Her cheeks turned a beautiful pink, and she looked down at her beer.
“But nothing set me up physically more than the Army Rangers,” I continued.
Her eyes shot back to mine. “Wow, I don’t much about the military, but I’ve heard the Rangers are…”
“Bad motherfuckers,” I finished for her. “I didn’t have much in the way of family either,” I continued, sharing something I rarely spoke about. “Enlisting after high school felt like the best possible choice. I found my brothers in war with the Rangers. I found the same in the Knights. I may not have blood ties that many do, but I have a family around me that most could never dream of.”
“Where are your parents?” she asked.
I snorted. “Hell if I know. My mom dumped me in foster care when she couldn’t deal with being a parent. What about yours?”
“Car crash,” she murmured.
My gut churned at her reply. “I’m sorry, chief.”
She looked puzzled. “Why? You suffered the same as I did.”
I chuckled without humor. “No, I really didn’t. I lost parents I never had to begin with. But it wasn’t like that for you, was it?”
She visibly swallowed back emotion as she shook her head. “No, they were wonderful parents.”
“Well then, I’m fucking sorry,” I repeated emphatically, my hand going to the back of her neck, unable to hold myself back from touching her. “We both lost something, but like I said, I never really had it to begin with. And something tells me I was probably better off.”
She looked over at me, her eyes luminous with regret. “It’s still loss all the same.”
I took in what she said, letting myself feel something I’d long since buried. “I guess you’re right. But what I know for sure is, you may feel like you’re fumbling your way through, but from what I can tell? You’re doing a hell of a job with that girl up there.” My eyes briefly swept toward the second level where Riley slept. “Give yourself credit. And take the help you need, when you need it. There’s no shame in it.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I should probably turn in. Riley’s been getting up at the crack of dawn and I haven’t been sleeping well.”
I searched her face, seeing nothing but truth in her words, with a bit of longing I’d use to my advantage when the time was right. This was a marathon, not a sprint, and I was content to bide my time. “All right, baby. You have those blankets I used the other night?”
She looked over at me in surprise. “You’re staying?”
“Every damn night till we know this shit is wrapped up. And by then I’m hoping I’ll be upstairs with you.” At the look of shock on her face, I continued, “When you’re ready, chief.”
“I just, um, with Riley I want to be really careful she doesn’t get attached or confused…,” she stammered, her cheeks flushed.
I squeezed the back of her neck gently, pulling her lips to mine. “That’s why I said, when you’re ready,” I breathed against her mouth, taking her lips in a kiss that made my cock swell in my jeans.
The woman undid me like nothing else. Just a touch of her lips and I could think of little else.
“Ooookay.” Her dreamy sigh gave me the most satisfaction I’d had in years, and all I’d done was kiss her. “I’ll just go find your blankets and my legs.”
I chuckled, charmed by her honestly. She was so damn cute, I could barely stand it.
“I don’t think I have any frozen waffles,” she muttered, more to herself than me in mock horror as she rose from the couch.
I watched her with an ear-to-ear grin. “Did you not see the eggs and bacon I slipped into the fridge when I came over?”
She looked down at me. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” I grinned up at her. “You girls are in for a treat tomorrow.”
She eyed me thoughtfully for a moment, all trace of teasing gone from her expression. “Yeah, maybe we are.”
****
“He’s here again!” Riley’s whisper-shriek had me biting back a smile the next morning as her tiny feet came bounding down the stairs. I’d heard her clomping around upstairs since the crack of dawn. For such a small thing, she made a fucking racket.