“No,” tell him honestly before scrunching my eyes shut and asking the one question I’m not sure I want the answer to. “Have you?”
“No, baby,” he breathes, and I release all the air from my lungs inrelief. “I haven’t even looked at another woman since you. Sometimes I sleep with the robe.”
I open my eyes and blink at the corner of the room, attempting to decipher what that means. “What robe?”
But all I hear is a light snore on the other end of the line.
I listen to his sleep sounds for a long while, remembering the morning after we were together when I’d awakened before the sun was up. Phoenix was draped half over me, his muscular thigh wedged between mine and his arm holding my back to his chest. He’d made soft snoring noises then as well, his breaths puffing against my hair. I don’t remember ever feeling more content and peaceful than when I was in his arms in the darkness.
Finally, I say, “Phoenix?”
He makes a snuffling noise before he speaks. “Hmm, sorry, I think I dozed off.”
“It’s okay,” I say. “Why don’t you get some sleep since you have a flight in the morning?”
It sounds like he’s scrubbing a hand over his face before he answers. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“And don’t worry about Honey. I’ll be there tomorrow to keep her company.”
“You have the key I gave you?”
“Got it. I hope you have fun with your mom and Reece.”
He makes a sleepy little humming noise. “I wish you were going with us.”
God, the things he’s saying tonight are blowing my mind, and I’m not sure how to process all this.
After hanging up, I stare at the phone, my brain going through our conversation. He doesn’t want me to be with anyone else. He can’t stand the thought of anyone else touching me.
But what does all that mean? Could he really have feelings for me? Or is he just drunk and horny?
Flopping back onto my pillow with a frustrated grunt, I decide the latter is the most probable.
No sense getting my hopes up.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Change of plans
Phoenix
My. Head. Is. Pounding.
I guzzle down an entire bottle of water with three ibuprofen, doing my best to quiet the entire percussion section that’s holding a marathon drum rehearsal inside my brain.
It doesn’t help matters that my daughter is hyped up like a rabid squirrel this morning. In Reece-World, excitement translates to maximum loudness.
Speak of the boisterous little devil, she skids into the kitchen on her socked feet, ramming into my knees and almost taking me down.
“Daddy! I can get Minnie ears, right? You said I could, and I really, really want some. And we’re eating at Cinderella’s castle tomorrow, aren’t we? That’s gonna be soooo much fun. Nana said I can even get my picture made with Cinderella. I love her dress. It’s the prettiest one of all the princesses. I wonder if Prince Charming is going to be there.”
Before I can answer, the kitten ambles over and pees on my bare foot because the goddamn universe hates me.
As I’m cleaning up the mess with paper towels, Reece smacks my thigh with a tiny palm. “You didn’t answer me. Can I, Daddy?”
“Can you what, Reecie?” I ask wearily, tossing the paper towels into the trash and trying valiantly to cope with all this chaos.
“Can I get Minnie Mouse ears? You know, the ones with the cute bow?”
