Page 37 of Singing For His Kiss

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

An exclamation from Elizabeth had him looking into the rock pool she was pointing to. “Look. I’ve found a crab.”

Elizabeth glanced at him from between strands of wind-tussled hair. He peered over Madeline’s shoulder to see a small sand crab no bigger than a fifty cent coin.

“Do you want me to pick it up for you?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Elizabeth nodded but looked doubtfully at the crab. “Is it okay if we take it out of the water?”

“It’ll be fine for a little while. We’ll put it back after we take a look at it.” He wanted to show both the girls the crab up close. His daughter would be fascinated, and he wanted to make Elizabeth’s time at the beach special too. He glanced at his daughter. “We can’t keep him though, Madeline, okay?”

She nodded and looked expectantly into the water. He scooped his hand beneath the crab and carefully manoeuvred the creature upwards through the water.

Two heads, one blonde, one auburn, peered into his hand. Pleasure washed through him. He watched as a small finger stroked the crab's back. The creature hunched and lifted up its small claws.

“Careful, Madeline. It might nip you.”

Madeline prodded the crab, and it marched backwards over the heel of his hand. He shifted it from one hand to the other. It unsettled the crab, which abruptly changed direction and crawled over his fingers. He tried to juggle it, but it slipped. Its claw nipped the tender webbing between his fingers.

He let out a wordless yell, more out of surprise than pain, and shifted backwards, his feet moving in subconscious response. Instead of finding solid rock beneath his foot, he plunged into a hole. Frigid water rushed into his shoe, soaking up to his calf.

Momentum had him in its grip, and he toppled backwards. His backside smashed onto sharp, wet rock. The crab slid from his hand into a fresh rock pool and dove beneath an overhanging ledge in the water.

He grimaced, realising he’d lost the crab. He looked up into two shocked faces, both wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Elizabeth flung a hand over her mouth to cover her laugh. Madeline started laughing as well. The both of them erupted in uncontrollable laughter.

Elizabeth’s eyes watered as she looked down at him. “I’m so sorry…I just can’t seem to stop…” Madeline’s giggles were music to his ears.

Her hand dropped from her face, and he was spellbound. Her eyes shone, and her face was open with joy. She was… transformed. She was beautiful. Utterly stunning. A weight lifted from his chest, and suddenly he felt…light and open in a way he’d forgotten.

Madeline was giggling her head off, clutching at Elizabeth. He'd never seen her laughing like that. That was pleasure in itself. Her gorgeous face was alight and alive, just the way a four-year-old should be. If he could see that every day, he’d gladly fall into every rock pool along the beach.

Elizabeth spluttered, “I shouldn’t be laughing, but…you just looked…”

“You looked like a clown, Daddy.”

“I guess I did.” He smiled up at both of them. He didn’t care what he’d looked like. Watching them laugh was an intangible reward, but one worth more than any jackpot.

Elizabeth took his hand in hers, helping him stand. “Here, let me see what the damage is.”

Her slim fingers skimmed over his palm. He was content to watch her as she manoeuvred his hand this way and that. All he was concerned about was the fact that her touch sent a fission of unseen sparks beneath the surface of his skin.

She pursed her dusky pink, plump, very kissable lips. “I think you’ll live. But only if you stop standing in cold water.”

He realised he still stood in the rock pool.

“You got a wet butt, Daddy.” He swatted his behind, realising his shorts were soaked through, as well as his feet. But he couldn’t be happier!

“Do you want to go home and change?” Elizabeth asked.

What he did want was more…of this. More of seeing Madeline losing herself in things children were meant to lose themselves in, and more of Elizabeth smiling at him in that way that made him forget about…well, everything that was a burden.

“Can we go home for lunch now?” Madeline asked.

“Of course, sweetheart,” he said.

He realised with a start a couple of hours had slid past and he was hungry as well. He shook his head in wonder, realising he’d actually forgotten all about time and the long line of jobs that spread endlessly before him. He stretched his back, lifting his face to the sky. The weak rays of the sun felt so good on his skin.

---