Page 67 of The Archer and his Rosebud

I drop my head against the mattress. “I need to go check on her.”

“Of course.” Archer crawls back, giving me room to maneuver around him.

Clem is sound asleep when I peek into Nolan and Eli’s room, only her quiet breath and noise machine filling the air. Waiting a moment longer just in case, I creep out, leaving the door ajar.

Archer remains at the foot of the bed, elbows on his knees as I enter his bedroom. His smoldering gaze lifts and he cracks a smile. “We’re definitely getting a camera.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, that’d be convenient.”

When I’m close enough, he tugs me back onto his bed, the moment apparently not ruined for him as he rotates me beneath him once more.

It doesn’t take long for his expert hands to coax my body into responding, and we continue our exploration of each other’s bodies, but as promised, nothing beyond second base, before falling asleep in his arms.

ChapterTwenty-One

ARCHER

I wakeat an ungodly hour to Clem’s babbles increasing in volume and Willa’s rear seated against my awakening groin. As much as I’d like to satiate his hunger with the beautiful woman sleeping in my bed, I pick the wiser decision. Sweeping Willa’s hair aside, I press a whisper of a kiss to her neck, roll out of bed, and snatch a pair of basketball shorts on my way to check on the other unexpected angel in my life.

“Good morning, precious.” I lean over Clem’s bed. A pair of bright and alert blue eyes stare back. “No wonder you’re up so early. The boys don’t have your momma’s black-out curtains, huh?”

Clem’s legs pump inside her mint-colored knotted gown, a toothless grin lighting up her face. God, I love this baby girl like my own. I should be scared out of my mind, knowing I have no claim on her. No claim on Willa. They could move to Michigan any time after the semester ends in December. I want her to stay, but I’m trying to play fair. I won’t influence Willa’s decisions with talk of my wants.

I’m cuddling a changed, fed, and content princess against my bare chest while making eggs and bacon when arms wrap around my waist.

“Good morning.” Willa’s husky voice sends blood straight below my belt, and that’s before she kisses my spine between my tattoos.

“Good morning, gorgeous.” I set the spatula aside and transfer the frying pan off the burner before turning and cupping Willa’s tangled hair. Our lips meet as I ask, “Did you sleep well?”

“So good, especially since you took the midnight feeding. What a revelation, sleeping through the night and…” Willa breathes out, and I pull back to see what’s caught her attention.

A lazy grin stretches her mouth as she stares at Clem. The little monkey has situated her head beneath my chin so she can reach up and graze my jaw with her fingers while pressing her chubby cheek against my skin.

“I thought she was still sleeping.” Willa runs her hand over Clem’s back. Clem doesn’t budge.

“Nope, just snuggling.” I grin. “And leaving a trail of drool.”

“Her momma’s drooling, too.” Willa’s arms tighten around my middle. “This is a good look for you, Arrow. Shirtless, basketball shorts, and my baby. I could get used to it.”

“You joining me in bed every night and this girl sharing coffee time every morning? Sign me up.”

Angling my body, I wrap my free arm around Willa’s shoulders and pull her into my chest for a long hug. Two Hawthorne girls in my arms on a Monday morning. Damn, I’m a lucky man.

After a few moments of silence, Willa kisses my pec and shifts away. “She’s so content with you. You do realize you’re the only one she’s like that for.”

I offer an insincere apologetic shrug. I’d be lying if I said no. Clem is a wiggle worm in everyone’s arms but mine. I witnessed it with Sharon and Devin over the holiday. I’d also be lying if I said I don’t love it. I hate it for Willa that her girl doesn’t snuggle as much as she’d like, but I cherish my bond with Clem, and I won’t feel bad about it.

* * *

“That was Leah?”Willa asks when I end a call and pocket my cell phone a few hours into the morning.

She tried taking Clem home after breakfast, but I insisted they stay. She can do her schoolwork at my table as easily as she can from hers, and I like having them here all day. I enjoy glancing over and seeing Willa typing away on her laptop, so thoroughly invested in her schoolwork that she doesn’t notice me staring. I like hearing Clem’s babbles and giggles and even those annoyingly catchy preschool tunes from her favorite shows while I work on setting up a website for a new client.

“Yeah.” I stand and stretch. “She has an issue at work and asked if I could pick Nolan up from school for a dentist appointment, then drop him with her.”

“Oh, well, let me get our stuff together so you can go.” She unfolds her legs and pushes away from the table.

I intercept her movements, stopping her hand from closing the lid on her laptop. “Don’t be silly. Stay here.” I draw her into my arms and lower my mouth to hers. “I’ll be an hour, hour and a half, tops. I’ll pick up lunch for us on my way home.”

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