“Have fun with Jake,” I say, releasing her.
Grinning, she runs to the door, pulls it open.
I stay crouched for a second longer, watching her go with one hand pressed to my chest, my soul aching in the best possible way.
Because that little girl…
She owns my heart.
And…so does her dad.
So why does loving Rhodes feel so complicated?
Soscary?
Maybe because loving him is different.
It asks more of me.
More trust.
More courage.
More willingness to risk…
Everything.
Twenty-Eight
Rhodes
I dropmy bag in the mudroom, pausing only to throw my dirty clothes in the washer, then head down the hall to the kitchen.
It’s late, nearly three in the morning.
And I’m exhausted.
We’d lost tonight and it wasn’t an easy one—we were up by two with under eight minutes left in the third period.
And we gave up three unanswered goals.
Cool. Cool.
Sighing, I make a quick walkthrough of the house.
But—no surprise since Finn is Finn—the house is secure and there’s a plate of cookies for me on the island.
Snickerdoodles this time.
Sorry about the game. Waiting for you in bed.
-F
P.S. There’s a cocktail for you in the fridge if you’re feeling really grumpy.
I lean back against the island, my mouth curved up into a huge smile.
Fuck, but I love this woman.
