Page 31 of Skid
I didn’t want to move, but she’d had a long day. She needed a decent night’s sleep, and that wasn’t going to happen on this tiny sofa. I slid my arm under her knees and the other under her back and stood. She made a tiny whimper, but she just rolled her head toward my chest and kept sleeping.
“That’s right. I’ve got you.”
I carried her into the bedroom and carefully lowered her onto the mattress next to Baylor. I eased the covers over her, and I stood there for a moment, just watching her sleep. Seeing her so peaceful and content did something to me. There was no doubt about it.
I’d fallen and I’d fallen hard.
There would be no walking away from her. She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
10
LAKEN
Iwoke up early and was about to get out of my wonderfully cozy bed when I remembered it was my day off. I’d promised myself that I would sleep in, so I curled back into my pillow and tried to drift back off to sleep. It wasn’t hard. I was still tired from the night before, and Baylor was tucked against my side. She was warm and cuddly, and in a matter of seconds, I was out.
I don’t know how long I’d been back asleep when there was a knock at my door. I was in that deep, floating sleep and wasn’t about to move, so I ignored it. Then, there was a second and third knock. Whoever was at the door wasn’t leaving, so I tossed the covers back and grumbled all the way into the living room.
I whipped the door open, and my heart stopped when I spotted Thatcher standing on my front steps with a cup of coffee in one hand and a Christmas tree in the other. An excited smile swept across his face as he said, “Good morning. You weren’t still sleeping, were ya?”
“Actually, I was.” I blinked and tried to clear the fog in my head so I could make sense of what I was seeing. “What’s all this?”
“Thanksgiving is over.” He stepped through the doorway and handed me the coffee he’d brought. “It’s time to get ready for Santa.”
I stood there in utter disbelief as Thatch carried the tree over to the corner of the room and started setting it up. I couldn’t believe it. Baylor and I had never had a big tree. We’d always made do with a plant or some tiny tree I’d picked up at the Dollar Store. But this one was tall and real and absolutely beautiful. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Ah, damn. Did I fuck up?” His brows furrowed. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I can take this…”
“No, not at all.” I had to fight back my tears as I told him, “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
I walked over and slipped my arms around him, hugging him tight. “So, you like it?”
“I love it.”
“Good.” He gave me a squeeze. “I’ve gotta get the rest of the stuff from the truck.”
“The rest?”
“Oh, we got all kinds of stuff. Ornaments, lights, candy canes, and even some donuts for Bay.”
He said it so casually, like it wasn’t the most thoughtful, heart-splitting thing anyone had ever done for us. A lump started to rise in my throat as I muttered, “Thatch…”
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t have to do this.”
“I know.” His eyes locked on mine. “But I wanted to.”
I heard Baylor’s little footsteps as she came up behind me, and it was impossible not to smile when she gasped, “It’s a t-ee!”
“That’s right, kiddo.” Thatch crouched down in front of her as he asked, “You want to help your mom and me decorate it?”
Baylor’s eyes grew wide as she turned to Laken and asked, “Can I?”
“You sure can, honey.”
“Alrighty, then.” Thatch stood and started for the door. “I’ll go grab the rest.”
I still hadn’t moved. I was still completely spellbound by the man who’d walked into my life like a storm and brought warmth and happiness along with him. And standing there, barefoot and half-awake, I realized something simple and terrifying and beautiful all at once.
