Page 38 of Connected By Love
“It’s easy once you get the hang of it. I’ll show you next time in case you ever want to make one yourself when I’m not here.” He shrugs his shoulders and takes a sip from his coffee mug, not even realizing how talking about future things as simple as making coffee in the mornings together affects me. It’s so easy for me to picture myself in his and Max’s lives, having mornings like this together before we both go off to work.
“What are you thinking about right now?” His question pulls me out of my thoughts, and I break eye contact to take another drink.
“Nothing. Just that I had a good time last night.” My heart thumps against my chest. I can’t let myself fall harder than I already have—not when I don’t know his whole story. He’s not ready to let me all the way in, and I need to protect my heart while I still have pieces of it left.
He lightly touches my chin and brings me back to look at him. His eyes search mine, and I know I’m not doing a good job right now of hiding how I feel. “I had a good time, too.” I can tell he wants to say more, but he lets us both off the hook for now.
“How about I make us some breakfast real quick before you have to get Max?” I hop off the counter and go to the fridge, needing to keep busy. He has to leave soon, and I don’t want to think about not having his arms around me tonight. The bed is going to feel ten times lonelier now that I know what I’m missing.
“I’ll help. I happen to make a mean omelet.” He follows me over and gets a skillet out of the cabinet.
“Of course you do,” I laugh, making a mental note ofsomething else he is good at. I pull out the ingredients and set them on the counter.
“And Sophia?”
“Yeah?” I ask, looking over my shoulder.
“I’m going to miss you tonight too.” He gives me a knowing smile before getting out the cutting board. How did he know? I watch him start to dice some peppers before I tear my gaze away. A smile appears on my face as I get busy helping him. Maybe it is safe to dream a little.
Chapter Sixteen
Travis
I throwmy gloves in the trash and clean my station before heading home. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t moving a little faster than usual because she’ll be there. I ended up staying for dinner at my brothers’ house, and by the time I got Max to bed, it was after eight before I could head upstairs to my art studio.
I wanted to sketch the image in my head before I lost all the details. It was close to midnight when I finished, and it’s one of my best pieces yet. Her full lips are parted on a sigh, and her long black hair is spread out on the bed. It’s the eyes that capture you and draw you in. They tell a story. Anyone can look at it and imagine what it might be. That’s the beauty of art.
I’m the only one who knows the real emotions behind these eyes, though, and what caused them. It was the exact moment she shattered around me. She’s looking at me in this drawing, and it’s this look that had me quickly going over the edge with her. I know I could sell this one for a lot of money to the gallery I work with, but this one’s mine. No one else gets to see that look but me.
I pull up to my house and go inside, not seeing anyone in the living room or kitchen. Laughter has me looking outside. I see two dark heads bobbing in the pool.
“Let’s do it again,” Max says excitedly.
“Okay,” Sophia laughs. “One more time.” They both swim over to the steps and walk out of the pool. Jesus. Desire shoots through my body as I watch her walk to the waterfall next to the hot tub. She’s wearing a black one-piece with the sides cut out. It ties around her neck, and her whole back is bare. The cut in the front is a deep V, giving me a glimpse of her full breasts. The high sides make her tanned legs look even longer. I swallow down the heat coursing through my body as I start to get hard.
“Ready?” She asks Max, smiling at him and taking his small hand in hers.
“Ready! One, two, three…jump!” He yells as they jump over the side together. I slide the door open and walk over to the edge of the pool. They break the surface laughing.
“Daddy! Did you see us jump?” Max spots me and grins.
Sophia whips her head around and meets my eyes. I try to ignore the way my heart always seems to race at the sight of her. I tear my gaze away to look at Max.
“I did. Miss Lane can almost jump as good as Daddy can.” I glance her way with an amused look.
“Daddy does the best cannonball. It’s like a tidal wave in the pool,” Max giggles.
“I think I would like to see this cannonball,” she says, grinning at me.
“Get your suit on, Dad, and show her!”
“I think I can do that,” I laugh. “I’ll be right back.” I hurry inside to put on my swim trunks and can feel the energy change when I step outside. Green eyes roam my body before meetingmine. Max dives underwater to collect the stones he likes to throw in.
“Hi,” I say softly, never leaving her eyes.
“Hi,” she whispers. Max comes up and dives back down.
“Love the suit.” My eyes go down to her chest, rising and falling faster with each breath before meeting her greens again.
