Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Judging by the looks on both of their faces, it's the right answer.
Our daughter squeals, jumping up onto the cushion to throw her arms around me. Mina meets my gaze over her head, her emerald eyes dark with unspoken desire. But she doesn't need to voice it. I feel the same goddamn need pounding through me with every beat of my heart.
"Let's get you in bed, baby girl," I murmur, lifting Brinley in my arms to carry her to bed.
She doesn't fight or utter a single complaint this time. She just rests her little head against my shoulder with a happy sigh, allowing me to carry her up to her room behind Mina.
She's already brushed her teeth, so I deposit her in the center of her unicorn bed amidst a sea of stuffed animals. She snuggles right in, her eyes locked on my face.
"I'm glad you aren't lost anymore," she whispers as I kneel beside her bed, pulling the covers up over her.
"Me too, baby girl," I whisper, trying not to fucking cry again. "Me too."
She touches my cheek and smiles. "I love you forever, Daddy."
Goddamn, I never knew something so sweet could hurt this good. I've been saying the same shit to Mina since the first time she told me that she loves me. It's never I love you. It's always I love you forever. Hearing our daughter say it now, knowing she passed that to her…Christ. It's perfect in a way I don't deserve.
"I love you forever, too, baby girl," I rasp.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Brinley grabs an old, worn teddy bear, thrusting it out toward me. "This is for you."
I glance between the little fuzzy bear and her, confused. "You're giving me a teddy bear?" I ask, amused.
"Uh-huh," she whispers. "Mommy says that you gave me your special pick. This is my special bear. I want you to have it."
I glance over at Mina for an explanation.
"When I told her you were back, she thought you might be lonely when you weren't here," she murmurs. "So she wanted you to have her bear so you had something to keep with you so you weren't sad."
Ah, hell. There's no way I'm going to survive loving this little girl and my wife at the same time. They've only just let me in, and I already feel the man I've had to be for the last six years falling away. He fought and bled and did ruthless, vicious shit. And this tiny little girl is smothering every painful, raw place those things left festering inside. She's smoothing them over, filling in the cracks and forming something new.
And my God, it's beautiful. Exactly like coming home. Only…this time, home is bigger and brighter and so goddamn perfect it hurts.
"Tell you what." I swallow the lump in my throat as I stroke my finger down her teddy bear's nose. "Why don't you watch over him for me at night? That way, I know he's safe and protected. He might get lonely otherwise."
"Okay," she agrees, pulling him up against her chest to snuggle him as her eyes flutter.
I dip my head, resting my lips against her forehead. "Sweet dreams, little princess."
"Sweet dreams, Daddy."
I watch her for a long moment before shifting out of the way so Mina can tell her goodnight. My wife settles onto the edge of the bed, running her hand down the side of Brinley's face.
"Love you forever, baby girl," she whispers, her voice soft.
"I love you forever, too," Brinley says around a yawn. And then she blinks at Mina. "Hey, Mommy?"
"Yeah, lovebug?"
"Is it still comblicated?"
Mina chuckles, tapping her on the nose. "It's still complicated, but we're figuring it out, Brinley baby."
"But daddy gets to stay here while you figure it out, right?"
"Yeah, baby girl. Your daddy is going to stay here," she whispers. "Remember what I told you today?"
"Uh-huh." Brinley's gaze darts to me before sliding back to Mina. "I don't think he's very scared anymore," she stage-whispers. "I taught him a lot today."
Christ. I rub my hand over my heart, trying to imprint that sweet ache into my skin.
"Yeah, you did." The smile in Mina's voice is unmistakable. "You did good, baby girl. Real good."
"Yeah," Brinley breathes, her eyes fluttering closed.
Mina leans down, brushing a kiss to her cheek, before tucking her the rest of the way in. And then she rises to her feet, crossing to my side. I tug her up into my arms. For a long moment, I just hold her, her head tucked against my chest, as we watch our daughter drift off to sleep. It's a simple moment…one so fucking ordinary. And yet, it feels goddamn magical to me.
When Brinley's breath evens out, her face going slack, I tug Mina from the room, my heart in my throat. We don't speak as we make our way down the hall. I don't say a word as we cross into her room. But as soon as the bedroom door closes behind us, I've got her pinned against it, my body against hers.