“I can’t be in here.”
“I mean, you are,” he says dryly.
“Not helping,” I mutter, pulling up my pants.
“Dad?” Wren tries the doorknob. Thank God it’s locked. “I’m hungry.”
Bennett throws on sweatpants, still shirtless, and moves to the door without telling me the plan. He turns and gives me an apologetic look and an expression as if saying, this is our life now.
He cracks open the door. “Hey.”
“Can I come in your bed?”
“No, um… let’s head downstairs. Give me a minute, okay?”
“Okay, Leia is still sleeping.”
He shuts the door and comes over, sitting on the edge of the bed with me.
“Where am I supposed to go if you sent her downstairs?” I ask.
He takes my hand. “I think we just tell them that we’re having sleepovers. I know it hasn’t been long, but we’re committed to each other, and honestly, I don’t want to spend our evenings apart anymore. We can do it this way, or we can find a place for just us. I guess what I’m saying is I want us out in the open. I want the girls to see our love for each other.”
“I do too, but?—”
“It’s been too long, too much wasted time.” His gaze searches my face.
I nod because he has a point. “So, what, I just go down there in yesterday’s clothes?”
“I could lend you some. I love seeing you in my shirts.” He waggles his eyebrows. He stands and holds out his hand. “Come have breakfast with us.”
I take his hand, inhaling to give myself some reassurance.
He throws a shirt on, then we walk downstairs, him first.
Leia comes out of Wren’s bedroom while we’re on the stairs. “Mommy, did you sleep over too?”
Bennett purses his lips.
“I did,” I say and hold out my arms. She walks into my open arms, and I pick her up.
“You should have packed an overnight bag,” she says.
Bennett laughs, which makes Wren come to the bottom of the stairs and see us all coming toward her.
Her eyes widen. “Can we go to The Getaway Lodge for breakfast?”
Bennett laughs. “I’m thinking breakfast at home. You girls can help us.”
“Yay!” Wren yells, and Leia squirms to get out of my hold.
The two of them go into the family room, and Bennett wraps his arms around me, kissing the hollow of my neck. “Easy peasy.”
He chuckles, but he’s right. That went a lot smoother than I thought it would.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Bennett
