He was right about one thing, Annie was dressed in her tiger outfit, and she looked darn cute in it.
She growled.
I grinned at her.
Christian looked good too. Much better than good. I didn’t see him in casual clothes often, but I loved the way his jeans hugged his body. The casual t-shirt he wore showed off his muscles. I didn’t realize I was staring until he glanced at me and I quickly looked away.
“Hannah, look at my shoes,” Annie said as she waved and fought her seatbelt until Christian told her to cut it out.
"You have to stay in your seat."
"I want to hug Hannah," she whined.
"You can hug her when we get to the zoo."
"Daddy," she groaned.
"Annie Elizabeth West, I mean it. If you get out of that seat while I'm driving, we won't go."
Annie pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.
I shook my head. How can something so small be so cross?
Christian wouldn't pay her attitude any attention and ten minutes later she'd forgotten that she was even upset as she sang and clapped along to kid’s songs on the radio.
"Sorry to drag you out on a Saturday," he said with a sigh. "Usually, it's just us, but she seems to have gotten so attached to you."
I smiled. "I don't mind. Besides, it's not like I was doing anything anyway. And I actually like the zoo."
"Really?" Christian asked.
I nodded. "Are you kidding me? I love the penguin exhibit and the aquarium. Those are my favorites. I'm excited to see the tigers too."
"Did you know tigers only eat meat?" Annie asked excitedly from the backseat as she bounced up and down. "They hunt and eat their prey like this." She proceeded to growl and pretend to tear apart an animal.
I grinned at her with amusement, then glanced over at Christian.
He looked like he was ready to cry from laughing. "And you said I was wrong when I called her weird," he whispered.
"Nope, I see it now. Your child is strange."
"Thank you," he said with pride. "She's a product of yours truly."
"If it was only you, she'd just be awful, not strange," I countered.
Christian jaw dropped with surprise, but I pretended to stare at my phone. I could feel his need to say something to me almost on the tip of his tongue, but he snapped his mouth shut and concentrated on the road.
I chuckled under my breath. So totally worth it.
As soon as we arrived at the zoo, Annie was ready and raring to go.
Christian shouldered a bag he'd stocked supplies into. Probably extra drinks and snacks in case she needed to refuel between food stands.
I'd say he was overprotective, but I'd seen an Annie meltdown. It wasn't pretty.
"Do you want to see the tigers first?" Christian asked her.
"Yes!" Annie chimed up right away. "Tigers and then the aquarium for Hannah."
"Aww… you're so thoughtful," I said.
Annie grinned and held my hand. She reached out and took Christian's hand with the other. We looked over the top of her head as we started walking and our eyes locked. I felt my face heat up as Christian’s mouth suddenly tilted into the sweetest smile I'd ever seen.
What the hell is that about?
It took everything in me to turn my head and focus on the walk ahead of us. Even when I did, I could feel the heat in my cheeks. I was pretty sure my face would be the color of a tomato for the entire trip if he continued to be so charming. I should have told him to knock it off, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Heck, that sweet, appreciative look on his face was enough to make me want to fall into bed with him again and again. My pride be damned.
"Come on you guys!" Annie pulled us and we trotted after her dutifully.
When we reached the tiger exhibit, Christian and I took turns reading the plaques with facts about the animal.
She narrowed her eyes and screwed up her mouth.
I could only guess that she was meticulously memorizing every fact for later. She had a knack for it.
“Take a picture of us,” Christian asked me, holding out his cellphone.
"Okay, smile," I called to her and Christian as they stood in front of the exhibit.
I took a picture of them and looked at it on the phone. Annie had smiled so hard it made love well up in my heart for her and Christian actually looked happy. That stern look that he often wore always dissolved when he held his daughter.
Christian took his phone back and stopped someone walking past. "Can you take a picture of the three of us?"
I felt my face heat up. "You want me in it?" I asked.
"Of course," he said with a grin. "You're here too, right?"
“Well—”
"Come on, Hannah!" Annie shouted loudly. "You gotta take the picture with us."