Chapter Fourteen #2
Bins held toys, a small table sat for coloring, stuffed animals lined the shelves, and cheerful wall decals dotted the room. Even a wooden sign displaying “Lily” hung above the bed, making the space feel like it was completely hers.
Lily squealed. “Bed!” She ran across the room and launched herself onto it.
Willow covered her mouth.
This wasn’t a spare bedroom anymore. It was a real little girl’s room. More specifically, it was Lily’s room.
Everything Willow had dreamed of giving her daughter while trapped behind Chen’s walls was right in front of her.
Her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes.
“Jay…”
His hand settled lightly against her back. “You okay?”
“When did you do this? And how?”
“This morning.”
She turned toward him. “But you were at training.”
“We got back around four this morning. I slept a couple of hours at the base. Riley texted when you left to meet her. Everybody had already bought the stuff. Once you were gone, the guys came over, and we picked everything up. The women handled most of this because apparently none of us can be trusted with interior design.”
A watery laugh escaped her. “Smart women.”
Willow looked back at Lily, who was sitting in the middle of her new bed, hugging a stuffed dolphin.
Tears slipped down Willow’s cheeks. “Thank you.”
Jay Bird didn’t tease her about it this time. “You’re welcome.”
Willow wiped her face. Then something occurred to her.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“Where am I supposed to sleep?”
He nodded toward Lily’s bed. “It looks comfortable.”
Willow stared at the tiny mattress. “I don’t think we can both fit.”
Jay Bird chuckled, then his expression grew more serious.
“I moved some things around in my office. There’s a bed in there now.”
“Oh.”
“You can use it for as long as you want.”
Willow looked at him. Something in his face told her there was more.
“Or?” Jay Bird hesitated. “Or you could sleep with me.”
Her heart skipped.
He immediately continued. “And I mean sleep, Willow.”
She smiled slightly. “I know.”
“Nothing else has to change. Nothing happens unless you want it to happen. I just…” He glanced toward Lily before looking back at her. “I wouldn’t mind having you beside me.”
Willow’s chest tightened as she realized he had given her a choice. Well, two, actually.
She could have a room of her own, or share his bed if she chose. Either way, it came with no expectations.
She thought about the past month—the nights on the couch with his arm around her, the kisses, and the way he always asked before touching her whenever he wasn’t sure.
She thought about the week she had spent without him and the realization that she didn’t need Jay Bird to survive.
She just wanted him in her life, and that was a huge difference.
Willow reached for his hand, and his fingers closed around hers. She stepped closer, then kissed his cheek.
“I think I would like to share your bed.”
Jay Bird searched her face.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
A slow smile appeared. “Okay.”
“But if you snore, I’m moving into the office.”
“I don’t snore.”
“That’s what people who snore always say.”
“I’ve never had complaints.”
Willow raised an eyebrow, and Jay Bird seemed to realize how that sounded.
“That’s not—”
She started laughing. “I’m kidding.”
“Jesus.”
He tugged gently on her hand until she bumped against his chest, and Willow smiled up at him as he kissed her forehead.
Then Lily yelled from behind them. “Momma! Jay! Look!”
They turned to find that Lily had somehow buried herself beneath half the pillows in the reading corner, with only her little feet sticking out.
Jay Bird sighed. “Excellent. We built her a room and lost her in under five minutes.”
Willow laughed.
Lily popped out. “Outside!”
Jay Bird looked at Willow. “What does she want outside?”
Willow smiled sweetly. “Well, since you’re home early…”
His eyes narrowed. “No.”
“You haven’t even heard what I was going to say.”
“I’ve seen the jungle.”
“You could help me plant it.”
Jay Bird groaned.
Twenty minutes later, he was digging holes in the front yard. Willow stood nearby arranging flowers while Lily followed behind them with her yellow watering can, dumping approximately three drops of water on each plant before proudly declaring it done.
Jay Bird looked over at Willow. “You realize this is getting out of control.”
She stepped back and admired the row of flowers.
“Nope. It’s finally starting to look like somebody actually lives here.”
Willow looked at Lily digging enthusiastically in the dirt, then at the flowers beginning to fill the empty beds around the house.
A month ago, she had arrived here with just a few things stuffed into two bags.
Now Lily had a bedroom, and Willow had a job, a car, friends, and money in the bank.
She even had a man she was slowly falling for.
And tonight, for the first time in more than three years, Willow was going to climb into bed beside someone because she wanted to.
She smiled as Lily dumped an entire watering can onto Jay Bird’s shoe.
He stared down at his soaked sneaker.
Lily gasped, then giggled. Jay Bird slowly turned his attention toward her.
“You better run, peanut.”
Lily squealed and took off across as Jay Bird chased her.
Willow laughed as she watched them, realizing that, for once, she wasn’t looking over her shoulder. She was too busy taking in everything waiting for her just ahead.