Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 26164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Alzheimer’s,” she whispered. “She actually died about a year ago. But I had to take out a loan against my house to pay for what Medicare didn’t cover.”
“Oh, baby.”
“I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t look after her, Atticus.”
“Of course not. Of course not, baby girl.” He held onto her, rocking her back and forth.
“Do you think I’m a terrible person for not wanting to take care of her? I never even visited her.”
“Baby, you’re not terrible. She wasn’t a mother to you. She neglected you. She didn’t deserve your care.”
He rocked her back and forth as she leaned against him. He ran his hand up and down her back. “You can’t keep living off ramen noodles and driving a rusty truck, though, baby.”
“Poor Queenie. I don’t know if she can be fixed. What am I going to do?”
“You’re going to let me help you.”
“Atticus, no.” She leaned back. “I can’t do that. I won’t use you.”
“It’s not using me if I offer.”
“No.” She gave him a stubborn look.
“Yes,” he told her. “End of argument. I’m going to take care of this for you and you’re going to let me.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you. And you made me blueberry muffins. That sealed your fate.”
“That’s insane.”
“No more insane than moving to the wilds of Wyoming and finding everything I ever wanted.”
Jeez. He could be so sweet.
“I love you too,” she told him.
A huge smile filled his face and he kissed her gently. “Come on, now, it’s time for bed.”
He helped her up, and she set off for the bedroom she’d used last time. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To bed.” Wasn’t that obvious?
“In the spare bedroom?”
“Well, yeah, where else?”
“I was kind of thinking you’d sleep with me.”
“Oh. Ohh.” Her face went bright red.
He cupped her face between his hands. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re too sore for that. But I want you beside me when I go to sleep and next to me when I wake up. For the rest of our lives.”
“That’s what I want too.”
“I know, baby.”
8
Lucie woke up with his mouth around her nipple.
“Daddy?” she questioned.
“Hmm,” he murmured as he suckled on her nipple before taking as much of her breast into his mouth as he could.
This last week had been kind of a whirlwind. When Atticus made up his mind about something, he went all in. He was a force to be reckoned with. Stubborn and opinionated.
Yeah, they’d had a few arguments.
Over him paying off her debts. Over his insistence that they wreck Queenie when she’d wanted to fix her. Over her moving in with him, despite the fact that they hadn’t been together for long.
But he wasn’t budging on any of those things. And let’s face it. Everything he did was with her in mind. Well, with both of them in mind. Now he didn’t have to worry about her driving Queenie around and getting into an accident. He didn’t have to be concerned that she was cold, or that she was sleeping on the sofa, or whether she had enough food.
Because he took care of all of those things.
Being Atticus’ Little girl was amazing. He took on all those worries, the big ones and the little ones. He gave her a safe space where she could be herself. Where her Little could be free. But she had to be careful not to let him get away with too much. If she didn’t give him hell every so often, then he would likely get a big head from always getting his way.
Yeah, she figured that was her job. To make his sure big head could still get in the door of their cabin.
She smiled at that thought.
But over this past week, he hadn’t made a move on her. Mostly, she thought, because she’d been recovering from the accident. She’d woken up the following day feeling like absolute shit, barely able to move.
He’d totally babied her. Setting her up on the sofa. Bringing her whatever she wanted. He wouldn’t let her lift a finger.
And she’d adored him for it.
Until she started to feel better. Then she might have gotten a bit sassy with him. And she’d earned herself her first punishment. Well, second since he said she was still owed one for driving in a snowstorm.
But she was hoping he would forget about that.
Her second punishment had also been delayed until she felt better. She wasn’t worried. She figured he would forget about it with time.
They’d spent their nights talking. He’d spoken about Gemma, and she told him about her father and grandparents. She’d told him how she’d lost her virginity to her high school boyfriend, who’d dumped her the next day, and he’d pretended that he was going to track him down and beat on him for her. Actually, she wasn’t entirely sure that was a joke. She’d need to keep an eye on him.