Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(12)

“Dang, Clay, what smells so good?” Mila lifted the lid off a pot on the stove and sniffed. “We need to keep this guy around, Moe. He can cook!”

Clayton didn’t respond. He just continued to stare at me, his eyes traveling from my face to my neck and the bandage. Those crystal-blue eyes turned insanely dark in a second flat, and his jaw hardened.

I squeezed the hands still holding mine. “I’m okay. Thank you for your concern, but really, I’m going to be fine.”

“Damn right you are, and I’m going to make sure of it,” he growled. His eyes widened as if he didn’t mean to voice the sentiment out loud. “I mean…”

I shook my head and patted his hand once more. “It’s fine. There are a lot of good guys like you who want to take a jab at my ex right now.” I tried to lighten the weight of the moment with a laugh but failed miserably. I just didn’t have it in me.

Clayton cleared his throat. “You hungry? Lily and I made some turkey meatballs and spaghetti.”

My mouth watered at the reminder of real food. “Yes, starved.”

That simple comment seemed to make him happy, if his megawatt smile was anything to go by. “I’m glad, because I’ve made a feast! Come sit down. Get comfortable.”

He curled a hand lightly around my shoulders and led me to the family room. He helped ease me onto the end of the couch where I could easily reach the side table with my left arm. A small gesture but a huge one to me. He’d taken in my condition and accommodated it, making sure I could take care of myself easily. Such a nice guy.

I closed my eyes and settled in slowly, making sure not to let my stitches press against the back cushion. I should have braced, because the moment I sat down, Hurricane Lily slammed into my chest. Pain ripped through my back as she catapulted into my lap like she normally did.

“Mommy!” she screamed and bounced on me.

“Oomph, my God…” I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes to hold back tears.

Clayton was right there to help. He pulled Lily off me quickly and held her in his huge arms. “Hey, sweetie.” He nuzzled her neck which shocked me. “Mommy hurt her back. Remember when Uncle Atlas told you that Mommy was in an accident and got hurt?”

She nodded a bunch of times.

“Well, she has boo-boos there, and they are really tender right now. So how about instead of jumping on Mommy, you try and see how softly you can hug her and give her a kiss, yeah?”

“’Kay, King Clay, I can do that!” She wiggled her body until he set her down in front of me.

She eased in between my legs and put her hands on my cheeks. “You hurt?”

“Yeah, love bug, I am.” For the most part, I tried to be honest with Lily. She may have been five years old but I wanted her to know she could trust her mommy.

“I’m going to make you better,” she promised in the way that only a child could.

I held her in my arms and glanced up at the man watching me reconnect with my girl. Our eyes met over my daughter’s head, and I mouthed, “Thank you,” so he’d know I appreciated his concern and patience with Lily.

He nodded and left to go to the kitchen.

“You heard me, Mommy. I gonna make you better. Queen Lily.” This statement was more forceful and given with a conviction I understood very well, because she’d gotten that drive and determination from me.

“You already are, baby. You already are.” I buried my nose into her neck. The oatmeal-and-lavender bath wash mixed with my daughter’s natural scent soothed my senses, and I breathed her in. While I held her close, the last twenty-four hours came at me in a deluge of feelings.

Anger at Kyle for hurting me.

Fear that I could have not only lost my life but lost my daughter.

The injustice of this little girl not having a real father to care about her.

Unease that Kyle had gotten away. This wasn’t over. Not even close.

Shivers wracked my frame and tears fell down my cheeks as I thought about the nasty things Kyle had said he planned to do to my daughter in the event of my death. I sent up a prayer to God that he’d shown me mercy and prayed he’d protect her, protect us both.

Kyle was right about one thing and one thing only. Lily was not his daughter and she never would be. I gripped her so tight she cried out.

“Mommy…you hurting me.”

I swallowed and forced myself to let her go, my heart pounding a mile a minute. “Sorry, love bug. Mommy just loves you so much.” My voice cracked, and I wiped away the tears quickly.

Lily kissed my forehead, smiled, and then scampered off. In that moment, I vowed my daughter would stay a normal, happy child without a care in the world. She didn’t seem to have been bothered about the time I spent away or the fact that Clayton had taken care of her. A veritable stranger who had also stayed and made us all dinner. It was as if he’d quickly won her over, or she’d won him over.

Clayton entered the living room and set a dinner tray on the coffee table in front of me, placing the drink on the end table at my side. Then he moved the table closer so I wouldn’t have to bend too far to reach it. I watched intently as the muscles of his biceps and forearms bunched and shifted with each lurch of the table. He lifted his face and caught me staring. Like a smooth operator, he winked and made a clicking sound with his tongue.

So sexy.