“Okay,” she whispered.
They said nothing else, and now she couldn’t even concentrate on the rest of the movie. Her mind and heart raced. Vic shifted on the couch, and the new position had her leaning all the way into him with her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. She glanced up and caught him gazing down at her. She glanced away shyly, and the nervous flutter of those damn butterflies returned in herstomach.
When the credits rolled, Kian gave one big dramatic yawn. He rubbed his eyes and flopped back down on the couch.
“All right, big man.” Vic stood and scooped him up from the couch. “Bedtime.”
“Mom is staying, right?” Kian asked.
“Yes, she is,” Vic replied.
“Where is she sleeping?” Kian knuckled his eyes and leaned his head on his father’s shoulder.
She half expected him to ask if she was sleeping in Dad’s bed as if it were the most logical thing in the world.
Her brain short-circuited for a moment.
“Um…the guest bedroom.” She stood and quickly folded the blanket and placed it on the couch. She moved over to where Vic and Kian stood. She rubbed him on his back and placed a kiss on his cheek.
“Oh,” he said. He sighed and opened his eyes that had fluttered closed. “I’m happy you’re spending the night with us.”
Her heart melted. She rubbed his back some more while his eyes closed again.
“Yeah, me, too.” She found Vic watching her quietly.
There was something soft and unguarded in his eyes.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes.” It wasn’t true. Hearing her son be happy that they were all under the same roof made her emotional. Hernerves were also getting the best of her with what she knew was about to happen.
Vic carried Kian up the stairs with her following behind him. He headed into Kian’s room while she peeked into the guest room she’d used the few times she had spend the night in the past.
Her bag wasn’t in there.
She inhaled sharply.
She knew where she’d find it. She left the room and went back down the hall and stood outside Kian’s bedroom. She leaned against the doorjamb and watched Vic carefully change their sleeping child out of his clothes and place him in his favorite jammies. She didn’t say a word as he quickly finished. He tucked Kian under the covers and popped a kiss on his forehead. Her core clenched at the sight of this man who obviously loved their son. His actions always reminded her of her own father.
Reginald Winston was a man who was the ultimate ‘Girl Dad’. He’d always been supportive of her, and she always knew she could turn to her father for anything. It didn’t matter how old she got, she was still his baby girl.
Vic straightened and headed toward the door. His gaze landed on her. She backed away so he could leave the room. She felt shy now that it was just the two of them.
“I…uh…didn’t see my bag in the guest room,” she said.
He came close to her while he pulled Kian’s door shut.
“You thought you’d be in the guest room tonight?” Heraised an eyebrow at her. He reached up and stroked her chin with his finger softly. “If we are going to do this, we’re going to do it right.”
He turned and strolled down the hallway while she remained frozen in place. Her knees shook, and she had to lock them together to keep from falling over.
That man.
She inhaled and followed him to his bedroom door. It had been years since she had entered this room. Back before they’d known they had conceived Kian. He paused in the doorway of his room and glanced at her.
“You good?”
“Yeah.” She cleared her throat and moved to join him. She tilted her head back and met his heated gaze. The sleepiness that had been in his eyes was gone.