Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Wow.”
Then he lifted his head, his eyes dancing. “See—no control.”
“Set the alarm,” I reminded him, my eyes beginning to close.
He rolled over, pulling me into his arms. I heard him mumble to Siri, and I was out.
CHAPTER NINE
AMY
The next morning, I woke up, looking around in panic. It was still early, but the alarm hadn’t gone off. With a low curse, I flung off the heavy arm trapping me and slid out from under the covers. I grabbed my clothes, pulling them on as Simon sat up, watching me, confused.
“Your alarm didn’t work.”
“Shit,” he muttered, sliding from bed. He opened his door, peering into the hall. “She’s still asleep. Her door is closed.”
“Okay.”
We crept down the steps, pausing by the door. He pulled me in for a kiss. “Why do I feel like a teenager about to be caught by my parents?” he whispered.
“Your parents would be easier to handle than—”
My words were cut off by Mia’s excited voice.
“Where are you going?”
We turned as one, staring at the pajama-clad figure standing by the kitchen island.
“Um,” I began, unsure what to say.
“I have the pancake stuff ready,” Mia said. “Auntie Holly always makes pancakes for sleepovers.”
“What?” Simon asked.
She stepped forward. “I got up and saw Amy in your bed, so I know you had a sleepover. Auntie Holly always says sleepovers are fun times and deserve pancakes, so I got the stuff out.”
Fun times? That was one way to describe it.
“I thought you were still asleep,” Simon replied, running a hand through his hair.
“I shut my door because Mr. Bear was still sleeping. But I’m up.” She looked at us quizzically. “Don’t you want pancakes? Wasn’t your sleepover fun?”
I burst out laughing, because there was nothing else to do. Fun times had been had aplenty. I’d stayed, and we’d made love again, with Simon’s wandering hands finding me in the night two more times. In trying to sneak out, we’d been busted.
And now we had to have pancakes to celebrate that.
I dropped my purse. “I love pancakes. And it was pretty fun. Your daddy snores, though.”
Mia’s eyes widened. “I know!”
“Hey,” Simon protested. “I don’t snore.”
“You can sleep with me next time. Or in the guest room. I guess Daddy was too lazy to make up the bed.” She shook her head. “He hates making the bed.”
I tried not to laugh again. She was adorable and funny.
Simon huffed under his breath. “She sleeps with me when she’s here. That’s the rule.”
“I don’t get much sleep with you. Maybe the guest room is a good idea,” I teased, keeping my voice low.
“I don’t think so,” Simon growled.
I met his dancing gaze. He was thrilled we’d been busted. In fact, I wondered if he had set an alarm at all. I narrowed my eyes, and he grinned. He was never going to admit it, even if the sneaky man had planned this.
“You do snore,” I said, just to piss him off.
“Yes, you do,” Mia agreed. “Big snores, Daddy.”
“Whatever,” he muttered. He leaned close and kissed my ear. “You make noises too. But those ones I like.”
I slapped him away and took Mia’s hand. “Do you like peanut butter on your pancakes?”
“Peanut butter?” she repeated. “With syrup too?”
“Yep.”
“Oh, can I try, Daddy?”
He scratched his head. “Peanut butter and syrup? That seems a little weird to me.”
“Don’t knock weird until you’ve tried it.”
“Yeah, Daddy,” Mia quipped. “You always tell me I have to try it before I decide I don’t like it. I think it sounds nummy.”
He threw up his hands. “Fine. We’ll try it.”
I grinned. “Good answer.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever makes my girls happy.”
That made me smile. And as I walked into the kitchen, I had a feeling today was the start of my future.
Simon, Mia, and me.
First day of school, I was up early and in my classroom, making sure everything was ready. The past while had flown by. I’d spent more time with Simon and Mia than anywhere else. More time at their house than my apartment. In fact, I hated leaving them, my little space now feeling empty when I was there. Lonely.
When I was at Simon’s place, I was now part of the nighttime routine. Reading to Mia, both Simon and me on her bed, her cuddled between us. I helped her with her bath, brushed out her long hair. Showed her a fancy braid I liked to do. I loved her good-night kisses, morning snuggles, and how she just accepted me as me. Simon tried not to laugh the day she came downstairs wearing a bandanna in her hair like mine and boots on her feet with her skirt. He told her she was adorable and kissed her. Then he did the same to me. I was Chippy to Simon; she was Sweet Pea. I loved how she called him Daddy.