“There is a lot to smile about. It was a good day,” I told him. It was better to concentrate on why I’d been smiling versus acknowledging how his comment made me feel.
He grinned then. “It was, wasn’t it?”
“Yup, I just said that,” I teased.
He shook his head at me. “Okay, smartass.”
My eyes widened at him cursing because he was usually really careful around the girls, but when I glanced in the backseat I found two sleeping beauties. I turned back to Bodie. “How long have they been out?”
“Pretty much since we left the parking lot.”
Man, I’d been in my own little world on the way home. I felt bad when I thought about it because Bodie must have had a boring drive back.
“Are you going to wake them?”
“Not if I can help it. They need a longer nap after last night so I’ll carry them inside and hopefully they’ll end up going back to sleep even if they wake a little bit.”
I wasn’t sure how he’d manage both of them. They were on the smaller side for their age but they weren’t babies anymore, even if Bodie still saw them that way. I’d been going to offer to help, but it seemed he had it handled like a pro.
He got out of the car and grabbed Peyton from her side first, settling one sleepy child on his left side. Then he walked around, unbuckled Piper, and lifted her out, positioning her on his right. Both girls lay their heads on their dad’s shoulders and snuggled in.
My ovaries fluttered to life at the sight.
When we’d made it to my door, he paused, and even with his hands full, he leaned over and did something I never expected.
Bodie kissed my cheek and I momentarily forgot how to breathe as my heart jumped in my chest.
“Thank you for going with us, Gemma. It meant a lot to the girls.” He winked. “And me.” Then he walked toward his door. “Don’t forget to lock the door,” he said, turning back to look at me.
“Bossy much?”
He just gave me another of his signature winks and disappeared inside.
Heat radiated through my entire body between the feel of his lips on my skin and the wink. I almost went up in flames. All bossiness was forgotten and I touched my palm to my cheek where his mouth had been.
If I felt like this after a kiss on the cheek, what would happen if he ever got me naked?
Oh no, there wasnotgoing to be any getting naked with Bodie. For many reasons.
But a girl could dream, right?
I had a feeling that was exactly what I’d be dreaming of too when my head hit my pillow.
ChapterTen
BODIE
It was officially Halloween.
“Daddy, how do we look?” both my girls asked in unison.
We’d gone shopping for costumes and while there were many to choose from, both girls insisted they had to be princesses. Peyton was Cinderella and Piper was Belle. They both loved Disney so there was no contest when it came to them picking the ones they had.
I grabbed one of each of their hands and twirled them in a circle. “You both look beautiful.”
“Do you think Gemma will think we’re pretty?” Piper asked.
With Piper, it took a while for her to open up and even then she was always quieter than Peyton, but she was warming to Gemma faster than I’d seen her with anyone else. They loved their grandparents, both mine and Isabelle’s parents, but they were back in California and I was happy to see them allowing others into their lives.
