“Sorry, Sweetheart,” he says. “Too many? Hold on, I’ll take some out.”
Sullivan bends over the side of the tub and sticks his head in the bubbles and swivels his head side to side like he’s searching out the submerged toys.
Molly’s laugh erupts into more belly shaking as he lifts his face and it’s completely covered in bubbles.
He blows out through his mouth, sending a shot of white foam up into the air.
Molly swipes at his face with a tiny hand, displacing enough bubbles that he can see out of one eye. “Daddy!”
“A towel, if you’d be so kind please, Tate?” he says, holding out a hand behind him.
I laugh and grab one, pressing it into his palm. He moves it to his face like he’s about to wipe himself, then stops.
“Just one kiss first,” he declares.
Molly pushes at his face with a toothy grin, obviously having played this game before. I lean one elbow on the side of the tub as I watch her tip her head back with a gurgling laugh as he presses kiss after kiss to her neck and face, covering her in bubbles too.
A sweet and fuzzy feeling soaks through my body like a warm tide as I’m allowed to witness the moment between them, and the special bond they have.
Sullivan wipes Molly’s face for her before he does his own. Then he sets about expertly washing her dark curls for her as she sits happily.
I reach beneath the water and feel around.
“It’s like a treasure trove down here,” I exclaim, widening my eyes at Molly, which makes her grin.
I pull up the first thing—a small mermaid.
“Pretty,” Molly comments, fishing around, then brandishing her own discovery of a small frog playing a guitar.
“Ooh, and a talented musician,” I say, looking at the green toy.
“Pretty and talented,” Sullivan muses, his voice a deep husk that has me lifting my eyes to him.
He’s watching me, his dark hair curled a little around the front where it’s wet. A small patch of bubbles is still clinging to the top of his dark chest hair beneath his unbuttoned shirt.
“Very pretty and talented,” he repeats.
28
TATE
A funand splashy bathtime is followed by Sullivan insisting on making dinner for us all again. Molly’s not even finished her dessert before the first of many yawns begin.
“She’s had a busy couple of days. Swimming with Halliday, chasing Monty around,” he says, reaching over to stroke her head. “Haven’t you, Sweetheart?”
Molly stays quiet, confirmation in itself that she’s ready to pass out.
“I’m going to take her to bed,” Sullivan says, rising from his seat at the island, before lifting her out of hers. “Stay until I’m back?”
“Sure. Good night, Molly.” I blow her a kiss, earning myself a sleepy smile over Sullivan’s shoulder as he carries her from the room.
Sullivan didn’t need to ask, it’s become our routine that I always stay, at least until Molly’s asleep, just in case he gets a work call and needs me to take over. Not that he ever has. Storytime with Molly is something he’s reluctant to hand overto me. It’s his special time with her and he wants to protect that. Something about that makes me like him even more.
Everythinghe does with Molly seems to make me like him more.
“Oh God. This could be a really bad idea,” I murmur as I tidy up alone, waiting for him to return.
I load the dishwasher, then wander over to the piano, running my hand along it and admiring the photo of him and Molly on top of it.
