Knead: Contemporary Romance (Creamy's Bakery Book 1) by Aspen Drake Read Free Book Online Page A

maybe we can do this again toward the end of the month.”
    “What kind of things keep a four-year-old busy?” he asks, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest.
    “Well, she has swim classes…”
    “Every day?”
    “No. Um, just Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.”
    “I can work around that.”
    “And I'm planning on doing some volunteer work.” My mind is racing to come up with a reasonable excuse that will keep him from wanting to see us, or worse, visit us, in the immediate future.
    “I get it, Bethy. You’re busy. You’ve got a life now, and that's why I'm here. I can help you. Isla can come stay with me on the weekend, and you can get your stuff done. Does that sound like fun, sweetheart?” He turns to Isla, smirking at her broad grin and bobbing head.
    “Yes, daddy. I'll be a good girl if I go to your house.”
    “I know you will. I'll pick you up next weekend, and you can meet some of your cousins.”
    “I have more cousins?”
    “You do. There are lots of cousins to play with and grandma and grandpa want to see you too.”
    “I even have a grandpa?” she says quietly. “I already have a grandma, but I don't have a grandpa yet.”
    “Well, now you do, sweetheart.”
    “A daddy and a grandpa… Wow.”
    The awe in her voice breaks my heart. I've been denying something from her that she clearly wants. I genuinely thought I was denying her something bad, but maybe I was just being selfish. My fear of JR was real at the time, but all signs point to a changed man.
    “We’ll talk about that alone, JR. I don't think she's ready for overnights quite yet but maybe someday.”
    His eyes narrow and that smirk doesn't leave his face. “Well, then, I guess I'll be staying at your house. I can be up there on Friday afternoon. Maybe we’ll watch movies and have some popcorn.”
    “I love watching movies with popcorn,” Isla says, apparently willing to agree to anything her father says. That thought makes me even more terrified to leave them alone together.
    “Let me see your driver’s license?” JR holds out his hand. When I don't immediately respond, he snaps his fingers twice. “Bethy, gimme your license.”
    “Why?”
    “I need to know where I'm going on Friday. Right?”
    The edge of anger is creeping into his previously calm voice. Isla hasn't noticed the tension yet, but if she does, I'll be the one looking like the bad guy.
    “I think we should talk about this a little bit more, JR. This is moving way too quickly.”
    The toe of his boot gently hits my shin and presses not-so-gently into my bone. “What was that?”
    “JR, don't do this. Not here,” I whisper.
    The sugar sweet tone is back and a chill runs down my spine. Fucker hasn’t changed one bit. “Babe, give me your license. Now.” His boot digs a little deeper into my flesh.
    I don't want to show any indication of weakness, but this fucking hurts. Knowing that he won’t back off until I'm hurt or crying or both, I yank my wallet out of my purse and practically throw my license at him.
    JR smiles and eases his boot from my leg. “This is a good picture, babe. Your hair was longer. You need to grow it out like that again.”
    I just glare at him, not willing to say anything else. Using his phone, he takes a picture of my license. Instead of handing it back, he holds my card between his thumb and forefinger, swinging it over his half empty beer.
    “I'll be there Friday. I even have a few friends in Santa Cruz that I'll ask to stop by and keep an eye on you. Just to make sure nothing happens and that you're safe and sound, waiting for me next week. Sound good, sweetheart?”
    Isla leaps into his arms and immediately wraps hers around his neck. “Sounds good, Daddy.”
    His dark eyes never leave mine.
    ~**~
    All week long I can't eat. I don't want to see JR…not when he clearly hasn't changed. He may not be selling drugs anymore, but he’s obviously still the violent asshole I escaped from when Isla was