She looked down at me. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” I grinned up at her. “You girls are in for a treat tomorrow.”
She eyed me thoughtfully for a moment, all trace of teasing gone from her expression. “Yeah, maybe we are.”
****
“He’s here again!” Riley’s whisper-shriek had me biting back a smile the next morning as her tiny feet came bounding down the stairs. I’d heard her clomping around upstairs since the crack of dawn. For such a small thing, she made a fucking racket.
I kept my eyes closed from my position on the couch where I’d managed to sleep for a bit. The couch was as uncomfortable as shit, but it was worth it to lose a bit of sleep if it meant being close to my girls.
“Yes, baby.” Layla’s sweet voice had my heart pounding in answer. “Remember how we said we were going to super quiet?” she reminded her daughter patiently.
For a few minutes more I feigned sleep, relishing the sounds of their quiet giggles from the kitchen. I’d never woken to anything so sweet, and I wanted it to last. Forever would do.
When the smell of coffee filtered through the air, I sat up, running a hand through my hair and rising on stiff limbs.
I leaned on the doorframe, watching the two of them as Layla made what looked like pancake mix with Riley more hindering than helping.
When Layla looked at me, her green eyes lit with a joy at seeing me that I swore to myself I’d keep on her face for the rest of her life. “Hi,” she greeted, her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I tried to keep her upstairs for as long as I could.”
“It’s no problem. Don’t change your routine for me,” I assured her as I moved toward her. “What’s for breakfast?” I asked, leaning over Layla’s shoulder to peer into the bowl.
“I forgot I had some pancake mix,” she replied, shivering a bit as I kissed her neck far more briefly than I wanted to.
“Sounds good. I’ll make the eggs and bacon.” I checked that Riley was occupied. She was digging around in her toy bin, leaving me a moment alone with Layla. I didn’t waste a second, pulling her back against my front, rocking my hips into her backside, biting gently at her earlobe.
Her quiet whimper was all the encouragement I needed as I spun her in my arms, taking her mouth in an urgent kiss. “Gonna sneak into your room tonight, baby. I have to know what you taste like,” I rumbled against her mouth.
Her fingers clutched the front of my tee as though she’d collapse if I wasn’t there to hold her up. “Okay,” she replied in a breathless whisper.
I dipped down, scenting her neck before pulling back, swatting her ass as I headed for the fridge.
It was gonna be a long fucking day.
Chapter 11
LAYLA
Riley’s shrieks of glee pierced the air as she chased Rosie the pig that afternoon. Cash had taken off that morning, something to do with the club. I hadn’t asked for details. When Wren had invited us over, I’d welcomed the distraction.
“So, you and Cash, hm?” Wren asked with a twinkle of mischief in her eye.
“I may not have known you long but even so, I think I should be impressed that it took you,” I paused to look at my watch, “thirty-four minutes to bring him up.”
She threw back her head and laughed. “You are so right, girl. You should be impressed. I’m practically sweating with the effort.”
I grinned, enjoying my new friend. “And yeah, me and Cash,” I confirmed. It felt a bit surreal for me to say it out loud. “It’s still new. I want to take things slow for Riley’s sake,” I explained, my eyes on my daughter who was currently quite literally in hog heaven. “It’s been so much change for her in a short amount of time. And though I’m glad she likes him so much, I’m a bit worried with how quickly she’s taken to him. I don’t want to break her heart if things don’t work out.”
Or mine.
“You have to do what you feel is best.” Wren nodded supportively. “I’m not a mom yet so I can’t imagine how protective you feel of Riley. But I also know Cash, and I guarantee he wouldn’t go there with you if he wasn’t serious about you and Riley.”
“I know,” I replied. And I did. Just as I knew that since Cash had come into my life, I’d been living at warp speed. “What’s Max up to?” I asked, wanting to change the subject.
“He’s at the club, probably with Cash,” she said. “I’m gonna go meet him there soon. You guys should come.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” The idea of going to the clubhouse was intimidating. “We aren’t really invited, and I’m not sure about bringing Riley. I was just going to take her home soon and start on dinner.”
“Girl, you’re Cash’s. You have an open invitation to the club from now on,” she assured me confidently. “And as for Riley, so many babies have been raised in the club. Hell, when our parents started having babies, they used to have a Pack ’n Play standing by. We’ll probably do the same now that we’re all starting to have kids. It’s no big, promise.”
As if on cue, my phone pinged in my pocket, Cash’s name lighting up the screen.
You still at Max and Wren’s?
Yeah. Was thinking I might take Ri home and start dinner
Boys are putting some steaks on at the club, you girls want to meet me here?
I stared at my phone, unsure how to respond. Did I want to go? I honestly wasn’t sure.
Chief? He pressed when I still hesitated.
Fear kicked in with surprising tenacity. It was one thing for Cash and me to explore being an us under my roof. To put it on display at his club? With everyone that was important to him? I wasn’t sure I was ready.
I think we’ll just head home. Thanks though. Have fun!
I winced at the exclamation mark and how forced it looked. I pocketed my cell phone and turned to Wren. “I’ll take a rain check on the club. But thank you for inviting Ri and me over. Obviously, she had a blast.” I gestured to Riley, who hadn’t stopped running or laughing since we’d arrived. I’d have a very tired, albeit blissed out girl on my hands for the rest of the night.
A look of indecision passed on Wren’s face as though she wanted to push me. Instead she nodded and smiled warmly. “I’m glad she had fun. You two are welcome anytime.”
“Thanks, lady. Ri, time to go!” I called, turning my attention to my little bundle of overtired.
Not surprisingly, it was only after a complete meltdown and then falling asleep in the car that I pulled up to our house a short time later. For the first time, I thought our two-story home looked unwelcoming with all the lights off as I hauled a sleeping Riley up into my arms.
“I’ll take her, chief.”
Cash’s voice had me shrieking in surprise as he came alongside me as if from thin air, reaching for Riley as though it was second nature. “Quiet, baby, you’ll wake her,” he chided as he took Riley’s weight in his arms and tucked her head against his shoulder with a tenderness that made me ache.
“I had no idea you were there. I thought you were at the club!” I whisper-yelled as we approached the house.
“Are you at the club?” he demanded.