Page 20 of Innocent Salvation

Parenting a child you hadn’t raised from birth was a strange and tricky road to navigate. He felt the need to give her privacy for certain things like changing, even though he knew if he’d been her father, he wouldn’t have even thought of it. In this day and age when everything and everyone was evaluated as a pervert, he found himself being extra cautious and not overstepping a boundary that might make Fleur uncomfortable.

“I’m ready.”

He poked his head in and saw her sitting up in bed, her arm around Pumpkin, her teddy, toothpaste smeared on her chin. A smile creased his face as he went to his knees by the bed and leaned on the quilt covered in pink unicorns. Her room was typical of her age, with pink everywhere and dolls and teddies on every surface. Never had he imagined this would be his life and the transition from bachelor to full-time parent had been a steep learning curve but one he found he enjoyed.

There was an innate innocence and joy in children that fed the soul with hope, and in his job where he saw the worst of humanity on a daily basis, it was easy to lose hope and become jaded. Fleur had changed that; she’d given him a different outlook on life that he’d been lacking. That didn’t mean there weren’t days when he was overwhelmed and exhausted from the responsibility. He had no idea how single parents did this without help and it gave him a new respect for each and every one of them and he hoped would make him a better judge.

“So, what story would you like?”

“I want one of Snow’s stories.”

The little girl pointed behind him and he saw Snow leaning in the doorway watching them, an indulgent look of what was almost love on her face. For a second, he wondered what life would be like to have a family, a nucleus of a mother, father, and child. How that tight-knit unit would fight the world for each other.

Snow moved closer, her dress swishing around her toned thighs and knelt beside him on the floor, her scent spilling over him in a wave. He should move away but the pull was too strong.

“One story. Then straight to sleep, okay.”

Snow was firm with Fleur, but she tempered it with genuine affection and care, almost like a mother would and again he wondered what life would be like if he shared it with another, or more especially her. The thought shocked him, and he went to move, to get away from the confusing, uncomfortable presence of the woman who was turning his world upside down without even seeming to try.

A little hand grabbed his arm and he stilled. “Stay, Uncy Seb.”

Every instinct in him told him to run, to get away from this minx but the imploring look from his niece stilled his retreat and he reluctantly settled back on the floor.

As Snow told her story of ice warriors and snow fairies who fought against the evil Ice Queen, weaving magical characters and amazing feats of bravery into each line, he fell under her spell, enraptured by the tale as much as his niece. Her voice was lyrical and full of life, her excitement in every word.

By the time she was finished, Fleur was fast asleep, her breathing even as Snow tucked her covers more securely around her body and dropped a kiss on her head. He felt her leave the room as he checked the window was locked in the child’s room, caressed her fine hair back from her face, and switched off the lamp leaving only the nightlight to cast a warm glow on the room as she slept.

In the den Snow was clearing away the rest of the fort that had been their cocoon from the world. She looked up, a smile in her eyes, and he found himself frowning in irritation. What hope did he have against her when she gave away her joy so freely?

“Is she asleep?”

“Yes.”

He saw her flinch at his terse tone and regretted it almost instantly. Again, she was making him change who he was without a word. He was this way with everyone and had never had any compunction about it. If people didn’t like who he was, or the way he was, then they could remove themselves from his vicinity, but he found himself wanting to be better, softer, around her.

“Go to bed, Snow. I can clean up.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

In a second he was across the room to her, grasping her wrists to his chest in his much larger hands, forcing her to drop the sheet she was folding. Her eyes shot to him, and he didn’t see fear in her big blue eyes—only heat and longing that shot lust to his aching cock. He was teetering on the edge of a decision that could break him in ways he didn’t fully understand but sensed like prey sensed a predator. No, that couldn’t be right. He was the predator here although he felt like prey to the allure of this woman.

A pulse beat in her neck, her eyes flared with desire, and he could feel the electricity between them as if it had a life of its own. Her pink tongue came out to wet her bottom lip, and the need to taste her and feel her softness was so strong he almost groaned.

Bending, he ran his nose along her neck, his lips barely skimming her flesh in a whisper, the skin like silk. He inhaled her scent, felt the pulse beat against his lips, heard her breathing change, and knew she was as affected as he was. His teeth nipped the sweet skin behind her ear and his legendary control was close to breaking as she shuddered against him, her hands and body relaxing into him.

Then the mood changed in an instant. He felt the way she closed down before she yanked from his grasp with no difficulty at all. Not that he’d have stopped her or was holding her tight, but the movement was a practised one, which made him wonder about her earlier comment of putting him on his ass.

They stared at each other for a breathless moment, the air stilling as if it too was waiting to see what would happen. He saw a myriad of emotions cross her beautiful face, each one fleeting and mirroring his own. Sebastian knew if he pushed it, he could have them moaning in pleasure in his bed in minutes, but he’d never forced or coerced a woman into his bed, and she was the last woman he should even be considering there.

“Go to bed, Snow, before one of us does something we’ll both regret.”

She stared at him for a second as if deciding if she’d heed his warning then turned her back and walked away from him. It took everything inside him not to follow and finish what he knew they both wanted.

As he lay in bed that night flitting between regret for making things awkward and wondering if he should just say to hell with it and take her to bed and get it out of their systems, there was one irrefutable fact and that was he’d been right about Snow changing his life. He just still hadn’t figured out how yet. One thing he did know was that he’d have her in his bed screaming his name, and when she did, she’d be the one coming to him, he wouldn’t chase her.

Chapter 9

The morning air was chilly as Snow walked to meet Reaper. He’d said he wanted to discuss the case without the threat of little ears hearing but she knew he was really checking up on her. When he’d called to check in last night she’d still been reeling from the heated encounter with Sebastian. While she could hide her emotions from most, Reaper and Duchess always saw through her, which was annoying and sweet at the same time.