel whole again. I wake up a few hours later and roll over to the empty bed. I sigh. I wish I was waking up next to Lucas right now. I’ve never felt so strongly about someone after meeting them for just one night. I’ve never even had a one night stand! This doesn’t feel like a one night stand. How could it! It feels like there were two magnets pulling us together from the moment he sat down in that taxi. I could text him right now, letting him know that I miss him already. I could tell him what a great time I had, and how glad I am that he barged in on my taxi. But then again – would that be coming on too strong? Maybe I should wait a couple hours. I could text him once he’s in Los Angeles. I don’t want to come across too eager. Maybe he was just saying those things in the moment, and once he lands he’ll be back to his regular life and he’ll forget all about me. Somehow I just can’t bring myself to believe that’s true. The way he looked at me, and the way he touched me and made me feel so alive – that has to be real. I take a deep breath and smile. I’ll text him in a few hours, that way he’ll get it when he lands. Maybe Jess and Harper can help me write the message to get the right balance of enthusiasm and casualness. My alarm starts buzzing on the night stand and I roll over to turn it off. I see a message from Jess. Still on for brunch? Same spot? I chuckle. She’s not going to believe what’s happened. I got a delayed birthday present that I was never expecting, and I scratched an itch that’s been getting worse for months. I got royally Fucked with a capital F. Yeah, see you there. 10am? My phone buzzes a couple seconds later and I see a thumbs up from her. I look at the time – 8:30. Perfect. Just enough time to have a shower and have a coffee at home. I can catch up on work emails that I missed yesterday and then head out to see the girls. I thumb the scrap of paper and tuck it into the side pocket of my purse. I’ll text him when I’m at brunch after I’ve filled Jess and Harper in on last night. I smile and stand up, stretching my arms above my head before doing a little dance from one foot to the other. Even though I drank more than usual last night I don’t feel hungover. It’s like my night with Lucas just cleared all the cobwebs from my mind and set my body buzzing. He’s breathed new life into me and I can’t help but smile and feel like it’s the start of something new, something good. I finally feel like I’ll be able to put the attack behind me and move on with my life. Chapter 11 – Lucas

  Twelve hours ago, I couldn’t wait to get back to LA to see my daughter. I was sick of New York and sick of the people and sick of the hustle and bustle of the city. Now, I’m not so sure. The final boarding call is announced and I check my phone for the hundredth time this morning. Still nothing from Rosie. I sigh and tuck my phone away. She’s probably still sleeping, we were up all night. I wish I’d asked her for her number before leaving, I’d have sent her a message telling her how much I enjoyed my time with her and how I couldn’t wait to come back. Now the ball is in her court, and I’ll have to wait until she contacts me. It’s fine, I’m sure she will. I just want her to do it quickly so I can tell her how much last night meant to me. The thought of leaving her now, after so little time feels wrong. I’ve never felt this kind of attraction to anyone before. Physical, mental, almost spiritual. The instant I saw her I knew that she was different. I knew she had to be mine. Ever since my wife died, I’ve felt like all I have left are work and Allie, but last night showed me something different. Maybe there’s hope for me? Maybe there’s a chance for me to be happy again? I smile as I remember the way she pulled her foot away from me and almost sprinted down the street. I would have sat there, massaging her feet until the sun came up. I’d give anything to have her body in my arms right now. My feet take me towards the gate and then down to the plane. My mind wanders as I put one step in front of the other, waiting in the long line of people taking the same flight as me. I smile and nod as the flight attendants greet me as I get on, but my mind is all the way back at Rosie’s apartment. I find my seat and sit down and can’t resist the temptation any longer. I pull out my phone and my heart drops as I see the blank screen. I have a photo of Allie and I as my background, and I click the side of my phone to make it go back to sleep. She hasn’t texted me, but it isn’t even 8am yet. We were up all night on top of each other. She’s probably still asleep, and I need to relax. What I feel right now is real, it has to be. I know she felt it too. I’ll just go back to LA, start talking to her and see how it goes. At the end of the day my life is on the West coast and I have a daughter to take care of. I can’t let one night get in the way of my whole life. I need to remind myself of the important things right now. I’m going back to my daughter and I have a massive workload for the next few weeks until this launch is out of the way. Maybe it’s good that I’m leaving New York, because I know that Rosie would be a distraction. I purse my lips as the thought crosses my mind. I can’t call her a distraction, it’s wrong. She is anything but a distraction. She’s beautiful and funny and smart and witty and she’s got that sarcastic bite that I love. She’s not a distraction, it would be a privilege to have her in my life. I wake up my phone one last time and sigh. The air hostess comes down the aisle and sees it in my hand. “Hi sir, please turn your phone off for takeoff. Thank you.â€� She turns to the row behind me and asks them to move their seats up. I purse my lips but flick my phone on airplane mode. Surely by the time I land she’ll have messaged me. Chapter 12 – Rosie

  “You did WHAT!â€� Jess’s jaw is on the floor and Harper is staring at me like I have three heads. Her fork is hanging in the air halfway between her plate and her mouth. “I can’t explain it, it’s like we were just drawn to each other.â€� “You little hussy,â€� Jess says with a grin. “I didn’t think you had it in you.â€� “I had it in me last night, that’s for sure,â€� I respond with a laugh. Jess bursts out laughing and smacks the table with her hand. “Rosie Michelle Jackson, I have never been more proud of you than I
am right now.â€� I grin. “I’ve never been this proud of myself either, if I’m honest. I need your help though.â€� “What do you need?â€� Harper asks right away. She’s always been the most loyal and loving friend. Helping is an instinct to her. I laugh. “Nothing difficult. I need help writing my message to him. I want him to know how great last night was but I don’t want to come on too strong.â€� “Definitely,â€� Jess replies. Harper nods once with a knowing look on her face. “Yeah, these next few days will be crucial.â€� “So what do I say? Like… Thanks for screwing my brains out last night? It was fun?â€� “Yes. Tell him how beautiful his cock was,â€� Jess replies with a laugh. She turns towards me and holds up her hands as if she just thought of something. “He did have a beautiful cock, right? I mean, if we’re putting effort into making this guy come back across the country it better be worth it.â€� I shake my head. “He has the most beautiful cock I’ve ever seen. And the things he did with his hands, with his tongue…â€� my voice trails off and I stare into the black coffee in my mug, feeling the memories of my orgasms last night. “What did he do?â€� Harper asks almost breathlessly. I glance up at her, remembering the both of them are here. “I can’t describe it. He was just…. He was good. He was really good.â€� Jess laughs and claps her hands. “Ok, get your phone out. Let’s write this message.â€� I smile and pull out my phone, grateful to have such supportive friends. Jess has started composing already. “So you want to sound enthusiastic but not overly eager. Start with ‘Hey,’,â€� she pauses, taking a bite of pancake and chewing thoughtfully. “‘Hey, hope you had a good flight.’ Then put some emoji, maybe a smiley face.â€� I nod, tapping a blank message on my phone. Jess continues. “‘Hey, hope you had a good flight, smiley face, I had a great time last night. Winky face.’â€� Harper pipes up. “No, delete the first smiley, one emoji is enough. You don’t want to come across as juvenile.â€� I laugh and tap some more on my phone. The three of us go back and forth until I’ve written the perfect message. Hey, I had an amazing time last night 😉 Hope you had a smooth flight! I glance at the girls and my eyebrows shoot up as I inhale. “This is it!â€� Jess claps her hands and Harper laughs. “Do it!â€� “Just gotta get his number. I have it here,â€� I say, grabbing my purse. I rifle through the pocket looking for the scrap of paper. I frown when I can’t find it in the pocket I thought I put it in. I look in another pocket, and then in the main compartment. I pause and glance at my friends. Jess’s lips stretch out into an awkward cringe. “Can’t find it?â€� “It’s here, I know it is. It must have fallen into the main pocket.â€� I start pulling things out of my purse and sigh with every new item. Four chapsticks, two lipsticks, wallet, charger, mini deodorant, spare undies, tampons, old gum wrappers, three pens. All the junk in my purse is on the table and I turn the lining inside out. My heart feels like a stone sinking down to my stomach. “It’s not here. I know I put it in here. I have literal garbage in my purse and I don’t have his fucking number!â€� “Don’t panic,â€� Harper says as she reaches over to put her hand on my forearm. “Maybe you took it out, maybe it’s at home or on the ground in your room or something.â€� I take a deep breath and nod. “Yeah, you’re right. No sense panicking until I’ve checked everywhere.â€� I smile with tight lips and start putting things back in my purse. I can’t help the feeling of dread growing in my stomach. I know I put his number in here. I remember putting it in here, so where is it? I check the ground around me and can’t shake the feeling that I’ve lost it. Why wouldn’t I just save his number right away?! Who even writes their number on paper anymore?! I put my purse down and stare at the plate of food in front of me. I’ve hardly eaten half of it but my appetite has disappeared. Jess and Harper exchange a glance and then look at me. Jess speaks first. “Don’t panic, Rosie. You’ll find it. And if not we can put our expert FBI-level social media stalking skills to use. We’ll find him.â€� I nod and try to relax my shoulders down. “You’re right,â€� I say as I take a bite of hash brown. “This is the twenty-first century. I’ll find him.â€� I smile again, this time a bit more easily. “Thanks.â€� Jess shrugs. “What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic.â€� Harper snorts and the three of us laugh. I glance at my friends and feel a wave of love for them. I don’t know where I’d be without them. Chapter 13 – Lucas

  The pilot announces the start of the descent and my heart jumps. Surely Rosie will have contacted me by now. That thought has carried me through the last six and a half hours. I’ve replayed our night from start to finish, trying to anchor the memory in my head before it fades. I can picture her body as if she was right in front of me, tracing the scars on her body in my mind’s eye. I can see her smile, I can smell her hair. When I close my eyes it’s almost as if she’s there, but then I open them again and she’s gone. It’s bizarre, this feeling. It’s bizarre to have such a strong connection with someone after hardly knowing them. I just hope she’s texted me. As soon as the wheels touch down in Los Angeles my phone is in my hand again and I’ve flicked off airplane mode. My heart beats a little bit faster as it connects to the network and starts buzzing with emails and messages. I click on the notifications excitedly and scan the list for a new number. My heart sinks as the notifications come to a stop and I realise she hasn’t sent me anything. I open the messages that have come though one by one and close them again. Allie sent me a message. I still can’t believe she can use her phone better than I can. Welcome home Dad! Can’t wait to see you! I smile despite myself. Just landed kiddo. See you soon! I slip my phone into my pocket and stand up as the plane starts to disembark. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and my heart jumps. It’s probably Allie, but I can’t help but wonder if Rosie has sent me anything. Shaking my head, I try to push the thought away. I’m being ridiculous. I’m a grown man! I’ve known her for one night! For all I know she could never call me again. It was probably just a one night stand for her, and here I am fantasising about seeing her again. My mind pushes and pulls back and forth as I get off the plane and get my luggage. It’s not until I’m out of the taxi and opening the front door of my house that the thoughts dissipate. Allie comes running full speed and jumps into my arms as soon as I step inside. “Daddy!â€� “Hey kiddo,â€� I say as I wrap my arms around her and spin her in a circle in the foyer. I put her back down and she jumps up excitedly. “I missed you! How was New York? Come see your surprise!â€� I laugh and ruffle her hair. She ducks her head away and sticks her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “My hair!â€� “It still looks beautiful kid.â€� “Don’t call me kiddo anymore, dad, I’m going to be twelve next month!â€� “You’re right. What should I call you? Young lady?â€� She rolls her eyes and I stifle a grin. “Call me Allie, Dad. It’s my name, remember?â€� “Hi, Lucas,â€� my mother’s voice comes down the hallway. “How was the flight, honey?â€� “It was fine, Mom. Thanks again for watching Allie. I know it was way longer than expected, I’ll make it up to you I promise.â€� “It was no bother at all,â€� my mom says as she plants a kiss on my cheek. “Allie and I had a great time. I love the company. Ever since your father died I’m on my own a lot. It’s nice to spend some time with my favourite granddaughter.â€� “Still,â€� I say, as I ruffle my daughter’s hair again. She squeals and jumps back, patting her hair down. I laugh and carry my suitcase inside. Allie grabs my carry-on bag and helps me bring it up to my room. As soon as the bags are down
she slips her hand into mine and brings me to the kitchen. “Grandma and I made cookies for you! Chocolate chip peanut butter, your favourite.â€� “Yum!â€� We make our way to the kitchen and Allie fills me in on the past week and a half. I try to keep up and can’t resist taking a look at my phone. Allie puts her hands on her hips and takes a step back. “Why are you looking at your phone? You look different.â€� “Different? I’m just tired kid – Allie. Long flight.â€� “No, not tired. Different. Your eyes are shiny. What happened?â€� I shake my head and put my phone back in my pocket. “Nothing happened, kiddo.â€� “Allie,â€� she corrects. I grin. “Allie. Nothing happened. I’m glad to be back. Where’s my surprise?â€� Allie’s eyes narrow and she takes a step towards me, craning her face towards mine. She studies me for a few seconds and I do my best to look casual. My phone is burning a hole in my pocket, conspicuous in its complete silence. Still nothing from Rosie. My daughter takes a deep breath and nods her head. “Ok. You’re normal.â€� My mother laughs and I see her shake her head. “That daughter of yours is something else,â€� she says with a smile. “She’s like her grandmother, aren’t you, Allie?â€� “I’m like myself!â€� I laugh and my mother squeezes my shoulder. Allie beckons me towards the living room and presents me with an elaborate drawing of her, me and my mom. “It’s our family!â€� I smile and my heart finally feels calm. I’m home. “It’s amazing, Allie. Did you draw this yourself?? We’ll have to frame it and hang it up.â€� Allie is beaming. I slip my phone out of my pocket and put it on the counter. Whether Rosie texts or not doesn’t seem so important right now. Now I need to spend time with my daughter. Chapter 14 – Rosie