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Wilda shook him awake. “Milo?”
He sat up, then rubbed his face. “Book time?”
“Caleb is in bed. He didn’t want to wake you.”
“Dammit. I wanted to read to him.” He looked at her. “So…”
She handed him a cup of coffee. “I thought you might want this.”
“Are we going to be up for a while?”
“I don’t know.”
He took a sip of the coffee, then set the cup on the coffee table. “I shouldn’t have walked by you today at school. That was rude and immature.”
“I started it.” She sat at the other end of the couch. “I’m sorry I reacted badly. I’m a little confused.”
“Okay. That makes two of us.”
“Tom…he was my… I was sixteen when we met. I fully planned on staying loyal to him for the rest of my life while I raised my son the best that I could.”
“Planned? Does that mean? What does that mean?”
“This incredibly cute, sexy, generous, smart…” She smiled. “I could go on, but… He wandered into my life. Into my son’s life, and now…”
“You’re confused.”
“Yes. Oh…patient. That’s probably the most important one.”
“So, why did you come into this…superhuman dude’s room last night?”
“I don’t know. I found myself at the door, with no idea why I was there or what might happen when it opened.” She looked at him for a moment. “I don’t regret what happened. I just...”
“I suppose this is where the patient part comes in.”
“I need time. I know that’s unfair to you. But…”
He nodded. “It’s okay.” He picked up his cup, drank more coffee, then set it down again. “I want you to be happy, Wilda. I think… you and I... we could be incredibly happy. But competing with your husband?” He shrugged. “The next step. It’s on you. You need to decide whether you have room in your heart for someone else.”
She looked at her hands for a moment. “Do you want me to find somewhere else to live?”
“No. Of course not. I’ll do my best to be less cute and sexy, so you’re not tempted to come knocking on my door again.”
“I don’t know if...”
“You are welcome to stay here as long as you want. Just keep helping me with the place.”
She moved over and hugged him. “I truly want to be able to move on.”
He kissed her on the temple. “I know. I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter twenty-three
“A bigger punch with a lot less effort.”
Acrash woke Milo, and he sat up. “I swear. If that’s another damn bear, I’m moving out.” He slipped on sweatpants and headed downstairs. He approached the kitchen with caution, then picked up his pace when he heard Wilda’s voice.
“Wilda?”
