Page 66 of One Kind Goal

“I’ve been for a little while now, but I didn’t want to move and ruin this.” He tensed his arm that was around her. “I like having you right here.”

“I like being right here.” She slid her leg over his as his other arm wrapped around her.

Within moments, they were touching each other under the sheets and giving each other more than pleasant good morning wishes. Morgan could have stayed in that bed all day with him, but once Nia singing in her bedroom reached their ears, they both decided the time to officially get up had arrived.

“Come darkness,” Sawyer said as he stood behind Morgan before she opened their bedroom door, “I’ll have you naked again. That’s a promise.”

Morgan’s skin goosebumped. “And you always keep your promises, don’t you?”

He bent to nip at the rim of her ear. “Yup.” Stepping around her, Sawyer opened the bedroom door and grabbed Nia by the waist as the girl attempted to run by. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Nia giggled. “Put me down, Daddy!”

Sawyer only hoisted her up higher. “Not until you say the magic word.”

“Is please the magic word?” Nia laughed some more as Sawyer took a knuckle to her ribs to tickle her.

“Nope.”

Morgan followed them both into the kitchen where she headed for the coffee pot.

“What is it then?” Nia’s feet wiggled wildly and Morgan feared she’d wiggle herself right out of Sawyer’s one-armed hold. One glimpse at the man’s tight biceps, however, had her changing her mind about that. He could more than handle the kid’s weight.

“The magic word is . . . hullabaloo.”

“Hullabaloo?”

Sawyer set Nia down. “Yep. See? You said it so I put you down.”

“That’s a not a word, Daddy.” Nia put her hands on her hips, her green gaze flashing up at him.

“It certainly is.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans—jeans that showcased that hot hockey ass perfectly—and pulled out his phone. Tapping the screen a few times, he held the phone out to face Nia. “It’s right here. Hullabaloo means a fuss or a noisy disturbance. For example, I could say there was a hullabaloo at the store when a person didn’t want to pay for their groceries.”

Nia took the phone and brought it over to Morgan. “Does this say hullabaloo is a real word, Morgan? I don’t know if Daddy is tricking me.”

More than a little touched Nia trusted her to tell her the truth, Morgan nodded. “It’s a real word. I’ve heard it before and this screen says exactly what your daddy told you.”

“Hullabaloo.” Nia brought the phone back to Sawyer. “What other funny words are there, Daddy?”

Father and daughter sat on the couch, investigating silly words including fuddy-duddy and bumfuzzled while Morgan scrambled some eggs and let bacon sizzle in a frying pan. Eggs and bacon were about the only thing she knew how to cook. Her dad had taught her because that had been the only thing he’d known how to cook too. They’d eaten a great deal of scrambled eggs right after her parents had passed because none of her sisters or Austin knew how to make meals. Fortunately, once Austin had hit it big in movies, he’d hired a chef and they’d all eaten like royalty.

But eggs and bacon were homey, creating the perfect vibe in the cottage right now.

“Breakfast is served,” Morgan said when she was finished. “Come and get it.”

Nia and Sawyer raced each other to the island in the kitchen. Sawyer reached the stool before Nia could get to it. He plopped his ass down and pumped a casted fist in the air.

“I win!” He looked down at Nia. “Sorry, kid, I guess you’re out of luck.”

Nia narrowed her eyes at her father, making Morgan laugh. Then the girl went to Morgan’s side of the island and tugged on Morgan’s hand until they were eye-level with one another. Cupping her hand over Morgan’s ear, Nia whispered something.

Nodding, Morgan heaped two plates with eggs, bacon, and toast. She took both plates to the dining room and she and Nia made themselves comfortable, leaving Sawyer alone at the island.

“Oh.” He slid back the stool and filled his own plate. “I see how it is in here. Two against one.”

“Girls against boys,” Nia said, shoveling up a big scoop of eggs.

“And the girls are winning.” Morgan dove into her own breakfast. “We’re already enjoying our food.”