Page 111 of Sliding into Home

“Believe me, I’m well aware you can handle yourself and don’t need me to do anything. But I want to.” He sighed. “When that reporter started talking, I finally got it. I understood exactly where you were coming from and I was going to protect my family, no matter what.” He grabbed her hand. “And that’s not just Max, that’s you too.”

She turned her hand over and threaded her fingers with his. “This scares me.”

“I know.” He ran his thumb down the outside of hers.

“You scare me,” she whispered.

“Why do I scare you?”

“Because I want it so fucking bad.” She bit her bottom lip to stop it from quivering. “I’ve lost so much.” She sniffed. “And with as hard as I’ve fought, this is all I have.” She gestured around at her small living room in a shitty part of town.

He shifted his body, so his strong thighs bracketed both of hers and took both of her hands in his. “Kia, I know how hard you’ve fought. What you have—the life you’ve given our son—you amaze me.”

He shifted his body to the edge of the coffee table and his muscular arms wrapped around her back and pulled her closer to him. His heat, his strength, encompassed her as he rested his forehead against hers. “I want all of this with you, with Max, just as bad as you do, Kia.”

“Really?”

“Oh my god, yes.”

She didn’t even try to stop the tears from flowing down her face. “Okay.”

Jeff pulled back and looked her in the eye. “Okay?”

“Mm hmm.” She nodded. At the look of sheer joy on his face, she smiled.

“Holy shit, woman,” he yelled. He jumped up and pulled her up with him. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he hoisted her into the air. Laughing, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Why are you guys yelling?”

Jeff stopped moving and turned them toward the entrance to the living room. Max stood staring at them with Pickles dangling from his hand.

“Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you,” Jeff said.

“Does that mean you aren’t fighting anymore?” Max looked from one to the other.

“No baby, we aren’t fighting anymore.” She pressed against Jeff’s shoulder, so he’d set her on the ground.

“Cuz you love each other?”

Kia sucked in a breath, then looked over at Jeff. He smiled.

“Yeah bud, cuz we love each other,” Jeff said.

What? She spun around to face him. “You love me?”

“Obviously.” A goofy grin broke across his face.

“Tell her,” Max demanded.

“Gladly.” He winked at their son, then wrapped his arms around her waist. “I love you, Kia, more than I ever thought possible.”

As she stared into his eyes, she realized she didn’t have to be afraid anymore. “I love you too.”

“And you both love me, right?” Max’s little voice piped in, forcing them to look away from each other.

Jeff reached out and grabbed Max around the waist and hauled him up in the air. Max giggled with delight when Jeff stepped closer to her, pinning their son between them. “Of course we love you,” she told him. She pushed her lips against his cheek in a big, noisy kiss. Jeff kissed him on the other side. The double smooch sent Max into a fit of giggles, making his entire body shake.

“I think I should get another bedtime story,” Max declared.

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