Page 88 of Accidentally in Love

“Are you already done with that book?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Almost, I’m a fast reader.”

He sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”

“The pie,” I said as I turned the page in my book.

He seemed to take the hint that reading meant ‘do not bother me,’ but I liked him next to me. His presence was calming. I had restarted the fire, but the oven also made the cabin feel warmer. It made everything nice and toasty underneath my blanket.

The timer on my phone dinged, and instead of getting up myself, Nolan pushed my legs off his lap and went to go check it for me. “Looks done to me!”

“How do you know?”

“My mom baked a lot. I know how to tell if a pie is done or not.”

That was the first thing he ever told me about her. It occurred to me I didn’t even know his mother’s name. I wasn’t about to push him on it, though. I set my book down, but then Nolan came back into the living room. He checked on the fire and sat down next to me. He continued to rub my feet.

He gave me a sly grin as his hands kneaded my feet in all the right spots. He was so good at taking care of me. I closed my eyes and laid back on the couch. This was the best honeymoon. It might have been rocky at first, but I was having some of the best sex of my life, and this man was doing everything to tend to my needs.

“She would have loved you,” Nolan whispered.

“Hmm?” I asked and slid open one eyelid.

“My mom. She would have loved you.”

“You think so? All things considered?”

He nodded. “Mom was a schoolteacher too. You would have had that in common.”

“What did she teach?” I asked.

If he was finally opening up to me, I wanted to encourage him but not push him. Who knew that getting teenagers to open up would prepare me for getting my emotionally inept husband to open up?

He grinned at me. “English.”

I laughed.

“Don’t take this the wrong way…” he trailed off.

“What?”

“You’re a lot alike.”

I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to take that. “How so?”

“Well, baking, teaching. You had that in common. But she was kind, and she always put everyone’s feelings before her.”

My brow creased at his comment. “How is that like me?”

He gave me an annoyed look. “You worry about your sister. You sometimes put her needs before yours. Even though you’re pregnant and have your own stuff going on, when Gemma needs you, you go to her.”

“You think I coddle her.”

He shook his head. “Not that. You want to make sure she’s happy before yourself. And you worry about your dad being lonely too, but he seems fine.”

I frowned.

“It’s not a bad thing. It’s one thing I love about you.”