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I smiled at her offer. “We’ll see.”
“Are you hungry? We made extra spaghetti for you.”
My stomach heard food and decided to growl for attention. Sage and I laughed, and I placed a hand on my middle. “I guess that answered that question. I am hungry, but I should probably get Nell-Belle home and into her bed.”
“I’d rather you stay.”
I jumped at Jake’s low rumble coming from the doorway. I turned, finding him leaning his shoulder against the wall, his arm crossed, hair disheveled.
“Hey. You’re awake.”
He nodded. “Your girl knocked me out. She’s like a little heated blanket.”
That made me smile. “And maybe she ran you just a little bit ragged.”
“Maybe.”
His eyes crinkled, and he reached for me, pulling me close to kiss the top of my head. He’d kissed me like that in Nellie’s presence. It hadn’t fazed her, but I was surprised he wasn’t being more circumspect around his daughter since she was very much aware of what was going on. If he was fine with it, though, then I wasn’t complaining. I needed a hug after the day I had.
I peered beyond him to the living room. “Where is she?”
He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. “Passed out on the couch. She didn’t even stir when I moved her. I think she’s down for the count.”
Beeps from the microwave pulled our attention to Sage. “I’m heating up spaghetti for Clara. She’s starving.”
Jake raised his brows at me. “You’re starving, huh? No one took care of you today?”
“No. I worked through lunch, but I hadn’t expected I wouldn’t be home for dinner. All I’ve had is chocolate and an obscene amount of coffee.” I glanced back at the living room. “I really should get us home. It’s getting late, so—”
“It’s getting late, so you should stay here. Tomorrow’s Saturday. You don’t have to go to work. No reason you can’t stay over,” he said lowly, even though Sage was very much attuned to what her father was offering.
“Are you sure?” My eyes darted between his, trying to get a read on him. “I know this isn’t what we agreed on.”
He kissed my forehead. “You look beat. I don’t want you out on the road like this. You’re staying the night.”
His tone was firm and final. Obviously, I could have taken my child and run, but I didn’t want to. I liked being in the kitchen with Sage and Jake, his arm around me, her fussing over my dinner. After hours of panic, they were my warm blanket.
We tucked Nellie in on a twin air mattress at the foot of Jake’s bed. Sage had wanted her to sleep in her room, but I worried Nellie would wake up scared in the middle of the night. I promised Sage she could have a sleepover with her in the future, but the words felt like dust on my tongue since I didn’t know if they were true.
Jake stepped into his en suite bathroom and stood behind me while I brushed my teeth. His hands slid over my hips and around to my stomach, holding me as he watched me in the mirror. I leaned forward to spit out my toothpaste and rinse my mouth, incredibly aware of his body aligned with mine. Even though he wasn’t hard, I felt him through the flimsy fabric of his pajama pants, and my core tightened.
Straightening, I leaned back, and his arms wrapped around me fully. We looked at each other in the mirror. I was wearing one of his old T-shirts, which was tight around my chest and hips while barely covering my butt.
“I don’t have pants,” I whispered.
“You don’t need pants.”
I eyed his bare chest, saliva pooling in my mouth. “Together, we make a full outfit.”
He breathed a soft laugh. “Seems like we make a good pair then.”
“Seems like it.” Sighing, I turned my head to nuzzle the underside of his chin. “I don’t know how to thank you for today.”
“You already said it. You don’t owe me anything else. What you asked of me wasn’t a burden at all. Sage was in heaven having her here, and I can’t say I wasn’t too.”
My throat swelled, and I hid my face deeper in his neck so he didn’t see the emotion on my face. “You like my daughter,” I murmured against his warm skin.
“I do. She’s a part of you, and there’s no part of you I don’t like.”
