Babel Novel
44
She nodded. “Let’s go to bed.”
Why did that feel like an invitation for us to go to bed together?
And why did my body immediately fail me the moment her words resonated?
I forced myself to turn away from her and leave the apartment, heading back down the stairs, across the garage, and into the main part of the house. Once I was in the kitchen, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and chugged down half.
“I’m going to crash on the couch,” she said from behind me.
I shut the door to the fridge and faced her. “The guest room would be much more comfortable.”
And farther from my bedroom.
Much farther.
She was holding the edge of the island, her hair framing her cheeks, her eyes filled with a seductive glare.
My fucking God.
“No, it’s okay. It’ll only be a few hours anyway. I’m going to get up extra early, run home, shower, change, and come right back, so I’ll be here before you leave for work.”
“I’m working from home tomorrow.” I screwed on the cap to the water, squeezing the bottle between my hands. “That gives you an extra hour since my first meeting isn’t until eight.”
Her head tilted to the side as she analyzed me. “I didn’t know that was ever an option.” She laughed. “I just mean, I had no idea you worked from home.”
That smile, that sound.
They hit my chest.
So fucking hard.
“I do on occasion, but I try not to make a habit of it. As you can imagine, it’s hard to get a lot done here.”
“I’ll keep Everly busy, so you don’t have to worry about her bothering you.” She took a step back and another, her hands falling at her sides until she grabbed the blanket from the back of the chair. “I’ll see you in the morning, Ford.”
She went over to the couch and found a spot between two oversize pillows. Her head nuzzled into one, her feet resting across the other, and the blanket covered her to where I could only see her hair.
Go to fucking bed, Ford.
I listened to the voice inside me and went over to where the switches were located, turning off the lights. The only ones I kept on were the pendants in the kitchen. I dimmed those, so if she got up, the glow would be enough that she wouldn’t run into anything.
When I reached the hallway to my bedroom, I didn’t say good night to her. I didn’t even pause. I just instantly closed the door behind me, my back resting against the wood the moment it was shut.
I filled my lungs and released a long, deep exhale.
When I tried to move, to walk down the hallway toward my bed, my feet wouldn’t lift. My hands wouldn’t release the door.
So, I slid down the flatness until my ass hit the hardwood beneath me.
And that was where I stayed.
TWELVE
SYDNEY
I
sat on the side of Everly’s bed, watching her stir until those big, beautiful eyes opened wide, a smile coming across her adorable face. “How’d you sleep, Miss Everly?”
“Syd!” She rubbed her eyes and pouted. “I woke up in the night, and you were gone.”
“I wanted to talk to your dad when he got home, so I went downstairs and”-I tickled her tummy-“fell asleep on the couch by accident.” I switched from tickles to rubs, my palm moving around in a slow circle. “And guess what. Your dad ate three cupcakes. Three! Can you believe it?”
“He’s a cupcake monster. Like a cookie monster, but with cupcakes.”
“Yes, he is.” I pushed her hair back, away from her face, the braid loosening overnight. Without the little wisps covering her cheeks, her freckles popped against her pale skin. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the prettiest freckles in the whole wide world?”
“Daddy has. He loves my freckles. He says a face with no freckles is like a sky without stars.” She grinned, wiggling until she sat up. “He says Mommy has freckles too.”
My heart began to pound.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
This was the first time Everly had ever mentioned her mother. From Everly’s description, it sounded like she’d never seen her mother’s freckles in person.
Or maybe she just didn’t remember seeing them.
I didn’t want to push the subject, but I was so curious that I couldn’t help myself.
“Where’s Mommy now?”
She kicked off the blanket and looked at her hot-pink toes from the pedicure we’d gotten a few days ago.
“She wasn’t ready to be a mommy.” Her voice was quiet, solemn.
Where my heart had been beating so rapidly only moments ago, now, it was completely shattered.
I didn’t want to judge. I didn’t want to assume.
But what I did know was that her mother wasn’t here and she had no part in Everly’s current life.
And that made me so sad for Everly.
I held her little arm, massaging up to her shoulder, and when I reached her face, I cupped her tiny cheek. “Are you hungry, precious girl? How about we get dressed and have some breakfast?”
She nodded, her curls bouncing.
Before she’d woken up, I’d already picked out an outfit for her to wear, making it easy to change from her pajamas. After a quick brush of her hair and teeth, we walked downstairs, where her father was sitting in the kitchen with a giant cup of coffee in front of him.
“Daaaddy!”
The moment she reached the bottom of the staircase, she went running and climbed his leg until she was on his lap.
“Good morning, baby girl.” He kissed the top of her head. “Your dad is pretty tired this morning, so that’s why Sydney got you dressed.”
“Is it from eating all the cupcakes?” She pointed to the counter. “You messy cupcake monster.”
“Wow,” Ford exhaled. “I guess I created quite the disaster, didn’t I?”
I hadn’t noticed the crumbs when I came in early this morning, but they were all over the island, where we’d been eating last night, bits of chocolate and sprinkles everywhere.
I grabbed the sponge and cleaned it off, and Ford mouthed, Thank you, when my eyes eventually connected with his.
Last night … oh God.
An evening that had triggered more than just a dirty counter.
There had been several moments in this kitchen and in the apartment over the garage when I was positive he was going to kiss me.
But the whole time, I stayed cool. I didn’t instigate.