Page 75 of Free to Fall

That’s when I’m given an unexpected gift to send me on my way to work—Laura Lockwood’s full-throated laughter. She holds up her three fingers in a Girl Scout salute. “I promised on my honor I wouldn’t tell you a thing.

Now I’m really curious. My lips purse. “What shenanigans are you two up to?

Laura rolls her eyes, clearly not intimidated in the least. “The only thing I’ll assure you of is there’s no water involved in today’s activities.”

Stalking her around the room, I manage to get her body pressed against the wall. I lean my forehead against hers. “Good morning.”

“Hi.” She smiles at me.

I cup her cheek, noticing the fatigue beneath them. “Did you sleep okay?”

“I had some ... interesting interruptions.”

“Dreams?”

She shrugs. “You?”

My cheeks catch fire. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

Her eyes flash. “Well, that sounds interesting. I’m game.”

I’m about to start grilling her when we hear the squeak of Bailey’s wheelchair. Laura and I spring apart just before Bailey rolls up. “Laura! Does that have everything?”

“Most of it.”

Bailey glances up at me anxiously. “You didn’t tell Daddy, did you?”

Laura casts her sea-colored eyes at me in a smoldering look that makes my dick hard as a rock. “You said you wanted it to be a surprise. Of course, I didn’t tell him.”

While I love the fact Bailey is getting along so well with Laura, I feel I need to interject, “Do I need to approve this project? I mean, there’s no Devil’s Dust involved?”

Bailey snickers before translating. “He means glitter.”

Again, I’m rewarded—this time with her unencumbered smile. “Since that’s a banned substance in everything but our holiday gift exchange—”

“I really want to hear more about this gift exchange,” I interrupt.

She kisses the back of her fingers and rubs them against her shirt. “I can explain better than the others.”

“Oh, you think so?” I challenge—hell, who am I kidding. I’m outright flirting in front of my daughter.

“Well, since I’ve won the last four years in a row and have no plan on losing anytime soon, I’d say yes.” Her voice holds a smugness I want to wipe off any way I can—preferably with my mouth.

Still, I reiterate my most critical criteria for today: “No glitter.”

She vows, “I swear, no glitter—that I’m aware of.”

“That you’re aware of?” This is not reassuring.

“Bailey’s taking the lead on certain aspects of today’s adventure,” Laura informs me.

Bailey, meanwhile, is bouncing in her chair in excitement, leaving me with no choice but to give one last warning. “Don’t hurt yourselves. Have fun. Stay out of the ER.”

Laura moves next to Bailey before lifting her amused eyes to meet mine. “You do realize you hired the ER to be Bailey’s companion?”

Bailey nods furiously. “Still, we promise. We’ll be too busy working on—”

“Bailey,” Laura stops her from spilling the secret.

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