“Yes,” Lana cheered. “Are there zombies in this book?”
“Hmm. No, but there are plenty of other bad guys.”
“Woohoo.” She gripped her comforter and watched his face.
Feeling a crick in my neck, I decided to twist toward the ajar door, keeping myself in the darkened hallway but still able to watch and hear everything.
Paxton turned a page. “All children, except one, grow up.” His low, smooth voice sank into my skin, and I found myself relaxing as he read.
When he reached the part about the Darling children’s nurse, Lana sat up in bed. “Wait, they had a nurse? Were they sick?”
“No.” Paxton shook his head. “Back then, sometimes a nurse was a nanny, like Moira.”
Lana’s forehead wrinkled as she thought about his explanation, then she smiled. “So their Nanny was a dog?” Her voice rose to a squeak.
“Yep. Now, are you going to let me read this thing or not?”
“Okay.” She laid back down.
“Of all delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact…” Paxton’s eyes scanned the pages as he relayed the story. As he read, his face came alive. For each character, he’d give a distinct voice and accent. Mr. Darling sounded like an old British gentleman, while Mrs. Darling became a soft-spoken schoolteacher.
He leaned back in his chair, propping the book onto his crossed knee.
Lana, usually antsy and rebellious at bedtime, watched him with wide eyes, her little fists clenching the covers so tightly the knuckles shown white.
Paxton took a breath, stopped, and swigged water from a bottle on the table. As he drank, his eyes moved to the door.
I froze, unsure if he could see me or not.Sheesh. I look like a creeper out here. What—
“Aren’t you uncomfortable out there, CC?” He set the water down and grinned.
Guess that answers my question.
I stood up slowly, then sidled into the room, shutting the door behind me.
“Terri, come here.” Lana patted the covers and moved Darryl to her chest. “This story’s got some weird words, but did you know Wendy and the boys have adogas a nanny? Can’t you just imagine Moira as a dog?” Her laughter bounced around the room.
I couldn’t help but smile as I lowered myself onto the soft blanket, resting my back against the headboard.
She put her head in my lap. “All right. Get to the next part, Pax. I wanna know more about Peter.”
Paxton read the passage where Wendy wanted to give Peter Pan a kiss.
I could’ve sworn he put more emphasis on the wordkiss, and I watched his face from underneath my lashes.
His blue eyes rose to meet mine and the breath froze in my chest. He licked his bottom lip.
Is he also thinking about our earlier lip lock?
“Hey, what’s a thimble?” Lana asked, breaking our intense stare.
“It’s a little metal cup thingy people used for sewing.” Paxton smoothed the page.
“Like your guitar pick?”
“Not exactly.” He reached into his jeans pocket and palmed a pick, giving it to her. “But itissmall like a pick.”
Lana chortled, tossing her hair and grinning wide. “Give Terri a kiss, too.”
