CHAPTER 9

Jules approached him with a smile plastered on her face as she looked from Ceaser to Ivy to see her reaction of a new face. "This is Ivy." Jules said. Ceaser’s thinned lips curved into a smile and soon it grew wider into a grin. He loved the name Jules had given her. "Ivy." He said “That’s a beautiful name.” Ivy snapped her gaze from Jules to Ceaser when he said her name. Then she 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. 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 day-care 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 its 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 now playing with her. 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, she just had to heat it up a bit before she fed her. 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 anyone. Intentionally. She thought of all those women who might have been hurt by him without him having done anything to or with them. "Is it fine if she stays with you for a while? I need to quickly heat 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. “She’ll be fine.” He promised. Jules sighed, nodding her head before she left for the kitchen. Ivy played with everything 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 to 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 before she swallowed, which took a while. Ceaser’s heart clenched as he watched them. Jules would sometime 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 a two years-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. “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 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 to hide it. She was back and was quiet as she watched Ivy play with Ceaser. Few minutes and Ivy began to dose off. "That's my cue." Jules got up and picked sleeping Ivy from Ceaser. "Let me." Ceaser stopped her but it didn’t look like Jules was going to budge then he said. 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. $