Page 40 of Under Ground

He places gentle kisses on each thigh, and I grip the headboard, wiggling toward him.

“That’s my girl,” he murmurs.

I let out a moan as his tongue brushes my clit.

The door flies open.

“Mummy. Why the door closed?”

I freeze, and Alex’s hot breath hits me as laughter comes from under the covers. I bite my bottom lip.

“Daddy? What you doing under there?”

I face-palm, and it’s so hard not to laugh.

Alex doesn’t miss a beat. “I’m hiding so I can surprise you, silly.” He climbs up the bed and pulls the cover back over his head. “Peekaboo.”

Casey shakes her head. “I not a baby.”

“No, sweetheart. You are not.” He chuckles.

“Mummy, can we have breakfast?” she asks.

I check the bedside clock and groan. “Casey, honey. It’s five in the morning. Way too early.”

“I’ll make some breakfast.” Alex pulls himself up so he’s sitting next to me. “What are we eating?”

I press my lips together to stop from laughing.

“Mummy makes me toast. Do you want toast, Daddy?”

“I’ll come and make you some toast in a minute. Why don’t you go and turn the TV on?” I say.

“I can watch TV?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. She’s never allowed to watch TV before we go to day care. The one and only time I ever let her, she had a tantrum when we had to leave because she wanted to finish the show she was watching.

“Just this once,” I reply.

She runs from the room, and the unmistakeable theme tune of Paw Patrol floats back through the air.

I cover my eyes and let go of the laughter. “Good recovery.”

Alex nuzzles my neck. “I thought so. We’re probably lucky she hasn’t caught us before this.”

“I know, but …” I laugh again. “So awkward.”

“She’s fine. But I do have to get going after I make her breakfast. You were distracting me.”

I widen my eyes. “Me? You were keeping yourself quite entertained there.”

“I wasn’t the only one.” He kisses me softly. “How about …” He runs a finger down my breast. “… I come by this evening and we get some takeout and just hang out. I’ll help you if you need it with Casey, and then you and me can have the whole Friday night together.”

“Are you real?”

He kisses my fingertips. “I am. And for what it’s worth, I’m glad I was accosted by a three-year-old in the park because it led me to her mother. Who is the sweetest, most loving, gentle person I’ve ever met.”

“You’re pretty nice yourself.”

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