It had been a few days since Ceaser left Jules' house looking all hot and dashing. Work was still the same for her; interesting, fun, other times boring. The new CEO - whose identity was still unknown to her - had made a few changes by firing most of the employees and hiring new ones, she was glad he had kept the staff in the children's section though. She was already familiar with all of them asides from Andy and Sofi and she was glad Ivy and the other kids wouldn't have to deal with new faces.
She heard he was planning on changing the name of the company which didn't come as a surprise. The name, she didn't mind but him firing and replacing most of the workers wasn't fair. That was just cold-hearted. She got that he was doing his job but he should have given them a month's notice or at least a week. He just upped and fired them...hopefully, he included severance pay. She had heard a lot of things about him from the gossip of the office but no one had gotten a glimpse of him yet.
Jules was in the kitchen cooking when she heard a knock at the door.
Who could it be?
She wondered as she abandoned what she was doing and went to get the door. Jules pulled the door open and her breath caught when she saw who it was.
Oh Darn!
Jules thought as her eyes betrayed her and went checking him out.
He looked flawless in his black suit, a white shirt which had a few buttons undone. Not a single strand of his hair was out of place. In short, he looked immaculate. Her eyes met his and she saw a hint of a smile on his face. That's when she realised, she had been staring.
"Are you done ogling me Ms. Jenna?" Ceaser asked in his husky and very sexy voice that made her swallow.
Ceaser had stayed away from her for the past couple of days trying to set his mind and get his thoughts straight; it wasn't an easy task. He had a hard time letting go of the woman he offered a ride at the office's garage that night. But he had to see Jules Jenna for who she really was and remember that she is the woman who had his daughter. He decided to set his plan in motion and he knew she wouldn't give his daughter up. So, he was going to wine and dine her, he'd make her fall madly in love with him. Jules Jenna was one of those hard to get types but she couldn't remain immune to his charms forever. Sooner or later she'd crack and he preferred sooner rather than later because only then could he move forward with the rest of his plan. He would get married to her and adopt his daughter. Finally, he would let his lawyer – who was the best – work his magic in court and he would have full custody of his daughter then and only then would he divorce her.
"I-I was not..." Jules' stutter snapped Ceaser out of his thoughts of his well-laid devious plan.
"May I come in?" He asked, interrupting her
What was he doing here, again?
Jules wondered.
"Of course." She said, opening the door wider. He stepped in and walked towards the living room but not before he made sure his arm brushed hers and he lingered close for a while before he proceeded into the living room.
Jules sighed and closed the door joining him in the living room. Ceaser was scanning the room when Jules got there, he took in the surrounding something he hadn't thoroughly done the last time he was here. His gaze travelled to the kitchen and that made Jules remember the food she had left on the stove.
"Oh shoot!" She ran into the kitchen and turned the gas off. She sighed in relief when she checked to find she hadn't burnt her meal. She would have gone to bed without having dinner because she was beat to prepare another one for herself.
"Everything okay?" Jules jumped at the nearness of his voice; she looked behind to find him watching her.
Darn! He made her kitchen seem smaller than it already was.
"Yea." She said "All good."
She had felt the power and confidence oozing out of him the two times they had met but now, in her tiny kitchen, it was almost drowning.
Wait! What the heck was wrong with her and her thoughts these days?
Jules snapped herself out of whatever haze this Greek god had put her under.
"I'm sorry about that." She said walking past him out of the kitchen and into the living room all along aware of his gaze on her as he followed suit.
Ceaser didn't say anything, just looked at her while they both sat on different sofas.
"So, why...?"
"I'm here to apologize for the way I stormed out of here the other day," Ceaser said interrupting her.
"Oh, that? It's nothing. It's fine. I'm sure you had..."
"I remembered something really important I had to take care of." He said interrupting her once again.
"It's really okay. I mean, I wasn't..."
"I know, I just..." He was about saying before she cut him off.
"You do know you haven't let me complete a sentence." Jules pointed out getting irritated with his interruptions.
He looked taken aback.
"Excuse me?"
"You haven't let me complete a sentence since you walked through the doors." Jules smiled. "I don't know if you're telepathic or just..." arrogant "...that way," Jules said instead.
There was something different about him.
Jules thought.
He had a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"What?" Jules was confused as he changed the topic.
"The food; it was on when I walked in." He stated, "Is it edible or did it get burned?"
"Oh. No, it's edible."
"That's a shame. I'd have loved to take you out for dinner."
Jules felt the blush creep from her neck to her cheeks but she pushed away the excitement that bubbled up to the surface at his indirect offer.
"You do remember that I have a daughter, right?"
As if on cue, Ivy's cry echoed through the house.
"Excuse me." Jules got up and ran down to the spare room she used for Ivy when she was busy in the kitchen.
She pushed the door open and the minute Ivy saw her, she quieted down.
"Momma," she said raising her hands for Jules to pick her up.
"Hey princess." Jules smiled as she picked up a pouting Ivy. "Hungry?"
"Hunguwe." She said.
Jules smiled down at her. Adjusting Ivy on her hip she went back to the living room where she had left her uninvited guest.
"I don't think you've officially met my daughter," Jules said as she entered the living room. Ceaser got up and turned when he heard Jules.
His face went blank when his gaze fell from Jules and landed on Ivy. Those two times he had admired her, he never knew she was his flesh and blood. But now that he knew, he felt his heart expand and fill with love. Love for his little girl whom he couldn't wait for to be his completely.
If Bea hadn't given her up, he wouldn't have to go through this. He would have been with his daughter and been the happiest man.
Jules saw a look pass in Ceaser's eyes and couldn't quite place it. It was almost sad to watch the feeling play in his eyes as he looked at Ivy. Ivy always made people who met her smile but it made this man sad. Jules frowned at that.
Jules approached him with a smile plastered on her face as she looked from Ceaser to Ivy to see her reaction to a new face.
"This is Ivy." Jules said.
Ceaser's thinned lips curved into a smile and soon it grew wider into a grin, the dimple on his cheek didn't do anything to calm her erratic heart.
"Ivy." He loved the name Jules had given her. "That's a beautiful name."
Ivy snapped her gaze from his sexy dimple to meet his gaze when he said Ivy's name. The bundle of joy in Jules' arms beamed up at him before she reached out to him.
"Dada."
Jules froze and her gaze met Ceaser's surprised ones.
Ceaser was surprised at Ivy's outburst but he almost couldn't contain the joy that exploded in his heart. He never thought he'd hear that word anytime soon but he wasn't complaining. Just that word made his day...his life.
"Ivy, no. Not Dada." Jules tried to tell Ivy "I'm sorry. She's never called anyone that before. She must have picked it up from the kids at the daycare or at the park." Jules said to Ceaser.
"It's alright. May I?" He asked Jules for permission to carry her.
Jules was surprised that a man like him would want to carry a child.
"Of course."
"Hey, beautiful," Ceaser said as he picked Ivy from Jules' arms. Ivy went willingly. "How are you?" Ceaser asked hoping she could understand him.
"Dada." She said again poking his face then giggling lightly which made him smile a full toothy smile.
Ceaser sat down carefully as Ivy just stared into his eyes like she was accessing him piece by piece. Then she launched up at him going for his hair but didn't make it. He watched in fascination as she pulled at his tie trying to reach for his hair. When she finally made it, her tiny hands found their way to his hair and she began tugging and yanking but he didn't mind.
Jules watched as Ivy played with Ceaser's hair. It was fascinating how Ivy could make him seem relaxed and happy. She expected Ceaser to run the other direction when she brought Ivy out but he had picked her up and was letting her near his perfect hair.
What was it about this man?
Jules thought.
His presence screamed power and strong-will, yet he seemed to have none of those with Ivy.
Then she remembered what had made Ivy wake up in the first place. Thank goodness she had made her food before she got started on hers. Somehow, she felt it was safe to keep Ivy with Ceaser. So far, he'd been a gentleman and he didn't seem like the type of man that would harm a child or anyone for that matter.
Intentionally.
She added as she thought of all those women who might have been hurt by him without him having done anything to or with them.
Besides, he worked in the same company as hers and she knew for a fact they ran a background check before hiring anyone.
"Is it fine if she stays with you for a while? I need to warm up her food." Jules asked and Ceaser looked up at her. He had totally forgotten she was in the room.
"Yeah." He said, not wanting to sound too happy about being left alone with his daughter. With Ivy.
He wanted to scream 'She's my daughter.'
He looked at Jules who was still watching him closely. He knew she was contemplating leaving Ivy with him – a stranger - only if he knew.
"She'll be fine." He promised.
Jules sighed, nodding her head before she left for the kitchen.
Ivy played with everything on Ceaser that caught her attention till Jules walked back into the living room minutes later with a bowl of whole-grain cereal in her hand. She sat on the same sofa Ceaser sat with Ivy, keeping some distance between them. The distance didn't stop Ceaser from being able to inhale her scent and it almost drove him into a frenzy. She smelled of vanilla.
"C'mon Ivy." Jules said to Ivy who crawled out of Ceaser's lap and into Jules'. Jules adjusted Ivy so she was facing him.
She picked the bowl up and took a spoon full of the cereal and brought it near Ivy's mouth. Ivy opened up and once the cereal was in her mouth, she chewed on it - even though there was nothing to chew on - before she swallowed.
Ceaser's heart clenched as he watched them. Jules would sometimes have to say 'Ahh' before Ivy opened up her mouth. Ceaser was too caught up at the sight before he didn't realize he was smiling like a complete idiot.
"Ivy open up, few more spoons," Jules told Ivy as she placed the spoon near Ivy's mouth.
Ivy shook her head then her gaze locked with his and a smile spread across her face. Ceaser smiled back at her before she looked away and focused her gaze on Jules.
"Momma." She called.
Ceaser's breath caught at that. As much as he hated and wanted to deny it, Ivy saw Jules as her mother and there was nothing he could do about it for now.
Ivy placed a hand on Jules' face then she pointed at Ceaser.
"Dada."
Jules looked at Ceaser, the look of surprise she had before was non-existent. He knew she didn't approve of it but how could she explain to a one-year old that the person she calls 'Dada' isn't her dad.
Only if she knew the truth behind Ivy's words.
"No, Ivy." Jules shook her head at Ivy "Ceaser, not Dada." She tried to explain again but it was a lost cause because Ivy wouldn't have it.
"Dada!" Ivy said again, adamantly which made Ceaser smile. She was definitely his daughter, not that he had any doubt.
"You want him to feed you?" Jules asked guessing what Ivy was trying to say.
Ivy pointed at Ceaser and Jules sighed, looking at Ceaser.
"Do you mind? She won't finish this unless you feed her." Jules said as Ivy crawled out of her lap and into Ceaser's.
Jules didn't like this one bit and Ceaser could tell but he didn't say anything. Ivy was usually Switzerland with Andy, Sofi and some of the staff at the day-care but never with someone she was meeting for the first time.
Ceaser wanted to ignore the worry on Jules' face and feed Ivy but he had to get her to be comfortable with him handling Ivy before he proceeded with his plan. But darn it, he wasn't going to keep this up for so long. He wanted to be able to do anything that made his daughter happy without seeking approval or assuring someone it was fine.
"It's fine," Ceaser said.
She nodded and handed the bowl over to him. Ceaser began to feed Ivy just had he had seen Jules do. Ivy opened up every single time till she finished the cereal.
"Good girl." Ceaser praised Ivy after her last spoon and she beamed up at him.
Jules couldn't stop the smile that crept to her face so she took the bowl and went back to the kitchen and placed it in the sink. She was back and was quiet as she watched Ivy play with Ceaser.
Jules had no idea how much time passed as she watched the two of them and made light conversation with Ceaser. She noticed later as Ivy began to dose off.
"That's my cue." Jules got up and to pick a sleeping Ivy from Ceaser.
Ceaser stopped her but it didn't look like Jules was going to budge then he said.
"Let me."
Jules looked at him like she was trying to figure him out but she knew she wasn't going to get anything just by looking at him.
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