Boss Daddy: A Secret Baby Romance by Black, L. (good books for high schoolers .TXT) 📕

being there. Whatever was going on between us, we hadn’t talked about it. There were no commitments or definitions. We were what we were, whatever that was, and all I could really do was keep figuring it out one step at a time as it came.

Part of that meant realizing I really would miss him. I hadn’t just gotten used to having him around. He wasn’t just a nice guy or somebody fun to talk to. He was a part of my daily life, somebody I thought about several times a day, every day, and somebody I relied on seeing.

It wasn’t something I’d expected when I came here, and definitely not something I was looking for. I’d moved to Astoria to escape other people trying to control my life and tell me who to be and what to do. Finding somebody wasn’t even close to being on my agenda. In fact, I didn’t want anything to do with it.

But then Jordan came along. People always said you find the perfect one when you stop looking. It seemed that might be true for me. I didn’t know if I was ready to really consider Jordan perfect, or get anywhere near the possibility of referring to him as the one. But I couldn’t deny what was happening between us. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t feel the closeness forming, or the feelings growing inside me.

I couldn’t pretend he didn’t make me feel safe and appreciated for who I was, rather than what he might want me to be. I didn’t know what it all meant, but I did know I didn’t want him climbing out of the bed and getting in that car.

But he did get out of bed. I couldn’t really stop him. In fact, I asked, just to be sure.

“Do you think I could write you a note saying you don’t have to go because you need to stay here with me and it would work?” I asked as I watched him get dressed.

Jordan smiled and turned around to face me. He leaned over for a kiss.

“If I thought it would, I would have you do it. Unfortunately, I don’t Tom would see it that way,” he said. He dropped his shirt over his head and came to sit down on the edge of the bed and put his shoes on. “But you are more than welcome to stay here while I’m gone. If you feel safe and comfortable here, you can make yourself at home.”

There was something strained in his voice.

“Why don’t you sound like you’re actually offering?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No, I don’t mean to sound like that. I’m actually offering. If you are comfortable here and want to stay, you are more than welcome to. Really. It’s just that I don’t trust Ethan. His private investigator was able to find you here in Astoria without any trouble, including where you live. We haven’t seen Ethan around here and don’t think he followed us, but I really don’t put it past him to find out where I live and find you here. I would just rather you be with other people, so I know you’re safe. Especially while I’m not in town to do it myself.”

I smiled and squeezed his hand. “Thank you for caring so much. It means a lot to me. Right now, I don’t really know what I’m going to do. But I will be sure to lock up before I leave for work tonight.”

“And after that?” Jordan asked.

“I guess I’ll just figure out my game plan later. But I’ll let you know what I decide.”

“Sounds good,” he said. “Just take care of yourself. I guess I should get going.”

I let out a sigh and nodded. Walking him to the front door, I hugged him tight, wanting to delay him being gone for a few more seconds. He pulled back from the hug and kissed me.

“Let me know when you get there,” I said.

He nodded. “I will.”

We shared one more kiss, and he left, his suitcase and duffel in hand. I watched him put the bags in the back of the truck, and then he walked to the driver’s door and opened it. Before he got in, he waved at me and blew me a kiss. I laughed and blew one back, waving until he was in the truck and had driven out of sight.

When he was gone and I was sure this wasn’t going to be a rom-com situation where he would turn around and rush back to me, I closed the door and locked it. Turning around to lean my back against the door, I looked around. It already felt weird being alone in his house.

He said I was welcome to stay, but I didn’t feel right being there without him. I got dressed and packed everything that had migrated over to his house aside from some bathroom stuff that I wanted to leave just because it made me feel good to know I had a toothbrush there. Making sure all the doors and windows were locked, I put my bags into the car. It wasn’t until I was sitting behind the wheel that a creepy feeling went up the back of my neck. I slammed my hand down on the lock and looked around, waiting to see Ethan coming out from between the houses or popping out of one of the cars on the street.

Pushing the thoughts out of my mind, I pulled away from the house and started toward my own place. I hated that Ethan was getting to me like this. Even just being able to make me nervous felt like he was controlling me all over again. I picked up my phone and called Samantha.

“Hey, Hannah,” she said. “Everything okay?”

She didn’t sound as panicked or on edge as she did the first time we spoke after Ethan came to Astoria, but the tension was there.

“Everything’s okay. I just wanted to be on the phone right now.”

“You just wanted