Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
He smiled. “Yes. It’s yours though. Not mine.”
She returned his smile, blushing. “That’s silly.”
He shook his head. “It’s true. It beats for you now. Denying so would be foolish and exhausting. We wouldn’t be able to keep our relationship a secret for very long anyway. Like you said, someone is going to see us out together or my car in your driveway.”
She sighed. “I’m scared.”
He lifted her hand to his face and flattened her palm on his warm cheek. “I know it’s scary, but the alternative is scarier. Pretending we aren’t dating would be a lie. The other detectives would be far more suspicious of my intentions toward you if they thought we were sneaking around than if we came right out Monday morning and told them we were dating.”
She shuddered. The idea made her cringe. But he was right.
Trace waited while she chewed on her bottom lip. Finally, she met his gaze again. “If we’re going to meet Lark, I should probably tell Wyatt first. I wouldn’t want him to hear about it from Lark. I could never ask her to keep a secret from her Daddy, and he would be hurt if he heard it from someone other than me.”
“Sounds reasonable.” He nodded toward her waist. “You have your phone in your pocket, right?”
She pulled her hand free of his and leaned forward to palm her phone. Her hands were shaking as she tapped the screen to call up Wyatt’s number. She glanced at Trace while it rang.
“Hey, Avery. What’s up?” Wyatt said as soon as the call connected.
“Hi. Uh… I need to talk to you.”
“Is everything okay?” His voice was serious.
“Yes. Everything’s fine. I just need to tell you something. Is Lark at home?”
“Yes. She’s about to leave to go show a few houses to the new captain though.”
“Are you busy? Could you go with her?”
“Sure. How is that going to enable me to meet up with you? Unless. Ohhh. You’re with Captain Barnes, aren’t you?”
Her heart beat rapidly. “Yes,” she muttered.
“Okay,” he said calmly. “I’ll see you in a few minutes then.”
“Thank you.” Avery was trembling as she lowered the phone.
Trace cupped her face and leaned close to kiss her gently. “I’m proud of you. I know this is hard. If I could make it any easier, I would.”
She wondered if there was any alternative, but she couldn’t think of one. Her Daddy was right. There was no denying the attraction between them, and facing it head-on would be better than lying to all her coworkers. They were more likely to overlook her new relationship if she was upfront about it than if she tried to fool them for days or weeks.
Starting with Wyatt.
Chapter Eleven
Trace hated how nervous his Little girl was about talking to her partner. He understood her plight, but this had to be done. Rip the Band-Aid off so to speak. He would be with her every step of the way.
Avery said nothing on the drive toward the first property address Lark had texted him. She sat fidgeting the entire time. Weenie was in her lap, and she occasionally gave the kitten a squeeze or rubbed his fur against her cheek, but mostly Avery squirmed.
When Trace pulled up to the house, another car was already in the driveway. He assumed it was Lark’s or Wyatt’s. Trace shut off the engine and faced his Little girl. “Do you want me to talk to him?”
She shook her head, as he suspected she would. She was independent and firm in her police skin. However, she wasn’t in her don’t-fuck-with-me persona right now. She was straddling her Little and adult side.
Trace hoped he wasn’t pushing her too hard. He didn’t like to see her so upset. But he kept reminding himself there were no other options. She was his. The sooner everyone knew it and got over it, the better.
“I can do it.” She tucked Weenie into the console between the seats and reached for the door.
Trace stopped her with a hand on her thigh. “Let Daddy get it.” He exited and rounded to her side, opened the door, and helped her out.
After she wiped her palms on her thighs, he took her hand and headed for the front door. No one would be able to mistake his intentions toward her if he was holding her hand.
Lark opened the door as they approached and stepped back, grinning from ear to ear. She giggled. “I knew it!”
After shutting the door to the empty house, Trace set his hands on Avery’s shoulders and gave a squeeze.
Wyatt stepped into the empty living room from the back of the house. He gave his Little girl a stern look. “No need to be so smug, Kitten,” he admonished her.
Avery was wringing her hands together in front of her.
Wyatt turned toward Trace and extended a hand. “Good to see you again, Sir.”