Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

Chapter 15

Calland

It was almost seven by the time I made it home, which definitely darkened my mood. Especially because of the reason I was running late to begin with, but seeing Dani’s car sitting in a parking spot out front went a long way to brightening it.

And it lightened considerably more when I walked in the door to see Kaden playing in a thing I think my sisters called an exer-saucer or something, and Dani standing at the breakfast bar, stirring something in a bowl, swinging her hips as she sang a song that sounded suspiciously like Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass.

I kicked off my boots quietly and stood behind her, watching every movement of her hips. She turned, her eyes going wide as her voice cracked on a surprised, “Oh!”

“And you sing, too? God, could you get any hotter?” I quipped, moving closer to her. Using the tip of one finger, I tilted her head back and dropped a quick, hard kiss on her lips, murmuring, “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself,” she replied.

Her cheeks were flushed and she fidgeted self-consciously as she tried to change the subject. “I made dinner…wasn’t sure what time you’d be home, so I already ate, and Kaden had his dinner, too. I tried to wait, but…”

I kissed her again, letting her off the hook about the singing thing as I looked down into the bowl she was stirring. “That’s fine. I’m usually home by now, but ran into some trouble on the job site today. But, uh…is that my dinner?”

I gave the thick brown sludge she was stirring a skeptical look.

She nodded solemnly, but I saw her lips twitch and called her out on it. “Bullshit, babe. What the hell is that?”

She laughed. “Brownies. I’m making brownies. You okay with that?”

“Being my dinner?” I replied. “Hell yeah, I’m good with that.”

“No, ass. Your dinner is in the oven. I made lasagna.”

“Damn, I think I got the good end of the deal with you staying here. Hot dinner, hot woman, and hot dessert. Nice!” I thought for a second, then asked, “I had all the stuff for lasagna and brownies?”

She didn’t reply right away as she moved to the counter by the stove and poured the batter into a pan, then opened the oven and pulled out the lasagna before sliding the brownies in. “No, I ran to the store when Kade got up from his nap. Did you even finish shopping the other day?” She grabbed a plate from the cabinet and scooped a healthy helping of lasagna onto it, then slid it in front of me at the breakfast bar where I was standing. “Here, eat while it’s hot.”

I held my hands up to her, commenting, “Yeah, just let me wash my hands at least, then I’ll just shower after I eat.”

A little while later, I had eaten, showered, and was sitting on the couch enjoying a warm brownie and watching Dani playing on the floor with Kaden. It all felt weirdly domesticated, which gave rise to a slight twinge of panic, since that was a feeling I’d given wide berth before now.

But it also felt…nice. Homey.

Dani and I hadn’t talked much since I’d gotten home, and she hadn’t mentioned anything about Allie and Emma, so I hedged a little, trying to feel her out. “Did you get everything moved over here okay?”

“Yeah, thanks,” she answered, glancing at me once and then looked away again to play peek-a-boo with the baby.

I tried again. “Did my sister help you out?” Okay, so that was a little more direct than I intended, but Jesus.

She nodded, and this time when she looked at me, I noticed her sly grin.

I blew out a breath and chuckled, telling her, “It’s like pulling teeth trying to get anything out of you.”

She nodded once more and then finally gave in. “Yes, thank you for asking her to help me. It was a lot easier to do without having to lug him around on my hip as I did it. Plus, it was super sweet of them to bring the crib over for him to sleep in while we’re here. So…really. Thanks.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Dani. I told you I wanted to help.”

We lapsed into companionable silence for a moment, but Kaden started to get a little fussy. She stood, scooping him up as she said, “I’m gonna give him a bath real quick and then he’ll be ready for his bottle and bed. You staying up for a while?”

I glanced at the clock, giving her an odd look. “It’s not even nine.”

“Yeah, I know,” she replied. “But you were up late last night and early this morning…”

Her cheeks flushed bright pink and I wanted to pull her into my arms, but I refrained. “Just bring him out here to me when you’re done. I’ll give him his bottle.”

She inclined her head in acknowledgement and disappeared down the hall. I flipped through channels, but didn’t pay attention to anything but the low murmur of Dani’s voice as she talked to Kade while she bathed him. I couldn’t make out what she was saying, but I could hear him splashing and babbling happily, his fussiness a thing of the past.

I found myself tossing down the remote and walking down the hall to the bathroom, propping myself up in the doorway as I watched Dani with Kaden.

Every time he did something, the slightest smile, a wave of his hand, whatever, her face would light up and she would laugh, the sound joyful and bright. I realized then and there that this was just another piece of her that had been hiding. I’d made her laugh, seen her smile, and God knows the effect it had had on me; but this…this was different. This was when I saw her completely care-free, truly happy, and totally in love with that little boy.

And it had an effect on me, for sure. But in a different area of my body, this one decidedly north of the usual one. I found myself wanting to be on the receiving end of that beautiful, genuine smile, even if it was just once.

Kaden splashed again, then, his hand catching the water just right enough to send a shower of droplets directly into Dani’s face. She sputtered exaggeratedly, making Kaden giggle as she wiped it away. It made me laugh, too, which caused her head to whip around in surprise.