17. Men Like Him

Suppressing a laugh, Antonio watched as Valerie jumped in surprise. Apparently, she hadn’t heard him approaching from behind. “Hello, beautiful. I’m here to check if you need anything,” he said with a smile. Valerie nervously bit her lip. “That won’t be necessary,” she responded shortly. “Nonsense.” Antonio waved off her protest. “What can I help you with? Unpacking? Babysitting? I’m a jack of all trades,” he said as he eyed Landon in his crib. Valerie scoffed. “For some reason, I don’t see you as a babysitter.” “I will prove you wrong,” Antonio challenged, raising an eyebrow. Valerie looked at him for a moment, then, without another word, turned and walked away. But Antonio knew that was just part of the game, the push and pull they found themselves in. He wasn’t going to let her go that easily. He followed, keeping a few steps behind her. She went to the room next to hers and looked around. For a moment, her facial expression softened. “You have a library,” she stated. “Yes,” Antonio