Beyond the Consequences (Book 5 of the Consequences Series)(34)

Both Tony and Claire turned to see their daughter rubbing her eyes and moving toward them.

Stifling their smiles, Claire adjusted her nightgown as Tony groaned and straightened his shirt.

“What is it, honey?” Claire asked as Nichol climbed up onto their bed. Before their daughter answered, she crawled between them and slid under the covers. Once settled, Claire put her arm around her, and Nichol snuggled closer.

“I missed-ed you. I woke up and got scared.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Tony wrapped the two of them in his embrace. “Scared? Princess, what were you scared about?”

Nichol shrugged.

“You know that with your momma, me, Shannon, Mr. Phil, Mr. Eric, and Miss Taylor, you’re the safest little princess in the whole world, don’t you?”

Nichol nodded. “You’re not there.”

“Where, honey? Where aren’t we?”

“In my room. I’m all by myself. I heard somefing…” Her brown eyes widened. “…under my bed.” She leaned into Tony’s chest. “I think I should sleeps wif you.”

Claire grinned above Nichol’s head, her gaze meeting Tony’s. “Honey,” Claire began, “we’ve talked about this. You have your own bed. This is Momma and Daddy’s bed.”

“I don’t like my bed. I like yours.”

“We like ours too, princess. But it isn’t big enough for all of us.”

Nichol’s dark hair swung over her eyes as her head moved dramatically from side to side. “It is. See, I fits right here.”

Though Claire wanted Nichol to feel safe, their child psychologist had been very clear on her opinion of children sleeping in their parents’ bed. Giving in, even one time, she’d warned, and a pattern would be set. “How about Daddy and I take you back to your room. Daddy will check under your bed and make sure there isn’t anything there making noise. Then we can snuggle with you and read one more story? Will that make you feel better?”

Nichol shrugged again. “Why can’t I stay here? I promise I won’t wiggle.”

Tony laughed as he playfully tickled their daughter. Her pouting lips sprang into a smile as her legs and arms began to flail. “You won’t wiggle? You won’t wiggle?” he asked jokingly. “You’re doing a lot of wiggling right now.”

“Stop, Daddy!” Nichol managed through her roars of laughter.

“Tony, she’s never going to go back to sleep—”

His grin and wink came as his hands stopped tickling and Nichol’s pleas turned to a sigh. “Miss Rawlings,” Tony said as he eased back the covers, stood, and offered Nichol his hand. “It seems as though you have in fact wiggled. That means it’s time for your momma and me to escort you back to your own room.”

Though she worked hard to pout, her big dark eyes sparkled with adoration. “You’ll look under my bed?”

“Yes, I promise.”

With that, Nichol stood on the bed and flung herself into Tony’s arms. “You have to read me one more story too.”

“I do? I thought that was Momma’s job.”

“Nope,” Nichol replied as Claire donned her robe and the three of them made their way out the door. Stepping into the corridor, she continued, “Momma’s gonna listen, just like me.”

Low lights led the way from the master bedroom suite to Nichol’s room, only one door down and across the hall. Turning on the light on her bedside stand, Tony handed Nichol to Claire before bending down and searching beneath the skirt of the canopy bed. Nichol buried her head in the crook of Claire’s neck as Tony announced, “Oh my.”

“What?” Claire asked with genuine curiosity.

With a huge grin, Tony moved to stand and extended his hand. Within his grasp was a remote control puppy, obviously low on batteries. Every few seconds, one of its legs moved, creating a faint grinding noise.

“Your puppy!” Claire exclaimed. Nichol’s head popped up, and she reached for the mechanical dog.

“Bad puppy!” she said with a smile.

“He’s not bad,” Tony explained. “He just wanted your attention. If he’d have been quiet under there you may have forgotten about him.”

Claire set Nichol on her bed and took the puppy. “Let me turn him off. In the morning, we’ll find some more batteries so he can play with you.”

“Okay,” Nichol replied, stifling a yawn and climbing under the covers. “I fought it was a monster.”

“A monster? Not in our house. Didn’t you know?” Tony asked.

Nichol looked up with wide eyes. “What?”

“No monsters are allowed past the gates. It’s a rule,” Tony assured.

Lying down next to Nichol, Claire grinned up at Tony. “If you’re done with your rules, we’re waiting for our story.”

Reaching for a book from their daughter’s bookshelf, Tony’s dark eyes gleamed. “Yes, I’ll give you both a story, and then…” His brows rose with his unspoken meaning.

“And then you’ll remember to lock the door?” Claire whispered with a smirk, her comment going unnoticed by the beautiful little girl snuggling into her side. Already Nichol’s eyes were half closed as she rubbed her cheek against Claire’s soft cashmere robe. Looking up to her husband, Claire said, “You’d better hurry, if she’s going to hear any of—”