Page 136 of Stolen Kiss

“Why don’t you help her clean up and get ready for bed while I stay down here and clean up?” Jensen suggested.

I nodded, looking down. It wasn’t something I hadn’t done for Elodie before.

But this was different, and I knew that, and Jensen knew that too.

I lifted Elodie up in my arms and she automatically wrapped her arms around my neck. I carried her up the stairs.

“Millie?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you.” She let out a sweet sigh and rested her head on my shoulders. My steps stuttered, but I quickly recovered and made my way up.

I got her ready for bed.

I hadn’t realized how precious it was to have these moments with her. Until only a few days ago, I had been entertaining the idea of leaving her life.

She was only two now.

It would be easier for her to forget me if I left now, but I wondered if I could actually do it.

If I would be willing to miss out on all these moments.

After we brushed her teeth, I gave her a bath. She played with her toys as I rubbed shampoo in her hair, and when she looked up at me, her gray eyes glinted in mischief, reminding me so much of her father.

I should have expected the splash.

I had been too busy taking her in.

She let out one of those maniacal laughs that only toddlers had perfected and splashed me again.

“I got you all wet, Millie,” she said.

I laughed, though I knew I should be stern.

“That was very naughty, Elodie May.”

She giggled. “Lodie sorry.”

“Lodie doesn’t sound sorry,” I said.

She giggled some more.

I rolled my eyes and drained the water before wrapping her in a yellow towel and carrying her to her room to help her dress for bed.

Despite all that bath-time excitement, she had settled down by the time I tucked her into bed.

She sucked on her thumb while I read her a bedtime story, and then her eyes fluttered closed and she fell asleep.

I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

I didn’t want to leave her.

But I didn’t think it would be a good idea for me to spend the night here. Not when I was trying so hard to keep my distance from Jensen, and it wasn’t like he made it easy for me.

He made it so tempting to want this routine of me and him and Elodie. He made me think everything would be alright if I just gave him all of my problems and let him solve them for me.

But the real world didn’t work like that, did it?

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