Chapter 13
13
“Can I look upstairs?”
“Of course.” I step back. “After you.” And if my life wasn’t already painful, following the sweet, sassy little goddess who’s haunted my dreams for eight years up the stairs makes it exponentially more unbearable. Or somehow perfect. Because she’s here . And if I get my way, we’re not coming back down these stairs until morning.
“Daisy’s room is the first one on the left.”
She wanders into it. “Nate,” she gasps. “I can’t believe this.” She actually twirls around, exactly like Daisy did. “This was my absolute dream room when I was a little girl. You’re a romantic at heart, Boone. No wonder Daisy loves you so much.” She puts her hand on her heart and grins at me.
She’s so damn sexy it hurts. The fading daylight paints her in golden light, making her eyes shine like sapphires.
“I just do as I’m told. As soon as Daisy moved in, I told her she could have anything she wanted. So the first thing we did was paint it pink.”
“It’s definitely pink.”
“It’s the pinkest pink we could find.”
We both laugh. The sound of her laughter washes over me, stirring up memories of summer nights under the stars.
I adjust myself in what I hope is a subtle move as Roxie checks out the tent, with all the glitter-covered stars Daisy and I made.
“This is so cool.” She emerges from the tent, a dusting of glitter on her cheek, like she’s made of magic. “Six-year-old slumber parties are the best. Too much candy, very little sleep, and lots of giggles. I’m sure she’ll have fun. And she’ll come back tomorrow totally wired. But it’s all worth it to make her happy, right?”
“Always. I just hope I’m doing enough of that.”
Roxie’s eyes meet mine. “She seems happy, Nate.”
“I hope she is. I’m not nurturing like Ma or Lou, or fun like Dakota, and I don’t have limitless patience like Tobias. I can be her rock, though.”
“She obviously adores you. You’re her knight in shining armor and I’m not surprised. You always felt like that to me too.”
It wasn’t what I was expecting her to say. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. ”
“I didn’t know that.”
“You always made sure I was okay. You got the band-aids when I skinned my knees. You made us a bridge to cross the creek. You fixed my truck.” Her smile is almost shy. Fuck, I’m in trouble. “You’re doing an amazing job.”
“Thanks. Her mom’s sister is contesting custody. They don’t think a ‘bachelor’ like me can provide a good enough home. They think Daisy should be with family.”
Roxie is quiet for a moment. “One look at you two together and it’s obvious she’s where she’s meant to be. And besides, you are giving her a family. Your mom and brothers and Dakota and Lou and Earl? It’s pretty ideal, if you ask me. I don’t see how anything could top that.”
Roxie’s faith, her instant defense of my bond with Daisy, hits me. “I appreciate you saying that,” I manage roughly.
“It’s the truth. Daisy’s so lucky to have you, Nate.”
We share a small, meaningful smile, and something shifts. No one else’s opinion has ever really mattered much to me, but knowing Roxie sees me as worthy of raising Daisy suddenly means more than I can articulate.
“So, how’s the ‘bachelor’ lifestyle treating you these days?” She even uses air quotes around the word. Digging for clues about my life, maybe.
“Well, Tuck, it’s pretty quiet if you really want to know.” I think back to the summer I turned nineteen and she was fifteen. I was overwhelmed by her. She was on the cusp of blossoming into the smart, brave, beautiful young woman she was always destined to be. I couldn’t resist her even though I had to.
I’d never felt anything like what being around her stirred in me. Until I left and locked it away because she was too young and her family was my family. Now that she’s here and she’s blown the blockade off that room in my heart where I always kept her hidden away, I don’t know if I can control the intensity of this surge of feelings.
My lust—which has been as locked up as the rest of me, because my life isn’t only my own and no one I’m with is ever her—is suddenly a beast of fucking need that wants to be fed .
She’s not just the woman of my dreams but also now a consenting adult who’s capable of making her own decisions.
And this isn’t just physical attraction. It goes soul-deep. She’s always been able to see me in a way that no one else could. Not as the dutiful son or the responsible older brother.
As myself.
It almost shocks me how much I need her. How much I want her in my life again.
Roxie catches me staring and her cheeks get pink. “So…can I see more of the house?”
I’ve never stopped being in love with her. And I’m done denying what feels like it’s always been written in the stars.
Fuck everything. She’s mine .
I slowly reach to weave my fingers through hers. Her lips part softly at the contact. “You want to see my room?”