Page 29 of Heartsick & Lipsticks
“I wanted to tuck this one in.”
Parker stood slowly and walked over to me. “So the photo I sent had nothing to do with you showing up”—Parker looked at his Apple watch—"twenty minutes after I sent it?”
“No,” I lied through my teeth.
Parker’s only response was a raised eyebrow.
I’d met Parker through the charity that Alex, Maddox, and I founded called Fostering the Future when he was twelve. Six years later, he was awarded one of our scholarships for college. He was now in his third year at San Francisco State, double majoring in early childhood development and psychology.
He was a bright kid, and I’d offered him a manny job for Bella when she was two. Bella loved Parker like a big brother. And I loved the kid like a little brother. Over the years I’d known him, he’d become family. But that familiarity bit me in the ass sometimes. He was smart. Probably too smart for his own good, and, unfortunately, I knew that he saw right through me.
Before I left for my date, Bella had been asking when Skye was coming back. I’d told her that she was going to be there before bedtime. Parker asked who Skye was and I stumbled over my words, explaining that she was one of the hospice nurses. Bella proceeded to tell Parker that she had invited Skye for breakfast, but she had to go home. I explained that it was the end of her shift. He'd been eyeing me with suspicion during the entire exchange.
“I made cookies with Skye!” Bella exclaimed.
“Did you?”
“Yep, from scratch.”
From scratch. Damn, could this woman get any more perfect? Most of the women I dated could DoorDash the shit out of cookies, but they didn’t have a clue how to make anything from scratch.
Parker’s lips curled at the edges. I wasn’t sure how he knew how attracted I was to her, only that he did. He ruffled Bella’s hair on his way out. “See ya tomorrow, Squirt.”
Feeling exposed and unsettled, I figured the best thing to do was call it a night.
“Time to get ready for bed.” I kissed my daughter on the top of her head.
During her bedtime routine of pj’s and a book, all Bella talked about was her grandma and Skye. It seemed I wasn’t the only Locke who had fallen under the night nurse’s spell. Bella was clearly enamored with the brunette bombshell. My knee-jerk reaction to that was protectiveness toward my daughter. I’d never allowed Bella to meet any women I was romantically involved with. I quickly reminded myself that there was nothing romantic going on between myself and Skye. Or if there was, it was one-sided.
After tucking Bella in, I kissed her on the forehead. “Goodnight, my burrito baby.”
“I’m not a baby; I’m going to be seven,” she informed me.
I’d known this day would come, but it still hit me square in the chest. “You’re right. Goodnight my burrito big girl.”
She seemed satisfied with my adjustment as she closed her eyes. I turned off her lights, and her ceiling filled with a galaxy and stars.
When I walked out of the room, I paused. I knew the best thing for me was to go to bed. I hadn’t slept at all the night before, and if I went to check on Naomi (which, let’s be real, was just an excuse to see Skye), there was a good chance sleep would be impossible again tonight.
My head knew that, but it seemed the rest of me wanted to throw caution to the wind. I walked down the stairs as if I had no other choice. I was drawn to her in a way I couldn’t explain or resist.
When I got to Naomi’s room, I found it slightly ajar. I pressed my hand on it and pushed it open, silently revealing the dimly lit room. Naomi was sound asleep in her bed, and Skye was seated in the reading chair in the corner. Her face was illuminated by the screen, which was the only source of light in the room. She was staring down at it intently, and I wondered what was on her tablet that was so enthralling.
Instead of announcing my presence, I took a moment to study her. She was one of the most naturally beautiful women I’d ever seen. After dating models, actresses, and more social media influencers than I would ever want to admit, I knew how much makeup could change someone’s appearance.
A lot of men I knew preferred a natural look. I had no problem with cosmetics. What was wrong with enhancing your features? But Skye didn’t need any of that. She looked like she walked around with a God-given filter.
Just like the previous times I’d seen her, my mind stilled. The incessant white noise of overthinking quieted. The constant ticker tape of ideas, improvements, and strategies stopped. The balls of analysis, contemplation, and scrutiny that were constantly being juggled just floated peacefully.
I took a step inside the room, and her head lifted and her eyes widened slightly when she saw me standing there.
“Sorry,” I mouthed as I lifted my chin toward the bed and whispered, “How is she?”
Skye set her device down on the table beside the chair and stood. The pink scrubs she wore covered her curves, but my mind filled in the blanks about where they were. She walked toward me, and my heart lodged in my throat. The closer she got, the faster it beat. By the time she reached me, I felt dizzy. Her energy instantly calmed me; it soothed me. Yet, at the same time, it intrigued and excited me. It was an intoxicating combination, and I was feeling tipsy from it.
She motioned toward the hallway while quietly asking, “Can we…?”
I nodded and shifted to the side. As she passed, her fresh floral scent drifted through the air and awakened every cell in my body. This woman was a triple sense threat. I was quickly becoming addicted to how she looked, sounded, and smelled. And I was longing to find out how she tasted and felt.
