I burned with the need to have her again. “Call me old fashioned, but I need to hear it with my own ears.”
She reached for the door and hopped out as she said, “Fine. He’s your son.”
Our son followed her. We were this close to being alone. I had no idea how to seduce a woman with a child present. But Jeremy seemed like a good kid, and I needed to find out more about my son.
My dad had been hard on me, but ultimately his drilling me taught me more about baseball than anything else I’d ever done. With my own son, I wanted to be important to him, but maybe less intense, and suddenly, that thought was about to be true.
I slammed my door with more force than usual. “Then let’s bring this conversation somewhere more private. Son, you pick whatever you want from room service.”
For a moment, her hands went into fists at her sides, but she let them go and curled her arms around her waist instead. If she was nervous, I’d give her space until she remembered how good we were together.
Either way, now that I knew she had my son, we were bonded forever, so she might want some benefits from me, and I’d do whatever I could to get her back in bed, fast.
And I couldn't wait to see her ass again to see how having my boy had changed her.
I needed to know that, too.
Chapter 3
Georgie
I turned my phone off. Indigo, Stephanie, Ridley, Nicole, Olivia, my sisters, or Phoenix, Rocky, Ryder, Marshall, Chase, or Zuma, my cousins, who were like brothers, all called often, would ask how the game had gone and I’d have no answer. What could I say?
Ridley’s tickets were a direct line to the father of my child. Turns out, he’s a ballplayer.
No. I’d not say that. More questions would then follow and, honestly, it was better to avoid that conversation for today when my nerves were already shot.
That decision didn’t take the zap out of the air and my hair stood on its ends as I crossed the threshold to his hotel room. The last time I’d done this, we’d created Jeremy.
So I held him like he was my life preserver as the door behind us closed. Michael put the "do not disturb" sign up and locked the door.
My shoulders cringed, as we were now practically alone, and my son just let me go and asked, “Can I get a cheeseburger and fries?”
Be cool. The Michael I remembered was protective and sweet and he’d not seduce my panties off me while our son was present.
I ignored the zip in my veins and hugged my waist like I was thinking, as I asked, “That’s all you want?”
“And a soda,” Jeremy added as he took a seat at the table with his phone in his hand.
Michael picked up the phone to assumedly call room service.
I unhooked my arms from around my sides and said, “You already had one today.”
Michael blocked the receiver so whoever was on the other line didn’t hear. “He just met his father for the first time. Let him have whatever he wants.”
I nodded. He ordered three cheeseburgers, one with a salad instead of fries, which is exactly what I’d have ordered, and hung up the phone.
“I’m going to need a DNA test for the lawyers to set up a trust account for Jeremy.”
I dragged my feet toward the dining table to be near my son. “That’s not a problem. Look, we’re not after your money.”
He took a seat opposite me and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
The goosebumps were because his nearness made me giggly and jumpy. This wasn’t still attraction, right? That wasn’t going to happen.
I placed my hands on the table and said, “I didn’t know your last name. I searched for you after everything with my parents but couldn't find you.”
He reached out and took my hand. Definitely sparks.
“I’m in the newspapers a lot. My face has cards.”
Someone knocked at the door.
He jumped up as Jeremy said, “I have your baseball card.”
The tray of food came in. It must be fast service when you’re a celebrity like Michael because last time I took my son on a trip, we waited an hour for room service to arrive.
This had taken five minutes or less, but Michael didn’t even notice as he winked at me and said, “See, there is a picture of me in your house.”
I pressed my lips together as he tipped the delivery guy, who then left without a word.
Once I heard the click of the door and Michael sat beside me, I relaxed and said, “I don’t look at the cards or read newspapers. I just buy the card packs because Jeremy asks, and he’s entertained in his seat.”
He unwrapped his burger and Jeremy dug into his. Being near Michael rattled and made my insides bloom with awareness, but I needed to calm down. I forced my lips to curl up until I relaxed. For a few minutes, none of us said a word as we enjoyed our meal.
As the food wound down, Michael wiped his face and asked, “What is it you do, Georgie?”
My stomach twisted. Normally, whenever someone in my mom’s groups complained about their job, I’d been the "at least you’re not Georgie who works retail now" feel good rebuttal. I never mentioned my side business that brought in money, as it wasn’t their business, and I only worked at the store for healthcare.
I wasn’t looking for love or some sort of satisfaction from working when I folded my hands in front of me and said, “I raise Jeremy and work part-time filling online orders at a store.”
Jeremy finished his food and pushed his plate back. “Mom quit her nice job to look after me.”
Oh, no.
“My job before was boring anyhow,” I said fast. No way should Jeremy ever feel guilty over that choice. I sat straighter and met Michael’s clear blue eyes as I said, “Look,
