I stopped watching her and looked to Jake, taking a step toward him. Then another. And another. Coming to a stop in front of him, I place my hands on his chest. Tonight he wore a forest-green thermal with his jeans and wool socks. His hair had grown a little long on top, his ever-present stubble on his jawline.
“You okay, Ivy?” he asked, placing his hands lightly on my hips.
I tipped my head back. “You got me a tree.”
He stared at me, his hand coming up to brush a tear that spilled out before I even recognized it was there. “Sensing this is bigger than I realized, babe. But yeah, I bought you a tree. Is that okay?”
The truth came unbidden. “Besides my nana, no one has taken care of me, Jake. Not really.”
He gave me a slow nod. “Catching on to that,” he whispered.
“But you do,” I said, almost to myself.
He looked at me, almost with a pained expression.
“What? Are you okay?” I asked.
“Really want to kiss you, baby. Trying to respect you and not devour you in front of your kid, but that urge is there.” His voice had taken on a gravely quality that I was here for.
I smiled up at him. “I’m thinking Addie’s seen us kiss before.”
He leaned in. “You saying I can kiss you, babe?”
I looked up. “I’m saying maybe you could tell Drew to bring Chief here for the night, if you’d like, but you better kiss me. Soon.”
Jake’s eyes crinkled at the corner as he leaned down and caressed his mouth against mine. Tilting his head, he parted his lips, and he deepened the kiss as I pressed myself against him. My brain short-circuited as I fell into the sensations racing through me. Before I could suggest we find something for Addie to watch and nominate myself for the parent of the year, he pulled back.
“That good?” he asked with a wink.
“It’ll do.” I smiled.
Even better than the kiss, he pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around and resting his chin on my head. We stood there for a moment, me listening to Addie singing to herself in the other room, Lord knew what Jake’s was thinking.
Looking at the tree, I knew what I needed to say.
“Jake?” I whispered.
“Yeah, Ivy?”
“I hate doing the Christmas lights.”
His laugh was glorious. It reverberated through his chest as his arms tightened around me. Pulling back, he looked down at me. “You want me to get the lights?”
“In the basement in the Christmas tubs.”
He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “On it.”
30
Punch to the Gut
Jake
I whistled to myself on the way to the grocery store. Last night had been better than I could have planned for or predicted. When I’d called Drew to help me set up the tree, he’d come quickly, but gave me a look that let me know he thought I was a fool. Then he’d pointed out that Ivy might have a whole tradition around setting up the tree, which hadn’t even occurred to me.
I’d worried, thinking maybe I should just take it home before she saw it. However, there was the small matter of Addie, who’d not only picked it out, but named it Bob of all bizarre names. So I’d waited and worried, only to have her show her gratitude for the tree by asking me to spend the night.
Yeah, last night was better than I’d planned.
