His hands land on my hips and he gives a squeeze before his touch slides around my body and pulls me back until my back is plastered against his front. I can feel every hard plane of his body. My flesh is more than willing to mold to him.
“You know,” his lips brush against the shell of my ear and I shudder in his arms, “just you showing up for our girl has made her day.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” I murmur.
As the words leave my lips, I feel the truth of them, raw and vulnerable, wrap around me. She’s an amazing little girl, and I say that not only because she loves dance in a way I understand. No, it’s so much more than that. It’s her.
She has a precious light inside of her which I want to protect and nurture.
The thought of being important to her, loving her and being loved by her while watching her grow up, doesn’t terrify me. Not like most kids, especially babies, do.
When Rian is let loose on her presents, paper and ribbons go flying while I admire the wrapping jobs on the gifts. I suspect the brothers watching on with grins on their faces didn’t wrap them themselves. Some of them chuckle when Rian squeals, but then they melt as she runs up to each brother and gives them a hug and whispers words of gratitude which are soft but land like bullets.
It’s quite a sight.
“Oh, Ace,” she manages to gush and squeal at the same time, “you got me the rubber band loom I asked for.” Ace grins at Rian, big and goofy, as his eyes soften with affection. Then she’s pulling something else out of the large back in front of her and she gasps. “Look at how many rubber bands there are! I can make so many bracelets with these.”
A few of the brothers groan under their breath. I’m sure they’re thinking the same thing I am—it’s just a matter of time before she’s made bracelets for every brother in the room. And everyone else she knows and loves.
They might grumble, but I can see the smiles they’re trying to hide. They won’t turn down her bracelets. Hell, I bet most of them will wear them with pride.
It’s obvious they nurture her love of creating something from nothing and cheer her on while she explores new activities and hobbies. Ace’s present is not the first craft kit Rian has gotten today.
The whole thing is adorable. I keep that to myself, though. I have a feeling these leather clad bikers wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment.
When Rian looks up at us, I stiffen for a moment. It’s not like she hasn’t seen us being affectionate. Everton has become very touchy, and he didn’t stop the inclination when we were at Sagebrush. Still, it’s new to her and I don’t want to rush her.
Fuck, I don’t want to rush myself.
Everything just feels right. I won’t say I regret going to New York. I chased the stage and the spotlight because it was what I felt like I needed to do.
Now I have a chance a something else. Something more.
With the building, the money to make my dream happen, and all of Everton’s promises, it’s a lot. That doesn’t make it wrong.
I shouldn’t have been concerned about Rian. She gives me the brightest smile and Everton’s hands tighten their hold on me. Belonging like I’ve never known flickers to life inside of me.
Still, I bite my lip when she reaches for my box next. I’m so damn nervous I can hardly breathe. I grip Everton’s wrist and let the contact ground me. It’s not helpful.
“There’s something for you too,” I whisper to him.
He kisses the top of my head, his fingers flexing against me, as we watch her slide the top of the box up and off. The tissue paper is covered in watercolor ballet slippers, and she touches it with reverence. Rian reaches for the gold envelope on top and opens it with such profound care that tears fill my eyes.
She slides the heavy paper out of the envelope and gasps. The way she looks at me, as if I’ve just shown her that the cage has a door, has one tear escaping and sliding down my cheek.
“What is it?” Everton’s voice is gruff as he asks, but there’s no wariness there.
“It says,” Rian swallows hard and looks back at what is in her hands, “this ticket grants lifetime access to any and all dance classes and practices at Tiny Dancer Studios.”
“It might look like a ticket,” I murmur, my words thick with the words I desperately want to say to her, “but it’s more like a key. Your dad has gone completely off the edge and bought me a building and is helping me to get my dance studio open. I’m going to need a lot of help if you’re willing to give it. The door there is never locked to you.”
Rian practically vaults herself across the room after putting the ticket down with careful fingers. Her entire body wraps around me and it’s a damn good thing Everton is at my back because she would have taken me down if he weren’t there. I hold her and feel the love I have for her transform from a thread to a chain. Unbreakable and unwilling to yield.
“Thank you,” she whispers and I swear I hear her dad echo the same words against the crown of my head like a halo.
“There’s more in the box,” I tease her even though I hold her a little tighter.
“Really?” She chirps and does a little dance which has everyone chuckling. Honestly, I forgot they were even there. “Can we choreograph a routine together?”
