Page 130 of When We Burn

I feel my mouth hang open, and then I pull away from Bridger to look him in the face. “For what? She has no legal right to Birdie.”

“I reminded her of that. Hey.” He cups my cheek and brushes his thumb over my lips. “I need to make something clear here. I don’t want you to be uncertain or think that I couldever, in any way, want her?—”

“Stop.” I shake my head and move in to straddle his lap. Bridger plants his hands on my ass as I get settled, and then those glorious hands move up my back, making me want to purr. “I know that in the beginning of you and me, I was uncertain. I wasn’t confident in myself, and I questioned what was going on between us, but those doubts are long gone, love.”

“Thank Christ.” He exhales and tips his forehead to mine. “You’re all I see, Dani.”

“Same.” I kiss his nose softly. “I have a few things to say. First, you’re not Angela’s family. You’remine.If she wanted you,reallywanted you, I’d fight her off. I’m not afraid of her. She’s not my bully anymore, and as far as I’m concerned, she can fuck right off.”

“I fucking love it when you get worked up,” he growls.

“She isn’t a threat to my relationship, but sheisathreat to the happiness of that sweet little girl in there, because if Angela really wanted to, she could make things pretty miserable and scary for her.”

“Over my dead fucking body.”

“We’re on the same page there. So, no, I’m not worried about her. She was a surrogate for Birdie and nothing more. Bridger, I love Birdie so much. She and I had a really interesting talk tonight.”

“Tell me, sweetheart.” His hands are rubbing up and down my back, and he lifts one so he can drag his fingertips down my cheek. “What did she say?”

“She and I spend a lot of time together these days.” I tell him about my talk with his daughter, about her questioning if I’m her mom, and the warmth in his eyes only grows with each word. “I don’t think I could love her more if I’d given birth to her. She’s my girl, and I love her so?—”

He grips my face and kisses me, so deeply, so urgently, that it makes my toes curl. My fingers dive into his hair, and I open to him, kissing him back just as feverishly, breathing in his spicy scent.

“God, I fucking love you,” he says against my lips. “You came into our lives, and you just fit so perfectly. Of course, Birdie wants to call you her mommy because youarein every way that counts, sweetheart.”

“I know.” I feel the first tear fall on my cheek. “I love it, and it scares me.”

“Okay.” He nods, brushing away my tears. “Let’s talk about it. What scares you?”

“You know what I come from.” The admission is a whisper. “Bridge, what if?—”

“You are not him.” He’s ferocious now, so adamant and strong. “Not one single, precious molecule of you is him. You would never hurt Birdie.”

“Of course not.” I scowl at him and shake my head. “What I mean is, I don’t know how to be a mom. Mine died when I was so young, and my dad…well. I worry that I wouldn’t be good enough for her.”

“You listen to me.” He frames my face once more, his dark eyes so intense, holding my own. “You’re more than enough, for both of us. I hate to break it to you, but you’ve been doing pretty much everything a parent does for that little girl since school started. And she fucking adores you. When you’re not here, she asks for you.”

“Just like she does you when you’re not here.”

He nods, and a smile spreads over his impossibly handsome face. “Besides, you had a mom. You hadmymom, and I see so much of her in you when you’re with Birdie. I love our family, Dani. If Birdie wants to call you Mom, I have no issue with that at all because you’re ours, until the last star falls out of that sky.”

He points up, but I don’t look.Can’tlook. Because his words … his words have slayed me.

“You’ve been doing pretty much everything a parent does for that little girl since school started. And she fucking adores you. I love our family, kitten. If Birdie wants to call you Mom, I have no issue with that at all because you’re ours, until the last star falls out of that sky.”

Our family.Nothing has ever sounded so wonderful.

I can’t look away from him at all.

“I love you so much, Bridger Blackwell.”

It’s been almost four months since the last time we were all at Ryan and Polly Wild’s house for the summer pool party. This time, the pool is closed for the year, and we’re all inside, in the biggest kitchen and dining room I’ve ever seen.

I needed just a minute to myself, so I walked over to the wall of glass that looks out to the mountains and the backyard, where the pool is.

So much has changed since I jumped into that godforsaken water that day. All the same people are here, but I don’t feel the same at all.

I’m bolder.

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