Page 89 of At the Edge of Surrender

Emery turned back to look at me with disbelief written all over her stunning face. “When?”

“Spent last night and this morning getting both rooms ready for you two.”

“Because you really wanted your best friends to come stay at your house with you?” Maci peeped.

“That’s right, Angel Face, I really wanted my best friends to come stay with me.”

My gaze drifted from the adorable little thing to her aunt who itched in the middle of the room.

Toffee eyes swimming in distrust and that potent thing that strummed between us.

A low, delicious beat that thudded and enticed.

We both jumped when Maci suddenly went flying for her bed. She hopped onto it on her knees, giggling as she bounced around toface me, grabbing a fluffy pillow and hugging it to her chest. “Ifinkyou got my style.”

A chuckle rolled out, and I roughed my fingers through my hair. “Can’t take credit for all of it. Had a bunch of help.”

“Tell ’em I saidfankyou very much because I love it all the way to the stars and to infinity.”

“How about you tell them when you meet them?”

Excitement widened those eyes that slayed me every time the child looked at me. Swore to God, the little girl was like looking at my mother’s face. My chest clutched at the thought, but I shoved it off, refusing the grief that was always right there below the surface, ready to devour.

“I get to meet them?” Maci shrieked.

“Absolutely.”

She fell backward onto the mattress like she was fainting.

“I got the best day of my whole life,” she dramatically sighed toward the ceiling.

Worry gushed out of Emery, a full physical reaction as she cast me a desperate glance. One that begged me to be careful. To take heed.

It was going to take her a minute to get that I would never harm this child.

“I think I’ll unpack. I’ll be right next door if you need me,” she murmured to Maci.

“You don’t got to have any worries about me.” Maci scrambled back onto her knees and her voice dropped to a whisper. “I got new clothes and new toys in here, Auntie.”

Maci slipped off her bed and went to the white wooden box that had her name painted on the front in the same gold lettering as the molding.

Charleigh had taken that project on herself, thinking Maci having her name on something would give her that extra sense of belonging.

She tossed the lid open and started digging through the toys inside, and instantly, the child was swept into her own little world, mumbling to herself as she gave over to her imagination.

Emery hesitated for a beat before she finally moved for the door.

My heart rate kicked as she came my direction.

Reservations filled her as she angled to the side to slip by, only her chest brushed across my side as she went.

With the bare contact, a fire ignited.

An inferno that streaked beneath my flesh and twisted my guts in a want that I was pretty sure was never going to let me go.

Emery froze for a beat, held in those flames.

Her perfect tits nothing but hard, pebbled peaks. Chest heaving with her harsh, ragged breaths. Her eyes wild.

---