Page 32 of Other Side Of Never
I took a deep breath and smiled widely as the door swung open.
Kian’s eyebrows rose, one corner of his pretty mouth turning down as he stood staring at me.
Isaiah peeked around him, his eyes stopping on the box before lighting up with delight as he clapped his hands together and laughed.
“Hi Bridge!”He danced from one foot to the other while Kian stood silently, his attention skipping between Isaiah and me.
A small smile curved his mouth.
I laughed nervously.“Are you going to let me in?”
“Of course!”He gave his head a small shake and stepped back, swinging the door wide as he winced.“It’s a little messy.”
I smiled up at him as I crossed the threshold, laughing as I nearly tripped over a pile of sand toys.“I won’t judge.”
Steadying me at the elbow, Kian snorted and shook his head before closing the front door and guiding me through the living room to the kitchen.
In the living room, a pile of half-folded laundry took up one corner of a wide, comfortable loveseat that reminded me of the over-priced set I once had with Gary.Lego blocks, plastic this time, not chocolate, scattered over the surface of the coffee table.Two scraped-clean dinner plates sat on TV trays drawn up close to the couch facing a massive television while a children’s animated movie flashed brightly on the screen.
Two matching picture frames propped on a side table, one a wedding photo, one a photo of a blond woman holding a baby I presumed to be Isaiah, made up the entirety of the décor, or at least, all I could make out on my way to the kitchen.
Kian ran a rough hand over his head and jerked his chin toward the living room.“I, uh, wasn’t expecting company.”
I shrugged.“People live here.It’s fine.”
“Yeah, Dad, it’s fine!”Isaiah agreed.
Setting the box down on the kitchen table, I flipped the lid open.“Ta da!”
“Happy Birthday Daddy?”Kian quirked an eyebrow, his eyes dancing.
“Made to order as per Isaiah’s instructions,” I grinned, allowing myself this one small tease.“Daddy.”
A deep rumble began in his chest, filled his belly, and finally overflowed as he began to laugh.
I giggled, his unspoken praise sparkling inside me like great, round, effervescent bubbles filled with light.
Isaiah beamed, eyes wide with wonder, his little head on a swivel as he looked back and forth between us in the small, sunlit kitchen.“You’re happy, Daddy?Are you happy?”
Kian nodded at Isaiah, sweeping him up in his arms as he hugged him tight.With one look at me, his eyes crinkled and his laughter resumed.
Surprised by his joy, I laughed out loud as he set his wiggly, giggly son back down.
Isaiah jumped up and down, clapping his hands as he bounced off his dad’s solid frame.“You’re happy, Daddy?”
My giggles erupted anew even as his words stung, his wonder sinking like a rusty anchor deep into my chest.
Kian chuckled and tousled his son’s hair.“Yeah, buddy.I’m happy.”
Still smiling, Kian reached out one strong, calloused hand and grasped my upper arm.Hauling me into his chest, he splayed one hand across my back and pulled me in tight.His other hand tunneled into my hair to cradle the back of my head, holding me fast, balanced as I was on the tips of my toes.
His big chest rumbled with the remnants of his laughter as he rocked me back and forth.
Rapid-fire thoughts, a surge of pleasure, the itch of trepidation, and the weight of my heart’s ache snapped and hissed like live wires.I tentatively wrapped my arms around him and splayed my hands across his broad back.
“Thank you, Bridge,” he murmured.
Just like that, his voice wrestled those wires into submission.I closed my eyes at the rightness of his steady, solid form encompassing mine, and my body molded to his.“You’re so welcome, Kian,” I replied warmly, my hands moving up to rest on his wide shoulders.
