The Forbidden Spark

6.

Cara’s POV

“Welcome home, peach.” Jason said as soon as he opened the door of his apartment, stepping back for me to enter. The space was big, and I soon realize it was a duplex with four bedrooms. Three upstairs and one down here with the kitchen, living room and office.

“You’re here earlier than I expected.” He said, smiling.

“Yeah, I guess.” I didn’t know what to say to that or how to feel because it sounded a tad bit like I wasn’t suppose to be here now.

As soon as I stepped inside, my breath hitched. The space was like nothing I had ever seen before; sleek, modern, yet oddly cozy. And for a guy’s house, no offense to men, a single dad’s place as well, it was clean.

“Oh damn, your place…” I trailed off as my eyes went back to looking around.

The high ceilings made the place feel open and airy, and the natural light from the massive windows on the second floor bathed everything in a soft, warm glow. I glanced up, catching sight of the loft area, with its glass railing that gave me a peek of a snug little space before the corridor that led to the bedrooms.

“What about it?” I heard Jason asked but I couldn’t even answer him. This place was really great. I knew Jason had a good taste, but this was more than I thought it would be.

Everything looked deliberate, down to the chic chandelier hanging from the ceiling, its orbs suspended like stars in a dark sky.

I walked further in, my feet sinking into the plush, light-colored rug beneath the gray sofa, which was perfectly arranged next to a round coffee table. There were tasteful touches everywhere: a few framed prints on the walls, soft throw pillows that looked like they belonged in a magazine spread, and the faint smell of eucalyptus that made the space feel fresh.

I always knew Jason had a great eye, but something told me this place had a female touch, and at that thought, something warm spread through my chest.

Was that jealousy?

“Huh, it’s really nice,” I thinned my lips. “Actually, it’s really great.” I said.

“You like it?” He asked, the corners of his mouth lifting up in a smile, one that seemed to be waiting for me to admit what I thought.

I nodded my head at him, smiling back. “Oh yeah, I really do. It’s nice.” I said.

He looked around like it was his first time seeing the place then he said. “Thank you.”

I admitted that the place was nice, and I was hoping he would confirm my theory about the place having a female’s touch, but he said nothing about that, making me disappointed a bit.

Maybe I should just ask him straightforward, but what had that got to do with me? What would knowing whether or not one of his numerous women designed or decorated the place do for me, than just make my heart ache and remind me every other women had been in his life except for me?

Sighing mentally, I looked around the place one more time, and then I realized I was looking around for his daughter. “Daycare.” He said from behind me as if he could hear my thoughts.

What? Does that mean that I was going to be alone with this man for a couple of hours before his daughter gets back?

Shit!

I was screwed.

I cleared my throat and said nothing, trying to look nonchalant as much as I could, so I pretended I was still studying the house.

To my right was a modern staircase, black railings led up to the upper part. There was a subtle contrast between the darker walls and the softer tones of the furniture. Everything was clean and simple, but they seemed warmed too. I could picture myself here, curled up on that couch with a cup of tea, feeling strangely at home in a place that screamed sophistication.

A place where I wouldn’t have been in the first place if Jason didn’t have a daughter, a daughter I wasn’t sure yet would approve of me.

“s**t, what are you thinking about? That girl is just three. Shut up and get a hold of yourself.” I said to myself mentally.

“What?” I heard Jason from behind me.

“What?” I asked as well, almost jumping out of my skin. I didn’t know he was that close to me, and I could still feel that small breath huffing on my neck before I turned around.

“I thought I heard you say something.” He said.

Shaking my head, I heard the movers coming down the hall to Jason’s door, so I waited for them to get here before I looked at him. Suddenly, I had the courage to be this close to him and look at him, and even speak to him.

“Where am I staying, Jason?” I asked, just as the tall guy from earlier that was flirting with me whistled when he say the place.

He gestured upstairs his with head. “You have two choices. One’s up there and one’s down here. I’m sure you would want the top one though. Nice view of the City Park and lake. It’s the third room down the hall.” He said.

Looking back at the movers, I told them to go upstairs.

Jason smiled like he had just won a Purple Heart Award and I rolled my eyes. The movers went upstairs, all three of them with two boxes each in hands.

“That all?” Jason asked, the smile still on his face.

I said nothing, but shifted out of his way so he could tell by himself. The smile still there on his face rapidly melted into a frown when his eyes landed on the two suitcases left behind me that the movers had pushed in when they came in.

“There’s more? Are you moving to a whole new country?” He asked like that would explain my boxes. “Or moving all the city in here?” He added and I rolled my eyes at him.

“That would have been half of it if I hadn’t already donated the stuff I don’t want anymore.” I said.

“Whatever.” He grunted. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he didn’t want me here. Or maybe I didn’t know any better and I was only here because he didn’t have a choice. “Go get settled, and then we’ll order takeout or something to celebrate your residency.” He added before walking away from me.

“Takeouts, really? He was that bad? I wondered what he fed that poor daughter of his with. Speaking of his daughter, I couldn’t wait to meet her. I wasn’t even sure she was in the house or anything, but I knew I was going to meet her sooner or later today.

Grabbing one of the boxes, I stacked it on the other and grabbed them. I sighed as I walked upstairs to find the room, meeting the movers and thanking them for their job well done. I had just walked into the room when I heard someone in the other room.

“Okay, kiddo. She’s here now and you’ll meet her, but first we have to get you into the shower.” I heard Jason’s voice. Oh, so Daisy was at home.

Well, I better get started on unpacking so that I could finish up fast enough to go meet the kid. It took me almost half an hour to sort all of my stuff and get them all to where they needed to be in the room. After laying the bed with the blanket on the bed, I pushed up to look around the room.

Now it was ready to live in, and all that was left to do was meet Daisy.

Damn it, I was really nervous, and I couldn’t even understand why.