Page 74 of Stolen Kiss

She took off toward my room before I could even blink.

I chased after her.

It was too late. Elodie was already in my room, laughing maniacally like this was a game. And she’d woken Emilia up.

Emilia met my eyes from across the room, looking a little unsure, but Elodie didn’t give her time to think. She used her stepladder to climb on the bed, and plopped herself down Emilia’s lap. Emilia, for her part, was smiling.

“Good morning, little darling,” Emilia said, wrapping her arms around Elodie’s small body.

My little girl snuggled closer to her, and I felt my heart stall at the sight.

Emilia turned to me. “You okay?” she asked.

I nodded before continuing to the bed. I made sure Elodie was looking at me before I spoke.

“Elodie May. That was very naughty.”

She didn’t look like she cared. She grinned at me. “Sorry, Daddy.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

Emilia laughed. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger, and she knows it.”

I couldn’t even refute that statement.

I ran my finger down Elodie’s chubby cheek and turned to Emilia, smiling a bit. “Morning, baby.”

She looked down shyly before peeking up at me with bright green eyes. “Morning.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Surprisingly well.”

“Surprisingly? Did you think you wouldn’t be able to fall asleep next to me?”

The look on her face told me that was exactly what she’d thought.

I threaded my fingers through the soft strands of her long hair, and I might have imagined it, but I thought she moved a little closer to me.

She met my eyes and held my gaze for three long exhales, and as cliché as it sounds, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. That was, until Elodie slapped her hand on my chest to get my attention, a disgruntled look on her face.

Emilia looked away quickly, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips, just as I looked down at Elodie.

“Yes?” I asked her.

“Hungry, Daddy.”

I smiled. “Okay, princess. What would you like to eat?”

“Ice creaaaam,” she sang.

I shook my head. “Nice try, but ice cream isn’t breakfast.”

“Can Lodie have ice cream after breakfast, Daddy?”

I shook my head. “No, sweetheart.” She frowned at me, but before she could let out one of her tantrums, I quickly added, “But I might give you some ice cream tonight if you’re a good girl today.”

Emilia was looking at us with amusement in her eyes. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me. She shot a look at Elodie, but Elodie wasn’t really paying close attention to us.

---