Page 74 of When I Had You

I love you. Knock ’em dead!

Cullen and I head out to the park just after three because he’s bouncing off the walls. He needs wide-open spaces to let his imagination run free. He talked me into buying a balloon that he lost two point three seconds later when he released it in hopes of bouncing it like a ball.

Tears followed when it got too high for even me to catch . . . and that’s how he ended up with four more balloons tied to his clothes. I’ve held his hand the entire walk home because he then worried he would float away. I promised to always keep him grounded, like my mom did for me.

When we’re two blocks shy of the apartment, his mood snaps, so we detour into the deli for a snack. Food is always a good decision when it comes to Warren men.

Warren . . . Sometimes I regret being talked into his using Ryatt as the surname. It was all ego naming him Ryatt.

Holding Cullen’s hand in one of mine and a sandwich in the other, I take a bite, which is a quarter of the sandwich. Food fixes bad moods. Mine included.

I ask, “How are the Goldfish?”

“Fishy.”

I laugh, watching him pop another orange cracker into his mouth. “Fresh catch.” A happy kid once again.

When we get upstairs, a familiar silhouette haunts my doorway. “Do I need to call security?”

Marina laughs as Cullen starts skipping toward her and gives her a hug. “Nice balloons.” She glances at me. “Daddy must have been a pushover today.”

“For the record, I was the hero.”

“You’re always a hero in my book.” I lean in to kiss her, but then stop when our eyes connect. She glances at Cullen and then raises an eyebrow.

Right.

I move to the side and punch in the code to unlock the door. “Want to come in?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

Pushing the door open, I hold it while they walk in, then grab the small bag before she has a chance to carry it.

Cullen skips inside, chatting with her and telling her about our day and the aquarium.

She’s smiling, bringing the whole apartment to life with her vibrancy. I want to stare at her beauty and watch as she moves about the space as if the thought of her living here isn’t so far-fetched. I want to touch her, kiss her, welcome her home, but . . . I take a breath. I’ve not been in this position before with Cullen. I’m not sure how to maneuver with this circumstance, so I’ll restrain my need to be close to her and pretend we’re only friends.

As soon as she frees the balloons from his belt loops and a buttonhole on his shirt, he begs her to let him set them free on the terrace. She looks at me for guidance, crinkling her face. “I’m not sure if that’s allowed.”

I collect the strings and knot them together. “You can show Grandma when she gets here, which is any minute now. Why don’t you grab your bag so we won’t keep her waiting?”

As soon as he dashes down the hall, I grab Marina and kiss her. The sweetest caress of our lips still produces the heat that’s always burning between us. We don’t linger, but our breathing is quickened when we pull back. The sound of shuffling has me retreating into the kitchen, and I catch sight of Cullen coming out of his room with his backpack. My gaze pivots to Marina who is standing where I left her but touching her fingers to her lips.

Happy as a clam around her, Cullen asks her to read him a book, but a knock on the door derails the activity. “Hi, Laura,” Marina says, raising her hand beside her.

My mom comes in and beelines for her. They greet each other with a hug and make small talk as I give Cullen a hug as well. “Be good for Grandma, okay?”

“I will. Promise.”

My mom doesn’t even give me a chance to ask her if she’d like to stay a bit before she’s hugging me and walking out with Cullen. “You two have a great night.”

“Love you guys,” I say from the door. As soon as it’s closed, I turn back to my girl. “So . . .”

“So,” she replies. “Do you have plans?”

Coming closer, I take her by the hips and kiss her neck. “I have all sorts of plans for you, babe.”

“I had an idea.”

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