Of course.
“Now, no more of that,” Fia scolded, standing over the sofa. “No more distractions. We need to work on your report.”
I grunted and stood. “Did you not enjoy yourself?”
She opened her mouth. Then closed it. Determination flared in her eyes, and she snapped, “Did you not want to race next week?”
“I do. But I believe in you. We’re a dream team, we’ll get it done in no time.”
She scowled, and I wanted to wrap her up in my arms.
But there wereboundaries.
“I’m going to bed.” She closed the patio doors, and Bodri followed her up thestairs.
I had to stop myself from calling out to her about whether she was going to lock the door or not.
The second I was out of the shower, there was a knock at the guest bedroom door. I answered it, and she stood there in the silk dressing gown and fully covering pyjamas.
Bodri was at her feet.
She looked down at him. “He, er, I think he wants to stay in there with me.”
Traitor.
“Does he now?” I gave him an incredulous look and sighed. “Bodri, I’m your dad. You already a mummy’s boy?”
She choked and started coughing so much that I stepped forward to get her a glass of water, but she waved her hands at me. “Don’t,” she wheezed. “I’m not his mummy.”
“He’s adopting you as his mum,” I said. “I’m sorry, Bodri makes the rules.”
She exhaled deeply, the last of the cough gone, but I still wanted to get her something to drink it down.
“I’m only telling you because I don’t want him to feel trapped,” she continued. “So I’m keeping my door ajar. But I didn’t want you to get any ideas.”
“What ideas might I have?”
Her brows shot up, and she gave me a knowing look. “No funny business.”
“I am very funny.”
She groaned. “I’m just letting you know.”
“No funny business,” I agreed as she turned on her heel. “But I’m good at cuddling. And I smell better than a dog.”
“Debatable,” she argued. “And statistically, women sleep better next to a dog than a man.”
She went to her room then, Bodri plodding after her, andwaved her fingers at me through the gap of her door.
Worrying for her throat in the night, I went downstairs to grab her a glass of water, and by the time I got back to her door, she had ignored my knock. I whispered her name, but the only response was a disgruntled tiny dog pushing the door open further, as if to let me in.
She was asleep, her perfect face resting on her palm, the sheet covering her from the neck down.
I placed her water on my bedside table as Bodri got back into position, cuddled into her side, and I left her to her dreams.
15
Chapter 15
