Page 111 of The Foul Out

“You taking her home?” I asked, being sure to hit him with a smirk.

He shook his head. “I told her she could stay.”

I cocked a brow. “And she was good with that?”

Lips pressed together, he nodded. “Nothing’s going to happen.”

“Right.” Scratching at my jaw, I took a step back. “Have a good night.”

While he dealt with his girl, I ushered mine down our hall with an arm around her shoulders.

Harper stopped at both kids’ rooms and peeked in. Although they’d been here a few times, this was the first time they’d spent the night, so to have them in bed and asleep on time was a feat.

Having them all under my roof was a relief. It kept me from having to worry about whether Piper was having a bad night or whether Harper could use my help. A feeling of complete peace washed over me as we made our way down to the end of the hall. We needed to do this more often.

I shut the door behind us and clicked the lock before turning to my girl. “Did I tell how stunning you look tonight?”

She giggled. “At least ten times.”

My heart thumped out a steady rhythm against my ribs as I drank her in once again. “Good.”

She reached along her side for the zipper of the fitted hunter-green dress, but I covered her hands with mine.

“Let me.” Slowly, I pulled the zipper down, exposing her freckled skin, and let the fabric puddle around her feet.

Once she stepped out, she swiped the dress off the floor and hung it up. Then she moved into the bathroom, probably to let her hair out of its twist and remove her makeup.

As I undressed, I watched her every move, relishing the normalcy of the moment. The comfort of just being together.

When she came back into the bedroom and began digging through her bag, I shucked off my dress pants. “Don’t bother with clothes. I’m just going to take them off,” I teased as I slipped into bed in my boxer briefs.

She didn’t listen, of course. Instead, she shook her head, chuckling, then exchanged her bra and panties for a satin night dress before she slid beneath the sheet beside me.

She turned my way, and I pulled her closer to kiss her, wrapping her up, my bare skin pressed to hers. Our bodies moved together as I slipped into her.

After we both came, we fell asleep in each other’s arms. As I dozed, it hit me. I finally had everything I needed. Harper was tucked under my right arm. The one I told her months ago represented what was important to me. And here I was, with that arm literally cradling the most important thing in my life, and it had nothing to do with baseball. So much had changed in one offseason, even the fact that I’d rather keep holding her than get up and find myself something to eat.

Waking up with her was even better. And even though it was only six when a knock sounded on the bedroom door, I didn’t mind in the slightest. Making breakfast for the kids and drinking coffee with Harper was the best way to start a day.

It was the picture of what I hoped our future would look like.

“You have plans at noon, right? Let me jump in the shower, then we’ll get out of your hair,” Harper said once the kids had eaten and were both happily playing. Piper in her room, Sam at the Lego table in the living room.

As much as I wanted to join her in the shower, that wouldn’t happen while the kids were here.

So I took my coffee over to my chair and watched Sam work on his newest Lego dino. At about ten thirty, Ashley and Cam slipped out of his room.

“I’m going to drive her home,” Cam announced, keys in hand.

I held my mug aloft and nodded. “Thanks for watching the kids, Ashley.”

“Anytime.” She dipped her chin in acknowledgment, then wiggled her fingers at Sam. Then she and Cam were gone.

Shaking my head, I grinned at the empty space where they’d been a moment ago. I couldn’t wait to hear how that had gone. When the elevator dinged ten minutes later, I stood, expecting to see Cam.

“What did you forget?” I asked as I shuffled into the entryway.

But it wasn’t Cam.

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