Thursday night, Rafe took the girls to their first Daisy meeting. Overall, it was success, but after he put them to sleep, he decided not to wait up.
Friday, they did their hand-off at six p.m..
“So, we’ll see you Sunday?” Sloan asked as he slipped on his boots in the mudroom. He had just enough time to stop for a bite to eat and then head to the high school.
“Yeah, I’ll be back Sunday night. Seth’s presents are already wrapped. Top shelf, hall closet. Addison kept eyeing the LEGO set I got him.”
“Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
Rafe stood and kissed Sloan on the cheek.
“I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.”
After the game, the plan was to meet up with Hector and Eddie, but when Rafe climbed back on his bike in the high school lot, he just wasn’t feeling the idea of a boys’ night. He headed back to Sloan’s place, making two stops in search of a suitable bouquet of flowers. Grocery store roses were the best he could manage. When he got back to the house, he found Sloan watching TV in bed, doing something on her laptop.
“Hey,” she said, perking up. For the first time all week, she looked happy to see him. “How was the game?”
“It was good. Home team won and Gracie cheered her ass off. These are for you.” He knelt beside the bed on the floor, handing her the flowers.
She pressed them against her nose before she smiled back him, her grin a little wider. “Thank you. I thought you were staying with your folks all weekend.”
“That was the plan, but then I realized it was a bad plan. Felt like I should probably be here with you. Talk about this weird thing that’s been going on between us all week.” When Sloan’s mouth twisted up in the corner, he knew he hadn’t imagined the shitty feeling that had been digging under his skin. There was tension between them. Sloan gently set down the flowers and her laptop, then she pulled her knees up to her chest.
“We just had our first thing, didn’t we?” she said.
“Yeah, I think we did.”
“Not a fight, but a thing.”
“Yeah, it was a thing.” Rafe reached over few inches and gave her leg a light squeeze over the covers. “Here’s a different thing I’m working on.”
“Tell me.”
“Needing space and wanting to give space. When emotions are running high, no matter the cause.”
“Oh, yeah. That is tough. I wanted to climb up your ass all week, but I didn’t want to seem needy.”
“Is ass climbing a sign of neediness?”
“Yeah,” Sloan laughed. “It’s the number one symptom.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for it. I think I’m starting to love you a little bit, Dr. Copeland,” he said, finally feeling like he was telling the whole truth.
“I’m starting to love you a little bit too.” Rafe leaned up and pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. When he pulled back, that light had returned to her eyes. The light he’d seen the first time he’d made her laugh. He knew then that they could do this.
“I’m glad you came back,” she said.
“I am too.” Rafe kissed her again. “Do you want an extra set of hands at the birthday party tomorrow?”
“No, but I would like my boyfriend there with me.”
“I think we can make that happen.”
“So, are you gonna stay there on the floor or do you want to get in this bed and cuddle me good?”
Rafe stood, moving Sloan’s computer and the flowers to the far nightstand. He stepped out of his jeans and climbed between the sheets with her. They hadn’t had the conversation about new sleeping arrangements yet, but for now Rafe knew he was exactly where he wanted to be.
