Page 68 of The Third Girl

CHAPTER 31

SKYLAR

Please trust me.His words roll through my mind over and over again as the photographer positions the wedding party into so many configurations my head spins. Close to thirty minutes and two temper tantrums later, I think they may finally have the images they wanted.

That is, until Matt comes over to check on Sailor and me. “How’s she doing? I think we’re finally done.”

The exuberant photographer hurries over to us. “Oh wait, no. Not quite done. Let me get a family photo for you.” She motions that I should stand.

Oh, shit.All I can do is let Matt field this as I get up with Sailor clinging to me like a monkey.

“That’d be great, thank you,” his voice rumbles next to my ear as he puts his hand to the small of my back.

My head swivels as I look up at him in shock.

In a low voice meant only for me, he murmurs, “I’d like to remember today, if it’s okay with you.” His hand moves in a calming manner over my back. To the average onlooker, anyone probablywouldthink we’re a family.

And speaking of family—and friends—all eyes are on us again, and I’m self-conscious, but this is also everything I’ve wanted and was scared would never happen. Matt is finally allowing other people to see there’s something between us beyond a nanny-boss relationship, and even beyond friendship. I knew we had something special when I walked away. But maybe leaving is what it took to make him see it.

The photographer quickly gives us some instructions, and we end up holding Sailor between us. This woman has been using a funny voice all day to make Sailor laugh for the other shots, and she employs it again now. She says a bunch of nonsense words, and right on cue, Sailor lets out a belly laugh. Then Matt tickles her and really has her howling. Our eyes connect over her head, our grins wide. And despite all the obstacles Matt and I have dealt with, I think maybe this is a day I’d like to remember, too.

* * *

After we’ve confirmed that the photographer is indeed done, Matt and I head inside with Sailor. She’s exhausted and in dire need of a nap, and because I can’t help but think that Matt asked me to be at the wedding to help with his daughter, I figure I’d better offer to watch Sailor during the reception, despite his insistence that we need to talk. “Um, I could take her up with me, or…”

Laney and Lucy scoot up beside us. His sister quickly shakes her head. “We hired a babysitter to stay with Aidan in a room that’s equipped with a couple of Pack ’n Plays. Mick’s already taken Aidan up there. It’s room eighteen. Sailor can sleep there, too. Just give the sitter your phone number so she can text you if needed.”

Matt glances at me, then rubs a hand over his jaw and slowly nods. “Yeah, that’d be great. If you don’t think she’ll mind.”

“Not at all. Her name is Jen. It’s just up the stairs and on the right.” Lucy pats Sailor’s back. “She’ll be fine. You can always go check on her, Matt. Jen’s here until midnight.”

Laney gives the two of us an approving smile. “You two should go have some kid-free time to yourselves.” She pauses, pressing her lips together for a moment. “And that’s the extent of the butting-in we’re doing.”

Matt chuckles, eyeing them both with a knowing look. “I appreciate that.”

“But don’t forget, they want everyone seated in the reception room in the next fifteen minutes for Kennedy and Travis’s big entrance.” Laney gives Matt a hug before enveloping me. She whispers in my ear, “Everyone is rooting for you,” before she busses my cheek. Backing away, she hooks her arm through Lucy’s and steers her to the lavishly decorated room.

We’re quiet the entire way, and when we enter, the sitter simply smiles and gestures to the empty portable crib. Matt lays Sailor down in there, then gives Jen his number so she can text if and when she wakes up.

He takes my hand and leads me down the hall to his room. We pause outside, and I wait a bit nervously as he withdraws a key from his pocket and lets us in. Shutting the door behind us, he backs me against it before crushing our mouths together. His lips are warm and urgently rub against mine—almost like he’s trying to tell me something. And I have so damn much I want to say. But right now, with his mouth on mine, I can’t coherently think of any of it. All I can concentrate on is the longing in his kiss and the way he’s holding me like he’ll never let me go. My heart cries out for him to let me in. To let me be the one.

With one hand, he grasps my chin and holds me steady as his tongue plunges between my lips and strokes against mine in a drugging rhythm. Our bodies bump together in a frantic bid to get closer until he encircles my waist with his arm and pulls me tightly to him. He kisses me deep and then deeper still, until we both gasp for air, and I have to clutch at his shoulders for balance.

When we finally tear apart, our breathing ragged, I’m glad he doesn’t let me go. Our bodies molded together, Matt looks into my eyes. “I have so much I want to say to you. And we don’t have a lot of time right now. But I wanted to be sure I thanked you.”

My brow furrows. “For what?”

“For walking away. For showing me that it was time to wake the fuck up before—”

My chest tightens at his words. “Before what?”

His eyes lock on mine and his words come out rough. “Before I lost you.”

“Can you be more specific?” I inhale a shaky breath. “Um, like do you mean before I wouldn’t be Sailor’s nanny anymore?”

“You know that’s not what I mean.” He pauses, nipping at my lower lip and releasing a deep sigh. “I mean before you gave up on the idea of us.”

My eyes are trained on him with steady focus, and I wonder if my surprise that he’d think I’d ever truly leave is showing on my face. “Matt. I need you to know something. I-I never would have done that. I might be young, but I know my own mind. I know what I want. But you needed some space to figure things out, so I gave it to you. Even though it hurt like hell to turn my back on you.”

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