“Why is Gemma blushing, Daddy?” Peyton asked. I knew it was her by how loud and excited she spoke.
I looked down to see two intrigued faces looking up at me.
“I’m not sure,” Bodie said, smirking. “Maybe you should ask her that.”
My face heated and I knew most likely pinked even more. “That’s not nice,” I hissed as I leaned closer in toward him so the children couldn’t hear me.
Bodie let out a deep chuckle and goosebumps raced across every inch of my skin. I pulled back from him and scowled.
“That color is good on you,” he told me in a teasing tone.
Looking down at my plain, lavender t-shirt that read‘I’m not in the mood’I felt my brow crinkle into a frown. What would be so special about this color? I glanced back up at Bodie who was smirking even more.
“That color is nice too, it goes with your hair, but I was talking about the pink coloring your pretty face.”
Was he flirting?
Shaking my head to clear it because I was sure I’d stepped into an alternate universe, I looked away and back down at his cute daughters just as Peyton spoke again.
She’d forgotten all about the blushing, thank goodness, and was onto the next subject. “We are going to school. Do you like our dresses, Miss Gemma?”
“You both look beautiful. Where did you find those special dresses?”
Both girls beamed and it was Piper that answered, but much quieter than her sister would have. “Daddy bought them for us because we are his princesses," she said. “And princesses have to have pretty dresses.”
My heart fluttered at her response.
I couldn’t keep my eyes from straying to Bodie who was smiling down at his girls with so much love.
Again, trouble.
“That is so true and very nice of your dad.” It was a lame response but I was feeling seriously out of sorts. “I have class and have to make a stop so I better get going.”
Turning, I closed my door that I hadn’t shut fully after running into Bodie and smiled at the girls before starting down the hall.
“We have to go too, so we can walk with you. Right, Piper?” she asked her sister.
Piper nodded and before I knew it both girls were at my sides, each slipping their tiny palms into mine. A maternal ticking clock started inside me at their touch.
Someday I will have this.
As we walked, I heard Bodie fall into step behind us and my skin heated even further, just as it always did when I felt his eyes on me. What was he thinking of the scene in front of him? Would it bother him that the girls were holding my hands? He didn’t say anything so I went with it.
We made it through the parking lot and stopped in front of our cars where they were parked side by side since Bodie followed me home the night before. I said goodbye to the girls and their father. I hadn’t been expecting the hug each girl gave me before starting for my driver’s side door.
I just happened to look at the back tire as I dug around for the keys in my purse which hung on my shoulder and cursed.
“What the hell is this bullshit?”
My first thought was I was glad Embry wasn’t around to milk me for more money for her swear jar. Then It dawned on me that I’d said it out loud and also not quietly at all. I whipped around to look over at Bodie who was buckling his girls into their seats and cringed. He finished, shut the door of his vehicle, and walked over to me.
“What happened?” he asked with a look of concern on his face.
I pointed to my tire and shook my head. “I guess hitting Capri’s for coffee and something sweet is off the table before school this morning since I need to change a tire.” It was something I knew how to do thank goodness but it just put a damper on my much-needed plans to get me through the day.
He walked over to the tire and bent down to take a look. When he stood back up, his face was etched with anger.
“I can change the tire, you don’t have to help. Go take the girls to school,” I told him thinking he was angry he would be late too now because he’d feel like he had to help me.
