Page 61 of Dominate
“I got them,” he says as he sets them on the rug and straightens the several pairs of shoes that belong to me, Sophia, and Freya. We’re complete slobs, but the cute smile on Gareth’s face indicates he doesn’t mind our mess.
I can’t help but shake my head at him. “You’re nice to my child and you clean? I’m convinced you’re not human.”
He chuckles and turns to prop himself on the doorframe, his arm muscle flexing as he runs a hand through his dark hair. With a happy sigh, he points out toward the living room and says, “She is brilliant, Sloan.”
My brows lift with pride. “It looked like you guys were getting along okay. There was a lot of talking going on out there, but I couldn’t hear the majority of it.”
“That girl doesn’t stop talking,” he replies with a pleased smile. “But I don’t mind because she’s extremely entertaining.”
“Oh, God.” I cover my face and peek through my fingers to mumble, “What did she say?”
“She said you walk around the house naked sometimes.”
“No!”
“And she said that you and Freya drink wine out of coffee mugs, but you lie and tell her it’s tea.”
“She knows that trick?” My face heats with embarrassment.
“I’m afraid so. She also said you and Freya are obsessed with horses?”
“Well, I’m afraid that one is very true,” I reply flippantly and ignore Gareth’s confused expression. I smile wide and shake my head as I think about how much more Sophia must have said. “Good God, are none of my secrets safe anymore?”
“Doubtful,” Gareth replies, a weird look morphing on his face like he’s holding something back. He shakes his head and adds, “But truly, she’s amazing. She seems wise beyond her years but still really fun and playful. It’s quite brilliant because, after everything she has been through—fighting cancer, moving to a new country, her parents separating—she’s taking it all in stride. It’s a true testament to how wonderful of a mother you are.”
My throat closes up in response to his words and the intensity of his eyes on mine. I look away and move to the sink, my hands splaying out on the counter for balance.
Once again, I am overwhelmed by Gareth’s remarks about how I am as a mother. “How are you so good at this, Gareth?” I ask, my voice soft.
“Good at what?” I feel his eyes on my back like a warm blanket. His footsteps are light as he moves up behind me, mirroring my stance over the sink.
I turn around and look him straight in the eyes, allowing him to envelop me like a warm cocoon. “At saying all the right things and not freaking out over how messy my life is because of that wonderful little girl.”
Gareth’s brow furrows as he tilts his head and looks at me. “You are who you are because of her, Sloan.” He slides his hands up my arms, soothing me with his touch. “The fact that you fought for her, bled for her, sacrificed for her makes me care about you even more. Knowing everything I know now, there’s no way I can walk away from you two. I want your mess in my life, Sloan.”
With a deep breath, I press my forehead to his chest as my heart threatens to explode out of my body. He wraps his arms around me, cradling me, comforting me, squeezing me to him as I take in his scent, his manliness, his perfect embrace. He’s so much more than I ever imagined a man could be.
And he’s mine.
My body reacts to that last thought with a base drum kick to my libido. I have to physically pull myself off of him and push him away from my body. Licking my lips, I move toward the door. “I think we need to maintain a five foot distance between us until Sophia goes to bed.”
His chest shakes with a laugh. “Why is that exactly?”
“Because when you say things like that, it makes it really hard for me to remember that I have a child who’s awake in the next room.” I run my fingers through my hair and smooth my shirt down nervously. “Speaking of which, let’s go check on that child of mine.”
“You’re the boss,” he replies and follows me into the living room.
As if destiny is playing a funny hand in my life, I find Sophia out cold on the sofa, her mouth hanging wide open as she breathes deeply in and out. I look over at Gareth, who’s smiling so adorably, I think I spontaneously ovulate like Freya did earlier.
I clear my throat and whisper, “I better get her up to bed.”
Walking around the couch, I gently shake Sophia’s shoulder. “Come on, Sopapilla. It’s time for bed.”
“Mummy, nooo,” she croaks, her eyes not even opening as she goes right back to breathing heavily.
I smile up at Gareth. “You wore her out.”
“Let me,” Gareth says, stretching his large frame over the back of the sofa. He hooks one arm under her neck and the other under her legs. With great ease, he picks her up like a baby without so much as a grunt. “Lead the way.”
