“He’s a pretty good big brother, isn’t he?”
She smiles.
“Should we change your dipe?”
She reaches for me, and I lift her, smothering her with kisses as she giggles. I take my time, letting the emotions from the last hour roll from my body.
We join the boys in the kitchen, the scent of coffee in the air. Ollie sits on the counter, stirring the batter while Slade cracks eggs in a skillet.
“Ade. Ade. Ade.” Frankie bobs on my hip toward him.
Slade looks over his shoulder at her. He rinses his hands, and she leans for him.
“Smells good in here.” I smile at him.
“We’re making ch-chocolate chip pancakes.” Ollie lifts a spatula in the air.
“Think you can flip them and not let them burn?” Slade raises an eyebrow.
I dip a shoulder, taking the spatula from Ollie. “It was one moment of baking weakness. Are you ever going to let that go?”
He shakes his head slowly, but I see the mischievous smirk behind his stare.
I point the plastic tool at him. “Careful, Desert Kitty. Two can play at that game.”
“I hope so.”
I stare at him, holding my sweet girl and looking way too sexy and confident.
Well, shit. I squint one eye at him as I move to the stove, knowing this might be onevery long day.
Chapter 52
SLADE
I carry Ollie to his bed—complete dead weight.
We spent the day building train yards and throwing sticks to Grover in the snow. Sarah pulled Frankie around in the sled, and she squealed each time it ran over a small drift.
It was a day full of the kids’ giggles and Sarah’s beautiful, relaxed smile. It all caused something to shift inside me. It was like joy breaking free that had been hidden inside a dark cave, afraid to peek its head out.
I’ve feared this kind of happiness. Scared to desire love and a family because, at any moment, it could disappear. I couldn’t allow myself to be this close to someone only to find out they’d never really be mine.
But over these past few months, I have discovered something with Sarah that I didn’t know existed. I’ve fallen in love with her—the drive-me-insane, all-consuming kind. But that love is built on friendship and trust that slowly morphed into an undeniable need. I need Sarah. She sets me off guard and breaks through all the protective layers I enclose myself in.
When I claimed her, Ollie, and Frankie, it just tumbled out in a moment of rage, but it’s the truth. I want nothing more than this every day. I want all the messy, crazy, hard days with Sarah. She makes me a better person, and I’ve realized I’m not afraid to love her because, whether she said it or not, I know she loves me back.
For the first time, I’ve been my whole self with someone. No pretense or barrier. I screwed up, and she still invited me in. She held me, forgave me, and trusted me enough to know my error in judgment was never meant to hurt her. It’s how love should be. She believed in me and saw through my mistake. That means more to me than she’ll ever know.
I peek in on Frankie, her floppy lamb squeezed to her chest. I run my finger over her soft, chubby cheek, wanting this every night—rocking them by the fire and reading stories. Holding them until they fall asleep.
I blink, not believing I might actually have it.
I find Sarah at the kitchen sink with her back to me, drying the pan from dinner. Her tight black leggings hug her butt and waist. Those damn things are about to drive me mad.
I know what I want, and I think I know what Sarah wants, but nothing will happen until she’s good and ready.
I slip my arm around her and tug her against me.
