It was such a novel idea that it made her feel a bit like Cinderella, but without the mice and fairy godmother. And she didn’t have an evil stepmother. Although she had an evil ex, who was definitely a villain.
She changed Maddie first, putting on a new diaper and a cute sundress in a cheerful yellow with a pink heart on the chest. She loved it. She danced around, twirling the skirt and laughing while she did. Jasper had made Maddie so happy.
Those two were becoming thick as thieves. Maddie thought the sun rose and set with Jasper. She’d started looking for him upon waking. It made her heart warm watching their interaction. This big, bodybuilder Scot who kissed her blind and radiated more testosterone from his pinky than most men did from their entire body, had become a father figure for her daughter. He played with her and made her laugh.
And last night, he’d done more than kiss Freya’s lips. The kisses he’d given her had sent her flying to the moon and back. He’d eaten her pussy like her pleasure was the only thing keeping the Grim Reaper from their doorstep.
She couldn’t remember ever coming that hard nor having her pleasure put first as if it were of tantamount importance.
But that’s because Ian had been a selfish bastard along with being an abusive prick. When it had come to sex, it had been all about his pleasure. During their last year together, Freya could count on her hands the number of orgasms he’d given her.
Jasper did it on the first try. And he’d not come to her room once she’d gotten Maddie settled back down and asleep. But then, she’d also fallen asleep herself relatively fast. Between the climax and the comfy bed, she’d fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep.
She noticed in the mirror this morning that the bags beneath her eyes were fading. And her cheeks looked fuller instead of sunken in from malnourishment.
Jasper didn’t realize how much he had saved them. Nor how grateful she was that he had taken them in the way he had.
But perhaps tonight she could show him.
With Maddie happily playing in her playpen, she started the noodles boiling in a pot on the stove. Jasper had put potatoes in the oven to bake, and their yummy scent made her mouth water. She was getting used to having food to eat every day. If someone had told her a month ago, she’d be living with a man, about to get married, and had a signed contract where at the end, she would have fifty million in the bank and a house that belonged to her, she would have said they were nuts.
Jasper strode inside. “How are the noodles coming?”
“Just a few more minutes.”
“Great. I’ll get the highchair set up and come back for the potatoes and salad.” He moved the chair before she could respond.
She focused on getting the mac and cheese finished before she went to the playpen. “Ready to eat out on the patio with Jasper and me?”
Maddie nodded. “Ja’per noodles.”
“That’s right, you get to eat noodles with Jasper.” She hoisted Maddie into her arms and carted her outside.
Jasper had already taken the steaks off the grill and was cutting a few small bites for Maddie.
“I don’t know how she will react to the steak. She’s pretty finicky with food.”
“I bet the little lassie will love it.” Jasper winked at Maddie and made her giggle.
“If you want to stay out here with her, I’ll grab everything else.” She settled Maddie in the highchair.
“Sounds good.”
She spotted an opened bottle of wine. Freya couldn’t believe that this was her life now. A few days ago, she was cursing fate. And now she wondered how she had gotten so lucky as to stumble upon Jasper.
None of it would have happened if he hadn’t caught her trying to steal. Or perhaps it would have happened in a different manner.
But whatever the reason behind it, she was thrilled. Because Jasper was a good, decent man, and she knew from experience those were next-level impossible to find.
Freya carted the rest of the food out, starting with the salad and a toddler bowl with noodles for Maddie. When they were all seated, Jasper placed a few tiny bites of steak on her highchair.
“There you are, little lassie. Try some steak.”
“No.” Maddie shook her head and shoved a handful of noodles into her mouth.
“What’s this?” Jasper clasped a hand against his chest. “You don’t want to eat my cooking?”
Maddie giggled but shook her head no.
“Blimey, you wound me, little lassie. It’s so good. Watch me eat some.” Jasper took a juicy bite of his steak and acted as if it was the best thing he’d ever tasted. “Mmm, mmm, mmmmm. See, it’s better than noodles.”
“No, Ja’per.” She held up her hand to stop him.
“You won’t even try it for me after I slaved over a hot grill just for you? You wound me.” He dramatically pressed his hands against his chest with a crestfallen expression.
“See. Told ya. At least you’re not trying to feed her peas.” She grimaced at the memory.
“Maddie doesn’t like peas either?”
“Oh, she does, just not for eating. She prefers throwing them, so I stopped trying to make her eat them.”
Jasper shot Maddie a grin. “I bet I could make you eat peas.”
Maddie shook her head, fully invested in their game as they ate. Jasper continued throughout dinner, trying unsuccessfully to get her to eat the few bites of steak.
As for her, the steak melted in her mouth, and she did her best to clear her plate. But it was such an abundance of food she couldn’t fit it all in.
By the time Maddie finished her dinner, she had cheese sauce smeared over her face, as was the norm. “It’s almost time for your bath, baby.”
“No.”
“I bet if you take your bath like a good girl, Jasper might read you your bedtime story tonight.”
Maddie gasped and turned wide eyes toward Jasper.
He booped her nose. “I will absolutely read to you tonight, lassie. But you’ve got to listen to your mum and take your bath. Can you do that for me?”
“Uh huh.” Maddie nodded, then held out her arms to Freya. “Mama.”
She mouthed thank you to Jasper, then rose from her seat and scooped her girl out of the highchair. “Why don’t we help Jasper clean up after dinner?”
“I’ve got clean-up duty. You girls go on now.”
“Are you sure? You did the cooking, so I should help with the clean-up.”
Jasper leveled her with a frank stare. “You’ve got your hands full already, lass. I’ve got it.”
She blew out her breath. Why was she fighting him so hard when he was taking a load off her shoulders? Because she was worried she’d come to depend on him and would look around one day and he’d be gone. “Okay, thanks for all of it.”
“I’ll meet you in the living room when Maddie’s ready for her bedtime story.” Jasper winked at Maddie, making her gleefully clap.
She carried her inside to her bedroom and the bathroom beyond. Freya would hurry through her bath and let Jasper read to her before putting Maddie down for the night. And once Maddie was sleeping, she had every intention of taking care of Jasper.
16
Jasper reclined on the couch in the living room with the sports channel on, watching Manchester United against Spain. The game was tied. And other than his cousins staging an intervention to save him from Freya and wee Maddie, it had been an all-around good day.