I opened my eyes to find her nodding eagerly, eyes bright, like the thought of me keeping her panties lit her up inside.Fuck, she’s cute.
I slipped the torn lace into my back pocket with a wink.
She continued to stand there, wobbly and trusting, letting me kneel to tug her jeans up. I realized I’d popped the button clean off…and another low chuckle rumbled out of me. “Guess I owe you new jeans, too,” I murmured, fastening the denim as best I could with the zipper alone.
It hit me again…how perfect she was. Ophelia seemed perfectly content to let me take care of her. No protest, no fuss, just soft eyes and that little smile, handing me the reins like it was the most natural thing in the world. My chest tightened, a fierce, warm ache spreading through me.
Ilovedit.
Loved her letting me handle every detail, loved that she was already trusting me to take care of her.
I caught her hand and turned toward the door, but she stiffened, the smallest tremor running through her fingers.
“Hey,” I murmured, glancing back at her. She looked nervous. Was she worried about what people would think if they saw us?
I leaned close. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Anyone who sees us is just going to be thinking that I’m the luckiest bastard alive.”
Her breath caught, the corners of her mouth trembling into the shyest smile I’d ever seen. Then it faded, her voice small and uncertain. “I just…I don’t want it to be over,” she whispered. “I don’t want you to not see me again.”
For a second, the words didn’t quite register—like she was speaking a language my brain hadn’t caught up to yet.
“Not see you again?” I repeated, frowning a little.
She nodded, her eyes suddenly glassy, like she was about to cry. “After this. You’ll go back out there, and I’ll just be…” She trailed off, swallowing hard. “I don’t want that.”
A low ache punched through my chest. I tightened my hold on her hand, forcing her to look up at me.
“Ophelia,” I said quietly, “that would be impossible.”
Her brow furrowed, lips parting.
“You’re all I see.”
For a heartbeat, she just stared at my face. Then her whole face lit up…like sunrise breaking open right in front of me. She literally beamed, and I swear the air around us changed. It was all I could do not to put her back on the counter and start everything all over again.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and brushed my thumb over her knuckles. “You ready now, sweetheart?”
She nodded, squeezing my hand tight. “Yeah,” she whispered.
“Good girl,” I murmured, and pushed the bathroom door open.
We’d barely taken two steps into the hallway when a familiar voice practically shouted my name.
“Matty! Thankfuck!”
Garrett appeared out of nowhere, hair mussed, shirt untucked, eyes wide like he’d just survived a war zone.
“You have to save me,” he begged, grabbing my shoulder. “Parker and Jace ditched me! They left with Casey and Riley,and now some girl’s trying to—” He broke off, glancing over his shoulder. “Oh fuck. There she is.”
I followed his gaze just in time to see a tipsy brunette waving what looked like a Sharpie.
Garrett groaned. “She wants me to sign herbaby. Not her shirt. Not her arm. Her actualbaby. I obviously didn’t know she was a mom when I hooked up with her! She’s acting like her baby is stashed somewhere around here. I’m terrified!”
Ophelia snorted beside me, and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.
“Sounds like you’re famous now. I’ve autographed footballs, but never babies. Good for you,” I said dryly.
He glared. “Famous? She just asked if my autograph would help with child support, Matthew. Help!”
