Emotion gripped me.
Fuck me.
I knew right then I’d embroider him that patch and sew it on myself if I had to.
Addy poked her head through the sliding door. “Get your booties in here and eat! Breakfast is served!”
She looked at me in that wary way, though this morning it was a bit different, more curiosity shining through. Her brown hair fell around her shoulders, face dabbled with the same cinnamon-colored freckles as her mom. A little spitfire with so much sass and that sweetness underneath.
Without reservation, Colin hopped onto his feet. But rather than running for the door, he turned and stretched out his little hand. “Come on, Mr. Cash. We gotta eat so we can get some energy to finish our job.”
Warily, I looked at his offering, then I took it. I didn’t put any weight on him as I slowly pushed to my feet. Though he was grunting and gritting his teeth and yanking with all his might, like he was the sole reason I could make it to stand.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Cash. I got you.”
If I wasn’t careful, he would.
All of them would.
Colin beelined for the door, and Addy held it open as she waited for me as I edged across the porch. Felt like I was wading through landmines, each step bringing me closer to destruction as I moved back toward my house that once had been filled with silence and now echoed with a brawl of movement and voices.
With energy and life.
Addy’s eyes narrowed. Unsure, though she widened the door. “Do you want to eat with us?”
Something went fuzzy in my chest as I approached.
“Yeah, Addy, I would like that.”
Her smile was timid, but she swept her hand to the side like she was inviting me in.
Warily, I moved into the cabin.
Daisy was at the stove, unfazed and unfrazzled as she directed the chaos inside. “Eva, go ahead and get in your chair at the table. Colin, go wash your hands. Addy, can you take this bowl of eggs to the table?”
Daisy lifted the skillet and piled the steaming scrambled eggs into a dish.
She wore the same thing she did last night. The moment I had seen her standing in the doorway with the morning light raining around her, it was my brain that had gotten scrambled.
Entertaining thoughts I had no right entertaining.
But there they were again.
Nearly overpowering.
Woman in my kitchen in that draping, oversized sweatshirt and these tiny shorts that showed off the delicious length of her legs. Her hair a messy pile on her head.
Pieces fell out of the twist, brushing down her back and kissing her stunning face.
Her profile on display. Her jaw sharp. The rest of her soft.
Her nose this cute fucking button that I loved when she scrunched it up.
Every inch of her was nothing but a tease.
The sight of her mortal temptation.
Because I had the unbearable urge to stalk across the room, prop her on the counter, and kiss the fuck out of her.
