“You implied it.”
Connor sighed. “Nowyouare being a brat.”
Bliss sniffed. “And you’re a big fat meanie with a big fat nosy nose.”
Connor blinked. Then he laughed again. He took the toy mirror from the girls’ stroller and held it so Bliss could see her reflection. “What do you see?” he asked.
She cut her eyes toward him, mischief emerging from her tears. “A brat?”
“Exactly.”
She crossed her arms. “Well… maybe I like being a brat.”
He leaned closer. “Maybe you do. But I have a cure for that.”
“Oh, really?” she asked. “Well, this is one brat that doesn’t have time to be one or get cured, for that matter.”
“That brings us back to the subject of you needing help.”
Her eyes narrowed, but he didn’t miss her shiver and the way her nipples pebbled. She delivered her best shot. “Are you volunteering to help, Mr. Nosy Nose?”
Connor opened his mouth and closed it. He tried again, opening his mouth and then closing it again. Then he shocked the absolute shit out of himself. “You bet, I am.”
Bliss stared at him. “If you meant that as a joke. It’s not funny.”
“It’s not a joke.” Now that he had said it, he knew he’d never been more serious.
She shook her head. “You’re insane.”
She stood and gathered her things. When she had everything situated, she said, “See you around, Mr. Nosy Nose,” and started toward the door.
“I meant what I said,” Connor called out after her.
She stopped at the door. In a perfect parody of Sandra, she winked and said, “Whatever you say, Daddy.”
She left him sitting there, wondering what the hell had just happened. What had he just signed himself up for? And why, even though he knew she’d called him Daddy in mockery, did it still make him feel so good?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bliss collapsed onto the well-worn sofa after she finally got the babies all down. She wasn’t sure how long Nori would sleep, but usually she had a good hour and a half. She’d been fussy all day. She couldn’t be teething already, right? She was only two months old.
Her entire body ached with the deep exhaustion that came from living on little sleep and constant worry. Some days she felt like she’d been awake since the moment the girls were born.
With all her daughters asleep, it would be a good time to clean. She glanced at the kitchen counters, cluttered with too many bottles that needed washing. Then over to the basket of dirty clothes that needed washing and hanging on the clothesline outside. She appreciated Winnie letting her rent her cabin, but holy time travelers, a dishwasher and a dryer would have been nice.
Unable to help herself, her eyes then slid to the basket of goodies Winnie had given her the day before. Her sister really was the best. She’d put together a Christmas-themed pampering Bliss basket, and it was begging to be used.
The basket overflowed with peppermint lotions, candy-cane bath bombs, fuzzy socks, and more Little indulgences than Blisshad allowed herself in forever. She’d even included a sleep mask for Tipsy!
Her Mary Poppins angel agreed.There are elements of fun in all the work that’s to be done.The prim little voice in her head sounded smug and practical, floating above her shoulder with umbrella and carpetbag.
Mary Poppins was correct, as always. Bliss was down to her last two work outfits.
Laundry really should come first. With a sigh, she headed for the laundry basket.
All set to be productive, she was about to grab the basket when her Miranda Lambert angel started singing something about being drunk and not wanting to go home.
That was an obvious vote for having some fun for once. If she even remembered how. Miranda lounged on her other shoulder in an imaginary denim and sassy pants attitude, clearly unimpressed with the idea of chores.
