She’d been alone, like she’d been most of her life, and had given birth with only the doctor and nurse in attendance. An hour later, she’d said goodbye to the tiny, red-faced infant wrapped in the cream blanket. The baby blanket had been one of the few material possessions Alice had treasured throughout her childhood but she’d readily given it to the girl in restitution. She’d wanted her daughter to know that Alice cared enough about her to give a tie to her past while she went forward with her future family.
A father who wanted her.
A mother who cherished her.
And if her theory was correct, an uncle who adored her. Chloe was blessed and in turn, Alice was blessed as well. She’d done the right thing. Wiping at the tear that fell down her cheek, she plumped her pillow, careful not to jar Niko.
She should get up and leave. Or dress and head down to the second floor. Tomorrow was the live show and she still had a million things to do.
Alice didn’t want to do any of those things. She wanted to lie there with him and forget about everything and everyone but the two of them. Except time had a way of moving forward no matter how bad you wanted to stop the clock.
Puffing out a breath, she scooted out from beneath Niko’s arm and padded barefoot into the bathroom. Shutting the door, she flipped on the light and started the shower. While the water heated, she brushed her teeth. The woman staring at her in the mirror wore a glow beneath the lines of exhaustion from lack of sleep. She was walking on a cloud.
Because of Niko.
The bathroom door opened and Niko frowned at the bright lights. His hair was sleep-tousled about his shoulders, a growth of beard shadowing his jaw. Yawning, he grabbed up the toothpaste, his arm touching hers.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” she said. Her nipples jumped to attention at the simple caress and she bent over on the pretext of rinsing out her mouth. She was suddenly very aware of her nudity and his own. Not that he hadn’t seen her naked several times already. Perhaps it was because she was feeling so vulnerable given the significance of the day.
She turned her back to him and climbed into the shower, shutting the curtain. If by some fluke, he read her upset, what could she say? She couldn’t explain herself or risk everything she’d accomplished thus far. Instead, she’d have to hide the heartache behind a mask of affability. Or she could turn things around full circle and celebrate instead of mourn. Chloe’s illness proved that life was too precious to let it fall by the wayside.
Alice moved the shower curtain aside and studied the flex of his muscles as he washed his face. He glanced over at her and she wiggled her eyebrows. “The water’s warm. Want to join me?”
A slow, sexy smile curved his lips as he climbed into the shower, his hands covering her wet breasts. “Only if I get to soap these up.”
“I love it when you talk clean to me,” she laughed, determined to enjoy every precious second in the arms of the man she loved.
Falling in love was probably not the smartest thing she’d ever done but she’d never claimed to be smart when it came to matters of the heart.
She prayed someday he’d love her back.
Or at least, not resent her.
Chapter Forty
Niko trotted down the staircase to the kitchen and stretched his sore neck. After the holidays, things usually went from a sprint to a slow crawl. If he won, he anticipated a surge of business and he planned on riding the wave. Alice predicted it would still happen, even if he didn’t win. He hoped she was right.
Unexpected bright lights greeted him. He halted in the doorway leading to the kitchen and scanned the room. Ronan and Hallie were at one long table making rum balls, their backs to him. Chloe and Alice were leaning over a bowl of melted chocolate. Alice was showing Chloe how to dip the truffle and place it on the sheet in front of her. Niko bit back a grin, rubbing at the scruff on his jaw. He’d been trying to teach Chloe how to do chocolate for years. She’d never gotten the hang of it.
The truffle on her fork flopped on the counter and she began to giggle, her cheerfulness cascading across the room. It warmed his heart to see her happy. Life had been both a blessing and a curse for his niece. She’d been put up for adoption but he thanked the fates every day that Hallie and Jon had been lucky enough to be her parents.
But since her birth parent was cooperating with the courts, would they try to get in contact with her? Everything within Niko balked at the notion. Yet, if Chloe asked to meet them, it would be unfair to deny her the opportunity? Especially if her health worsened.
Niko swallowed the lump in his throat, unwilling to allow his mind to travel to such a dangerous place. She would survive.
Please let her survive.
He entered the kitchen and left his dark musings behind. Chloe was with him now. For the present, everything was right in his world. “Wow, an assembly line. Am I dreaming?”
Chloe wiped the back of her hand over her mouth and smeared chocolate on her cheek. “We’re making candy for you.”
“I see that.” He rested his elbows on the table and inspected her handiwork. “Looking good, kiddo. You’re getting better. Now we need to work on your aim. You’re supposed to hit the pan.”
“I know. Alice melted the chocolate. She’s almost as good as you are.” She picked up the misshapen truffle, the too large gloves on her hands slumping over her wrists. Thin and delicate, like her health. He pushed back the troubling thoughts and straightened.
“I had a good teacher.” Alice flashed him a satisfied smile, the same one she wore the last time he’d kissed her. He flexed his fingers, itching to touch her. Would it be rude to take her upstairs while the rest of the crew finished the job? A man could dream.
“This is a pleasant surprise. I thought you had work to do,” he said to Alice. The show was filming that afternoon in order to be aired live Eastern Standard Time.
