Page 115 of Dare You to Run
“We thought we had time to take a small ride and had a little accident,” I explain.
“Alittle?Hendrix…she looks like she walked through the swamps of Mississippi.” Her voice raises an octave and it stirs Olive.
She rocks from side to side, rubbing circles over her back and giving her soft pats.
“Little girls who wear dresses don’t play in the mud, Gemma.” Dagen lowers her voice just as Olive begins to calm.
“I’m not a little girl. I’m a bad ass, mommy. That’s different. Auntie Viv says so.” I snort with laughter and it earns me a glare from my wife. My beautiful wife, I might add.
“Oh Jesus,” she mumbles and smacks her forehead. “No more FaceTiming with Auntie Viv. She has a potty mouth. That dress is never going to come clean. Auntie Marcie is going to be so disappointed.”
The worry that was building in G.G.’s eyes turns to tears, and they rush over her lids and track down her face, leaving clean paths where mud once was.
Dammit I’m a sucker for this little girl. I can’t stand to see her cry. I reach down and pick her up, holding her to me as she sobs.
“Shh. It’s okay princess. We’ll find you something. Doesn’t Millie have clothes that she keeps here for you?” I ask G.G. but I really direct my question to Dagen.
We’re far from home but her mom and dad always have a closet full of clothes and toys waiting for the kids when we visit.
“Well,” Dagen starts. “Since little Miss Dare only likes to play in the dirt and in the creek, Millie has a load of jeans and shorts that are perfect for getting dirty. I don’t think she has any sort of dress that would be good for a flower girl in her uncles wedding.”
Danté, the man who swore he’d never settle down with just one woman, is settling down with one woman. But in all honesty, Marcie’s the only one who could ever match Danté. That woman is his equal in feminine form. Kind of feminine. Which is why I don’t think she’ll be too upset with the new development.
“Was someone talking about the greatest, most handsome uncle in the world? Well don’t worry. I’m here.” Danté comes swaggering into he barn, his usual devilish look on his face.
“Uncle D!” G.G. shouts and jumps from my arms.
She runs straight to him and leaps into his arms, hugging him tight. I witness the mud smear all over his clothes, and I’m thankful that he has yet to get his suit on. That black on black on black would be a horrible mess.
“I’m sorry,” she hiccups. “I was just playin’ and got dirty. Please tell Auntie Marcie not to be mad.”
A tattooed hand rubs her back and Danté kisses her head. “Aw, giggles. It’s okay. She won’t be mad.”
G.G. lifts her head, smiling through her tear soaked face at the nickname her uncle gave her, and asks, “Promise?”
“Promise. C’mon. We’ll get this taken care of. Let’s go find your Millie and then we can explain to her.” D squeezes G.G. tight to him and winks at us before turning and walking out of the barn.
I never thought I‘d see the day that Danté not only fell for a woman, but fell hard for a little girl he can’t live without.
Mal, yes. He’s probably going to hop on Sunny every chance he gets, making as many babies as he can convince her to. I have a feeling Calix is just one of many.
“Hendrix.” Dagen turns her attention on me and I gulp.
I step closer to her and place my hands on her shapely hips. Having babies has only made this woman sexier. I didn’t think it was possible, but just like as she always does, Dagen proved me wrong.
“You look delicious, little mouse.” I lean in to kiss her, maneuvering around Olive as she sleeps in her carrier.
Gemma favors me in looks —and obviously attitude— with her dark blonde hair and blue green eyes. But Olive, she’s allDagen. Brown hair, soft and shiny, green eyes, and a smile that lights up my world.
A hand smooshes in my face, and I’m stopped dead in my tracks.
“No way, mister. I am mad at you. You couldn’t tell her no just once, could you? I swear, you give into that girl every time.”
I remove my face from her palm and pull out my best Mr. Wolf face and voice.
“Oh, little mouse. It’s so cute how you try to act tough.” I let my fingers dig into her waist and watch her shiver. “How about we let Olive have some special time with Auntie Sunny and Uncle Mal, and you and I can have our own special time.”
She tries very hard to look fierce, but I don’t miss that saucy smirk that comes through.
