Page 57 of Spoil
I sit up, realizing the bed is empty.
I check my phone. It’s nine. Crap! Danny’s usually up before seven.
I grab the nearest things I can find - Daniel’s button down and a pair of boxers - and throw them on before rushing down the hallway to Danny’s room, which I find empty.
Voices float up from downstairs, and I realize Daniel must have gotten up with her.
I tiptoe down the stairs, wanting to watch them together without them knowing. And when I get to the bottom of the stairs, I’m able to peek around the banister, through the sitting room and into the kitchen.
“Shhh!” Daniel scolds a giggling Danny, holding up a finger to his mouth. “You promised me you could be quiet and let Mommy sleep in this morning.”
“I forgot!” Danny whisper-shouts back, not at all bothered by the scolding.
“Open your mouth,” Daniel says, kneeling, and I watch with happy tears as he sprays a can of whipped cream into Danny’s open mouth. Unfortunately, his aim misses a squirt, landing on her nose, causing Danny to sneeze whipped cream all over Daniel’s face.
I bring my hand to my mouth to cover my gasp as I wait to see what they’ll do.
They stare at each other, both with their faces covered in whipped cream, stunned, before Danny’s face breaks out into a wide grin.
“Why you little...” Daniel starts, and Danny takes off running, laughing so loudly my heart swells. Daniel chases Danny around the island, wiping whipped cream from his face and flicking it at her retreating back. She squeals as she races through the sitting room and right into my legs when she sees me.
She hides behind my legs as Daniel kneels in front of me, pretending to grab at Danny from the front.
“Well, if you won’t help me clean up, maybe Mommy can,” he says and before I can react, he buries his face into my stomach and rubs it all over my shirt.
When he looks up again, he still has whipped cream stuck to his hair, and a smudge on his cheek, but God, he looks good.
I run my hand through his hair and admire how handsome he is.
“Good morning,” I say, one hand in his hair and one hand on Danny’s head.
“Morning, Mama, did you sleep well?”
“I did. Thank you for letting me sleep in.” I dip down, pick her up and hug her to my hip.
Daniel leads us back into the kitchen, where they’ve apparently lined up a waffle buffet.
When I set Danny down to help her make a plate, Daniel slides up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and dropping a kiss to my shoulder.
“This could be us, baby. Every morning,” he whispers against my hair.
It could be. The image is right there, and so beautiful it’s almost painful.
I could have every night like the one before, and every morning like this one.
All I have to do is betray my family.
Chapter twenty-eight
Daniel
The following week, my worst nightmare happens.
Nell: Just wanted to let you know Danny's come down with a small fever. I gave her some medicine before she fell asleep and she feels fine now
I didn’t hesitate.
Me: I'm coming over
