AllFreeNovel
Share Us
IwakeupinNolan’s bed, rolling over sleepily, and stretching under his dark gray cotton comforter. I’m not surprised to wake up alone, because I smell breakfast cooking. Actual hearty breakfast. Which also doesn't surprise me considering the man made a whole ass lasagna the first night I came over to his house.
I throw my legs over the end of the bed and I see that there are folded clothes on his nightstand. My clothes. And they smell…clean.
“No he didn’t,” I whisper under my breath.Did he really wash my clothes for me?
I decide to get up and get dressed; he, in fact, did wash my clothes. Asher never did his laundry. Like, ever.
As I take a swig of mouthwash out of Nolan’s bathroom and tame my hair down, I look in the mirror and think about my mom. How scary it was to see her like that yesterday. How glad I am that Em didn’t have to see her faint. And how she is going to be okay. She has to be.
My thoughts are interrupted by a light knock on the door and I jump a little. The door creaks open and I’m greeted by the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Nolan is fully dressed. Tight denim that hugs him in all the right places and a bright white crew neck tee—you’d hardly ever know he’s tatted under all these clothes. His hair is also pretty much perfect, and he looks like he got a full ten hours last night which I know is not the case because I couldn’t sleep for the longest time, and he stayed up with me to make sure that I was okay before we both crashed out.
“Coffee?” he asks, and I smile at him then follow him down the hall.
I reach the living room and both girls are sitting at the dining room table with all kinds of crayons and markers and a stack of coloring books.
Emsley is wearing a new outfit, presumably borrowed from Aria and her hair…is braided?
After following him into the kitchen, Nolan hands me a plain white mug with fresh brewed coffee already waiting for me and the warmth engulfs me.
“Not sure how you take it,” he says with a smile and I almost fucking choke because I know he’s got a double agenda with that one.
“Emsley, who braided your hair?” I ask before taking a sip of my coffee, having added a little cream first. But I can’t help but feel a little nervous about what Em is about to tell me—that Aria’s mom came over and helped out for a little bit, because they coparent really well and occasionally she comes over and they all hang out like one big happy family.
But that’s not what she replies with.
“Nolan did! Isn’t it pretty?” She gets up out of her chair and does a little spin to let her single fishtail braid sway from her back to hang around her shoulder.
“So pretty…” I trail off as I look over to Nolan. “You did that?”
“Yeah, I hope that’s okay. I was doing Aria’s hair and she asked. I didn’t want her to feel left out.” He pulls his mug to his lips, leaning against the kitchen counter and letting his eyes roam over my body. Heat follows his line of sight, touching my skin like a feather.
After last night—cuddling in a bed with someone who I really don’t know much about but stepped up for me anyways—I feel a sense of safety and appreciation where Nolan is concerned. And standing here, sipping coffee, and staring at a man who braided my kid sister's hair, gives me some kind of sense of…hope.
“Nolan, what the fuck,” I say in lower tone so the girls can’t hear me, play-smacking him lightly in the arm, “I don’t even know how to braid liked that.” I place my mug next to me on the kitchen counter and he just giggles at me. “I really need to step up my game.” My sarcasm is apparent, but I’m also being serious.
I know how to put Em’s hair up into a ponytail and that’s about it. I guess I never really thought of her as a little girl who might be interested in something as cool as fucking braids.
“DJ, maybe Nolan can braid your hair too!” Em shouts as she jumps back into her seat.
“Yeah, my daddy is a master braider,” Aria chimes in, and oh my God, the heat that surfaces on Nolan’s face in the form of a red blush is a sight to see.
“Say master braider five times fast,” I joke and he gives me an almost unapproving look but smiles off the blush.
“I’ll be right back,” he says as he exits the kitchen and down the hall.
I walk over to where the girls are and assess their colorings. Aria is coloring one of the squish animal things and Em has a book of flowers she’s coloring in.
“I think mama would love this,” she says before darting her tongue back out in focus and colors a few petals of a flower with her red crayon. My heart warms when I hear her say this to no one but herself and I think about how I want that one day.
A little boy or girl who colors pictures outside of the lines with the purpose of gifting it to me. Being calledmama.
I look up and out the window, the sun is a light blue washed with bright sun rays and a scattering of fluffy clouds. It’s a pretty Monday, that’s for sure. And I quickly start to think of all the things I need to plan for Emsley since it’s spring break.
“Dakota, come here.” I hear his deep whiskey voice come from behind me. Nolan walks to sit on the couch so I join him.
“Sit on the floor.” It’s not a demand but an ask, and I do what he wishes, sitting directly in front of him on the floor between his open legs.
