Page 163 of Cold As Ice

“Just get in here before I change my mind.”

She didn’t need to tell me twice. I quickly stripped down to my boxer briefs and climbed in beside her.

“Hmm, you’re so warm.” She pressed in close, laying her head on my chest as I wrapped my arm around her. “Thank you for tonight. I know it isn’t what you had planned, and you’re probably scarred for life… but it means a lot that you stuck around.”

“I’m sure I can think of a few ways you can repay me,” I said, pressing a kiss to her hair.

This was new territory for us, but strangely nothing felt weird about it. Vomit aside, I’d genuinely liked being here in their space.

Madison wanted to take things slow but there was nothing slow about the depths of my feelings for her. I wasn’t ready to name them yet, but I could acknowledge that I’d never felt this way before.

“Mmm,” her soft laughter punched through my chest and wrapped around my heart. “I’m beat. Mind if I go to sleep?”

I tangled my fingers in her hair. “Sleep, Madi. I’ve got you.”

She let out a contented sigh and snuggled closer. My heart was in overdrive, crashing against my chest. A rhythmic thunderclap in the silence. It seemed fitting for the gravity of the situation.

I’d never done this—anyof this.

There was a little girl down the hall who had managed to wrap me around her pinky in less than a few hours, and her mom curled up beside me like she was born to be there.

It was a lot to get my head around.

But I wasn’t scared. Not in the way I thought I would be.

Being around Madison brought me peace.Shebrought me peace. And now that I knew what that could feel like, I never wanted to let her go.

* * *

“Austins, Mr. Austins.”

Something tickled my face. I swatted it away, cracking an eye open to find a bunny paw coming right at me.

“What the—”

“You is a sleepy heads.” The bunny disappeared and Imogen’s face came into view. “Why is you in bed with Mommy?”

“I…” Shit.Shit. I glanced over my shoulder to find Madison was still out cold.

Clearly, neither of us had thought this through when I’d climbed into bed with her a few hours ago.

“Your mommy is still sick, so why don’t we get up and let her sleep a bit longer?” I suggested.

“Okays. Can you makes me breakfast? My tummy is alll empty.”

“I… Uh, yeah. Yeah, we can do that. But I’m going to need you to wait in the hall for me, okay?”

“Okay. But don’ts be wong.” She skipped off, obviously feeling a lot better than she had been last night.

“Madi.” I leaned over her and brushed my fingers along her shoulder. “Imogen is awake.”

“Hmm,” she murmured, not really waking.

“I’ll get up with her and get her some breakfast. Just promise not to kill me if I poison her.” I pressed a kiss to her skin.

Madison didn’t rouse. So I slipped out of bed, pulled on my clothes and went in search of the little hellion.

“Austins,” she shrieked when I found her.

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