Page 53 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“Oh no, you can’t go soft and cuddly when there’s this.” He picked up a musical toy and read the box. “This one ‘invites your little maestro-in-the-making to tune in to classical music.’” He set the box down and picked up another. “This one teaches cause and effect.” He scanned another box. “And this one helps with identifying animals.”
“All baby toys help babies learn.” Grace picked up a stuffed puppy and brushed the silky ear over her cheek. “Feel this.” She rubbed it on his arm. “This one teaches them about the importance of snuggling.”
“We need sheets made of that.” He waggled his brows. “Seriously, though, Gracie. We had sticks and rocks, and we turned out just fine.”
“I remember making things out of paper cups and using my mom’s pots and wooden spoons to make music with my brother and sisters.”
“I need to call Ella. She obviously raised me wrong. I could have been as skilled as Mozart or as brilliant as Galileo ifonlyI’d had these toys.”
“When they’re toddlers, it doesn’t matter what toys you give them,” she said. “They always like the box best.”
“All infants need is love. To be held and talked to, to know they’re wanted.”
Grace’s heart squeezed. Was he thinking about his father? Or was he thinking about having never been held by his mother? She wanted to ask, but just in case he wasn’t thinking about those things, she didn’t want to bring him down, so she kept those thoughts to herself.
“But when they’re older, they’ll get a spinning top,” he said with a smirk. “Those things hardly ever spin, and when they do, they stop before you can get anyone to look over and see it. That’s a lesson in frustration and self-control right there. I remember wanting to bean those things across the room.”
“I remember wanting to bean my siblings across the room,” she said jokingly.
“Yeah, but you love them. It’s written all over your face.”
“You think you can read my face?” She forced a serious expression. “What am I thinking right now?”
He grabbed her butt. “You dirty girl. We can’t do that here.”
“Such a man.”
“I’myourman, and the quicker we buy a gift, the faster we can get to all those dirty things going through your mind. What will Sophie’s kid need help with? She was pretty smart, right? Is Brett smart? Creative?”
“He’s wicked smart, and as far as his creativity goes, all I know is that Sophie is alwayssatisfiedand never bored.” She ran her finger down the center of his chest and said, “So maybe we need to get her baby something to keep it occupied for more than a few minutes at a time so she can enjoy Brett’screativity.”
“I like how you think.” He waved at the display. “We’ll scour the shelves until we find a box that says the toy will occupy the baby for hours so Mommy and Daddy can enjoy their own playtime.”
They left the store with two bags full of gifts, still laughing about how creative and smart Sophie’s baby would be and how she and Reed missed out by not being given expensive toys that promised to make them brilliant.
“With these time-consuming, brain-sharpening gifts”—he lifted the bags—“Sophie will be on baby number two before you know it.”
While he put the bags behind the front seat of the truck, Grace took the gift she’d secretly purchased while he was busy talking to a salesperson out of her purse. “I got you a little something. I want all your dreams to come true, too.” She handed him the toy piano. “Now you can learn to be as musical as Mozart.”
He drew her into his arms with an awestruck expression. His lips brushed over hers like the wind, time and time again, until she was barely breathing in anticipation of the real thing.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
His hand was warm on her neck as he caressed her lips with his own, teasing and tantalizing masterfully. He knew just how to make her body crave him and her mind surrender to him. He backed her up against the side of the truck, taunting her with whispered promises against her lips. Her heart pounded erratically. She wasthis closeto begging for a real kiss when his mouthfinallycovered hers, demanding and possessive. Desire seared through her as she shoved her hands into his back pockets, keeping his powerful body against hers as she gave herself over to their passion. Her knees went weak, and he eased his efforts.
“Love you, Gracie,” he said tenderly, and trailed kisses along her cheek. He glanced down at the piano still in his hand and said, “You’re going to make a great mom someday.”
Someday…
A flicker of worry breezed through her. Their lives really were hundreds of miles apart. This time together was a gift. Sure, she was growing tired of dealing with arrogant actors and the headaches of producing, and she wanted more time to write, but she wasn’t ready to put it all aside. She knew Reed well enough to realize he wanted kids one day. He had so much love to give. He always had. How would that work if they were commuting back and forth?
She was getting way ahead of herself, and when he brushed a loose strand of hair from where it had fallen over her eyes and flashed a boyish grin, she pushed those worries aside, vowing again not to let future worries steal a second of the time they had left.
“Do you want kids, Gracie? Or is your life too full for them?”
“Someday,” she answered honestly.
“Someday,” he whispered. Then louder, “Someday sounds good to me.”
