She sighs. “I struggle with it every summer. I’ll miss him, of course. Every minute of every day. But at the same time, it’s so nice to have a few days of alone time. To have a week—” She swallows. “Without him. And that makes me feel like a shitty mom.”

“Everyone deserves a break, Gabby.” And if the piece of shit that fathered Sam had bothered to do his job, she wouldn’t be so overwhelmed with the task of parenting alone.

“I know.”

“It doesn’t make you a bad mom to enjoy that break.”

She simply shrugs, not convinced. I tip her chin up so I can see her eyes and it kills me to see tears welled in them.

“You’re an amazing mama,” I say softly before laying my lips gently against hers, enjoying the way a shiver runs through her. “He knows you love him.”

“I know that too.”

“Good. So, what are you going to do with your reprieve?” I push my fingers through her hair, unable to resist. God, her hair is soft and smells amazing. The way she leans into my touch is sweet.

She’s not touched often. She’s like a love-starved kitten, and I can’t wait to make her purr.

Because I’m going to have her in my bed, or hers, very soon.

“I have the inn,” she replies and frowns up at me.

“So, the only difference between last week and this week is, you won’t have Sam here?”

“Pretty much.”

Oh, sweetheart, we can do so much better than that.

“You don’t ever take a vacation?” I push her hair behind her ear and drag my fingertips down her cheek, loving the way her skin feels against mine.

She simply shakes her head, then sits up straight on my lap, bracing her hands on my shoulders so she can look at me.

“I have the inn, and I love it. I don’t need a vacation from it.”

Bullshit.

But I don’t say anything; I simply watch her.

“You don’t agree with me?”

“It doesn’t matter if I agree or not.” No, I don’t fucking agree.

“But you don’t.”

“Gabby,” I begin, then stop and frown. “Is your name short for Gabrielle?”

She blinks rapidly at the change of subject. “Yes, why?”

“Just curious. It doesn’t matter if I agree. If I disagree, will you take the week off?”

“I can’t.”

“Exactly.”

Finally, she scoots off my lap and runs her hands down her pretty white blouse and denim shorts, as though she’s smoothing wrinkles. “Thanks for the chat.”

I stand next to her and cage her against the railing of the porch. “Look at me.”

She raises her face to mine. Her eyes look almost gold today. They’re still a little sad, and I’m going to do my damnedest to change that, as soon as possible.

She catches her lower lip between her teeth and braces her hands on my forearms, and there’s that awareness, shooting between us again.

The chemistry is off the fucking charts.

I pluck her lip out of her teeth, and want with all of my soul to lean in and kiss her. My thumb brushes over the damp skin of her lip as I lean in and sweep my lips over her soft forehead.

“I have work,” she whispers, but doesn’t let go of me. “Sinceriously.”

“Sinceriously?” I chuckle and comb my fingers through the hair at the back of her neck.

“It’s a Sam word. He says it means he’s sincerely serious.”

“Ah.” I kiss her forehead once more, acutely aware, with every seven-odd-billion nerves in my body, of her pressed against me. “Then I guess you should get to it.”

She nods, her eyes closed, then snaps them open and ducks out of my arms. “Don’t you have something to do?”

“I’m sure I can find something.”

A cold shower might be a good place to start.

She nods and disappears inside, closing the door behind her. I walk down the steps and between the ancient oak trees, take a deep breath to calm my freaking libido, and dial Kate’s number.

“What’s up, handsome?”

“Question.”

“Answer.”

I grin at her response. “How difficult would it be to have someone come cover at the inn for Gabby once or twice this week? During the evening, so I can take her out on a couple dates.”

There’s a long pause, and then I can hear the smile in Kate’s voice as she says, “Are you sweet on Miss Gabby, cousin o’ mine?”

“I am,” I reply truthfully. There’s no bullshitting anyone about this. I’m not ashamed of it. “So can you help me or not?”

“I can help. I’ll make some calls. She has the rest of today off, you know. It’s Sunday.”

“I know, and I plan to do something fun with her, but she deserves a damn night off now and again.”

“I completely agree. I’ll make it happen. What nights do you want?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply. “Maybe one of the nights can be when Declan is playing.”

“Wow,” Kate says with a whistle. “You can be very sweet when you want to be.”

“Don’t let it get out,” I growl. “I don’t need batters thinking I won’t crush them at the plate.”

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

***

It’s late afternoon, and I’ve let Gabby be most of the day. It wasn’t easy. I want to march in that house, scoop her up, and carry her off to bed.