Chapter 37 37 Chapter 37 - Striking Resemblance Monica's POV I stirred awake to the sensation of Morris's lips trailing across my skin, his gentle kisses pulling me from slumber after our night of barely any sleep. We made love again in the comfort of the bed, and then once more under the steamy spray of the shower, before heading downstairs for breakfast. I called home to check on things, and Natalie reassured me everything was fine with Austin. After our meal, we returned to the mountain of paperwork, finally completing it by mid-afternoon. "Monica," Morris said, his tone suddenly serious as he set aside the last document. "We need to talk." His expression captured my complete attention. "I want to make sure we're aligned on what's happening between us. This isn't casual for me. I want you exclusively in my bed, in my life. And I want to be part of your life and Austin's life too. So I need to know you understand that we're officially dating His directness made me smile. He looked impossibly handsome with his earnest expression. I stood and walked over to him. "Well, since we're dating." I said, sliding onto his lap and straddling him, one leg on each side of his hips, "that means I can do this." I leaned forward and captured his mouth in a slow, deliberate kiss that conveyed everything I was feeling. When we finally parted, his eyes sparkled with delight. A wide smile broke across his face before he pulled me in for another kiss, his strong arms encircling me. We discussed practicalities. Morris was clear that he didn't want to hide our relationship at work. He listened attentively to my concerns about Austin and assured me everything would work out fine. As our first step, he offered to drive me home and spend time with my son and Natalie. I agreed, and we headed to my place. Upon arriving, I opened the front door to find Austin and Natalie sitting on the floor with drawing supplies scattered around them. "So nobody missed me while I was gone?" I teased, closing the door behind us. Austin's head shot up at the sound of my voice. "Mommy!" he squealed, scrambling to his feet. and running toward me. I scooped him up and peppered his face with kisses. "Sweetie, mommy wants you to meet someone special. This is Morris," I said, turning so he could see the man standing beside us. 201 Austin's face lit up with a huge smile. Morris, however, seemed suddenly frozen in place, staring at my son with an expression of shock. I had to nudge him gently to break his trance. < 37 Chapter 37 - Striking Resemblance "His eyes..." Morris murmured, clearly stunned. "I know," I replied softly. "They're identical to yours - that rare violet-blue. Beautiful, aren't they?" Austin stretched his little arms toward Morris, who hesitantly took him. Within minutes, they were bonding like old friends, sitting together on the rug and playing. Natalie approached me and whispered in my ear: "Now I see why that doctor assumed he was the father. The resemblance between them is uncanny. I looked more carefully and realized she was right. There was something strikingly similar about them that went beyond just eye color. But people had lookalikes everywhere, right? Everyone supposedly had a doppelganger somewhere in the world. I pushed the unsettling thought aside Jand joined them on the floor. The hours flowed by pleasantly as we talked, played with Austin, and later enjoyed dinner together. As evening deepened, my little boy's eyelids grew heavy. I lifted him up and carried him to his bedroom, tucking him in for the night. When I returned to the living room, I found Morris and Natalie engaged in animated conversation. I joined them, and we spent another hour laughing and chatting before Natalie excused herself for the night. Left alone, Morris pulled me onto his lap and kissed me tenderly. "Your son really took to me," he said, not bothering to hide his satisfaction. "He's friendly with everyone. He's an incredibly social child, I countered playfully. "Maybe so, but we had a special connection," he insisted, and I couldn't disagree. The bond that had formed between them so quickly was remarkable. "I'd love nothing more than to stay the night, he continued, stroking my hair, "but I think it might be confusing for Austin. And you've already spent enough time away from him today." "Thank you for being so understanding," I said, touched by his consideration. "We'll have plenty of nights together in the future." "I should go now, sweetheart. You need rest after all that work and little sleep. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning," he murmured while placing soft kisses along my neck. "You don't have to do that, Morris, I sighed, melting into his touch. "Please don't deny me the pleasure of seeing you as much as possible, he replied, kissing the corner of my mouth. "Alright. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow." After one final kiss, he left. 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