Page 94 of The Snuggle is Real
“Oh, geez.” He rubbed a hand over his beard, and my stomach flip-flopped. I wanted to rush in and handle the conversation for him, but I also knew he had to be the one to decide what to tell Charlie. “Yeah, Charlie. We just started dating. Is that…um, is that okay with you?”
Her eyes went wide. “You’re asking me for permission? Mama never did that when she had boyfriends.”
“Well, I want you to be happy, too,” Ford said. “So, for at least as long as you’re here, you have a say in how our family works. So if you want it to just be me and you until you leave, that’s fine.I’d probably ask Mason out again after Christmas because I do really like him.” He shot me an apologetic look. “And I hope he’d understand putting your wishes first.”
“Of course I would,” I said softly. “Your love for Charlie is part of why—” I bit my lip to keep any sneaky words likeloveinside. “It just makes you who you are, and I like who you are.”
“Well, that would be dumb,” Charlie said. “I like Mason, and he comes with Peppermint Bark.” She patted Pepper’s head where he lay on the sofa beside her.
I laughed. “You just want me for my dog.”
“Not just that,” she said earnestly. “You make my dad smile a lot. I noticed, but I just thought you were good friends. Grown-ups always get weird with wanting to kiss though, so I guess that’s cool.”
“Thanks, Charlie.”
She shrugged. “Are we going to watch a movie now?”
Kids. They took everything so easily. No need to deep dive into a lengthy conversation. No overthinking.
“Yeah,” I said. “What movie do you want?”
“Ooh, can we watchElfagain? I love that one.”
I picked up the remote from the side table and navigated through the television menus. “Elf, coming right up.”
While Will Farrell danced around in yellow tights looking alarmingly similar to Gus when he dressed up to drive the reindeer-drawn sleigh around town, Charlie cuddled with Pepper, and Ford wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling my head onto his shoulder.
All the stress of the day melted out of my body, and hours of frantic shopping and cleaning caught up with me. My eyelids grew heavy, then heavier, until I was half dozing on his shoulder.
“Mason,” he whispered, nudging me.
“Hmm.”
“Let’s go to bed.”
I blinked my eyes open. “’m awake. You don’t need to go.”
“Charlie’s crashed out, sweetheart. And so are you. Come on, I’ll put you to bed.”
He pulled me to my feet, and I caught sight of Charlie curled up under a quilt, Pepper snuggled up against her.
Ford followed me upstairs to my bedroom.
“You don’t have to tuck me in,” I said.
“Maybe I want to.” He stepped in close and kissed me thoroughly. “Maybe I want to have you to myself for a little while.”
Suddenly, I was wide awake. I slid my hands under his flannel. Sadly, the ugly Christmas sweater had been retired, but Ford looked good in anything he chose to wear.
Or not wear.
I raked my fingers through the hair on his chest. “You think we can…”
“Yeah.” He kissed me again, tugging my bottom lip with his teeth, sending a flare of lust singing through my veins. “Charlie sleeps like a rock. No worries there.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted against him.
“Put me to bed, then, Ford. I’ve had a very long day.”
