I kiss the top of her head, tightening my arms around her, and keep watch until the sun starts to rise.
33
Alice
When I openmy eyes again, there’s sunlight.
They feel heavy and gritty after last night. I feel a rush of shame burst through me, but when I go to sit up, a heavy arm keeps me in place.
“Where are you going?” Sutton mumbles, voice low with the grit of sleep.
He didn’t leave.
A different kind of panic takes root in my system, injecting adrenaline into my veins. Oh my god, I cried myself to sleep on his bare chest, and he didn’t leave.
“I can hear you thinking, and before your thoughts get out of hand, I’m only going to tell you once that you have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
I purse my lips. “Says the guy who didn’t have a major breakdown last night.”
Sutton opens his sleepy, blue eyes, letting a lazy smile tug his lips. “And I’m still not going anywhere, though if you keep up with that sass, I might have to try a different tactic next time.”
“Oh, yeah? Like what?”
Sutton curls his abs and gives me a lip touch. His eyes lock on mine. “Like spankin’ it out of you.”
“You wouldn’t.”
His grin is wolfish. “Don’t tempt me, Firecracker. I would love to see your ass red by my hand.”
The place between my thighs pulses.
Before I can retort something that would most definitely get my ass reddened, Sutton’s bedroom door flies open. I squeak and roll off him, overshooting, and fall onto the floor.
“Ouch,” I grunt, instantly annoyed by Sutton’s chuckle.
“Daddy, what is Miss Alice doing in your room?”
I have no choice but to stand. Her expression is assessing, and for a moment she looks so much like her father that I nearly laugh.
“We were reading together,” I say the first thing that pops into my head.
Sutton actually snorts.
I gingerly sit on the edge of the bed as if we’re two teenagers feigning innocence for our parents.
Nellie skips into the room, unfazed by my lie. “Can we go to the park today?”
Sutton taps her button nose. “Can’t, Buttercup. I have to go to work.”
She turns her pleading look on me. “Can you take me?”
I look at Sutton long enough for him to give the okay. His eyes are sparkling when he nods.
“Let’s do it, kiddo. Should we ride our bikes there?”
“Yes! We can race.” With that, she runs off to get ready in her room.
I turn back to Sutton, finding him staring with a quiet intensity. “What?”
