Page 122 of Reckless
They don’t know we’re doing so much more than making out.
Or that what happened between us here tonight felt like so much more than sex.
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Theo
Theo:How’s your bath?
Winter:Good.
Theo:Just good?
Winter:It was peaceful until you texted me.
Theo:What are you doing?
Winter:Enjoying myself. Go away.
Theo:Send me a pic and I’ll leave you alone.
Winter:What will you do with it?
Theo:Frame it.
* * *
Ihand Winter her morning coffee where’s she leaned against the kitchen island and press a soft kiss against her plush mouth. I feel her smile even though we both know I’m going back on the road today. “How was your bath?”
Peter sits at her feet, gazing up at her like he’s the lovesick one. I don’t know how she went from regarding him like he was diseased, to taking him everywhere with her and feeding him all the things a dog shouldn’t eat. Over the past several weeks of living together full time, he and Winter have become inseparable.
She already looks rosy from sitting in the hot water, so it’s hard to tell if she’s blushing. But judging by the way her eyes drop to the coffee mug in her hands and the way she takes a deep sip to avoid answering me, her bath wasgood.
I have the photo to prove it.
“If you’d given me some warning, I could have dropped Vivi off with my mom and come to watch the show.”
“Theo...” Her eyes dart to Vivi, who has one hand propped against my knee while she takes tiny steps away from me, testing the limits of her cruising. “Young ears. And you got a show last night.”
“Winter.” I imitate her voice, chuckling when she rolls her eyes at me. “I didn’t say a thing. We both know the one guilty of talking like a trucker in front of her is you. And today is a new day, that show wasyesterday. I have needs.”
“You’re such a horndo—” She stops short, her eyes fixed on the ground.
When I follow her gaze, I freeze too.
Vivi iswalking. Like a tiny drunk person with her arms outstretched to her mom’s legs. For weeks now, she’s been cruising from chair to couch, to table, along the wall. I’ve urged her to take that one little step without holding my finger, but she just hasn’t beenquitethere.
In what looks like a motion that is almost falling into Winter, she makes it, tipping her face up to stare at us. Her dark eyes widen in shock at the same time her mouth opens in the most hysterical “O” shape, like she can’t believe it.
“You did it!” Winter squeals, turning to put her coffee down.
Vivi giggles and claps, looking so, so damn proud of herself.
I crouch down to her and hold up my hand. “High five, baby girl! Next up, bull riding.”
She slaps my hand and laughs harder. The urge to pick her up is real, but that feels like the wrong way to celebrate this milestone. Like clipping her wings the minute she’s learned how to use them. So, I get to my knees and squeeze her in a hug. She squirms when I blow a raspberry on her neck.
“Oh my god.” Winter is staring down, pride and horror warring on her face.
