Page 70 of Before You Can Blink
She must’ve heard my entry because she peeked over her shoulder and flashed me a smile. “Your dinner’s in the oven.”
Instead of trekking across the room to retrieve the plate of food being kept warm for me, I moved in behind Daisy, looped my arms around her waist, and buried my nose in her hair. Inhaling deeply, I allowed her scent to bring me peace after a long day.
Nothing could calm me like this woman.
“Dinner can wait,” I declared as the melody of a classic country love song filled the air, and I began to sway, urging Daisy to rock in time with me.
Her laughter rolled over me, thick and sweet like honey, as she turned in my arms. Eyes glittering, she asked, “Sure you’re not hungry, cowboy?”
Fuck. I loved it when she called me that.
“Starved,” I rasped in her ear, nibbling the lobe. “But it’s been far too long since I’ve pushed my wife around the dancefloor.”
Pulling back, Daisy beamed up at me. “You make it mighty hard to say no to you, Mr. Sullivan.”
A husky chuckle rolled up my throat. “Then my plan’s working perfectly.”
I dipped her dramatically, and she let out a squeal. “Jett!”
Little footfalls sounded on hardwood. “Daddy!”
When I brought Daisy upright, over her head, I saw Aspen rushing into the kitchen in her pajamas. Schooling my features into a stern expression, I playfully scolded, “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed by now, young lady?”
Her blue eyes went round, and she quickly dropped them to the floor as she shifted on her feet. “Yes, sir.”
Daisy squeezed my shoulder. “She wanted to wait up for you.”
The hidden undertone that I’d missed more than my fair share of bedtimes lately caused an ache beneath my sternum.
Humming, I released my wife and crouched before our daughter. “Is that so?”
Aspen’s little hands twisted, and she nodded.
Using one finger, I tipped her chin up, my thumb stroking over her soft cheek. She would never stop being my baby girl, but at five, her toddler days were long gone, and already I dreaded the day when another man swooped in and stole her away from me.
More than anything, I wanted to freeze this moment in time, one in which she ran to me, bursting with excitement simply because I was home at the end of the day.
But since that wasn’t possible, I decided to make the most of this phase that would be gone too soon.
Taking one of her hands in mine, I asked, “Can I have this dance, Miss Aspen?”
“Really?” My girl lit up like the most brilliant star in the night sky, and my heart threatened to burst.
I threw my arms wide in invitation, and Aspen wasted no time in clasping her little hands together behind my neck. Lifting her up, I joked, “Gotta practice for when we dance at your wedding.”
Her head pulled away from my shoulder, her face full of confusion. “But Daddy, I’m going to marry you!”
“Uh . . .” Out of my depth, I looked to Daisy for help.
“Totally normal,” my wife reassured me, giving my bicep a gentle squeeze. “Kids equate marriage with love. And since you’re the man she loves the most, it makes sense in her little mind that you’d be the one she wants to marry.”
Hmm. Guess that made sense.
A whine caught my attention, and I turned to find a sleep-rumpled, scowling Tripp standing on the threshold.
I shook my head in amusement. “If the same holds true for boys, your grumpy groom just showed up.”
Daisy peeked over my shoulder and beckoned to our son. “Come here, handsome.”
