Safe with Me (With Me in Seattle, #5)(8)

“I guess you will kiss me,” she whispers.

“I couldn’t help it.” Sitting here with her, in the dark stillness of the middle of the night feels absolutely right.

“Okay,” she murmurs and offers me a smile.

“You should get some sleep.”

“Don’t go.” She grips onto my arms tightly, and her eyes are wide in fear. “Please? Not yet.”

“Lie down.”

“Caleb…”

“I’ll stay, sweetheart. Just lie down.”

She scoots down in the bed and lies back, moving over to her right to make more room for me in her bed.

My feet will most likely hang off the end.

I lie down on my side and pull her against me, kiss the crown of her head, and sigh deeply.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” she mutters and nuzzles her nose against my sternum. I grin against her hair. She’s so f*cking sweet.

So f*cking good.

“You didn’t.”

“You haven’t been to sleep yet?” She asks and yawns.

“Not yet.”

“Go to sleep, Caleb.”

She wraps her arm around my waist and presses herself against me from head to feet, twining her legs with my own and damn if she doesn’t fit me perfectly.

Her body is long. In the ankle-breaking heels she insists on wearing out with the girls, she’s only a few inches shorter than my own six foot three.

“Caleb?” She asks sleepily.

“Yes, Bryn.”

“Sleep. That’s an order.”

I chuckle and bury my nose in her hair, keeping the scent of her close.

“Yes ma’am.”

And to my utter surprise, I fall into the most restful sleep I’ve had in years.





Chapter Three


Brynna



I wake slowly, lazily and stretch out like a fat, lazy cat. I purposely keep my eyes closed and smile softly, remembering Caleb coming to my bed to comfort me from my horrific nightmare. I know he’s gone now because the bed around me is cold, but having him hold me, comfort me, in the middle of the night was just… amazing.

The man is incredible shirtless. In all the time I’ve spent with him, I’ve never seen him without a shirt, and even in the dark, it’s a sight to behold.

Jesus, even his muscles have muscles.

I scrub my hands down my face and then open my eyes and frown.

It’s light outside. Too light to still be before my alarm goes off. I whip my head around to look at the alarm clock and gasp when I see the time.

I’m late!

“Damn, damn, damn,” I mutter and fling the covers off me. I race to the bathroom, yoga pants in-hand, to quickly pee, brush my teeth and throw my hair up in a messy bun.

“Girls!” I call out and briskly walk through my room and down the hall to theirs. “We overslept!”

I push their door open, but their beds are empty.

“Girls?” I call out again and jog down the stairs. Just before I turn the corner to the kitchen, I hear Caleb and the girls laughing so I stop short and listen.

“How old are you?” Josie asks.

“A lot older than you,” Caleb answers. I can hear and smell bacon sizzling and my stomach growls.

“Are you older than mommy?” Maddie asks with her mouth full of something.

“Yes,” he chuckles. “I’m a couple years older than her.”

“Mommy is thirty,” Josie informs him. “She’s really, really old.”

“Are you older than the Empire State Building?” Maddie asks with awe in her little voice and I cover my mouth so I don’t laugh out loud.

“Uh, do I look older than the Empire State Building?” He asks.

“Maybe,” Maddie responds.

“Do you have a dog?” Josie asks and slurps something. She must have talked him into another bowl of Coco Puffs.

“No,” Caleb answers.

“Do you have a cat?” Maddie asks.

“Nope.”

“Do you have an aldergator?” Josie asks loudly.

“You mean an alligator?” Caleb asks with a laugh.

“That’s what I said.”

“No, no pets. Especially not of the reptile variety.”

Deciding to rescue him, I shuffle into the kitchen and my heart just stops. The girls are dressed, their long dark hair is brushed, and they are happily eating a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon. And, of course, Josie has her precious Coco Puffs.

He’s taken care of my kids and let me sleep in.

The girls haven’t seen me yet because their backs are to me, but Caleb looks up and offers me a soft smile. His eyes are warm and travel up and down the length of me, pausing at my legs.

“Sleep well?” He asks as I feel my cheeks warm.

“Too well,” I confirm and join him in the kitchen. “I overslept. Did you turn my alarm off?”

“Yeah, I figured you could use a little extra sleep. The girls and I have things under control down here.”

“Thank you.” I stand on tip-toe and kiss his cheek, then walk around the breakfast bar to hug my girls.

“Mornin’, mama,” Josie throws her arms around my middle and hugs me tight.