“My head hurts.”
“You’re probably just tired,” Luke offered. “Want me to come tuck you back into bed?”
“Stay here,” Isla replied sleepily before yawning loudly.
“Sweetheart, there’s not enough room. Remember Charlotte’s here …”
“She’s fine,” I confirmed, wriggling over and making room. When Isla snuggled against me, I was helpless to stop my heart from bursting wide open. I was already half in love with them both but having Isla need me, clenched the deal.
Lifting my arm, she burrowed in, and next thing I knew, we were sharing a pillow and Isla was drifting off again.
“I can take her back to her own bed,” Luke suggested.
“She’s fine.”
“You’ve got no room.”
“I’m fine.”
“Charlotte …”
“Luke, I’m fine. She doesn’t take up that much room.”
“You won’t be saying that after a couple of hours. Isla kicks like a pissed-off bronco.”
“We’ll be right. I’m just glad I convinced you pajamas were necessary.” I smiled over at him.
“Hmmm. We could’ve had more fun without them.”
“We had plenty before we put them on,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, we did.”
“But it’s late or early, and we all have to get up in the morning, and I’m pretty sure someone promised me pancakes for breakfast.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hundred percent. Go back to sleep. Morning will be here before we’re ready.”
I know Luke wasn’t entirely convinced, but the argument died on his lips, and he rolled over, clicked off the light before settling back, tugging the blankets up and making sure Isla was all tucked in.
It didn’t take long before the sound of Luke’s snores filled the room. Poking my foot out the side of the blankets, I tried not to overheat. Isla was like a furnace snuggled up against me. Lying there with the most precious thing in Luke’s world in my arms I realized how lucky I was. This was everything I didn’t know I wanted. I’d thought Todd could make me happy, but the truth was, I wasn’t sure I’d ever been really happy with him. At the time, I thought he was all I wanted, but looking back I couldn’t help but think that maybe he was just convenient. He’d never understood or accepted my job and even on those really hard days, the days that dragged me through the wringer and I just wanted to come home to someone who’d wrap me in their arms and promise me that tomorrow would be better, Todd had just asked what was for dinner. It wasn’t all his fault though. It’d be easy to put all the blame on him, but the truth was, I was just as much to blame as he was. I’d let it happen.
Leaning over, I breathed in the scent of Isla’s shampoo, and I couldn’t help but smile. Her innocence was a beautiful thing, and I was so grateful to Luke for inviting me in and letting me get to know her. He was fiercely protective, something I found way sexier than I should, but the simple fact that he deemed me worthy enough to spend time with Isla and get to know what an incredible young girl he was raising meant the world to me.
With a smile on my lips, I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. Morning would be here before I was ready, and tomorrow was going to be a big day.
I’d been shaken awake by a crying, terrified Isla.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up.
It’s amazing how you could go from sound asleep, immersed in beautiful dreams to wide awake, alert, and ready to leap into action at a moment's notice.
Looking over at Isla, there was blood all over her.
“Shit!” I muttered, looking for something I could use to stem the bleeding. Grabbing the nearest thing, Luke’s shirt from last night, I balled it up and held it against her nose.
“You’re going to be fine. It’s just a bleeding nose. It happens all the time,” I tried to reassure her, wondering where Luke was.
