“Yeah, that’s it. Are you going to watch Stella sleep again? She didn’t look dizzy today.”
I shut my eyes briefly before I slipped the books back on Bennie’s shelf. It was a good question, one I didn’t know how to answer, both because I didn’t know how to explain it all to my daughter, and because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do tonight—or from now on.
We hadn’t had time to talk about last night or this morning after the surprise visit from Gary and her mother.Before that, I’d expected to be in her bed tonight or bring her into mine.
Although we lived separate lives in all different directions, I’d always known everything about Gary and Stella. From their favorite foods to all the weird little quirks that only good friends can spot with each other, but there was something I didn’t know about Stella. Something that made Gary and their mother beg me to be careful with her.
Was Zach the only one to hit her? Gary would have told me about other guys hurting her. Or at least I’d thought so before now.
I never wanted to rush Bennie at bedtime, but I needed to figure out why they’d both looked so concerned that Stella and I were together now, and I couldn’t wait even for just anotherbooklet.
“Good night, baby girl.” I kissed her forehead. “We’ll see about that third story tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay,” she relented, settling on her side. “You should take care of Stella anyway. I’m not dizzy, so you don’t have to watch me sleep,” she said on a yawn.
“That’s right. You’ll sleep just fine,” I said, Bennie’s eyes already fluttering before they closed. “I’ll take care of Stella.”
Or I would, once I figured out what was going on.
“Did she talk you into a third book?” Stella asked, her lips tilted up when I came into the kitchen.
“No, although she sold it as abooklet,” I said. “Then she asked if I needed to watch you sleep again.” I wrapped my arms around her from behind, dropping kisses down her neck. She stopped rinsing the mug in her hand as she leaned back, a sweet moan falling from her lips.
“I guess I still could get dizzy. Maybe it’s a good idea notto sleep alone for a while.” She reached back to loop her arm around my neck and pull me closer.
“I totally agree, but I need to ask you something first.”
She scrunched her nose and turned around, leaning against the sink.
“You need to ask me something first?”
I nodded. “Your mother and your brother told me to be careful with you.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s because they both get a little too protective. Everything that happened with Zach only made it worse.”
“Maybe. And understandable. But is there something I don’t know?”
“What do you mean?” She squinted up at me.
“Did something happen that I don’t know about? Did another guy hurt you like Zach? I know they’ve always babied you a little, but this seemed more serious than that. You know you can tell me anything, right?”
She averted her gaze, her eyes darting around the kitchen before coming back to mine.
“No one else hit me, and Zach only hit me once. Nothing like that happened before. I promise.”
“Butsomethinghappened.” I dipped my head until she met my gaze. “Something to make them concerned, even though it’s me. Granted, I can see how they could be a little weirded out, but?—”
“Listen,” she said, grabbing my face. “I am fine. I’m the youngest and they both always think they need to look after me, but they don’t. I’m very happy here with you.” She brought my face close to hers, brushing a light kiss on my lips, then another. “I’m perfectly…” she whispered, dragging her lips down my throat, “totally…” she flicked her tongue along my collarbone, “fine.” She smiled up at me, her eyes full of heat and sin as she coasted her hand over my ass.
“You’re not dizzy?” I skimmed my finger along the V neck of her T-shirt.
“Nope,” she said, popping the p over my lips.
“Your head doesn’t hurt?” I palmed her breast over her shirt, tracing her nipple with my thumb as it pebbled under the cotton.
“Not even a little,” she said, shaking her head.
“Still, can never be too careful,” I said, gliding my hands down her hips and slapping her ass with a loud smack. Her eyes went wide as she yelped, covering her mouth with her hand.
