Page 115 of Sherry and Sunflowers
Laughing, she pushed herself upright. He caught her hand before she could move away and pressed a kiss to her palm.
"I want to come with you—if you think it'll be all right. I don't want to confuse Zia. If she wakes up and comes in…"
She nodded.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"You know what I think, Reaves. You must know." She smiled. "She'll be beside herself with happiness. And you'll hold her little heart in your hands—right there with mine." She rested her palm against his cheek. "But then, you already do."
"Then we're good," he said. "Because I plan to spend the rest of my days keeping both your hearts safe."
~ ~ ~
Reaves cracked an eye open when he heard water running in the bathroom. The sun wasn't up yet, but the birds were already singing.
His arm was curled around Alara's waist, and she nestled back against him. They'd slept that way all night—well, all night except for the hour or so they'd spent whispering in the darkness and making love again.
The sound of little feet padding across the bathroom tiles pushed that memory out of his head.
He tensed, waiting for Zia to appear. Then panic shot through him when he remembered that he hadn't thought to bring his clothes when he and Alara came back to her room last night.
Alara looked up at him over her shoulder. "Are you ready for this—or are you panicking?"
"Only about being naked." He looked down at his bare chest.
She chuckled and ran her hand over his thigh. "Relax. She's seen you in the pool before."
"Oh. Yeah. Right." He ran a hand over his face, feeling foolish.
Alara pushed herself upright and piled the pillows behind them. "Here. Lean back against those, and we'll pull the covers up over you. Right up to your chin, if you like," she added with a laugh.
He caught her and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I'm thinking about Z, not my modesty."
"I know. And I love you for it."
"I love you more."
At that moment, the door from Zia's room opened, and she appeared, dragging a large stuffed bear behind her with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other.
"Mom, is it time to get up now? I dreamed that—"
She stopped.
Her eyes grew huge.
"Prince Daddee!"
She dropped the bear and ran toward the bed, scrambling up onto it with a huge smile on her face.
"You're here!"
"Morning, Z. Yeah, I'm here."
She flung her arms around his neck and peppered his cheek with kisses. Reaves laughed and hugged her with one arm while using the other to keep the covers securely in place against her enthusiastic clambering.
"You love Mom, don't you?" she asked.
He nodded happily and when she let go of him, he wrapped his free arm around Alara's shoulders. "I do."
