It’s early, but it’s not early enough that I don’t catch his meaning.
“No shit? Congratulations, brother! Another little Reid, huh?”
“Best feeling in the world, Greg. Once Izzy held those little angels of yours in her arms, she dragged my ass home and told me she wanted another baby immediately. So I guess in some weird way I should say thanks for turning my wife into a baby-craving sex maniac.”
“HA! Well, I’m happy I could help you out.”
“Yeah, yeah. Feels good, you know? Having our kids so close together. Going to make for one hell of an interesting future, seeing these kids grow up together.”
“As long as you keep reminding Nate to stay away from my girls, we should all just be fine.”
We joke back and forth before hanging up. I take off back down the hall and into the girls’ bedroom. Looking over the crib they’re still sharing. I see identically beautiful faces staring up at me. It causes my heart to skip a beat and a smile to pull at my lips.
“Good morning, my lovely little ladies! I just talked to your Uncle Axel, but don’t you worry. I reminded him that you aren’t ever going to be dating so I’m sure he’s talking to Nate right now about that.”
They keep looking up at me, and I smile, rubbing their heads before going about our routine. It takes me longer than Melissa, mostly because I don’t have that magic touch it seems only mothers possess. I keep reminding them that they aren’t ever going to date and they’re going to stay daddy’s little girls for the rest of their lives.
It isn’t until later that night that I think about Axel and Izzy’s new little baby coming, and I smile when I wonder about the chances that they would have a girl. Knowing Axel and his extreme protectiveness over Izzy, it’s going to be funny as hell to watch him with a daughter.
“You ready for bed?” Melissa drops down next to me and reaches over to turn off the news.
“Beauty, if you’re coming with me, then hell yeah. Way I see it, I’ve got about two hours before someone is waking up for more food. That’s a lot of time to spend between these legs.”
She smacks my arm but doesn’t waste a second, jumping up and rushing to our bedroom.
I don’t get two hours that night. Nope, my girls decide to sleep a little longer. I spend the next four hours worshiping my wife and remembering each and every time just how lucky I am to have this life.
15 Years Later – Cohen
“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow. At least Lyn and Lila are driving now, so it won’t be so bad not having you around to take us places.” Danielle looks over at me from the other side of the couch, giggling softly and knowing damn well she’s going to miss more than my driving them around.
I throw the game controller down next to me and look over at her. God, she really is beautiful. I should feel guilty feeling these thoughts about her. She’s my little sisters’ best friend, practically family. Hell, her brother IS my best friend. It’s a line I shouldn’t cross. God, that makes me feel like such a sicko. I feel like all I do lately is remind myself I shouldn’t be lusting after her. She’s just about to turn fifteen and I’m leaving to start my freshman year at the University of Georgia.
But I can deny it all I want. There’s a connection I’ve always felt between us—wanted or not.
There’s nothing normal about what I feel for Danielle Reid.
“So that’s all I am to you? Huh, Dani? Just a ride from point A to point B?”
She blushes, and I swear I feel it all the way to my dick. I should be ashamed for feeling this way about it. For craving this girl as much as I do. I should be out running around town and sinking inside of all the chicks who want to send me off to school in style.
Hell, I’m no damn saint, which really makes me feel like I’m never going to be good enough for Dani.
Plus, her father would kill me.
Not just kill me. He would kill me and my family would never find the body.
Yeah, Axel Reid is a man who I’ve always known would tear apart anyone who tried to touch his daughter.
“No, Co… You’re more than that. A lot more than that.” She blushes again and looks away quickly.
Uh, say what?
“Dani? I’m no good at reading between the lines. I might have two little sisters, but unfortunately they never taught me much about how y’all’s minds work.”
She looks over at me, her green eyes bright with emotion, and clears her throat a few times, pushing her long raven hair behind her ears before talking. I can see the nervousness rolling off of her tiny body.
“Can I be honest with you, Cohen?”
“Oh course, Dani. You know that.”
Her eyes widen when she hears my sisters start yelling from upstairs. It won’t be long before they fly down the basement stairs to where we’re sitting like two twin tornados of sass.
“If you don’t want those two overhearing you, now would be a good time, Dani.”
She blushes more. “I’m going to miss you, Cohen. I know you don’t look at me like I look at you, but one day, you’re going to come back and I’ll still be waiting for you. Waiting for you to see me like I see you. Mark my words, Cohen Cage. One of these days, you’re going to be mine. And until you’re ready…I’ll be here. I’ll be waiting.”
Before I can even get a breath in my lungs to respond, Frick and Frack come running into the room, talking about who knows what. I just sit there frozen, my jaw slack and my eyes on Dani. Before I know it, they’re pulling Dani off the couch and running out the back of the house.
What the hell just happened?