Penthouse Prince(43)
“So I’ll come over,” I say quickly, wedging my phone between my ear and my shoulder. “We’ll order takeout and watch a movie. Maybe we’ll actually even pay attention to this one.”
The line is quiet for a long moment, but when Lex eventually speaks up, his voice is hesitant. “You . . . you wouldn’t mind that?”
“Of course not. I think that sounds like a perfect first date. And to be honest, I really, really didn’t want to wear those heels tonight anyway.”
A groan rumbles low over the line. “Jesus, no fair. Now I’m picturing your legs in heels.”
“I hope for your sake Grier isn’t within earshot right now,” I say, scolding him with a smirk tugging at the edges of my lips.
“Don’t worry, she’s resting in her room,” he says with an easy laugh. “I’ll save the dirty talk for when you and I are alone.”
Once we hang up, I hang my dress back in my closet and change into denim cutoffs, a slouchy pink tee, and a pair of comfy sandals that my feet instantly thank me for. Then it’s a quick, familiar drive across town to Lex’s, where the door swings open before I even get a chance to ring the bell.
“Hey there, gorgeous.”
In dark-washed jeans and a fitted black tee that hugs his shoulders just right, Lex looks way too good for a man who’s been taking care of a sick two-year-old all day. In fact, I’d say he was date-night ready, if not for the toddler snot smeared on his shirt. And, of course, the grouchy-looking Grier propped on his hip.
“Can you say hi to Corrigan, love bug?” He bounces Grier a little to get her attention, and she manages half a smile and a tiny wiggle of her fingers. Then it’s right back to zombie mode, complete with a sad little whimper.
Poor thing.
“Looks like someone’s about ready for b-e-d.”
As if on cue, Grier sniffs twice, then yawns. Yep, it’s lights out for this one.
I follow Lex inside and straight up to Grier’s room, where the usual mess of toys is now joined by a full-blown kiddie pharmacy. There’s a big purple bottle of cough syrup on the dresser and, oddly, a box of fruit snacks next to it.
Lex must notice me eyeing them and quickly offers an explanation.
“She’ll only take the cough syrup if I give her those afterward.” He nods toward the fruit snacks, then shakes his head. “What can I say? The kid drives a hard bargain.”
“Gummies?” Grier perks up between sniffles as her dad tucks her in. She’s only recently graduated from the crib to a big-girl bed, and I can’t help but smile at how sweet and small she looks snuggled up under the light pink quilt.
“No, sweetheart. You already did your medicine. You’ll get more gummies tomorrow. Now, what story should we read?”
Without even glancing at her bookshelf, Grier blurts out the answer I’ve heard a half dozen times. “Dwagons Play Dodgeball!” It’s immediately followed by a coughing fit.
“Cover your mouth, honey,” Lex says gently. “Like this, see?” He demonstrates by fake coughing into his own elbow, and Grier mimics him exactly, right down to the pattern of his coughs. It’s pretty darn cute, to be honest. Like father, like daughter.
“Quick learner, as always,” I say, pulling the familiar blue board book from the shelf and handing it to Lex.
A proud smile breaks out across his face. “Yep. That’s our girl.”
As quickly as the words come out, his eyes deepen with instant regret.
Not his girl. Our girl.
There’s a long, awkward silence as he takes the book from me, but instead of addressing his slipup, he ignores it, sliding in under the covers next to Grier and starting the story.
Meanwhile, another story is playing in my head. A very different story. One where Grier is ours, not just Lex’s. And to my surprise, it’s not as scary of a thought as it should be.
“Cor?” Lex looks up at me with an easy smile. “Do you want to join us?”
Yes. In every way.
Lex guides Grier to scooch over a bit, making enough room for me on the edge of the bed. Even in her zombie state, she insists that I get under the covers too, tugging at the sheet until I oblige.
“Grier sandwich,” I say with a laugh, cuddling in extra close. “Now, where were we?”
Two and a half reads of Dragons Play Dodgeball later, Grier is finally sound asleep. It takes some light gymnastics for us both to get out of bed without waking her, which only leads to more laughter that we have to muffle, but we eventually make our escape without her batting an eyelash.
Before long, we’re back in the same spot on the couch as last night, this time with a bottle of wine and two take-and-bake pizzas Lex rustled up from the back of the freezer.
“Thanks again for being so flexible about tonight.” Lex smiles as he pulls an extra-large piece off the pizza stone and plates it for me. Despite his ten years in New York City, the man hasn’t lost the “ladies first” manners they teach us down here.
“It’s really no big deal,” I say, accepting the plate and lifting the slice to my lips. There’s still steam rising off it, so I blow a cold stream of air along the hot, gooey cheese, looking up just in time to catch Lex staring at my lips.
“You know how kids are. One second she’s bouncing off the walls, the next . . .” He takes a deep breath, rubbing the tension out of the back of his neck. “That one is unpredictable.”