<b>Chapter </b><b>105 </b>


    -CELINE’S POV-


    “Mama! Mama, look!”


    I stopped mid–step on the mansion’s front drive, grocery bags weighing down my a


    as a sleek ck car pulled up directly in front of me.


    The tinted window rolled down, and Caesar’s curly head popped out


    jack–in–the–box.


    “Caesar?” I blinked in surprise, then noticed Hunter behind the wheel, dressed in dark jeans and a simple gray t–shirt that somehow made him look more devastating than any expensive suit.


    “What are you doing here?”


    “Where are youing from?” Hunter’s blue eyes swept over my maid uniform, thennded on the grocery bags cutting into my arms.


    I shifted the weight awkwardly. “Head Maid Sally needed some thin


    from the market. I was just…”


    “Why are you running errands?” There was a slight frown creasing his forehead that made my stomach flutter nervously


    “It’s part of my job,” I said carefully. “What’s going on? Where are you two heading?”


    “Daddy Hunter is taking me on an adventure!” Caesar bounced in his car seat, his excitement infectious. “We’re going to have the best day ever!”


    “That sounds wonderful, baby.” I smiled at my son, then looked back at Hunter. “I should let you two get going then.”


    “Mama,e with us!” Caesar’s eyes went wide with hope. “Please? It’ll be more fun with you there!”


    My heart squeezed at his pleading expression, but I shook my head. “Oh, sweetie, I can’t. I’m busy today, and I’m not dressed properly for an outing. You and Daddy Hunter should have fun without me.”


    “It’s okay,” Hunter said, his voice casual but his eyes intense as they studied my face. “I’ll get you new clothes on the way.”


    “No, really, I couldn’t…”


    “I’m not asking, Celine.” His voice dropped to that cold,manding tone that never failed to make my spine straighten.


    “Get in.”


    +froze, my stomach churning at the sudden shift in his behavior. The grocery bags suddenly felt impossibly heavy in my trembling hands.


    “Mama, hurry!” Caesar called out,pletely ignorant of the tension crackling between his parents. “Daddy Hunter says we’re going somewhere amazing!”


    I blinked, pulled from my daze by my son’s excitement. “I<b>… </b>could you open the trunk? For the groceries?”


    Hunter nodded, pressing a button that made the trunk pop open with a soft click.


    Two hourster, I stood in the dressing room of an upscale boutique, staring at myself in the mirror.


    The softvender sundress Hunter had picked out hugged my curves in all the right ces, the flowing skirt hitting just above my knees.


    It was beautiful, feminine, and probably cost more than I made in a month.


    “Mama, are you ready yet?” Caesar’s voice carried through the door.


    I smoothed down the dress one final time and stepped out.


    Hunter’s eyes immediately locked onto me, his gaze traveling slowly from my face down to my <i>new </i>white sandals and back up again. The intensity in his blue eyes made heat pool low in my belly.


    “You look beautiful,” he said quietly, his voice rough around the edges.


    “Thank you,” I whispered, my cheeks burning under his scrutiny.


    “Come on!” Caesar grabbed both our hands, tugging us toward the boutique exit. “Let’s go have fun!”


    The amusement park was exactly what Caesar had dreamed of- bright lights, cheerful music, and the sweet smell of through the air.


    But I found myself more focused on Hunter than the attractions around us.


    candy floating


    He had insisted on buying Caesar every snack he pointed at, his face soft with indulgence whenever our sonughed. When Caesar begged to ride the Dragon’s Fury roller coaster, I expected Hunter to suggest something tamer.


    Instead, he looked at me with a challenge in his eyes. “Scared?”


    “Of a roller coaster? Hardly.” I lifted my chin, ignoring the way my heart hammered against my ribs.


    That’s how I found myself sandwiched between Hunter and Caesar in the front car of the most terrifying ride in the park, my knuckles white as I gripped the safety bar.


    “This is AWESOME!” Caesar shrieked with delight as we plummeted down a ny–foot drop.


    I screamed, my stomach somewhere near my throat, while Hunter’s deepughter rumbled beside me. When the ride finally screeched to a halt, I stumbled off on shaky legs.


    “That was incredible!” Caesar bounced on his toes. “Can we go again?”


    “How about we try something a little less…” I searched for a diplomatic word.


    “Terrifying?” Hunter supplied with an amused smirk.


    “I was going to say intense.”


    His eyes darkened as they met mine. “I don’t mind intense.”


    The way he said it, low and heated, made my breath catch. Caesar, unaware of the charged moment between us, had already spotted his next


    target.


    “Ooh, look! You can win prizes!” He pointed at a row of carnival games.


    At the shooting gallery, Caesar’s eyes immediately locked onto a massive teddy bear hanging from the top prize row. It was nearly as big as he was, with soft brown fur and a red bow tie.


    “I want that one, Daddy Hunter! Can you win it for me?”


    Hunter studied the game setup, then nced at the price. “Caesar, those games are designed to be nearly impossible. How about we pick out something else?”


    “Please don’t,” I said quickly, touching his arm. “You’ll just waste your money. Those shooting games are rigged.”


    Hunter looked down at my hand on his arm, then back at my face. Something shifted in his expression, apetitive gleam entering his blue


    eyes.


    “Is that a challenge, Celine?”


    “No, it’s reasonable advice,” I said firmly. “Trust me, I’ve worked enough carnivals to know.”


    But he was already pulling out his wallet, handing bills to the game operator with a cocky smile that made my stomach flutter traitorously.


    Thirty minutes and way too much moneyter, Hunter stood holding a small teddy bear that would fit in Caesar’s palm. His hair was slightly


    messed up, his jaw was tight with frustration, and I was trying very hard not tough.


    “It’s perfect, Daddy Hunter!” Caesar hugged the tiny bear to his chest like it was made of gold. “I love him!”


    Hunter’s face softened immediately at Caesar’s joy, and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest.


    When he looked at our son like that, with such genuine tenderness, it was impossible to remember why I was supposed to be keeping my


    distance.


    “Ice cream?” Hunter suggested, running a hand through his disheveled hair.


    “Yes!” Caesar cheered.


    As we walked toward the ice cream stand, Hunter fell into step beside me, close enough that our arms brushed with each step.


    “You were right about the game,” he admitted quietly.


    “I usually am,” I said, then immediately felt my cheeks heat. “I mean…”


    “I like that about you.” His voice was low, intimate despite the chaos of the amusement park around us. “You’re not afraid to tell me when I’m being an idiot.”


    I nced up at him, surprised by the admission. “Is that what I do?”


    “Among other things.” His eyes met mine, and suddenly the space between us felt charged with electricity.


    “Mama, what vor do you want?” Caesar called out, already at the ice cream cart.


    “Vani,” I called back, grateful for the interruption,


    “Boring,” Hunter murmured close to my ear, making me shiver.


    “ssic,” I corrected.


    “I’ll remember that.”


    The way he said it, like he was filing away every detail about me, made my pulse ráce.


    By the time the sun began setting, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, Caesar was dragging his feet between us, his energy finally depleted.


    A <i>ug </i>V.A


    The tiny teddy bear was clutched in one hand, a half–eaten stick of cotton candy in the other.


    “I think someone’s ready to head home,” I said softly, watching my son’s eyelids droop.


    “Best day ever,” Caesar mumbled, then immediately perked up when he spotted one more ride. “Daddy Hunter, can we…”


    “Caesar,” Hunter said gently, crouching down to our son’s level. “What do you say we save some fun for next time?”


    “Next time?” Caesar’s eyes went wide with hope.


    Hunter nced up at me, something unreadable in his expression. “If your mama says it’s okay.”


    “Can we, Mama? Please?”


    Looking down at my son’s hopeful face, then at Hunter’s careful expression, I felt something shift in my chest. Despite everything between us, despite all my reasons for caution, today had been… perfect.


    “We’ll see,” I said softly.


    Caesar seemed satisfied with that answer, allowing Hunter to scoop him up in his arms. Within minutes, our little boy w Hunter’s shoulder, his breathing in soft, even puffs.


    “I can take him,” I offered as we approached the car.


    “I’ve got him.” Hunter’s voice was gentle, protective. “He’s fine.”


    I watched as he carefully maneuvered Caesar into the backseat, buckling him in with skillful ease that made my heart clench.


    When did Hunter be so natural at this father thing?


    op against


    I slid into the passenger seat, reaching for my seatbelt as Hunter settled behind the wheel. But the belt wouldn’t budge, the mechanism seeming to stick no matter how hard I tugged.


    “It’s jammed,” I muttered, pulling harder.


    “Let me help.”


    Before I could protest, Hunter was out of his seat and around to my side of the car. He leaned across me, his chest brushing against my shoulder as <i>he </i>worked the seatbelt mechanism.


    His cologne filled my senses – that clean, masculine scent that was uniquely his.


    “There,” he said softly, but he didn’t pull away.


    Instead, he stayed leaning over me, his face inches from mine. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek, could see the way his blue eyes had darkened as they dropped to my lips.


    My breathing became shallow, uneven. Without thinking, I bit my lower lip, a nervous habit that made Hunter’s eyes re with something hot and dangerous.


    My hands twisted together in myp, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure he could hear it.


    The space between us seemed to shrink, charged with three years of unresolved tension and want. Hunter’s hand came up, his thumb hovering just below my bottom lip.


    “Celine,” he whispered, and my name sounded like a prayer on his lips.


    nuffling sound from the backseat broke the spell. We both turned to see Caesar shifting in his sleep, his tiny teddy bear sliding from <fn18a4> Original content can be found at f?ndnovel</fn18a4>


    his grasp.


    Hunter and I looked at each other and burst into quietughter, the tension breaking like a soap bubble.


    “He has perfect timing,” Hunter said ruefully, settling back into his seat.


    “Always has,” I agreed, my heart still racing as I finally managed to buckle my seatbelt.


    As Hunter started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, I found myself stealing nces at him in the dim light from the dashboard.


    His profile was strong, masculine, but there was something softer there now than there had been weeks ago.


    “Today was…” I started, then trailed off, not sure how to finish.


    “Perfect,” Hunter said quietly, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “It was perfect.”


    As we drove through the quiet streets toward home, Caesar sleeping peacefully in the backseat and the memory of Hunte burning between us, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, we were finally bing the family Caesar had alv


    t–kiss


    med of.


    20


    But as Hunter’s phone buzzed <i>on </i>the dashboard, disying his mother’s name on the screen, reality came crashing back.


    Nothing about this situation was simple, and I was fooling myself if I thought one perfect day could erase all the obstacles standing between <ol><li>us. </li></ol>


    Hunter declined the call without even looking at it, his jaw tightening slightly.


    “Everything okay?” I asked softly.


    “Everything’s perfect,” he repeated, but something in his voice had changed. “As long as we’re together.”


    The promise in his words sent a thrill through me, even as a small <i>voice </i>in the back of my mind whispered that perfect moments like this neversted long in my world.


    But as Caesar’s soft breathing filled the car and Hunter’s hand brushed mine on the center console, I decided that for now, perfect was enough.