Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Yeah. I’m good.” She nods.
We spend the next hour just chatting, getting to know one another. I’m the one doing most of the talking, but I learn a good bit about her, and she me. I don’t dare ask a question. I’m not willing to answer myself. I’ve learned that she’s the same age as me at twenty-four. I know that her favorite food is anything Italian and that her hair used to be long, but she cut it when she found out she was pregnant.
“It’s just easier to take care of,” she explains.
“I know what you mean. I keep mine short for that very reason,” I say, making her laugh. It’s a beautiful sound, and it does something to me knowing I’m the one responsible for her smile.
“Stop.” She pushes on my arm, and I feign hurt. “Maddie, help me.” I lift her from my lap and toss her just slightly in the air and catch her. Her laughter, much like her mother’s, has me feeling some kind of way.
“Favorite color?”
“Hmm, I’d say teal.”
I nod. “Good choice. Mine used to be black.”
“Used to be?”
I settle Madeline against my chest and turn to look at Wren, who is now sitting next to us on the floor, her back also against the couch. “Now it’s blue. The color of your eyes,” I add. I don’t know what it is about her, but I keep saying things that I should be keeping to myself. Her cheeks turn a light rose color, and now I’m glad that I said them. In fact, I’m wracking my brain for any other compliments I can give her just to see that blush stay on her cheeks.
“I need to feed her and put her to bed,” she says, changing the subject.
“Can I help?”
“Oh, um, no, I’ve got it.”
“Okay, Maddie, it’s time for dinner, and then night night time.” I kiss her cheek and hand her over to Wren.
“Thanks. Um, do you mind handing me that blanket?” She points behind me. Reaching back, I grab the small thin pink and white blanket and hand it to her. “Thank you.”
Madeline knows what time it is, and she’s rooting around, and that’s when I know what’s about to happen. If I were the gentleman that my momma raised me to be, I would stand and leave, or at least go to the bathroom to give her some privacy, but right now, I can’t find that guy. No, all I have is the man in me that is fascinated with this woman, and she’s about to pull her boobs out. Even if it is to nourish her daughter, I can’t look away because it’s Wren. There’s a pull between us that I don’t understand, but it’s keeping me rooted into my spot and my eyes glued to her.
Lifting my gaze, we lock eyes. I see her hands moving, but I don’t dare look away from her baby blues. I turn to the side so I’m facing her. Reaching out, I lace her fingers with mine. Something is happening. My heart is hammering in my chest, and I know she can feel the clamminess of my hands. “Wren.” Her name is a whisper on my lips.
She swallows hard. “What are you doing?”
I move closer. I can’t seem to get close enough to her. “I don’t know. Whatever it is, it feels right.”
“I’m a mom.”
“You’re a fantastic mother. Your beautiful little girl looks just like you.” She looks down at Madeline, and my eyes follow hers. My heart trips over in my chest when I see Madeline’s eyes on me as she eats. The moment is intimate and personal, and to think I could have missed it had I not knocked on her door earlier.
I’m still holding Wren’s hand that’s not holding her daughter, and the other, well, I slide it behind her neck and lean in close, resting my forehead against hers. “What are you doing to me?”
“Marshall.”
“You feel it too, right? I wish I could describe this… the pull I have toward the two of you. Every time I see you, it grows stronger. I don’t know what it means, but damn it, Wren, I want to find out.” I pull back so I can look into her eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“Let me spend time with you. Both of you. I don’t know what it means, baby. All I know is that something brought me to your doorstep tonight. All I’ve done is think about you today, and on my way home, this is where I ended up.”
“You brought her a gift.”
“She’s a part of you, Wren. You’re a package deal. What I don’t know is what’s happening between us. I don’t know why you’re all I can think about. I don’t know why I can’t be this close to you without touching you.”