Chapter 42 Lily
FORTY-TWO
LILY
Stella’s little fingers are every color of the rainbow. “Miss Papas, what color are we going to make next?”
Yesterday, on our way to Dublin, we got a call from Amelia, with screaming in the back from Stella. We thought the worst, but she’d really just lost her first tooth. After a few hours of cuddles from everyone on the tour, she now loves the front gap in her mouth.
“How about we mix red and blue and see what color it makes?”
I nod in encouragement, and her messy hands grip the paintbrush in a fist as she smears both paints together.
“It’s purple!” she yells, hopefully not waking up Elijah from where he sleeps in his bunk.
I looked up the side effects of getting off his medication, and one effect is drowsiness and being tired all the time.
I can definitely see a difference in his energy level. If he’s not working, he’s lying down and demanding me for cuddles.
He says that’s my job.
A loud, obnoxious yawn coming from our beds causes Stella to stir happily in her seat. She darts off to him before I can attempt to hold her back.
Turning around, I watch her open his curtain, and he juts out his muscular arm before giving a come-here motion.
“Stella Bella!” he screeches.
Her little body disappears a second later.
I choke back a laugh. “Stella, you need to come back. It’s learning time.”
Elijah forcefully closes his curtain, challenging his inner child.
“No!” Stella refuses, giggling a second later.
As I get closer and closer, their hushed giggling loosens up knots in my body. As quiet as I can muster, my hand grips the only thing separating us. When I rip the curtain open, Stella lets out a surprised scream and climbs on top of Elijah, hugging him with both her arms and legs, like a koala.
All Elijah does is wink up at me. “At least she cuddles me.”
I scoff. “I’m surprised the bed doesn’t have a permanent dent in the mattress from all the cuddle sessions you’ve forced upon me.”
“Forced?” Appalled, he moves Stella with him as he makes room. “You crawl into my lap willingly, just like you’re about to do now.”
Damn it … he’s right. I fall right into his extended hand and hug both of them.
He’s a gentleman.
A good listener.
As sweet as a juicy peach in Greece during the summer months.
Sexy as hell.
Talented and driven.
And good with kids?
My ovaries are exploding.
How could I not want to snuggle him every chance I get?
When Stella rolls off and falls beside him, I take her place, but instead of just lying on him, I squish my way between his hoodie and skin.
“There,” I muse, extra comfortable in his warmth while his laughter jolts me.
“Were you not close enough?”
I feel his smile on the top of my head.
“I’m not even close enough now. Should I stick my legs in your shorts too?”
“Heck no. A part of me will get the wrong idea, and there’s a child present.”
His big arms engulf me, and Stella’s hands run along my back as she blabbers away about how funny we are.
I’m going to stay here for a bit. I’m sure Stella will appreciate the break anyway. That girl loves pushing her limits.
“Elijah?” her small voice sings softly in the quiet.
“Yes?” He sings the word.
“Why do you have a stuffie of a bunny when you’re a man?”
I thought he was laughing hard before, but now there’s an entire earthquake in his hoodie.
“I might pee my pants,” comes out in a wheeze.
Taking that as my cue, I climb out from under his hoodie and breathe in fresh air and watch the scene unfold.
Her tiny arms cross. With a pout, she demands, “I didn’t say anything funny. Stop laughing and answer my question, Elijah.”
I look around his bed, trying to spot this supposed stuffed bunny she’s talking about. “Let me see it.”
My hand extends out to her. She huffs and reaches behind her back. A millisecond later, she proves herself right when it plops into my lap rather than my hand.
Oh my God. Am I dreaming? I must be.
“Don’t tell me it’s—”
“The bunny I stole from you and refused to give back when we were fifteen.” Happiness is deeply layered in his voice. “Yes.”
I hug it to my chest, hiding it over my frantic heart, and he sees my shock.
“I can’t believe you still have this, let alone take it on tour with you.”
“I told you, it’s special to me; not my fault you didn’t trust me.” Reaching out, he rips it possessively from my grasp. “Don’t get any ideas in that head of yours.”
I flick his nose, making him flinch. “Care to elaborate?”
Leaning back with his brown hair sticking up in several directions, he graces us with a sleepy smile. “You can’t have it back because it’s mine now.”
“It’s okay. You can have it.”
I give Stella a look like he’s crazy. She hides her smile behind her hand.
“You know what actually?” Elijah sits up so fast that I wonder if he got whiplash.
With the stuffed animal in hand, he rubs it along my chest, neck, and face.
“She hasn’t had your scent in a while, so this is perfect.
” Bringing it back to his nose, he sniffs loudly, rolling his eyes back. “Perfect.”
“Stella, go to the table and wait for me.”
Showcasing how she’s a perfect little girl, she climbs over Elijah’s legs and runs to her work.
“Just letting you know, I’m ovulating right now, so if you could keep the cuteness down to a simmer, that would be great.”
“No can do. Can’t hold back what comes naturally to me.” Smirking, he takes me by the back of my neck and takes my lips in his hungrily. Keeping up with his pace isn’t hard, seeing how he kisses me slowly and sensually, savoring any moment we have together.
“I’ll just take her and leave you two alone.”
We break apart. Amelia lingers in the doorway. Stella skips happily, completely forgetting us, and follows Amelia down the stairs.
Resuming where we left off, Elijah grabs my butt and says each word between kisses. “I want a mini us so badly, please?”
“Not until I’m Mrs. Drakos.”
Groaning, he throws his head back.