Page 106 of Love Me Forever

She looked up at me, turning around slightly. "You don't understand, do you? You're the one who needs protection. I’ve dealt with Mom my whole life."

I loved that my girl was worried about me, but she didn’t know us Maxwells well enough yet to realize we stuck together. "You're mine, Bonnie," I repeated, putting a hand on her cheek, resting my fingers at the nape of her neck. "Mine to love. Mine to protect. Every day, all day, from anyone, including your family if need be."

"Yours to love?" she murmured.

"Yes. I love you so damn much." I could feel her eyes on me.

"And I love you, Travis. But even though you're stubborn, and you're making me melt, I still need to be allowed to protect you."

"That's not how it works, babe," I said.

Turning around, she leaned into me, circling my torso with her arms and resting the side of her face on my chest.

"I'm scared of not being a good mom."

"Of course you will be," I said.

"Really, though? Growing up, I didn’t exactly have a role model. And I don’t have experience with kids."

"Yes, but you're a great person, and you're good with animals."

She laughed. "Oh, that makes me feel so much better."

"It should. And you're great with my niece too."

“Sure... as long as I don’t do crazy things like climb a ladder to a tree house, right?”

“Got to keep you safe, babe.”

The doorbell rang, and she startled in my arms.

"That will be the group," I said.

We both rose from the couch. She folded her pink blanket, putting it on the couch with the Kindle on top.

I opened the door. Lexi and Tate came in first, Luke came with Megan, and Sam and Dad brought up the rear.

I furrowed my brow. "Dad, I didn't know you were coming too."

"Thought you all needed supervision, or those beds will never get done," he said.

"Good point," I replied.

"Ready for yoga?" Lexi asked Bonnie, who nodded.

"My gym bag is by the door."

"Okay, boys. Let us know if you want us to pick up some food on the way back," Megan said. "Our class starts in fifteen minutes, so we can't linger."

"Oh, that's right," Lexi said.

“Ashley is already there,” Bonnie murmured.

"You all lure us here and then leave us to work alone. Maybe we should wait for you all to come back," Tate said.

"See, that's why I'm here," Dad said. "Come on. Let's all get to work."

Bonnie still looked vulnerable, and I hated that I'd told her about the encounter with her mother.

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