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Chapter 23

VALENTINO

An hour later, the three of us were gathered in the den watching The Secret Life of Pets on my 70-inch, flatscreen TV. Maddie was on the floor, wearing her pajamas and bundled up in blankets, Mick curled up next to her. Each of us had a big bowl of ice cream, butter pecan for me, mint chocolate chip for Piper, and vanilla with gummy bears and whipped cream for Maddie.

“This part is so funny.” Mick had been her little movie companion, Maddie making sure to point out all her favorite parts to him as they watched.

Piper and I shared knowing looks. Neither of us had said a word, but there was no doubt that she had the same thing on her mind as me, that the night was perfect, that we wished every night could be just like this.

I couldn’t help myself. I reached over to Piper and took her hand, holding it against my leg. She smiled, squeezing my hand back tightly. The movie went on, and before too long the excitement of the evening caught up with Maddie. Her comments to Mick had stopped, and she was curled up next to him, resting her head on his belly. He had no problem with this, a happy

doggy smile on his face as he drifted off to sleep.

The movie ended, and as the credits rolled, Piper and I turned to one another.

“That’s almost too precious to interrupt,” she said, nodding toward Mick and Maddie. “Part of me wants to just let them sleep there.”

“You’ll be singing a different tune when Mick gets up in an hour to go outside.”

Piper glanced away, considering something. “You want to put her to bed? Only fitting that the guy who put together that amazing room ought to be the one to tuck her in for the first time.”

“I’d love to. How about this—I'll get her settled and you let Mick out? All you need to do is open the door and he’ll take care of the rest.”

“Sure. I’ll meet you in the kitchen. We still need to discuss my sleeping arrangements, you know.” She followed up her words with a sly smile and a squeeze of my hand before sliding off the couch and leaving the room, glancing over her shoulder with a grin once more as she disappeared from the room.

Quietly, I stepped over to Mick and Maddie, bending down to pick up my little girl. She yawned as I scooped her into my arms.

“Mick,” I whispered. “Go do your business.”

He got up, arching his back in a deep stretch before obediently trotting out of the room and toward the kitchen. I carried Maddie over to the staircase as carefully as I could, treating her like the precious cargo that she was. She opened her eyes sleepily as I brought her up the stairs.

“Dr. V.?” she asked, her voice tired. “What’s up, kid?”

“I like staying over here. You’re fun.”

“I like you staying over here too. You and your mom can come by whenever you want.”

“OK.” She closed her eyes as she was pulled back into sleep as fast as she'd come out of it. But before she drifted off once more, she wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a quick hug.

The way I felt in those moments, Maddie hugging me as I carried her to bed, was unlike anything else I'd ever experienced. I wanted it to never end.

We reached her room and I flicked on the pink-shaded lamp, soft light filling the space. I stepped over to the bed as quietly as I could, laying Maddie down and slipping her under the covers. She yawned once more as

she rolled over, wrapping her arms around the nearest stuffed dog and holding it close. Just like that, she was out.

I went over to the lamp, taking one more look at her tucked into bed and sleeping soundly.

I was a dad. I was a dad, and she was my little girl. I couldn't believe it.

I turned off the light and shut the door behind me, already looking forward to the next morning when I would see her again.

A few moments later, I was back down in the kitchen. Piper was there, a glass of wine in her hand as she waited for Mick to come in from the backyard.

“Hey. She do alright?”

“She was fine; sleeping like a rock.”

I stepped over to her. Without a word and without a moment’s hesitation, she rested her head on my shoulder. We stayed like that for a time, Mick finishing up his business and soon coming in.

“I don’t know what to say. That room... it’s magical. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to be a girl her age and have a space like that.”

“That’s what I had in mind. You told me about how hard things were for you growing up, so I figured it’d be nice to give her something that a girl like her would love.”

“You did perfect. The look on her face when she first laid eyes on that room... I’ll never forget it. And I’d bet that you won’t, either.”

“You’d win that bet. Makes me understand the whole spoiling kids thing.”

She chuckled. “Trust me, it’s hard. She’ll ask you for something and you’ll know the answer should be no, but then she’ll look at you with those big, brown eyes and pout just so. Your heart melts and you know there’s nothing to do but give in. At least, that’s what happens until you remember that giving her whatever she wants is a fast track to raising a little terror.”

I wrapped my arm around her waist, Mick plodding in and beelining for his water bowl. Piper took in a deep breath, her body pressing against mine. There was something perfect about that moment, the two of us looking out over the yard, the cicadas singing their songs as the tree branches lolled in the cool, summer night breeze.

“You want to know the truth? I can’t imagine her ever being a little terror,” I said.

Piper chuckled. “Famous last words. But I’ve got a good feeling you’ll

find a nice balance between doting on her and sticking to the rules. You’ve got a knack for this parenting thing; I can tell.”

“Not to mention I've got you at my side. We’ll do this together.”

She turned to me, lifting her head from my shoulder. “That’s right.

Together.”

I glanced down at Piper, at those gorgeous eyes of hers, and knew instantly that there was no resisting what I wanted. I placed her chin in the crook of my finger and tilted her head up, her lips wet and crying out for a kiss.

So, I gave her one.

Her mouth was soft and plush against mine, a slow draw of air pulling into her as she turned and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I kept my hands on her hips, pulling her toward me, her breasts pressing against my chest.

“God, I want you so badly,” I said, taking my lips from her mouth for just long enough to speak before covering her neck in kisses.

“The feeling’s more than mutual, handsome. But...” “Yeah. Kid upstairs.”

She pulled away from me, a smile on her face. “As much as I'd like for you to take me right here in the kitchen, you never know when a certain someone’s going to want a midnight snack.”

“Upstairs,” I said. “I think I've solved the where you’re going to sleep tonight matter.”

“Is that right?”

“Yep.” I reached around and placed my hand on her ass, squeezing its fullness through her jeans. She gasped, closing her eyes and biting down on her lower lip as I did.

“I’m thinking I'm on board with that.” She opened her eyes, grinning as she reached around and grabbed my rear in the same way I'd done to her. “I can give as good as I get, remember.”

“I remember. Now, show me more.”