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“Your turn, Daddy-O,” he shouted toward the ceiling.
River approached, a rippling mountain from behind, covering us in his shadow.
A shroud of fortitude.
I scooted over as he knelt down beside me, and River readjusted Nolan’s covers, tucking them beneath his little body.
“Sleep tight, Little Dude.” River’s voice was hushed. Full of devotion.
“Always, Dad, because you tuck me in the best.”
We started to stand when Nolan grabbed his father’s hand. “Don’t forget my puppy! I sleep even more the best since Miss Charleigh got me my Lucky.”
River chuckled, and he reached for it where it was on the floor halfway across the room. He tucked it in with him. “There.”
“Perfect,” Nolan said, beaming.
I stared down at him where I stood, and I gave myself over to the overwhelming presence of the man beside me.
Yeah.
Perfect.
River led me out, and he pulled the door shut behind us, though he left it open a couple inches.
I wavered, unsure of what to do. I ran my hands up my arms before I murmured quietly, “I should get ready for bed.”
I started for the guest bedroom where I’d deposited my things once again after dinner.
I’d barely made it a step before River swept me up and off my feet, surrounding me in the sanctuary of his arms. “Where do you think you’re going, Little Runner?”
A shiver raced, as sure as the ecstasy that pounded through my veins.
“To bed?” It peeped out of me like a question.
“Yeah, that’s exactly where you’re going, only you’re headin’ the wrong way.”
And I didn’t mind at all when he carried me to his room.
FORTY-SIX
RIVER
I stoodat the big glass-paned doors that overlooked the backyard, unable to move as I watched Charleigh and Nolan playing on the lawn.
Laughing.
Teasing.
Chasing.
Running, except Charleigh wasn’t running anywhere. Instead, she was here and present, like she’d been a fixture all along. Was weird watching the two of them playing beneath the bright afternoon sun, their beautiful faces flashing beneath the shade of the leaves that hung low over the yard.
Normally, I freaked the fuck out when strangers were around Nolan. Protectiveness so acute that I didn’t know what to do other than to keep him hedged in, but I didn’t think I’d ever felt so satisfied than right then.
Watching on what my gut told me was meant to be.
Didn’t mean I wasn’t completely rattled when my sister eased up beside me and asked, “What are you going to tell her?”
