Page 58 of Worth the Try
“You did it all on your own, Elle. I’m just the lucky guy who gets to watch you succeed.” He kisses the top of my head and steps away with a wry grin. “Burgers,” he says with a nod to the grill. “Join us? Rosie here insisted I ask.”
“Cleocatra, too!” Rosie pipes up.
I laugh and wipe the rogue tear from my eye. “Sounds delicious.”
Chapter 19
Ansel
ICAN’T MAKE myself tell Rosie no when she asks if Elodie and the cat can stay to watch a movie after dinner. I can’t make myself say no when she demands that Elodie be the one to take her through her nighttime routine before the movie. And I sure as hell can’t say no when Rosie climbs onto me, fresh from the bath with twin French braids going down her back, and declares that she wants to be the middle of a Daddy and Elle Belle sandwich.
We watch the entirety ofBrave, even though Rosie falls asleep an hour in, her head in my lap and her feet in Elodie’s. As the credits roll, I glance over. Elodie smiles at me, her expression soft. She’s pulled her hair down, the unbound curls falling wild around her face and down her shoulders. She looks absolutely perfect here. Like she belongs. Like this is where we’re all supposed to be.
“Stay,” I say. It’s not a question, not exactly.
She meets my gaze, and I see the question in her hazel eyes, the hesitation and wondering. I know I’ve put it there with the way I’ve acted. But she nods anyway, biting her lower lip and wringing her hands as I stand with Rosie in my arms.
I don’t realize she’s followed me upstairs until she’s leaning against the door while I put my daughter to bed, tucking the comforter around her as she snuggles deeper in.
I shut the door behind me, and we stand in the darkened hallway. And as she looks up at me, one hand tucked into the back pocket of her lounge shorts, I feel myself moving closer and closer to that edge. The one where, if I fall off, there’s no going back.
I don’t care about falling.
Because I think if I do fall, she’ll be there to catch me.
“Should we go back downstairs?” she whispers.
Absolutely not.
I reach for her hand, and she meets me halfway. I turn, leading her to my room at the end of the hall and pulling her in, shutting the door behind us. The full moon streams through partially open blinds as I face her, bathing her in a pale, ethereal light as she blinks up at me, her sweatshirt falling off one creamy shoulder. She’s the picture of innocence, and twin desires to protect her and debauch her war within me.
I’ll do both.
“One word from you and I stop,” I tell her, my voice already hoarse as I step closer.
“I don’t want you to stop,” she answers.
I stop in front of her, my hands fisting. “Are you sure?”
Swallowing, she nods. “Yes.”
It’s all I need to hear.
I tug her to me, cradling her face and feeling the way she arches into me as I claim her lips. She submits readily, and I plunge my tongue into her mouth, tasting her, feasting on her. She lets out a soft groan as her hands move beneath my shirt, and I break the kiss long enough to pull it off.
Her eyes trail over my chest, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over the look of wonder she has when she looks at me. As though she’s the lucky one.
She’s not. I’m the miserable bastard who didn’t even know he was living half a life until she crashed into it.
“I want you, Ansel.”
I stare. The way she says it, as though she isn’t sure what my reaction will be, but she’s brave enough to do it anyway, thaws something inside me.
“Good,” I answer. “Because you’re getting me.” I take her sweatshirt off, followed by the lacy confection surrounding her breasts. Next, I kneel and pull off her shorts and panties, leaving her naked before me. I place a kiss just below her belly before standing back up, then scooping her into my arms. She lets out a surprised gasp as I walk her to the bed.
“I’m not too heavy?” she asks.
“Never,” I promise her with a smile. “You’re perfect.”
