Chapter 17 #2
“She can have my room,” Logan told Porter after the door had shut behind them. “I can sleep on the couch, just like you did when I first got here and you let me have your bed.”
Riley’s eyes filled with tears. It was obvious Logan paid very close attention to everything his uncle did, and he couldn’t have a better role model.
Porter didn’t say a word, but he carried Bria into Logan’s room and lay her on the full-size bed. She didn’t take up much room at all, and Riley’s mind was spinning with all the things she wanted to feed the little girl to help her get back to a normal weight for someone her age and height.
Then Porter took Logan by the hand and led him out into the living room.
He sat him on the couch and took a seat next to him.
“Here’s the thing, Slugger. As you know, I’ve only got two bedrooms here.
I appreciate you being willing to give up your room, but I don’t want you sleeping out here either.
I’m going to look for somewhere more appropriate for us to live, but do you think in the meantime, you’d be willing to share a room with Bree?
My room is bigger, so we can move you both in there, and I can take your room.
I know it’s not ideal to share a room with your little sister, but I promise I’m gonna find us a bigger place. ”
Logan’s eyes widened. “You’d give us your room?”
Porter nodded. “Absolutely,” he told his nephew.
Riley held her breath. God, she loved this man. She didn’t know many people who would give up the comfort of their bedroom for kids they hardly knew, related or not.
“What if we got bunk beds? I love my big bed, but it takes up a lot of room. If we got bunk beds, it wouldn’t take up as much space and I could have the top and Bree could have the bottom,” Logan said. “You wouldn’t have to give up your room. I’m not sure you and Riley would fit in mine.”
Riley’s heart just about stopped beating. She couldn’t believe Logan had thought about her in all this. Porter’s eyes came up, and he met hers. She could see emotion blazing in them, and it was all she could do not to go to him right then.
“You’re a good kid,” Porter told Logan. “And I think bunk beds are a great idea. I’ll see if one of the guys can store your bed until I find a new place. That way, you can have it back when we move. Okay?”
“Okay,” Logan said, then yawned huge.
“For now, you gonna be okay sharing a bed with Bree?” Porter asked.
Logan nodded. “Yeah, we shared in our apartment we lived in with Mom. I’m good.”
“Okay, Slugger. I know it’s been a long emotional day, but don’t forget to brush your teeth. You don’t want them to rot and fall out.”
Logan smiled. Then he reached out and gave Porter a hug. “Thank you for saving my sister.”
“I didn’t save her, you did,” Porter said, wrapping his arms around his nephew’s much smaller body. “If you weren’t brave enough to share your secret, I wouldn’t have brought you to see her, and we wouldn’t have gotten her out of that house.”
“Why are people so mean?” Logan asked when he sat back.
“I don’t know,” Porter said. “But the good thing is that Bree has you to have her back. And I have your back. And Riley has mine. We’re going to be okay.”
And with that, Logan nodded. As if his uncle’s words were law. He stood and headed toward the hallway.
“I’ll be in to check on you guys in a minute or so,” Porter told him.
Logan nodded and disappeared into the hallway.
“Come here,” Porter said as he held out his arm to Riley.
She immediately walked to him and straddled his lap right there on the couch. Porter held on to her as if she was the only thing keeping him from falling into a hundred pieces. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “She’s safe.”
“It was horrible,” Porter said in a tortured tone of voice.
“I know.” And she did. Riley hadn’t seen Bria in that cage firsthand, but she’d heard enough from the officers at the scene about how bad it was. “Don’t fall apart yet,” she told Porter. “You need to say good night to Logan. Then come to bed, and I’ll hold you while you let it all out.”
Riley didn’t know where her strength was coming from. All she knew was that she hated to see Porter hurting. And it was obvious he was in pain.
He nodded against her and pulled back. “I love you,” he said. “Today was awful, but saying that we loved each other is one moment that I never want to forget.”
Riley smiled. “I love you too. So much it kinda scares me.”
“Don’t be scared of me,” he ordered. “Do you love me enough to take me as I am…two kids and all?”
She frowned at him. “I can’t believe you even asked that,” she scolded.
“It would be too much for some women,” Porter said.
“I’m not some women,” Riley retorted.
“No, you aren’t. I thought you might’ve gone home,” he said. “I wouldn’t have thought less of you if you had.”
“I wasn’t leaving you. No way,” Riley said. “And if you tell me I should’ve, I’m gonna get mad. Go say good night to your nephew and niece,” she ordered.
“Bossy,” Porter observed. “I like it.”
He stood suddenly, and Riley kept herself from screeching at the last second, not wanting to wake Bria.
Porter grinned as he let her legs drop. “Thanks for being with us today.”
“Nowhere I would’ve rather been,” she said honestly.
He walked her down the hall, holding her hand, only letting go in front of Logan’s room. Then he kissed her forehead before she continued to his room.
She quickly got ready for bed and was slipping under the covers when Porter joined her.
He disappeared into the bathroom and came out a minute or so later.
Riley watched as he stripped off his clothes and put on a clean pair of boxers.
He was so comfortable in his skin, had no problem getting naked in front of her.
She wasn’t there yet, wasn’t sure she ever would be, but she loved being able to ogle him.
Then he was under the covers, pulling her into his arms. They were plastered together from chest to ankle…and it wasn’t long before she felt Porter’s body begin to shake.
He soaked her shirt as he cried, letting out all the heavy emotions he’d kept in check all day. Riley held his head to her chest and stroked his hair as he broke. She murmured words of love and praise for how he’d handled everything that day.
Eventually, his sobs subsided and his tears dried up. He lay against her, and Riley had never felt as close with anyone as she did to Porter right that moment.
“Thank you for being there today. And for calling my team. And for helping me keep my shit together. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she told him.
“Damn straight you aren’t,” Porter said. Then he shifted, moving farther up the bed and onto his back before taking her into his arms.
Riley lay her head on his chest and heard his heart beating under her cheek.
“I have no idea what the future holds,” Porter said.
“I have to find a school these kids will like, tell my commander I’m now the father of two kids, not one, and redo my family care plan.
I need to find a bunk bed, buy clothes appropriate for a first grader, figure out how to get my niece not to be terrified of being alone with me, and find a child psychologist for her to talk to so she doesn’t turn out to be a serial killer fifteen years from now.
“I still haven’t managed to take the woman I love on a proper fucking date, and I have no idea if and when that’ll happen now.
But what I do know is that I want you in my life.
It’s going to be crazy, and I might not be able to give you the attention you need between the kids and my job, but I don’t want to lose you, Riley.
Tell me what I need to do in order to make that happen,” he demanded.
“Love me,” Riley told him softly. “That’s all I need.”
“Done,” Porter whispered. “Don’t let me take advantage of you,” he told her. “You are not my housecleaner, cook, or babysitter. I know I can be clueless when it comes to a lot of things, and I don’t want you to resent me if I get too complacent with you doing that stuff for me all the time.”
“I won’t. And for the record, I love spending time with Logan, and I know I’ll love being with Bria just as much. I’m happy to keep things as they are. With me hanging out with them after school until you get home.”
“I’m a lucky bastard,” Porter told her.
Riley grinned. “I think I’m the lucky one. I always wanted a large family, and you’re giving me just that.”
“I’ll give you all the babies you want,” Porter said seriously. “Just say the word.”
Riley’s heart lurched. “Um…I think we need to get the hang of the two kids you have before we decide to start throwing babies into the mix.”
“You didn’t completely reject the idea though,” Porter said with a smile. “I can work with that.”
“You’re crazy,” Riley told him.
“My life has been completely thrown upside down in the last couple months, and I can’t help but think how lucky I am. And I’m more than aware that I never would’ve been able to do this without you.”
“Wrong,” Riley countered. “You would’ve been fine. Porter Reed is a badass Delta Force special forces soldier who isn’t afraid of anything.” She smiled up at him to let him know she was teasing. But he didn’t smile back.
“I’m terrified of losing the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said seriously. “You.” Then he lifted his head and kissed her long, hard, and hot.
He pulled back and pressed her head back to his chest. “Sleep, Ri. It’s fucking late. I have no idea what time it is, but I know it’ll be time for us to get up sooner rather than later.”
Riley adored that Porter wanted her there for more than sex. He wanted to sleep with her in his arms. And it gave her all the warm fuzzies. It made her love him all the more.
“Love you, and I’m proud of the man you are,” Riley said.
“Love you too,” Porter replied.
She wanted to stay awake, to treasure the moment, but she was too tired. Feeling completely safe in Porter’s arms, Riley was asleep within minutes.