A Redo (Sterling Shore 6)

“Since we’re going on daddy-daughter dates,” she says around a mouthful, “does that mean I can start calling you Daddy? Like Carrie does with Dane?”

My smile falls, and my chest almost collapses. She stares expectantly, and I barely manage to get the words to form.

“If you want to,” I say, though the words are barely a whisper. A beautiful smile blooms and she returns to her noodles.

“I do,” she says, still smiling.

Ah, fuck. I really hope I don’t cry.

Chapter 26

ALLIE

Someone knocking at the door draws my attention, and I curse whoever it is very loudly, dragging my ass off the sofa grudgingly. The hospital has been hell this week since they pulled me out of my normal duties to cover for the bitches who called in and stole my vacation.

The knock sounds out again, and I jerk the door open, scowling, but my eyes widen when I see a smiling Wren. It’s almost embarrassing when I feel the urge to throw myself in his arms, but then Angel pops out from behind him, smiling twice as big, and she launches herself at me.

“Mommy!”

Wren winks as tears fill my eyes, and I cling to my daughter like I can’t let go. Never again will I attempt to go this long without her. I feel like I can finally breathe again.

“Mom is impatient, so Angel had already gotten all of her presents from her and the rest of my family because she couldn’t wait to see Angel’s face. So, I decided it only made sense for her to come home so she’d have something to open on Christmas morning,” Wren says, acting as though he didn’t just give me the biggest present there’s ever been.

Angel continues squeezing me, and I continue holding her. Until she finally wiggles free.

“I need to put on my new pajamas,” she says, taking a backpack from Wren and running toward her room. “And Daddy is staying for our Christmas Eve stuff. He promised.”

My heart stumbles when I hear the new endearment roll off her tongue like it’s the most natural thing in the world. She runs to her room, shutting the door. The loud pipes squeak in the bathroom as Bella shuts off the shower, and that’s the only sound I can hear for a few, long seconds.

Finally, I turn to face Wren, who is smiling hugely. “She started calling me that after our daddy-daughter date.”

He clears his throat, and I move closer. I swear he just ripped the rug out from under me and shoved me into a hole. This is Wonderland, and it does exist. Or maybe I’m just the Mad Hatter and this is all a delusion.

Before I can launch myself at him, Bella’s cursing finds my ears, and my eyes widen as she walks in with nothing but a towel on. Her hair is wet and dripping, and she’s oblivious to Wren as she hobbles into the living room, dead on her feet and exhausted like me.

“My legs are not functioning worth a damn. I feel like a fucking cowboy has been riding me for nine hours straight. I hate work right now.”

Her eyes snap to us when Wren clears his throat very loudly, and she squeals while jumping and awkwardly covering her towel-clad chest.

“I swear I’m buying a bell to put around your damn neck so that you can’t keep sneaking up on me like that!”

“Angel is here, too,” I say, cocking an eyebrow, and Bella’s eyes widen before she slaps a hand over her mouth.

“Do you think she heard what I said?” she whispers, still keeping her hand in front of her mouth like she can hide her past words.

“Probably.”

Bella groans while running back toward her room, and Wren laughs. But I’m not laughing. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the guy that has rocked my world. After a quick glance at Angel’s door, I push Wren outside.

He looks down at me curiously, a frown marring his features, until I shove him against the wall. Then he just looks confused. Until I grab his neck and jerk him down, slamming my lips against his.

He smiles against my lips, but then it vanishes when I moan into his mouth. His tongue parts my lips, and he hungrily kisses me back, seeking, searching, possessing. He spins me until I’m the one that thuds against the wall, but the kiss never breaks.

We’re a mess of savage hands, tongues, groans, moans and pleading words by the time he finally breaks the kiss. His forehead rests against mine as I pant, trying to suck air into my lungs.

His gaze is heated, flaring with as much need as I feel. But this is where it starts getting complicated.

“What was that about?” he asks, and I can’t stop the stupid smile that spreads over my face.

Angel is home for Christmas. He brought her to me because he cares that much about me. About her. About us.