Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
White hair a halo around his face, Finn’s grin only widened, and he kicked his feet. “Get down, my Feo.”
Theo’s gaze remained locked on me as he settled him onto the floor.
Moonlit eyes both penetrating and soft and riddled with something that he shouldn’t be devouring me with in the light of day.
“Guess the kid knows when the best thing walks into the room,” he rumbled in that low, seductive voice.
My stomach twisted and butterflies flew.
What the heck was he saying? In front of my Nelly?
Nelly who swiveled around just as Finn came running my way, his little arms in the air.
I scooped him up and hitched him onto my hip as Nelly blatantly surveyed my disheveled appearance.
“Well, good morning, sleepyhead. Look who came a-knocking at our door first thing this morning.”
She pointed at Theo with a large two-pronged fork.
Oh.
He’d left and come back?
Good call, Theo, I stammered to myself. Now we wouldn’t have to deal with her prying.
I should have known we wouldn’t be so lucky since a full gleam danced in Nelly’s knowing eyes. My attention darted between her and Theo, trying to decipher what lie he tried to convince her of.
I should have warned him that Nelly could sniff out BS like a trained dog.
A smirk pulled to his menacingly decadent face. “Since I found out you all were staying for a bit, thought I’d swing by this morning to drop off something you might need for the holidays.”
He gestured with his chin to the wall to the right of me, and I looked that way.
Somehow in my daze, I hadn’t noticed the Christmas tree still twined in rope that rested in the corner next to the door.
“Twee, Mommy! Santa fwy foo the sky and come see Finn!” In excitement, Finn swooped his hand over his head, his little face twisted up in unmitigated glee. His single dimple dented his cheek as he bobbed his head in my face.
Emotion flooded, and I hugged my son tight to keep myself grounded in the middle of it. Breathing in his joy and belief.
The holiday would be here soon, and it was what I wanted most for my son. For his little face to come alive with wonder. For him to experience all the amazing things I had as a child. Make memories that he would remember for the rest of his life.
I had to wonder if Theo could feel an extension of it. The gratitude and hope and sticky, ugly alarm that rushed in behind it.
“Wasn’t that nice of Theo to think of us like that? Taking his morning to go chop down a tree and drop it off in the freezing cold?” Nelly drew it out, her brows lifting so high on her face it was a miracle they didn’t hit the ceiling. “I figured to say thank you, I’d invite him in for breakfast.”
“Only if I’m not imposing.” Theo said it like the man could ever be counted innocent. Like he hadn’t slinked out the front door sometime early this morning and then showed back up.
With a freaking Christmas tree.
Nelly waved an indulgent hand in his direction. “Imposing? Never. I think all of us could use a little extra company, couldn’t we, Pipes?”
Her appraising gaze cruised back to me, the grin she was sporting completely wry.
Oh, she knew.
There was no question.
That man’s hands were stamped all over me in glowing ink.
As bright as the neon from The Sanctuary sign.
I was never going to live this down.
Steadying my feet below me, I carried Finn toward them, muttering below my breath, “Very thoughtful.”
Walking into the kitchen should have been an easy feat except for the fact I was getting slammed by Theo’s energy, the impact of it growing with each step that I took.
He was pure devastation where he stood like a dark defender in the middle of the room.
A dangerous refuge I wanted to crawl right back to.
Crap. How did he hold this power over me?
Shivers rippled beneath my flesh as I rounded the end of the counter, and I paused two feet away from him. “Truly, that is so kind of you, Theo. He’s never had a Christmas tree before.”
I knew I was admitting more than I should, but I thought Theo had a sense of it, anyway. A tap into who we were without my giving him any details.
Severity flashed through his features. A tightening that I noticed only because I was watching so close.
“Not a problem.” His words ground with emphasis.
“Coffee is ready,” Nelly peeped as if this wasn’t fully wrecking me, and she turned back to the stove and started to crack a bunch of eggs into the oil that remained in the skillet.
“Thank God.” It was barely a breath as I dropped a kiss to the crown of Finn’s head.
I set him onto his feet, and he toddled over to the mess of toys he had scattered on the floor in front of the picture window that overlooked the lake.