Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Was it her place to discuss it with Lissa, though? Not even close.
Especially considering the idea of a reconciliation between Burgess and his ex-wife made Tallulah feel pretty . . . weird. And jumpy. A touch jealous?
Certainly not, she mentally scoffed.
But when she heard the key turn in the apartment door and her pulse took off like a racehorse, the possibility of getting jealous over Burgess didn’t seem that far-fetched.
Great.
“Dad’s home,” Lissa said, bounding off the couch with her script in hand, skidding to a stop in front of the door as her father walked through. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, kid.” With an equipment bag slung over his shoulder, Burgess pulled Lissa over and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. “How was your day?” he asked while his eyes searched out Tallulah across the room. Nodded once at her.
She nodded back.
They stared for a moment, then averted their gazes at the exact same time.
Tallulah dried suddenly damp palms on the thighs of her yoga pants. This was how it had been going for the ten days since she’d moved in. A lot of staring and trying not to get caught, but getting caught repeatedly. And by the end of the night, they gave up altogether.
Openly staring, his gaze a silent challenge. As if to say, you know where to find me.
Although, his stony countenance wasn’t giving big, hungry alpha at the moment. It gave nothing away at all. But the way he massaged his lower back after setting down the bag . . . that was rather telling. As were the white brackets that appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Dad. We’re doing Romeo and Juliet in class. Mrs. DeSoto is going to assign parts next week.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup.” She danced on the balls of her feet. “Tallulah is helping me get used to the lines.”
Burgess was visibly distracted by the pain in his back. “That’s great.”
Lissa looked down at the script in her hands, then at Tallulah. Back at her dad. “I hope I get Juliet. Everyone wants to be Juliet.”
Daughter stared at father, holding her breath. Waiting for a reaction.
Tallulah’s hands snuck together in her lap and clutched. Say something, she begged Burgess. Say anything. To her disappointment, Burgess grunted and started to walk past his daughter, but he slowed down on his way to the kitchen, his chin coming up a notch, something seeming to occur to him. He turned and looked back at Lissa. “You’d be good at playing Juliet, kid.”
Lissa fumbled the script, pure joy sprinting across her features before she hid it. “Thanks.” She didn’t seem to know what to do with herself, but eventually she jogged toward her bedroom. “I’m going to go practice.”
“Wait. What about dinner?”
“I ate with Tallulah!” The bedroom door slammed.
Burgess shot Tallulah a raised eyebrow.
She was busy trying not to swallow the heart in her mouth. “Um . . . yeah. Yeah, sorry, I broiled her some sole with lemon and capers. Threw it on top of some broccoli rabe.” She tried to be casual about saying, “There’s a plate for you in fridge.”
“I thought you weren’t going to cook anymore.”
“I’m not. This was the last time.”
Burgess hummed on his way to the kitchen, but there was a distinct hitch in his step.
Tallulah sat half-turned on the couch, watching him, trying to put a name to the fluttery sensation in the dead center of her belly. Maybe it was his overall freshly showered athletic sexiness that made it impossible to not peruse him. Or perhaps it was the way he’d clearly been listening to her advice. He’d obviously realized how much Lissa valued his opinion . . . and he’d incorporated it into his behavior. That. That was . . .
Very appealing.
Too appealing, really.
Now she had the nonsensical urge to reward him for it in some way, which was so ridiculous. Why should she reward him for being an attentive dad? That wasn’t her job. His attentiveness should be a given! Yet she was already rising to her feet, making excuses for the sudden need to make sure he knew he’d made an impact with one little sentence. Maybe because it wasn’t a small thing for someone set in their ways to learn a new way to be. It wasn’t small at all.
Tallulah entered the kitchen slowly, telling herself to turn back every step of the way. Burgess stood at the counter, looking down at the plate of food she’d left, garnished and all, appearing kind of bemused. Her entrance distracted him, though, his head turning sharply to the left. “Hey,” he rumbled. “How were your classes today?”
“Fun.”
He smirked at her. “Dork.”
The smile just kind of blossomed across her face. “Damn right. I’m even excited for the homework I have ahead of me tonight.”
“Appalling.” He dipped his chin toward the plate. “Thanks for this.”