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But when she comes down thirty minutes later, looking dead on her feet, I put the snacks away and take her hand in mine.
“We’re not working tonight,” I inform her.
“We’re not?”
“No, ma’am. You’re exhausted. We’re going upstairs, and you’re going to get comfortable, and I’ll rub your feet for a while.”
She doesn’t argue. Silently, we climb the stairs and walk down the hall, past Caleb’s room, to hers.
London closes the double doors so we have some privacy, and I walk into her bathroom to start her a shower.
“Have you ever noticed that you’re always bathing me?” she asks with a sleepy smile.
“It’s relaxing,” I reply and kiss the top of her head. “Get cozy.”
With her in the shower, I toss some pillows onto the couch, along with a blanket, and twenty minutes later, she walks out, looking soft and fresh in a tank and some sweatpants. I lead her to the couch and get her settled in, pull her foot into my lap, and begin to rub.
“I’m sorry,” she says, and my gaze whips up to hers.
“For what?”
“A lot of things.” She wiggles back into the pillows, getting more comfortable. “Mostly, I’m sorry that we can’t spend more time together. I really do wish that you could stay here with me.”
“London, have you thought about us talking with Caleb? He’s a smart kid. We could have an honest conversation with him and see where he’s at with the situation.”
“You’re not wrong.” She yawns hugely. “Sorry. I think you’re right. We should do that.”
“Or, now that I think about it, maybeIshould do that. Man-to-man.”
That brings a sparkle to her eye. “That would probably make him feel really important.”
“Heisimportant. I’ll do that this week.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t you come over tomorrow night and help us trim the Christmas trees? You can find a moment to talk to him then.”
“The sooner the better works for me, because I don’t want to be away from you any longer than I have to be.”
Her eyes soften as I switch feet.
“But I’m not just going to ask his permission to stay the night now and then.”
Her eyebrow lifts, waiting for me to continue.
“I want to move in permanently, babe. How do you feel about that?”
She blinks slowly, taking some time to think it over, and finally, just when I think she’s going to tell me to take a hike, she says, “Yeah. Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”
Her eyes aresoheavy, but they’re happy, too.
“One more thing before you fall asleep,” I continue. “I want to apologize for the other night.”
She frowns and tilts her head to the side in question.
“I don’t want you toeverthink that I would be unfaithful to you. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I know we already moved past this, but it’s still bothering me, and I want you to know that it won’t happen again. I’ll be aware of it now, if I’m ever in a similar situation.”
“Thanks for that,” she says. “I’m not sorry that I got upset. My only regret is that I didn’t tell her to take her badly manicured hands off my man.”
“That might have been sexy.”
