Page 23 of Awakening the Beast
I raise my eyebrows and tilt my head, sensing his unease.
“Well, as long as you’re okay with that and ready, there’s no rush, sweetheart; your health comes first,” my mom says.
I look over at Arlo again, who is now staring straight ahead with a stiff jaw. “I’m absolutely fine; should we say around 6ish?” I propose.
He rolls his eyes and lets out a defeated sigh.
“That sounds perfect; we’ll look forward to it,” my mom responds, her tone brightening.
“Okay, great; see you then,” I say before hanging up.
Turning slightly in my seat, I notice Arlo’s rigid posture and clenched jaw.
“Right, what’s the fucking problem?”
He doesn’t look at me, shaking his head subtly. “I’m good,” he mutters.
I watch carefully as he stares out the window, his expression unreadable.
“Arlo, you told me you wanted me home, and now you’re acting like you don’t want visitors?”
He remains silent and I become frustrated, letting out a sigh and looking forward. Suddenly, he slides his large, tattooed hand into mine on my thigh, intertwining our fingers tightly. I gaze down at our hands locked, feeling a flicker of love between us, and then meet his gaze. His eyes are now relaxed as he returns his attention back to the road.
“I’ll do whatever the fuck you want me to do, beautiful,” he says, his thumb caressing my knuckle.
I can’t help but sense something is wrong and wonder if he’s just being overly protective or if there's something deeper bothering him. I’d rather clear the air so we can start our new chapter together as a family without all the extra bullshit. We have enough on our plate right now, so what’s the harm of breaking the tension in one area?
When we get home, Arlo helps me settle onto the couch in the living room, and I watch as he crouches down in front of me, carefully unclipping Lumi from her car seat.
“I’m going to call my mom and tell her to drop Cree off. Are you cool with that?” he asks, glancing at me sideways.
I reach out and rub my palm up and down his back, feeling his tense muscles, but I offer a reassuring smile. “Of course I am. She needs to meet Lumi after all.”
He gives me a quick nod before scooping Lumi up and gently placing her, along with a soft blanket, beside me.
“You get one of those fucking chair things babies sleep in?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “In her bedroom,” I reply with a playful grin.
I rest my head back and watch as he walks away, then shift my gaze to Lumi, sleeping peacefully beside me. My eyes soften as I look at our little angel; she’s been such a good baby so far.
Arlo soon returns with the rocker and sets it on the floor before picking Lumi up. She curls her tiny body against him, and he carefully places her into the seat. After covering her with a soft blanket, he crouches in front of her, lifting her tiny fist with his finger and pressing a tender kiss to it.
Seeing this side of Arlo fills me with a warm sense of happiness. When I first entered his and Cree’s lives, Cree wasalready three, so I never saw Arlo with a newborn. Witnessing him with his baby daughter now is a breath of fresh air. It’s clear he’s a natural, which shouldn’t surprise me; after all, he raised Cree on his own for a long time.
Once he finishes showering Lumi with affection, Arlo pulls out his phone and begins speaking to his mom. I observe him as he moves around the room, his focused demeanor making it clear he’s planning something.
When he’s finished, he takes his place beside me on the couch, his arm casually draped behind me.
I tilt my head to look at him. “I hope you don’t think I expect you to be here all the time; I know you have business to take care of.” I gently murmur.
His eyes meet mine, unblinking. “I’m here because I fucking want to be. Business can wait. I haven’t seen you or Cree in months, and now Lumi’s here too.”
A soft smile graces my lips, and he glances at them before wrapping his arm more securely around the back of my neck. He lifts his head, bringing his lips to mine in a kiss that deepens as his tongue explores my mouth. His hand moves to the side of my neck, his thumb brushing my jaw, and we get lost in the moment until the doorbell rings. He reluctantly pulls away, his eyes searching mine before he places one last kiss on my lips and another on my forehead.
He stands up, then heads toward the door. Moments later, he returns with Cree in his arms, and Carmella follows closely behind. I light up at the sight of Cree’s face and give him a big, welcoming smile.
“Hey, baby!”
