Page 86 of Marry Me, Maybe?
“We bake a cake, Daddee!” Ivy cried.
“I see, pumpkin.” Moving closer to inspect their handiwork, I scratched my chin like I was a cake critic. “Well, well, what do we have here?”
“Do you like it, Daddee?”
“Five out of five stars for sure.” I ruffled the top of her head. “You did great work, Bug.”
“Maah helped! You pat Maah’s head too, Daddee.”
Matty smirked, eyes glinting with that mischievous light I’d missed more than I’d ever admit. “Yeah, Daddee,” he said, mimicking Ivy’s tone with a teasing twist, “pat my head too.”
My stomach flipped at Matty’s playful tone. So much for thinking he’d changed his mind about us. My cheeks flamed, but I shook my head and reached out to give Matty’s head a little pat. “There. There. Big boys don’t really need pats now. Do they?”
Instead of answering, he leaned in and kissed me, a quick press of lips, but it knocked the wind outta me because it felt so familiar. He’d been this affectionate back then too. Without thought, he would kiss me whenever he liked, touched me however he liked. It was the most natural thing about him, and I’d missed it. I’d missed him.
God, I’d forgotten how good it felt to be kissed without a reason.
I rubbed the back of my neck and cleared my throat, suddenly shy, like I was back at the bar on our first date when I found out he was only nineteen and not allowed to drink. Only difference was that I didn’t hightail it this time.
Ivy, oblivious to my spiral, held out something toward me with frosting-covered fingers. “Worm fuh you, Daddee.”
“Worm? Just what kind of cake is this?”
“Gummy worm.”
I took it with mock reverence and popped it into my mouth. “Mmm. Breakfast of champions.”
Ivy giggled. “It’s not b’fast. It cake time!”
“Sorry, sorry.” I grinned despite myself. Then I soberedup a little. “I’m sorry I slept in. Should’ve been up hours ago to take care of Ivy. You turned off my alarm, didn’t you?”
“You were sleeping through it.” Matty shrugged, licking frosting off his thumb. “Thought I’d give you a break. You were tired. You earned it.”
I frowned. “Still. I should’ve?—”
“I already called the ranch. Told Dad we wouldn’t be in today.”
I gaped. “We?”
“Yeah, someone had to keep Ivy occupied while you slept in.”
“But we can’t both miss work.” I placed an arm around his waist because I couldn’t bear not touching him. The only thing keeping me from climbing him was the three-year-old impressionable child piling worms on her cake with a fascination that should be studied. “They can’t afford to lose two ranch hands today.”
“I got a couple of guys from town to fill in for us. Paid them out of my own pocket. It’s handled.”
I blinked. “You paid them before they did the work?”
He shrugged again, way too casually. “It’s a small town. Not so hard to find them if they don’t do the work.”
I rubbed my temples. “Okay. So what am I supposed to do with my day?”
“Whatever you want. Ivy and I have already gotten a start. We had breakfast?—”
“You had breakfast already?”
“Of course. It’s noon. Ivy was hungry, so I took her out for breakfast. Then we went grocery shopping?—”
“But I already bought groceries yesterday.” I walked over to the fridge and yanked the door open. My jaw dropped. Fresh fruits and vegetables, juice, milk, eggs, and lots morewere crammed into every corner of the fridge. “What the hell, Matt?”
