Wonder With Me (With Me in Seattle 12.5)

“You’re not tired?”

“No more than usual.” We step off the elevator, and she leads me to her door. “But a relaxing day sounds great.”

“Good.” When her door is open, I poke my head in and smile. “This is gorgeous, just as I suspected. It suits you.”

“Thank you. I’ll give you a tour, if you like.”

“Later. I have to go get Piper, and if you lead me to your bedroom, I won’t be going anywhere. I already want you again.”

I grip the lapels of her jacket and tug her close, lowering my mouth to hers. The kiss starts lazy and sweet and quickly escalates to hot and frantic.

“I better go,” I whisper against her mouth. “But pack a bag because you’re staying at my place tonight.”

“Piper—”

“Will be fine.” I kiss her once more and then let go while I still can. “I’ll see you in about an hour.”

She nods, and I turn to leave.

“Lock this door behind me, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

I laugh as she shuts the door, and wait until I hear the snick of the lock being turned.

The drive to Elijah’s parents’ place takes about thirty minutes from downtown. I’ve barely rung the bell when the door swings open, and my little girl, already in her coat and boots, smiles at me with excitement.

“You’re finally here!” she exclaims, launching herself into my arms. “I waited all day.”

“It’s only ten,” I remind her as I laugh and smile at Betty, Elijah’s mom. “How did everything go?”

“Oh, she’s an angel,” Betty says. “We had a good time. She’s just happy to see her daddy.”

“I appreciate you keeping her.”

“Any time. And I mean that.” She smiles at Piper, who’s laid her head on my shoulder. “Thanks for staying with us last night, sweet girl.”

“You’re welcome,” Piper says, making me laugh again.

We say our goodbyes, and when we’re headed back to the city, I glance at Piper in the rearview mirror.

“What do you think about spending the day with Noel?”

“Is she gonna babysit?”

“No, she’s going to hang out with both of us.”

“Oh, yay!”

“Before we pick her up, we should buy her some flowers.”

I pull into the parking lot of a florist and help my daughter out of the car.

“Why?” Piper asks.

“Because that’s what men do. They buy flowers for women they like.”

“I like flowers,” she says. “I’ll help pick them out.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” I reply and lead her to a glass case with bouquets already assembled and ready to be purchased. “What color do you think we should get?”

“Lellow,” Piper says, pointing to a bouquet of yellow roses and sunflowers.

“Not pink? Or red?”

“Hmm.” She looks as if she’s thinking really hard as she examines all of the flowers. “I like the red ones with the pink.”

“Red roses and pink lilies it is,” I say. I pay for the blooms, and once we’re settled in the car and headed to Noel’s condo, I decide now is a good time to have a conversation with my daughter. “Do you like Noel, honey?”

“Yeah. She’s pretty.”

“Yes, she is.”

She’s absolutely gorgeous.

“Do you like it when Noel spends time with us?”

“Yeah.”

“Would you like for Noel to spend even more time with us?”

Piper frowns. “I don’t know.”

She’s four. Maybe she doesn’t understand what I’m asking her.

“I think it would be nice if Noel was with us all the time. She could spend the night, and maybe, someday, she could live with us.”

She seems to think it over. “Will I have to share my room?”

“No, honey, she’ll share my room.”

“Okay.”

That easy? I decide to leave it be for now. I’m sure Piper will have questions as time passes, but for now, I know that she likes having Noel around, and that’s the most important part.

I park in my parking garage, which happens to have easy access to Noel’s building as well, then I help Piper out of the car, and we make our way upstairs.

“Do you want to carry the flowers?” I ask.

Piper nods and holds out her hands for the blooms. The bouquet is almost as big as she is.

Noel opens the door, looking fresh from another shower, and smiles down at Piper.

“These are for you!” my daughter announces.

“Well, thank you so much,” Noel says and squats next to my daughter. She takes the flowers, sniffs them, and then kisses Piper on the cheek. “This is the best surprise ever.”

“Dad says that girls like flowers.”

“Well, this girl does. What about you?”

“I do, too. I picked them out.”

“Thank you,” Noel says again before standing and smiling at me. “And thank you, too.”

“You’re welcome,” I reply and turn my head, waiting for my kiss. Noel chuckles, then kisses my cheek.

“I think I’ll take these with me to your place, so we can all enjoy them.”

“Good idea. Where’s your bag?”

“On the chair,” she says, pointing to the dining room. “I’m ready if you are.”