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“I know what a fort is,” she said, shifting in my arms. “But I don’t know about a fort you can make in a room that has to do with sleepovers and food.”
Everyone gave me a look, and I knew right then I’d lost the argument.
I blew out a sigh. “All right, we’ll go.”
Libby snorted and gestured to something behind me with her chin. “Again, like you had an option.”
I looked over my shoulder, my jaw clenching when my eyes caught on what was missing. “Where’s my mattress?”
“Dude, what part of fort don’t you understand?” Diggs asked, exasperated.
Cutting her amused gaze to where Elle was trying to silence her laughs, Libby said, “Come on, I have clothes you can change into.”
I reluctantly let her go when she started following my sister, then turned to change into a pair of sleep pants.
By the time I made it into the theater room, my frustration had only grown.
I had hours or minutes or seconds with my girl . . . I didn’t want to spend it with the rest of my family.
But the moment she walked in, her eyes lighting up and mouth falling open in shock and fascination as she took in the large room, my anger cooled. It was worth it to see her experience something like this.
And Diggs and Maverick had gone over the top, as usual.
Some of the couches and recliners were pushed to the walls, with a few left near the front of the room, with five mattresses scattered throughout the empty spaces behind them.
One of mine included.
Blankets and pillows were everywhere, three times the amount that were normally in the room. A table full of food sat near the door. Sheets hung from the ceiling, making it feel like we were in a giant tent, and waiting to be used for makeshift walls later on. The only openings were at the main doorway, the door leading to the bathroom, and the front of the room where the screen was.
“This is a fort?” Her question was nothing but a breath when she reached me, her hand grasping for my shirt and her eyes still taking everything in.
“This is the twins’ idea of a fort. Most are smaller. Much smaller. About the size for a couple kids.”
Her head shook, the action so slight I wasn’t sure she knew she was doing it. When she turned to face me, a breath of a laugh blew past her lips before they pulled into a wide, unrestrained smile.
And everything stopped.
My heart.
Time.
The whole goddamn world.
The second it happened, I knew deep in my gut I’d been waiti
ng my entire life to see that smile.
Elle was beautiful . . . she had always been beautiful. But the smile she’d offered everyone since the first day I’d seen her held so much sadness and pain. Like she didn’t know how to truly smile anymore.
This?
It was like a punch straight to my heart, because I knew it was real and it made this beautiful girl fucking breathtaking.
I wanted to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
I wanted to kiss that mesmerizing mouth.
I wanted to pull her away from here so I could have her to myself.
