Page 39 of Triplet Babies for the CEO

Tasha thanks me again, her voice so soft it’s like she’s speaking to a part of me that’s rarely touched, and I shake my head, brushing off her gratitude as I take a seat by her side.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I say, watching as she dips her spoon into the soup, her eyes lighting up as she tastes it. Shehums with approval, that little spark in her expression enough to make me feel like I’m exactly where I want to be.

After she takes a few bites, we settle in together, and I flick on the TV, finding an old cowboy movie just starting.

She snickers, her lips curving in amusement, and I can’t resist a grin.

“Hey, don’t knock the classics,” I tease, nudging her playfully. “These guys had style.”

“Oh, style?” she retorts, raising an eyebrow, smirking in a way that makes my heart skip. “I don’t see you riding around with spurs and a lasso, Mr. Thorne.”

“Give me a horse, and I’ll show you how it’s done.” I wink, playing along, and her laugh fills the room, warm and infectious.

It’s like every worry from the day melts away, and all that matters is this moment, her laughter, the light in her eyes that makes me feel like a young man again, full of possibility.

The banter flows easily between us, comfortable and natural. By the time we finish the soup and set the empty bowls aside, I find myself reaching out to her, almost without thinking.

“Your feet must be killing you after the past week,” I say, motioning to her. “Let me help you out a bit.”

A pink blush rises on her cheeks, but she doesn’t protest, extending her feet toward me with a small, trusting smile. I take her small foot in my hand, gently working my thumbs into the arch, feeling the tension melt under my fingers.

Her toenails are painted a soft pink, a sweet detail that only adds to the feeling blossoming in my chest.

“Oh, you’re good at that,” she sighs seductively, leaning back with her eyes half-closed, her body relaxing completely under my touch. I keep working my hands over her tired feet, letting the silence settle around us, glad to be here, to be the one taking care of her in these simple, quiet ways.

She stirs after a while, opening her eyes and looking almost sheepish. “I still have a pile of homework to get through,” she admits, sighing. “Guess my little break’s over.”

“Mind if I hang around while you work? Maybe I can help you out,” I say, not wanting the night to end just yet.

Tasha nods with a small smile, and I pull up a chair beside her as she sets up her laptop and notebook on her lap.

“Accounting work, huh?” I ask, scanning her notes and textbook, chuckling as I spot the pages on adjusting entries and balance sheets. “All right, what part are you stuck on?”

Tasha frowns, her lips pouting gently, pointing to the section that’s been giving her trouble. “This stuff just doesn’t stick in my brain,” she says, a little frustration seeping into her voice.

I go over a few key ideas, guiding her through examples, watching her closely as she listens intently, nodding along, biting her lip in that adorable way she does when she’s really concentrating.

“That’s it,” I say, pointing to her notes where she got it right. “See? It’s all about balance, keeping everything equal.”

A light sparks in her eyes as she scribbles down her answers. “I think it’s finally making sense,” she says, giving me a smile that could light up the whole room.

Knowing I’m helping her feels like I’m finally giving back something real, something that matters.

We work through a few more problems, and as she starts to get it, a quiet pride fills me, watching her succeed in something she’d been so unsure about.

Tasha’s stronger and smarter than she knows, and being here to witness it is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Eventually, her head begins to droop, her pencil slipping from her fingers.

“Tasha,” I whisper softly, nudging her shoulder. Her eyes flutter open, barely holding on, and I can’t help but smile. She’shalf-asleep already, and with a gentle hand, I coax her to lie back, pulling the covers over her as she drifts off.

I slide into bed beside her, wrapping her into my arms, holding her close as her breathing deepens, her body warm and soft against mine.

Tasha nestles against me instinctively, her hair spilling over the pillow in a russet halo. As I breathe her in, the comforting scent of her fills me with a peace I haven’t felt in a long time.

Pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, I feel her lean back into me with a small sigh. I’m overwhelmed by a sense of belonging while I’m holding her like this. It’s a warmth that goes beyond anything physical.

I let my hand rest on her shoulder, brushing a strand of hair from her face, pulling her closer, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest, the rhythm that soothes something deep within me.

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