It Takes Someone Special to Be a Dad

Kate’s POV
“Geno,” Asher beamed from the dining room table as Evgeni walked into the kitchen the next morning.
“Hello,” Evgeni unbuckled him from his booster seat and picked him up, “no more nightmares?” he ran his thumb over Asher’s forehead.
“No,” my little boy wrapped his arms around his neck and rested his head on Evgeni’s large shoulder.

“Morning,” I smiled as he made his way over next to me at the stove.
“Morning,” he put his free arm around my waist and kissed me on the forehead.

I relaxed into his touch. It was nice to have him here in the morning for once. His strong arms around me, I knew I felt safe.

It honestly made me smile. One of those smiles that you can’t wipe off your face because for some reason you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. For the first time in a long time I actually felt happy.

I didn’t think falling in love again was possible after what Jack did to me but Evgeni made me weak at the knees in more ways than one.

“Skate!” Asher announced reaching out for me.
“You want to go skating today?” I took my little guy from Evgeni.
“Yeah,” he smiled playing with my hair.
“I don’t know about that one,” I grabbed his bowl of cut up pancakes and carried him over to his seat at the table.
“I will take him,” Evgeni offered as he carried our plates to the table.
“Ev…”
“He will be ok,” he insisted taking a seat.
“Ok, but as long as he has all of his gear on, I don’t want him getting hurt.”
“He won’t.”

**************************************

“Hey Sid,” I smiled at the captain as he walked into the locker room.
“Hey… how are you little guy,” Sid ruffled up Asher’s hair as he sat proudly in Evgeni’s stall as I helped him get dressed.
“You take my spot,” Evgeni smiled as he walked in and picked Asher up and sat down with him in his lap while I continued to lace his skates.
“He wanted to sit there,” I shrugged, “there you go,” I tied the last loop nice and tight and tapped his skates together; “they are so tiny and cute.”
“Tiny, yes. Cute, nothing cute about hockey,” Evgeni said as he slipped on Asher’s shoulder guards.
“Oh I don’t know about that,” I sat up next to him, “you’re pretty cute when you get mad at the refs,” I whispered in his ear.
His head snapped in my direction with wide eyes before they narrowed into a glare, “no,” he pouted.
“You sound like him,” I pointed to Asher as I got up to say hello to Vero.

“I take it you two have talked then?” she smiled at me.
“Well hello to you too, but no we haven’t.” Her smile quickly disappeared.
“And why not?”
“Because we are fine how we are.”
“Denial!”
“V, stop it.”
“How can you look at that and not think it is… perfect,” she sighed watching Evgeni tickle Asher making him chuckle loudly.
“Well I will be sure to let Marc know you are officially crushing on Geno,” I said as I walked off towards my office.
“Oh come on,” she followed me down the hall, “you can’t tell me that the man in there with your son isn’t the most perfect guy for you two.”
“I am not saying he isn’t, I am just… I don’t know. It doesn't matter,” I slumped into my chair.
“You just have to forget about Jack.”
“I can’t,” I began to sob, “Asher, he looks, sometimes he looks so much like him and… I can’t deal with that. Besides Evgeni doesn't want me for anything other than a lay.”
“That’s not true,” she comforted me with a hug.

I walked out of my office to see Asher happily holding Evgeni’s hand, “are you ok?” he looked concerned.
“I am fine,” I grabbed Asher and took him down to the ice. Just because my day had just turned sour didn’t mean I was going to let my one and only man down.

Evgeni’s POV
Her eyes were stained red as she headed in our direction.
“Are you ok?” I went to reach out for her but she ignored me.
“I am fine,” she picked up Asher and headed down the tunnel towards the ice.

“You really need to talk to her,” Vero walked passed me with serious eyes.
“About what?” I turned around.
“You need to tell her you love her or get out off her and Asher’s life,” she pushed her finger into my chest.
“What?”
“She has been through a lot and if you don’t stop dragging her along for whatever ride this is I am personally going to end it for you.”

I was left feeling gobsmacked. I knew exactly what she was talking about but I didn’t know how to bring it up.

We agreed that it was just sex and nothing more, it was all we wanted from each other but it had turned into more.

I loved being with her, I loved being with Asher. It was the all I looked forward to all day, every day. But how do I tell her?