Page 24 of Protecting Clove
He wanted to watch her go up the stairs, but he turned away and focused on the kitchen. When he heard Neo talking to Clove, he went into the kitchen and made sure he could find the bread. It was in the freezer and labeled very clearly as garlic bread.
After checking the time left on the spaghetti bake, he grabbed some reading material and opened it up. The specifications were detailed, and the reading was deep. He only got two pages in when his reminder went off. He put the bread into the oven and groaned at the scent of the food. It had smelled good before opening the oven door, now the scent twisted around him, teasing him.
He heard the shower running upstairs and Neo’s voice rising above the din. He laughed as she belted out “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and then “I’m A Little Teapot.” Very smart, but still a child.
The timer beeped around the time Neo and Clove came down the stairs. Neo danced around, laughing as she sang a song about spaghetti. They sat at the small table and ate the food, Neo asking questions about navigating in the water. He talked to her about shipping routes and how the Navy kept from wrecking into other boats. He enjoyed telling her about his time in the Navy and being on huge ships.
After dinner, Clove helped Neo brush her teeth, and then Neo asked if he would read to her. He said he would and joined Clove and Neo upstairs. He sat beside her bed and read from a novel that looked way too thick, but Clove assured him it was fine.
Neo was asleep in less than ten minutes, and his heart squeezed as he and Clove snuck out of the room. He’d never felt that deep, heart-wrenching emotions for anyone. The feeling took his breath away and made him wonder if he could be a father. He’d never really considered having kids before, but he wanted to protect Neo and watch her grow up. It was weird, and he wasn’t sure he should tell Clove how he felt, or anyone else for that matter.
“You okay?” Clove asked as she moved to the kitchen and pulled out a glass, filling it with water. She handed him a glass of water, too.
He shrugged. “I’ve never spent much time around kids, but watching her fall asleep and leaving the room, it was like I would do anything to keep her safe.”
Clove nodded. “Yeah. You get used to that feeling as a parent, but it is shocking the first time you feel it.”
“How often do you just watch her sleep?”
Laugher spilled out from Clove, and he glanced upstairs, wondering if the sound would wake Neo up.
“Don’t worry, she’s exhausted, and nothing will wake her when she’s like this.” Clove motioned to the couch, and they both moved to the den to sit. “I’ve watched her a few times, but I don’t want to risk waking her while she’s sleeping. We’ve had way too many early mornings together because she wakes up at like four or five, and I want to sleep until nine.”
He chuckled and took a sip of his water. “I want to install a good security system at your place and then put in security measures that would keep people out.”
“Like what?”
“There are some braces you can buy for the front door. Even if someone kicked in your door, they wouldn’t be able to get it open.”
“That would be good.”
He nodded and glanced around. “How often do you check the windows to make sure they are locked?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He stood and moved to the first window close to the front door. It was locked, so he moved to the next window, which was also locked, but the window directly behind the couch was unlocked.
Clove came over, shaking her head. “Wait, it was unlocked?”
“Yes. They were turned but not fully locked.”
“Shit. I wonder how long that window has been that way?”
He pushed the locks closed and tried the window again. It really was locked now. “Let’s check everything else down here.
She followed him to the kitchen and found the window was locked, but in the bathroom downstairs, it was unlocked. She looked very concerned.
“I swear I locked them when we moved in. I don’t think Neo would unlock them.”
“They’re locked now.”
He stepped out of the bathroom but stopped. She moved out of the bathroom and ran into his back. He turned and reached out, steadying her. What he should have done was release her the second he realized she was okay to stand, but he didn’t.
When her soul-filled brown eyes connected with his, desire shot through him. He wanted to feel her lips on his, but he knew it was wrong. He was seconds away from stepping back when she reached up and smoothed her fingers over his beard.
The invitation was obvious, and he didn’t hesitate. His lips were on hers, at first a sweet brush, but then need drove him to push her up against the wall as he lifted her so her legs were wrapped around his waist.
She opened for him, and their tongues twisted together, sliding against each other as she wrapped her arms tighter around his shoulders. He wanted to feel all of her, but he should slow down.
