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Though her cheeks went pink with embarrassment, her eyes blazed with need. “Yes, Daddy.”
God, it was tempting to ditch their plans and spend the entire weekend in bed. Instead, he winked and linked his fingers with hers. At the car, she changed into her sandals, and they walked the short distance to the wooden boardwalk. The soft breeze coming off the ocean lifted her carefully curled hair, sending it dancing to a tune he couldn’t hear. Unable to stop himself even if he wanted to, he pulled her into him and lowered his lips to hers.
“I love kissing you, little one,” he said when he reluctantly broke the kiss a few moments later.
“Yeah?” She grinned up at him, and he’d have been lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the way her eyes had gone just a little unfocused and glassy with his kiss.
“Yes. I don’t get to kiss you nearly as often as I’d like.”
“Then shut up and kiss me again, old man.”
He growled softly, and the kiss he laid on her this time wasn’t slow and gentle. It was filled with dark promises of retribution. “Keep pushing your luck, little one,” he murmured against her lips. “The ride home Sunday may not be as much fun as the ride here.”
“Whatever you say, Daddy.”
“That’s more like it.” James took her hand again, swinging it lightly as they strolled the boardwalk.
“Oh!” They’d only passed a few shops when Olivia rushed over to a window display, pulling him along behind her. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”
The sculpture was stunning. Made of what he assumed was marble, a mermaid rose from a crashing wave made of glass, her head tossed back as some imaginary wind lifted her hair. The mermaid’s face was somehow hopeful and sad at the same time, and it tugged at something in his soul.
But not nearly as much as the wistful look on his wife’s face. “Do you like it?”
“I love it. It would look beautiful in the new house. It’s probably a small fortune, though.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
“Oh, no, we don’t have to. I just thought it was pretty. Really, James, you’ve spoiled me enough this weekend.”
“Nonsense. There’s no such thing when it comes to my girl. Come on.” Ignoring her protests, he pulled her into the shop.
The sculpture wasn’t as expensive as he’d imagined, though it was more than he’d normally spend on such a piece. But he couldn’t put a price tag on Olivia’s happiness, and it was obvious she wanted the sculpture. After paying for it, he made arrangements to have it delivered to the new house after the papers were signed.
“You really didn’t have to buy it, James.”
“I know. But you wanted it, and I wanted to make you happy.”
Without warning, she stopped in the middle of the boardwalk, looking up at him with her ‘I have something big to tell you’ look. “James, I don’t need things to make me happy. This whole weekend, the house, none of it matters to me. I mean, I love it, please don’t get me wrong. But what makes me happy is having you by my side. I don’t need you to spoil me.”
He considered brushing her off, but the earnest look in her eyes told him he needed to come clean. “I need it.”
“What?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he blew out a breath. “I need to spoil you. The past few months without my little girl were hell, and we were finally getting back on track when this asshole decided to start killing people. I love you, and I need to spoil you a little so you never forget how much I love you. Losing you…” He had to stop and drag in a breath to counteract the shakiness in his voice. “Losing you would fucking kill me, Livvy. I just need you to know you’re my whole world.”
“Oh, Daddy.” She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “I know. I always know. But if you need to spoil me, I won’t say another word about it.” Pulling away from him, she mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.
Her silliness helped to ease some of the tension gripping him. Leaning down, he brushed a kiss over her lips. “That’s my girl.”
Sunday morning,he woke to the sound of crashing waves. Sitting up in bed, he squinted at the sunlight pouring into the room through the open door.
Why the hell was the door open? He looked to his left, his stomach lurching violently at the empty space beside him.
“Liv? Olivia!”
He’d just yanked on his shorts when she came jogging up the stairs. “You’re awake!” she called cheerfully as she stepped through into the room.
Without giving her a chance to explain where she’d been, James sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her across his lap. The damp spot on the back of her shorts gave him a pretty good idea where she’d disappeared to, which just cemented his decision. Tugging the shorts to her knees, he slammed his hand into her wet, bathing suit covered bottom.
