Rose Is Back With Thorns

chapter fifty two

Morgan Sylvester had never once before thought that he could be reduced to using his own daughter as leverage, especially because of a woman and one he knew close to nothing about. Well, not really a thing, per se. He knew she was a gorgeous woman with mean knuckles; had a world-sized patience for kids but zero for grownups; was Cuban; she played tennis and was in the hotel business. She was in America for business cum vacation.

From the corner of his eyes, he caught her grinning at his daughter who'd grown attached to and dependent on her it was almost unbelievable. It was that closeness that had earned Morgan the information that had led to the dinner they were having. The previous night, Tiffany had mentioned 'Angie said she'll miss me when she returns home' and despite Morgan trying to ignore the remark, he'd found himself unable to accept that their new found friend, in the neighbouring suite was actually leaving them. It was this nagging feeling that had led him to her door, with a lame excuse that Tiffany wanted to have the last dinner with her. And it had worked, seeing they were in the hotel's restaurant enjoying meals.

Angie, in the two weeks they'd been staying in the hotel had made it habitual to always pop in to their suite and bring Tiffany something or pick her up for a day out. That Morgan had been more than willing to allow that, surprised even himself. At first he'd excused himself with needing time for himself to think without his five year-old daughter constant need of his attention. Then he'd convinced himself that Tiffany couldn't be cooked up in the hotel all the time and since he wasn't outgoing, Angie was the perfect person to indulge Tiffany.

But that dinner with his siblings days ago wasn't lost on him. How they'd teased him about letting a stranger spend so much time with his daughter. Morgan now knew why. From the second he'd learnt chances were tonight was the last he was seeing of Angie, he'd become engrossed with her. How she walked, talked and laughed. She laughed so loudly he always heard them giggling with Tiffany from the next suite. He thought about how fierce she'd been when she'd thought he'd meant to hurt Tiffany. They had been two wonderful weeks, strangely. And while he intended to move his daughter into their new house not a second longer than tomorrow, he was already missing this intriguing character that was Angie.

A little girl's giggle filled his ears and he came out of his reverie to catch Angie clicking her wine glass to Tiffany's water. "Cheers."

He couldn't help grin. "What are we toasting to. I missed that."

Both females had conspiratorial grins on their faces. "You want to tell him or should we keep it to ourselves?" Angie asked Tiffany smiling so brightly, Morgan couldn't help stare.

Tiffany shook her head. "No, let's keep it."

The adults laughed before they coincidentally leaned to plant a kiss on either side of the five year-old. They both froze once their faces magnified in view. Angie's eyes widened while Morgan's zeroed in on her plump, brown lips. Heart throbbing so hard, he found himself leaning in, closer, he could feel her breathing. He was going to kiss her_

"Baby, do you want more fruits?" Came Angie's breathy question as she pulled away. Her fingers trembled on her laps and she couldn't make eye contact with the girl's father. If only she could excuse herself without sounding offensive. Perhaps just up and run from the table.

"No," Tiffany drawled. "My tummy cannot take anymore." Her small hand patted her father's larger one. "Can I go to bed now, daddy?"

Still in a trance, he nodded briskly and galvanized into standing up. "Um, I'll still find you here?" It was paused to Angie who nodded immediately.

The minute father and daughter vanished from the restaurant, Angie bolted to her suite.

***

Not bothering to check the restaurant, Morgan went straight to her neighbour's door after seeing Tiffany to bed. Somehow, he knew she'd run after their intense moment during dinner. Now he was hyper aware of the effect they had on each other. Lord, he'd almost kissed her there before his daughter. Thankfully, she'd been the rational one and had not indulged him in that moment of madness. Madness he intended to explore.