good day

. The stars had already receded and given the sky to the sun. Even

hank you, sir," she called back, already exiting the car. After she slammed the door, shivering as a gust of wind blew her hair out

shaking around, her regular keys jingling, and even her small notebook catching on the zipper. Dai

five minutes to locate the key f

espite the earlier panic. It was a quarter till six o'clock, and, as usual, Conrad's place was silent. In

it feels like to have Conrad inside of me, making love to me, but what is it like to wake up next to him every day. She thought, imagining the bed-head and sleepy voice as he tried to wak

oday's breakfast, carefully balancing them against her shirt. With a bump from her hip, Daisy closed the refrigerator door, the simple calendar with each day's dishes written down catching he

jump and swear, grabbing the new

text was from Emma. With this new job, Emma had taken to dropping Leo off at school, and it was around the time Emma typically sent a text saying Leo had been dropped off. This was the only thing Daisy hated about the job. Working for Mr. Carda had allowed her to take Leo to school. Now, she missed that short walk with her son, and

she still had another fifteen minutes before Conrad was ready. Turning on the cof

kitchen, Daisy had both sitting

uickly started eating. Conrad was dressed in dark pants and a white business shirt but

n he gave her a thumbs-up as he chewed. Before she gathered the

t," he told her as he grabbed his pla

Conrad. "I think it took me longer to

and left

closed and placed the food she'd gathered on the counte

answered, fear cours

t my text, Dai

aisy aske

it down." Emma didn't sound nervous, and a small wave of relief started to shoot through Da

anic raced through her bod

e doing, Daisy. Do

d and white striped tie. He took one look at her express

"I think I can work from home today, except for a meeting at two.

arm and leaned forw

im, "Leo was sick this morning, and Emma didn't take

dy. "Tell her to bring him here. Better yet, I'll

like he had two he

he said, already sliding h

back to her conversation with Emma. "Problem so

espo

mm

briefly closed her eyes, embarrassment seeping through her, Conrad squeezed her hands, placing th

mm

. "I called Donald," he said, loud enough for Emma to hear, "He'll meet

here, then," Emma said, be

*

ank an electrolyte drink at Conrad's counter. He nodded as he picked up

e room tucked neatly in the penthouse's corner, a room Daisy had previously assumed was a storage room. When she told Leo where to find the bathroom, he went i

use she didn't recognize the number. Instead, Daisy checked on the Ziti baking in the oven. Her phone chimed, th

up again on the caller ident

ugh her. His husky tone sounded even sexier over the phone. "He's doing much better," she said, hurrying to u

e opened my bedroom door," he admitted. "It's a dan

there, but I'm sure you have hidden se

an awkwa

about Emma. I know she's h

ettier than I am. Of course, Conrad wants to know more about her because he wants

int of confusion in his voice. "I want to know how

"Emma takes him to school every morning and I pick him up and drop him off either back at

shift in conversation startling her e

while also allowing herself to daydream about se

iti from the oven. She closed the oven door

ling her phone between her e

e to inform you to leave his plate in the refrigerator. You may go home a

hought about enjoying a day at home, she smiled. She loo

Leo said, concentrating int

It's 'give me,'" Daisy tried, alre

, Mo

*

toned her coat by the coat closet. She was running late and

d the living room, pulling his business shirt from

menu like you usually do," Daisy said

told her, "It will onl

wait, Conrad, she thought, trying not to make her impatience too obvious. Not all of us h

and whenever you don't have a babysitter. He's a great kid

s pockets. Are you trying to take my son away from me, Conrad? She didn't dare accuse him, but that did

ed the offer to your

ed confused as he respon

coldly, trying to stop this conversatio

ything. I don't want my employees to undergo undue hardship because of their respo

a challenging stare. Slowly, she

open," Conrad said

Instead, Daisy opened the door

about it. Conrad waited for her to speak her piece and leave, continuing what he doing without lo

doing this cloak and dagger work."

y you to stop beha

eye roll, "Is there a reason why you are divin

and that was the problem. He had to know everything before he did something stupid. Something

ckground checks," He repl

at's all

n a dismissive tone, eager to open the folder, b

than I usually am?" she asked gentl

d towards the door. "Guess you never heard of this genius concept called asking? But I suppose you

He opened the folder and peaked through the documents that were inside. He probably should have asked her to email all the documents, but he also h

life five to six years ago. He wanted to know every place she had worked, every city she had visited, even every coffee shop she had gone to. Still, nothing special popped out to h

ompany and its position as one of the most pop

oking like she was one second away from a nervous breakdown. He couldn't remember what it was exactly, but something about her had made him hold back the harsh words he had wanted to yell. All the anger had left his body once he looked into her eyes and saw the unshed tears. One minute he had been talking to anothe

, hitting his desk before runn

p, her face and figure much fuller and healthier. Her hair hung long and curly, and there was this new confidence she emanated, as if she could handle anything. She looked nothing like the girl she had once

er the years. He shook his head in confusion, distinctly remembered taking good care of her by making sure that

elt like hours. He remembered how she had trembled at every touch and whispered his name every time he kissed a particularly sensitive area. He had never found out her name, but at the time, simply hear

*

much more to give her, but he wasn't in a hurry. They had all night, and he didn't care about anything else in that moment but enjoying thi

anywhere. He was going to lick her until she pushed him away after too much pleasure. He gave her breasts equal attention, squeezing one while licking the other. His movements wer

, as if she had been bo

t was time to mov

he had been with a woman who didn't shave her legs, probably never. Maybe he had a thing about au-natural women that h

ouched her when she wanted him the most. He used the wetness of her core to spread over her hard nub, drawing slow circles around it and playing her like

ned against her, moving up to mimic what his fingers had been doing earlier to her most sensitive spot. She tasted so good, and he was mor

a small laugh, strugglin

ittle death,"

ized him, and he couldn't stop himself from touching her. He had never behaved this way before with any woman that he'd been with, always pre

g little about

d and earning a gentle squeeze for his effo

r it would be when he finally entered her. She tugged her hand up and down

angled himself and slid inside her. They both moaned as her warmth enveloped him, a perfect fit. She felt so good that Conrad had to stop moving for a minute while he regained h

ried out, digging her s

he did too. He couldn't stop it, wave after wave of perfection. He could lie there forever and die a happy man; he was certain of it. But he would probably crush her with his larger

*

was feeling everything that his younger self had felt, lucky bastard. He could almost taste her again, and the thought made hi

that room again, making love to Daisy. Maybe if he hadn't slept like a log, things would have been different? If he h

heir separate ways, nothing having changed. Or perhaps they would have exchanged phone numbers and a goo

ouldn't get it out of his head. How would he ever look at her again? The images of her naked body and her face as she came for h

f Leo was his biological son? If Daisy's little boy was really an Engel? He felt a tiny bit guilty, but deep down, he knew he was doing what w

s up,

the air. "I need you to find some DNA. See if there's a

e something to say about this request. But he also knew she w

is?" She turned the jacket over and narrowe

ight have a son, and I need to make sur

ployee background checks as we

give you an early bonus if you just do

talie muttered, still watching Conrad

had done that. The timeline fit perfectly, with Leo's age and his spring birthday. Even Adelaide had pointed out just how much Leo

Natalie said, carefully turning the jacke

live at my house. That's all I h

said with a sigh, befo

a son. Although, his mind reminded him, it technically isn't stealing, since he had left the coat at my house. If it turned out that Leo wasn't

e little boy, but for Leo to be his? That was a whole different scenario. Was he ready for

cked his watch and dashed out for a quick lunch, even though he didn't feel like eating anything. There was nothing more he enjoyed than Daisy's food and th

ered, holding his

'll let you know as soon as the results are out

ll that take

ty-two

"Can't you get

g they have no control over." Natalie replied and Conrad could practically hea

ank

Leo was his son? Or did he speak to her about it now and hear what she had to say for herself. Deep down, he knew he would never be patient enough to wait

ther to a five-year-old? Had Daisy lied about it all these years? What did it mean for both of them going forward? Did he want to be a father? A pi

t, having the same strands of biological matter had made

going in his life right now and wanted to be a part of it? This whole situation suited her, but again, she wasn't a dumb

y everyone came to because they could count on him to have a level head and make the important decisions. Apparently, the wrong hea

for dinner tonight?

erything oka

en a bit too short with her. He just couldn't deal with her right

me know when you are free

omething had to be up, but knowing Addy, it wasn't anything serious. She

y assistant, and we'll see, he responde

laptop so that he could finish what he had been working on at home, he shut his office. He

on the couch, reminding him that this could be his new normal. He took the toy in his hand and studied it.

is first words. He had missed every little moment that father's look forward too. Or

half-his, then he would have wanted the opportunity to be in his life. He threw the toy back on the couch, watching it bounce on the soft

d and made his way to his bedroom, wondering why his thought kept taking him back to Daisy and Leo. Three days was a long time to wait, and now he was sure that he wouldn't survive. Patience had never been his strong suit, not when everyone always went above an