My daughter wipes windblown strands of hair from her mouth and stares at me with determination, her tongue poking through the gap in her teeth.
“You’re going to miss this one!” she taunts, dribbling the soccer ball between her feet. She’s new to the sport, but she already moves with the coordination of someone far more experienced.
“Show me what you’ve got.”
Merit darts in front of her, trying to steal the oversized soccer ball with her mouth.
“Merit! Don’t mess up my shot.”
I laugh as my old German shepherd bursts into the kind of energy she usually reserves for chasing squirrels. I haven’t seen her this wild in a while. She tears off with the zoomies, weaving figure eights between Nellie and me before collapsing in the grass beside the concrete patio.
“Last shot before bed. Better make it count.”
The blue eyes she got from me sharpen with resolve.
“Get ready, Daddy.”
I slap my hands together. “I’m ready, kid. Stop talking and start kicking,” I tease.
I’ve already decided she’s going to make this shot, so long as she keeps it on target. Anything beyond that is out of my hands.
With a grunt, Nellie charges forward, working the ball between her feet with impressive control. I sink lower in my squat and spread my hands wide as I wait.
She closes the distance, fakes left, then drives the ball high to the right with her nondominant foot. It slips just beneath my outstretched arm.
“Did you see that?” she cheers, arms thrown over her head as she takes a victory lap around the yard.
When she circles back, we trade high fives.
“Damn right, that’s my girl. Nice shot.”
“Thank you.” She curtsies, then pirouettes toward the back door. Merit springs up and follows her inside.
I trail them both at a slower pace, picking up a few toys left lying around the yard. The house is quiet when I enter. Merit drinks deeply from her bowl. Light from the basement spills into the kitchen, guiding me that direction like a beacon.
I rub some dirt from my bare chest, looking for the shirt I left on one of the kitchen chairs before going outside with Nellie. Not finding it, I descend the stairs.
Nellie bounces out of the hallway bathroom just as I reach the bottom.
“Brushed my teeth. Goodnight, Daddy.” She wraps my hips in brief hug.
“Goodnight. I’m proud of you. You did good tonight.” I stroke my hand over her freshly brushed hair.
She skips to her room and gently closes the door.
Entering my bedroom, I find it still and silent. The lamp on the bedside table is lit, highlighting my king-sized bed. More acutely, how empty it is.
Movement from the en suite catches my eye. I prowl in that direction, feeling my cock harden at the prospect of finding Alice there. I round the corner and stop dead.
God, she’s sexy.
Leaning against the doorframe, I take her in. Alice stands frozen in front of the vanity in nothing but my missing T-shirt. It swallows her, hanging off one shoulder. The black fabric brushes the tops of her bare thighs as she shifts her weight, looking better on her than it ever has on me.
She looks completely unaware of what she’s doing to me without even trying. With her hair wild from the long day, she looks comfortable. Like she belongs here.
Like she belongs with me.
My chest tightens with the thought.