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“Lucas.”
I focus on Courtney’s face, and I can tell by her murderous expression that she’s not happy about Maddi finding her in my bed this morning. I also don’t care. Sometime between last night and this morning, I decided that she’s going to be around a lot more. She will definitely make a habit of spending the night. She fits here with us, and I know she has to feel it, too.
Screw going too fast.
“If you don’t feel like making something here, I’ll pick up bagels while I’m out.”
“Lucas—” she starts, but Maddi cuts in.
“I vote for bagels. Can I have a raisin one with cinnamon cream cheese, Daddy?”
“Sure, honey.” My eyes go to Courtney. “What would you like?”
Letting out a long breath, she shakes her head. “I’ll have a plain bagel with plain cream cheese.”
I nod, then move to grab Merida’s leash.
Courtney stops me, asking, “How are you going to pick up bagels if you have Merida with you?”
“I’ll leave her outside.”
“Outside?” Her eyes widen.
“Yeah, outside the shop. She’ll be fine.”
“Lucas, we just brought her home. We don’t know if she will be okay tied up outside while you’re inside and out of sight.”
“She was all over the city with us yesterday,” I remind her. Then I add, “We left her outside Starbucks while we went in to get drinks.”
“But I was watching her through the window.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“We should go with you. Or maybe I should go home for a bit and sho—”
“No!” Maddi cries. Courtney’s head flies her way. “You can’t go home.”
“Sweetheart . . . ,” Courtney says softly, only to be cut off again.
“I was hoping we could watch movies and spend the day together.”
“I’d just go home to shower. I’ll change and then come back, sweetie,” Courtney says gently, grabbing Maddi’s hand. “I’ll come back.”
“We can all go to your place, and then we can all come back here,” Maddi suggests, sounding hopeful.
“I . . .” Courtney looks up at me.
“Works for me,” I agree. I look at Maddi. “Go brush your teeth and get dressed. We’ll go when you’re ready.”
“Okay!” She smiles, then runs out of the room with Merida following behind her.
“Lucas . . .” Courtney’s tone is filled with warning.
When my eyes meet hers, I know that the expression she was wearing earlier wasn’t murderous, because this one truly is. “This is too much too soon.”
“It’s not,” I disagree with a shake of my head.
“Yes, it is. She could get confused and—”
“And what? You told me you’re falling in love with her. She feels the same, and I know that I’m enjoying every single moment I have with you. This is good.”
“This could end, and—”
“You’re right. It could. We could figure out that we actually hate each other. Or I could get hit by a car going to work tomorrow, and this could all come to an end.”
“Don’t say that,” she hisses, her face going pale.
I grab her hand and pull her against me, then drop my face close to hers. “Baby, the point is anything can happen, but I know I’d regret losing time with you more than I’d regret anything else. I like the way this feels. I like having you here with us. I might be wrong, but I think you like being here with us, too.”
“I just . . . I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.” She drops her eyes from mine.
I give her a squeeze to get her attention.
“I know. I don’t want that, either. But in life, if you try to guard against everything that might hurt you, you’ll end up missing out and having regrets. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I do know that right now you and I are going to make out until Maddi comes rushing back in here. Then we’re going to take Merida for a walk, stop to pick up bagels, and head to your place so you can shower and change. After you do that, we’ll eat, take Merida for another walk, then spend the rest of the afternoon here on the couch watching movies. We can have dinner together. And tonight”—I drop my voice—“after Maddi goes to bed, you and I are going to make out some more before I will be forced to let you go so that you can go home to sleep. But I know I’ll be wishing you were sleeping with me, because I really fucking liked holding you last night.”
“Oh,” she breathes, her eyes wide.
“Now are you ready for the first part of our day to start?”
“Maddi . . .”
“I’ll hear her,” I say, sliding my hand up her back to cup her head. I capture her hair in my grasp, then use it to tilt her head to the side right before my mouth hits hers. The moment our lips meet, her hands—which were resting on my waist—dig into my skin through my T-shirt. I lick across the seam of her lips, and she opens for me. I kiss her deeply, taking everything she’s willing to give and then some. I only let up when I hear Maddi getting ready to rush into the room. I pull my mouth from hers and smile when I see the dazed look in her eyes.
