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Jasper shot Maddie a grin. “I bet I could make you eat peas.”
Maddie shook her head, fully invested in their game as they ate. Jasper continued throughout dinner, trying unsuccessfully to get her to eat the few bites of steak.
As for her, the steak melted in her mouth, and she did her best to clear her plate. But it was such an abundance of food she couldn’t fit it all in.
By the time Maddie finished her dinner, she had cheese sauce smeared over her face, as was the norm. “It’s almost time for your bath, baby.”
“No.”
“I bet if you take your bath like a good girl, Jasper might read you your bedtime story tonight.”
Maddie gasped and turned wide eyes toward Jasper.
He booped her nose. “I will absolutely read to you tonight, lassie. But you’ve got to listen to your mum and take your bath. Can you do that for me?”
“Uh huh.” Maddie nodded, then held out her arms to Freya. “Mama.”
She mouthed thank you to Jasper, then rose from her seat and scooped her girl out of the highchair. “Why don’t we help Jasper clean up after dinner?”
“I’ve got clean-up duty. You girls go on now.”
“Are you sure? You did the cooking, so I should help with the clean-up.”
Jasper leveled her with a frank stare. “You’ve got your hands full already, lass. I’ve got it.”
She blew out her breath. Why was she fighting him so hard when he was taking a load off her shoulders? Because she was worried she’d come to depend on him and would look around one day and he’d be gone. “Okay, thanks for all of it.”
“I’ll meet you in the living room when Maddie’s ready for her bedtime story.” Jasper winked at Maddie, making her gleefully clap.
She carried her inside to her bedroom and the bathroom beyond. Freya would hurry through her bath and let Jasper read to her before putting Maddie down for the night. And once Maddie was sleeping, she had every intention of taking care of Jasper.
16
Jasper reclined on the couch in the living room with the sports channel on, watching Manchester United against Spain. The game was tied. And other than his cousins staging an intervention to save him from Freya and wee Maddie, it had been an all-around good day.
They were settling in with each other. He was beginning to understand their daily schedule and adjusting his to fit theirs. While he might want to alter it a tad, this was his first time having a toddler around full time. And it was why he bowed to Freya on all things with her kid.
Maddie had settled in his lap with her binky in her mouth, sucking away, her eyelids drooping while he read. Then she insisted he read her a second one. She started nodding off by the end of the second book.
Then he passed a sleepy Maddie on to her mum.
Freya might not have been financially stable, but she was a good mum. It was clear how much she loved Maddie. Otherwise, Maddie wouldn’t be such a happy, well-adjusted toddler. Other than that she didn’t want to eat anything other than noodles, hotdogs, apples, and chicken.
One of these days, he’d get her to eat steak.
Freya had no problem eating his steak. While he’d entertained Maddie as they ate, he’d kept his eye on her mum. The enjoyment on Freya’s face had been damn near orgasmic. Her expression had been like when he’d made her come the previous night.
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye. And found Freya watching him with a strange expression on her face.
“Maddie get to sleep all right?”
“She did. It was a big day with your cousins playing with her and then swimming. But in a good way.”
The mention of his cousins made him remember he needed to ask her about her ex. But it puzzled him when she grabbed a pillow and sauntered his way. Every atom in his body stood at attention. The football match was completely forgotten.
She approached until she stood before him and placed the pillow on the hardwood floor. His nostrils flared. She wasn’t—oh fuck, she was.
She gracefully slid to her knees and looked at him through her lashes.
