Page 53 of Daddies' Holiday Toy
I sit and pretend everything’s normal while I’m served a heaping plate of food on top of a fresh cup of tea poured for me.
Reece practically wolfs half of his portion down by the time I get through a strip of bacon, impressing me more than I thought.
The entire atmosphere feels incredibly domestic.
One I can easily fall into if I allow myself.
But inside?
I’m still in that dream where Liam’s mouth and hands pretend last night went past just him laying me down and tucking me in for a good night’s rest.
When I’m halfway through my first pancake when I hear it: the soft sound of footsteps on hardwood.
My stomach drops.
Liam walks in, freshly showered, hair damp and pushed back from his face, a few of the dark strands curling in places before they loosen and fall into their usual messy shape.
He’s wearing a dark thermal that clings to him in all the places my eyes shouldn’t be lingering—the broad line of his shoulders, the curve of his chest.
His sleeves are rolled up just enough to show off his strong forearms and his skin is still faintly flushed from the heat of the water.
His gaze moves around the kitchen once in a quick, efficient sweep, but when it lands on me it sticks.
I freeze, fork halfway to my mouth.
It’s not much, but I see a flicker in his eyes, barely there.
Something definitely shifts before he turns away, moving toward the coffee pot.
It has my cheeks heating instantly, though not from excitement.
All I feel is shame.
He knows I remember, hehasto know.
“Morning,” he says to the room, his voice casual.
I swallow hard, forcing my own to work. “Morning.”
Jack glances between us, spatula hovering in midair.
He watches for just a beat before flipping another pancake onto the growing stack next to the stove.
I swear I see his gaze narrowing at us the next time he looks up again.
Does he know?
I’m terrified to find out that answer.
Liam pours himself a cup of coffee, leaning back against the counter, and takes a slow sip from it.
He’s not looking at me anymore, but I can feel his attention all the same in the same way you can feel when the sun warms your skin even with your eyes closed.
I keep telling myself to breathe and relax because it’s better to act like nothing happened than try and drudge it up and see where he stands.
For the most part, I manage, at least on the outside. Inside, my entire nervous system is humming like a live wire.
Reece pushes away from the table, patting his stomach with both hands before carrying his empty plate to the sink.
