Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(84)
He brought my fingers to his lips and kissed each one. “Maybe.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in their spiritual methodology? Hmmm?”
He shook his head and pulled me into his embrace, wrapping one of his thick arms around me and curling his hand around my side. Lily kicked to get down, but he held her firm. With both of his girls in his very capable arms, he seemed happier than he’d ever been. “I said I didn’t not believe. If you remember correctly.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, but that would lead one to assume you didn’t actually believe in it yourself.”
“I figured when it came to my girls, I would make sure you were covered either way.”
“So even though you don’t necessarily believe…”
He kissed my nose and then Lily’s. She giggled and forced her head into the crook of his neck.
“I wanted you both covered anyway. Couldn’t hurt. Now you both have pretty mother-daughter necklaces that your guy gave you. Win-win, right?”
“Yeah, honey, win-win. Thank you.” I rose up on my toes and kissed his mouth.
“Eww, gross.” Lily smacked at both our faces, trying to pull us apart.
Clayton ended the kiss, laughing jovially and trying to pin and tickle my daughter. I watched by the side of the bed and picked up the box that held my jade heart in it. I removed it from the packaging and put it on. It fell right above my cleavage, as close to my heart as it could get.
Yeah, my man was protecting my heart. Definite win.
Chapter Nineteen
To have a healthy heart, you must allow any suppressed emotions to surface and heal. Ultimately, you need to have love for yourself in order to feel real love for others.
MONET
“Beautiful, I’m hitting the gym. You and Matisse okay with Lily alone?” Clayton curled a hand around my waist from behind.
I had just latched my hoop earring in one ear and was working on the next. “Of course. It’s been a full three weeks now since anyone has heard anything from Kyle. Matisse had even started talking about going home. I told her I’d have your security guy put a system in place at her house too if that would make her more comfortable. I also offered to help her move out of her current place and into something else.” Personally, I hoped for the latter. Leaving a place Kyle knew about was the smarter move. Alas, it would be her choice, and I didn’t intend to push her one way or the other.
“Yeah? What’d she say about that?” Clayton ran a hand through the spikes of his hair. It was getting longer on top, and he needed a haircut.
“Said she’d consider it and weigh her options.”
He nodded, found his gel, put a dime-sized drop in his hand, and ran it through his spikes so they’d stand up more fully.
I watched with interest as he styled his hair. “Why do you get all pretty before going to the gym?” I asked, pressing a hip against the vanity while giving my man a full onceover.
He’d worn his usual track pants—this pair with two stripes running down the sides. Covering his cut chest was a matching black ribbed tank and nothing else. Though he did have a zip-up tossed on the counter near him, I knew he’d be taking it off within minutes of entering the gym, showing off the toned body he worked so hard for.
Clayton caught my gaze in the mirror. “Why? You jealous I’m looking super fly to work out? Worried about the cardio bunnies?” He plastered on an innocent expression.
“Cardio bunnies? What the hell is that?” The words flew from my mouth without a filter. Now he’d know I was jealous. Busted.
He grinned, quickly tugged me to him with one arm around my waist, and smashed me up against his long, hard frame. “Cardio bunnies are the chicks that spend day after day at the gym only working on cardio and nothing else. Sometimes, they are using it to scope out a target of the male variety.” He waggled his eyebrows.
I scowled. “Really? And would you be taking them up on that offer?”
His playful smile turned into a grimace. “You know I get my ass to the gym and home as fast as possible when there’s you to come home to. Besides, I got all the woman I can handle, and I like my handfuls.” He proved this by cupping my left ass cheek in one hand and my right breast in the other. His skillful hand swiped a thumb across my nipple, which instantly made me melt in his arms.
“There’s my sweet, sexy woman. Now, we’ll pick this back up when I return. Yeah?” He clenched the goods one more time and kissed me soundly. So soundly I’d practically forgotten my name by the time he pulled away. His kisses were mind-bending every time.
“Hmpfh.” I grabbed a brush and pulled it through the tangles in my hair. “You need a haircut. Do you want me to make an appointment for you with Viv?” Genevieve was one of the Lotus House teachers, but she also owned and operated her own hair salon, which our crew took advantage of. She did the best work, but it was also nice to support a friend.
Clayton checked out his hair in the mirror. “Could use a cut. Yeah, beautiful, that would be cool if you could. See what she’s got available and just text me the date and time. I could take the queen for a trim if you think she needs it. Viv usually has Will in the playroom next to her chair, and I’m sure Lily would like to play with him.”
Leave it to my man to not only think about my daughter possibly needing a haircut but wanting to bring her to one of our friends because they have a child she could play with.