“I always hoped you’d come back.” His voice cracked, and she looked up to see his gaze boring into her. Automatically, her body swayed toward him, and he cradled her in his arms. Bringing her home.
Lowering his head, he pressed his lips gently to hers. The touch was soft and questioning. Her answer was yes.
Those strong arms held her tighter, and he crept his fingers up her back, stroking soothingly as if she might be frightened by his actions. Nothing had ever scared her less.
His rugged chest pressed against her own felt amazing, so she slid her hands up and explored before she circled her arms around his neck. When his tongue teased her lips, she gasped and opened her mouth.
“Daddy?” Jordan’s door banged open, and her little footsteps pounded across the hall. They broke apart yet not before the child pushed her way into the room.
“Why you kissing Mama?”
The air barely had time to rush back into her lungs. Still, she managed to say, “It’s only a good morning kiss. Don’t I get one, too?”
Jordan rushed into her embrace, and she scooped the child close. As the girl’s arms wrapped around her and held her tight, Chelsea sighed with the warm emotion. Was it possible for some of her broken parts to start squeezing back together with this child’s hugs?
“Why don’t you get dressed, peanut, and I’ll be down in a minute to make breakfast?”
Jordan snickered in her arms. “You needa get dressed too, Daddy. You forgot your shirt and shoes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Theo reached into the closet for his shirt. Meanwhile, Chelsea held out her hand for her daughter.
“I’ll help you get dressed, sweetheart, and we’ll let Daddy finish.” When they walked out Theo was reaching down for his hiking boots. Ooh, those uniform pants fit nicely.
Once Jordan was in her clothes, Chelsea sent her downstairs, and she managed to clean up and get herself ready. The clothes were slightly loose but not drastically so. The meals Theo had been making had helped get her weight back up.
The kitchen was bustling when she got down there. The kittens were scampering around on an old towel with Jordan hovering over them, and Bandit munched away on some kibble she’d brought over yesterday. Could she do this again today? Theo had been so sweet about yesterday’s mishaps, but would his patience run out if more trouble occurred?
“Chelsea, have a seat. I’m scrambling up some eggs and throwing in a bit of ham for breakfast.”
“Can I help in any way?” After all he’d been doing for her, she hated to be more of a burden.
His head swiveled. “Um…Yeah, you could get dishes and silverware. And pour Jordan some milk and whatever you want to drink.”
Once the table was set, she got out two cups and poured milk in one and juice in the other. Theo already had a steaming mug next to him as he stirred the eggs. His cotton shirt stretched across his shoulders as he did. The uniform fit him well and emphasized how handsome he was. Looking at him in it did things to her insides that hadn’t happened since she’d left.
“Is there anything you want me to do around here today?” she asked, taking a bite of the well-cooked meal.
Theo shook his head. “Hang out and have fun with Jordan. It’s only a mile to Pepper’s Pizza if you want to take a walk and get lunch there. I’ll leave you some money.”
“I have plenty of money, Theo,” she interrupted. Did he not remember who her father was?
“Sorry. Habit. I’ll bet Bandit would love to explore Hull’s Cove.”
“And we could find some pretty shells, Mama,” Jordan piped in.
“Sounds like a plan.” And maybe if they stayed out of the house most of the time, she couldn’t ruin anything else in it.
After helping Theo clean up the dishes, she followed him and Jordan into the living room. He stopped short and dashed into his office. When he came out, he carried a small photo album.
“I wanted to show you this. Jordan loves looking at it, too.”
“More pictures when she was little?”
The cover of the book held a photo similar to the one on Theo’s mantle—the two of them as they’d gotten married on the little wooden bridge at Jordan Pond. When she opened it, more pictures of their wedding day were there.
“How did you get this?”
