Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“Okay. We’re almost there.”
When we got to my place, Torch parked and was out of the car before I could even reach for the door handle. He helped me out, then reached down and scooped Ava up like she weighed nothing. As he started for the door, he looked down at me and asked, “Where do you want her?”
“Let’s try the sofa,” I answered softly, watching how carefully he carried her inside.
He nodded, and once I’d unlocked the door, he carried her straight to the living room, setting her down gently on the sofa. I followed right behind him, grabbing her favorite blanket and tucking it around her. She blinked up at me, and she was on the brink of tears as she muttered, “I don’t feel good.”
“I know, baby.” I knelt beside her as I said, “I’m going to go grab a few things to help you feel better, okay?”
Ava nodded, and I stood and started for the kitchen. I grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet and wet it before taking a large bowl from the cabinet. I carried everything into the living room, and I was getting Ava situated when Torch asked, “Need me to do anything?”
“Could you grab the child’s Pepto and Tylenol from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom?”
“You got it.” He darted off to the bathroom and returned a few seconds later with the medicine and a spoon. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“This should make you feel better.” I gave Ava the medicine before placing the cold rag on her head. “There you go, sweetie.”
Ava curled into her blanket and closed her eyes as I ran my fingers through her hair. Torch stood in the doorway a moment, watching us before he asked, “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, I think we’re good.”
I thought some ginger ale might help settle her stomach, so I started back towards the kitchen. When I walked past him, Torch caught my arm gently and asked, “You sure?”
The genuine concern in his voice caught me off guard, and for a second, I didn’t know what to say. “Yeah, I’m sure. Thank you. I really appreciate you cutting your Thanksgiving short and bringing us home.”
He nodded and stepped back, letting me continue towards the kitchen. By the time I got back, Ava was sound asleep, and there was no sign of Torch. I was a little disappointed that he’d left without saying goodbye. I was careful not to wake Ava as I made my way over to the other end of the sofa and sat down. It was the first moment I’d had to really think about my conversation with Torch or the kiss we’d shared.
I had waited for that kiss for almost half my life, and it did not disappoint. I brought my hand up and brushed my fingertips against my lips as I replayed the kiss in my mind. It was everything I’d ever imagined—soft but commanding, tender but full of heat—and it left me positively breathless. I’d tried so many times, but Torch had always been the one I couldn’t quite shake. He was the one I measured every other man against, and none of them had ever brought butterflies to my stomach the way he did.
And now, after all these years, he’d finally kissed me.
I couldn’t help but smile, even as a knot of uncertainty twisted in my stomach. I had no idea what that kiss had meant. It could’ve just been something he’d done on a whim, or it could’ve been something more. My mind was a battlefield of doubts and questions, but I couldn’t stop my heart from clinging to the hope that this could be the start of something between us.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, and a smile crossed my face as I dozed off. I hadn’t been sleeping long when the sound of my front door creaking open woke me. My chest tightened as I looked up and found Torch standing in the doorway. He was carrying a container full of leftovers in one hand and a bottle of ginger ale in the other. His voice was soft as he said, “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” I lied. “I was just resting.”
He nodded, his gaze flicking over to Ava before settling back on me. “I brought you a couple of desserts. I know how you love Cass’s apple pie.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I murmured, the simple gesture making my chest ache.
“I know.” His eyes held mine, and for a moment, the air between us felt heavy with unspoken words. “I wanted to.”
He carried the food into the kitchen, and I could hear him open the fridge door and place them inside. Seconds later, he returned to the living room, and his eyes immediately fell on Ava. He looked concerned, so I told him, “She’s been asleep since you left.”