Boone
I’m in the kitchen, elbow deep in warm water and soap bubbles as I do the dishes from lunch.
Amelia is in the living room, playing with Crockett.
Those two sure became best friends real quick.
Every few seconds, her squeals float through the cabin.
The longer she plays with Crockett, the louder her squeals get.
I chuckle to myself.
She’s adorable. She’s full of light and life. My heart fills with love and joy to have her here.
How can anyone not love Amelia or be completely charmed by her?
I may be a little biased, but she’s perfect.
Amelia gives the loudest squeal yet, and I drop the dish in my hand.
I was so caught up in thinking about her that my surroundings faded away, and her squeal startled me.
Suddenly, the front door crashes open.
“Amelia!” Margot yells out in worry.
I grab a towel to dry my hands off and walk into the living room.
I knew from her squeal that Amelia was okay, but Margot didn’t.
Looking at Margot, I see she’s worried.
“She’s okay, Margot. Just a little overexcited in playing with Crockett.”
Once Margot sees that Amelia is fine, she lets out a sigh of relief and her shoulders relax.
“I thought something had happened,” she says. “I came running in here like an idiot.”
“No. You came in here like a worried mother who is still on edge from experiencing a rockslide that caused harm to your child. It’s understandable you would jump when she screams loudly.”
She just nods in agreement.
I can still see she’s worried.
It’s not obvious, but with a closer look, it’s easy to discern.
I drop the towel in my hand and walk over to her, pulling her into my arms.
She goes without hesitation. Her arms wrap around my waist.
I shouldn’t…but I breathe in her scent.
God, she smells amazing. Vanilla mixed with the smell of the mountains.
“She’s fine, Margot. Nothing’s going to hurt her while she’s here. I’d even bet Crockett would jump to her defense. They seem to be two peas in a pod now.”
Margot chuckles against my chest.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you or Amelia while you’re here,” I further assure her. “I promise.”
My hands rub up and down her back.
To have her in my arms again after so many years is like a drug. It’s an instant addiction. I don’t ever want to let her go.
I’ve missed this for four years. I’m going to take it all in while I can.
Her curves are pushed against me, and it takes everything in me not to groan in pleasure or claim her lips.
One hand raises to thread her silky hair with my fingers.
In that instance, I feel all the tension leave Margot’s body. Her body completely relaxes and she leans on me.
I’m her support in this moment. When we’re together, I’m always her support. I would do anything for her.
The longer she’s pressed against my body, the stronger my need for her grows. As much as I don’t want to, I need to let her go before I do something stupid.
I kiss her forehead and lean back to look into her eyes.
“Better?”
“Yes,” she says. “Thank you. I needed that.”
“Anytime, beautiful. I’m going to go finish washing the dishes now.”
I leave her with Amelia and Crockett and head back to the kitchen.
She hasn’t even been here for twenty-four hours, and I’m already struggling to keep my hands to myself.
I’m not a damn horny teenage boy though, not anymore.
Get yourself under control, Boone.
She doesn’t need me jumping her bones so soon after the rock slide.
That would be an asshole move.
Later that night, I’m staring down at Amelia as she sleeps on my bed. She looks like an angel with all that blonde hair.
I gave her one of my flannels to wear in place of pajamas.
I reach into the closet to pull another flannel out for Margot.
I find her just as she comes out of the bathroom.
“Amelia is asleep in my bed,” I tell her. “I put her in one of my flannel shirts and grabbed one for you as well. It gets chilly here at night.”
I hold out my hand that’s holding the shirt.
She takes it.
“Thank you,” she says. “If Amelia is in your bed, where are you going to sleep? Is there a guest room here?”
I shake my head.
“No. You girls can have the bed. I’ll camp out on the couch tonight.”
“Boone, I can’t let you sleep on the couch in your own home. I can easily move Amelia to the couch so you can have your bed back.”
“There is no room on the couch for the both of you. Even if you move Amelia, that still leaves you in my bed. Although…you already know I have no problem sharing the bed with you, Margot.”
I smirk at her and give her a flirtatious look.
She blushes.
“And I did say it gets cold here,” I continue. “If we shared the bed, you could keep me warm. I catch colds at night easily.”
She laughs a little.
“I highly doubt that you get a cold with all those muscles to insulate you,” she states.
She looks me up and down as she says that.
Did she just check me out?
Christ. She totally did.
The air between us is again filled with the same sexual tension and intensity as before.
“I can’t let you sleep on the couch, Boone,” she says to break the tension.
“Yes, you can. This is my house, so what I say goes. Besides, I’m not letting you or Amelia sleep on the couch. Take the bed. I’ll be fine on the couch.”
She seems like she wants to continue arguing with me, but realizes she isn’t going to win.
“Fine,” she states. “Thank you for the flannel. Actually…thank you for everything today.”
“You are more than welcome, Margot.”
I move closer to her, lean down, and kiss her on the forehead.
“Good night, Margot.”
“Good night, Boone.”
She turns and heads to the bedroom.
I stand there for a few seconds.
It’s tempting to join her in bed. To sleep next to both of my girls…I can’t even imagine how amazing that might feel.
But it’s not going to happen.
Not tonight, maybe not ever.
Finally, I turn to go to the living room where my bed for the night resides.
The couch is pretty damn comfortable. I’ve fallen asleep on it for many previous nights. I have no problem sleeping on it for the next couple of nights while Margot and Amelia wait for the rockslide to be cleared.
I don’t even want to think about them leaving, when they just came crashing into my life.
Margot and I need to sit down to talk about what’s going to happen once she’s free to leave.
I’ll be damned if I’m not in Amelia’s life, now that I know she exists.
I just have to figure out when is the right time to have that conversation.
I sigh.
That’s a problem for tomorrow.
Right now, I need to get to some sleep.