Page 772 of The Tempted

“Come on, time for you to take a detour,” he said with a grin, patting me on the back.

That detour changed my life and took me to the Satan’s Knight’s clubhouse. The next detour I went on would lead me to my Kitten and Eric. Facing another detour, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d find but, whatever it is I find, I pray it’s not grief.

“The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout,” I sing to Eric as he sits in my lap trying to mimic my hands. “Down came the rain and washed the spider out,” I continue watching him drop his hands and shake his head.

“Uh oh, mama!”

Smiling, I stare at my little man in awe, his laugh is intoxicating and I wonder how I ever lived without him. Watching him turn his head to look at me, I don’t understand how being a mom was never part of my plan. I always thought I needed a plan, a calculated course of action but the unexpected detour was so much more rewarding. It gave me purpose. Riggs talks about finding heart since he’s found me but he’s not the only one who found their heart.

“Again, mama!” Eric demands, clapping his chubby hands excitedly.

I laugh, squeezing him a little too tight before I sing again. The door opens and I lift my eyes to see Riggs, watching as he leans his back against the door and stares back at me and our son. The grin I love so much spreads across his lips while his eyes focus on Eric as he tries to make his hands climb the imaginary spout.

Eric’s hands drop to his lap as he spots his daddy and scrambles off my lap.

“Dada,” he cheers, wobbling his way to Riggs.

“Hey, buddy,” Riggs says, bending down to swoop Eric off his feet and raise him high above his head. “How’s my boy?”

I love watching them together. An overwhelming sense of pride envelopes me knowing I gave them to one another. Me, I did that, and that’s better than any nursing gig I ever could’ve dreamt of.

“Did you hear me, Kitten?”

Drawing him into focus I lift my eyes and shake my head.

“What did you say?”

“I said,” he starts, holding his free hand for me to take and pulls me to my feet. “Pack a bag we’re going on a mini vacation.”

He laughs when I stare at him like he’s lost his mind, for real this time.

“Hurry up, the car will be here within an hour to pick us up.”

I stare at him, watching as he calmly strolls around the apartment, pulling the phone charges from the outlet by the counter all the while holding Eric. He moves to the cabinet and pulls out sippy cups, toddler spoons and forks, Eric’s favorite Mickey Mouse bowl and places everything alongside the chargers.

“Where is your contact solution and case?”

“You’re serious,” I accuse.

“Kitten, don’t make me light a fire under that tight ass. I won’t have you ruining the surprise.”

“The surprise,” I repeat. He places Eric on his feet and closes the distance between us, cupping my chin with his hand and tilting my head so my eyes are level with his.

“Go with it, Lauren,” he says softly as his eyes fall to my lips. “Take the detour,” he whispers. His eyes travel back up to mine and he winks. That’s all it takes.

“Where are we going?” I question.

“Now, it wouldn’t be called a detour if you knew where we were headed, would it?” he bends his head, brushes his lips across mine. “Run away with me,” he whispers huskily against my mouth.

He didn’t have to ask, I’d always run with him.

Anywhere and everywhere.

An hour later, a chauffeur piled our bags into the trunk of a limousine while Riggs secured Eric’s car seat inside. I don’t know what brought on the unexpected getaway but I was going to take the detour. Just me and my boys.

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