I could not deal with such intense feelings a minute after waking up.
Clara looked up at me. “It means you guys are …kissing!” she exclaimed with glee. “Is Daddy your boyfriend now?”
I pursed my lips to hide my smile at her joy, my gaze darting to Beau.
I waited for it to come, for that harshness to change his features, the shuttering of his expressive eyes. Regret. But it didn’t. His eyes danced with warmth that filled me from the inside out.
“Yes, it means Hannah is my girlfriend,” He spoke so matter-of-factly, like he was telling her the sky was blue. As if he didn’t just drop a meteor onto my world.
When Clara glanced at me, I expected a grin. She frowned instead, and my heart sunk. This wasn’t what she wanted. Of course, it wasn’t. She’d already had so much turmoil, uncertainty in her short life. More change would scare her.
“But you’ll still look after me, right?” she clarified. “Not look after Daddy?”
I smothered a chuckle at the somber way she was saying it. “You think a girlfriend is someone who takes care of their boyfriend?”
She nodded, her bottom lip wobbling.
“Who the fuck told you that shit?” Beau snarled.
All of his carefree morning softness was instantaneously replaced with the familiar alpha-male short temper. It used to grate on my skin like razor blades. Now that I was tucked safely in bed with him, it only served to send delicious tendrils of warmth between my thighs.
“Bobbie from the playground,” Clara replied, not perturbed by her father’s ire. “He wanted me to be his girlfriend, and that meant I had to take care of him, share my snacks.”
“Bobbie is getting a fucking talking to,” Beau snapped, eyes like fire. Like he was plotting the demise of a five-year-old.
“What did you say to Bobbie?” I asked, giving Beau a shake of my head.
“I told him no.” Clara threaded her fingers through mine. “I don’t need to take care of a boy. I’ve got too much going on. And I have the best snacks. I’ll share them if I want to, not because some boy tells me to.”
The warmth in my lower body spread throughout me. Utterly different to how I’d felt in bed with Beau alone, but so wonderful it made me want to burst into tears. I was so proud of who Clarawas, so infinitely lucky that I got to know her, got to hold her hand in bed and listen to her.
But I could not burst into tears right then.
“You go, girlfriend.” I held out my knuckles, which she bumped against hers. “And to answer your question.” I pulled her in tighter. “Iabsolutelywill still be taking care of you.”
That was not something Beau and I had explored at length last night. We’d established that I’d stay here, in his bed, apparently. That we’d be having sex. But would he still be paying me? What about the bomb he’d dropped about his ex-wife dying? How and when would Clara learn about that? Yeah, that needed a little more straightening out.
“It is not Hannah’s job to take care of me,” Beau chimed in. “It’s mine to take care of her. And you.”
I shook my head again. “We’ll talk about that and give your daddy a lesson on feminism soon,” I told Clara. “We’re both going to be focusing on taking care ofyou, that won’t change. That will never change. But you may see your daddy kiss me.” Unease snaked through me, unsure if Beau was going to be okay with PDA. Maybe he wouldn’t. “Is that okay?” I didn’t know if I was asking Beau or Clara.
“Of course, that’s okay!” Clara practically screamed. “I’ve been telling Daddy he needs a girlfriendforever,and I’ve been secretly plotting it to be you. I wish for it every night in my dreams.” She beamed at me. “You’re welcome.”
I couldn’t hold in my giggle. “I am so very glad for you, Clara Shaw.” I kissed her dark hair, inhaling the smell of her shampoo.
“And I am so very glad for both of you,” Beau grumbled. He kissed Clara’s head, in the exact spot where I did. Then he leaned over and kissed me. On the lips. No tongue, but not just a peck either.
Clearly, he was okay with PDA.
As was Clara, who squealed in delight.
“Okay.” She stood up. “I’m hungry.”
My mouth was still tingling from the kiss, my body was liquid, my mind was light, and I was still questioning whether this was all a wonderful dream. Because of that, I didn’t immediately move or answer Clara.
But Beau did. He got out of bed. I licked my lips, admiring the shape of his body, his tanned skin, cut abs as he kicked his legs into jeans that were discarded on a chair in the corner.
“Come on, Bug.” Beau threw on a shirt then grabbed Clara by the mid-section, making her giggle in delight. “You can come with me to brush my teeth, then we’ll make Hannah breakfast in bed.”
