Page 113 of Irresistible

Sunlight is streaming through the shades and I put my pillow over my face and moan into it as the waves hit me hard. Even in my fog, I hear the sound of feet pitter-pattering down the hall, and I throw the pillow off of me and pull Wyatt’s hair.

He looks up at me, stunned, and grinning, his lips shiny.

I bend down and pick up his shirt and hurriedly put it on, tossing his briefs to him.

“Dakota’s up,” I whisper-shout.

“Oh.Ohhh.Shit.” He stands up and stumbles, trying to get his briefs on.

Sadly, I eye his hard length bobbing against his stomach as he covers it up.

“How’d you hear that?” he whispers. “You were supposed to be in the great beyond.”

I snort. “It’s this weird phenomenon moms get calledeagle ears. Maybe you’ll acquire it too. We’ll see. Turns out I can experience the great beyondandhear my child—”

The door flings open, and Dakota lifts both arms wide.

“Wyatt,” she cheers. “Youarehere just like you said!”

My heart tumbles over itself as she excitedly climbs on top of the bed and pats his face in wonder.

I know the feeling, baby girl, I still can’t quite get over the fact that he means what he says either.

“Mornin’, Sweets. How are you on this fine morning?” He pats the covers down and she plops down right between us, looking as content as I’ve ever seen her.

“Good,” she says, smiling at me. “Mama, does this mean Wyatt can come toallthe Donuts for Dads at school?”

I glance at Wyatt, who swallows hard and looks somewhat pained. My eyes narrow.

“Are you holding your breath?” I ask incredulously as his eyes start to bug out and his skin turns red. I sit up and jostle his shoulder. Dakota does it with me. “What are you doing?Breathe!”

He looks at me and shakes his head and then takes a huge gasp of air.

This is it, I think.Here comes the panic.

“Hell to the yes, I want to be at all the Donuts for Dads,” the words shoot out of him.

Dakota’s so taken aback she doesn’t even cash in on the curse jar loot she could be scoring.

“The only reason I’d miss is if you were sick or I was sick or the bayyyy…belua…bay…” He looks at me for help, but I’ve got nothing. “Babelicious, you know, uh, your babelicious mom, or uh, if anyone else around here was sick…whoever.”

Talk about a little rocket, those words are zipping and zapping right out of his mouth.

Loudly.

“And even if your dad comes to Donuts for Dads too, I’ll still be there if you want me.” He doesn’t take a long enough breath before he continues, so it’s raspy and like a deflating balloon. “And I want to live in the same house as you guys and be there when you wake up and when you fall asleep…sometimes I might have to work, but most of the time, I should—” Another heaving breath. “We’ll figure it out and I want to mar—uh, your mom and I…I want to—”

Dakota turns to stare at me, and we have a silent conversation with our eyes.

What is happening right now—is he okay?

I don’t know, baby girl.

And I turn my attention back to Wyatt and the same thing happens.

Stop me. Save me from myself,his eyes are saying.

And all I’ve got back is:Damn, all that truth last night was like a gateway drug, diving into deep uncharted territory. We were bound to feel the effects.

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