Page 94 of Knot What I Expected

And fuck me.

I don't know which one of us said it first.

Chapter 9

Gabriella

“Matteo, make sure you pack your clean pajamas!”

“I did!”

“And underwear!”

A pause.

Too long.

I close my eyes.

“Matteo?”

“I’m getting them!”

I press a hand to my chest and exhale.

Lord, help me.

I’m more nervous about this than he is.

Then again, my six-year-old has apparently decided that attending his first sleepover is the greatest thing that has ever happened to him.

Possibly greater than starting school.

Possibly even greater than giant mall cookies.

My traitorous brain immediately supplies the image of a huge blond Wolf sitting across from Matteo with a chocolate chip cookie in his hand.

No.

We are not thinking about Havoc.

I walk into Matteo’s bedroom and find him stuffing approximately half his worldly possessions into the little dinosaur backpack we bought for school.

“Baby, you don't need all that.”

“I need Rex.”

“Okay.”

“And Captain.”

“Fine.”

“And my cars.”

“All four?”

He looks horrified that I would even ask.