She smiled, thinking the little voice in her head sounded like her mother. Her eyes stung a little, and he raised his head to look at her when she sniffled and drew in a shaky breath.
“You okay?”
“Perfect. Can you stay?”
He squeezed her as she settled her head on his pectoral, with her body nestled along his side. “Try to make me leave. Kitten?”
“Hmm?” she murmured as she skimmed her fingertips through the hair on his chest.
“I love you.”
She lifted her head, and the warmth in his pale blue-gray gaze and the gentleness in his fingers as he stroked her cheek took her breath away. Something inside her shifted and gave over to him. She was truly naked with him, and it was so comforting. “I love you, too.”
He tipped her chin as he lifted his head and kissed her with such tenderness that her heart ached. “I’m all yours.”
Undiluted happiness washed through her in a warm wave as he released her and pressed her head to his chest and he squeezed her to him. She slid her hand across his furred chest in a decidedly possessive gesture. The first time they’d been together, she’d been afraid to think of him as hers. She drew tighter to him, slipping her thigh between his so they were entwined. He kissed the top of her head as if he understood.
Chapter Thirteen
Very early the following morning, Jared listened to the storm, which was still blowing outside. He was wondering what the river looked like when Presley Ann suddenly jerked in her sleep. He stroked her shoulder. “You okay?”
“What was that?” Her voice was bleary with sleep.
“Just thunder.”
Presley Ann sat up and brushed the hair from her face, looked around her, and then smiled. He was thankful when she cuddled up to him, so he could enjoy the sweet, lush warmth of her just a little longer. “Did you get up with Whit during the night?”
She drew a soft breath and then seemed to melt in his arms. “No. Whit slept through the night.” Her voice practically dripped with gratitude. “It’s been months since I’ve gotten a full night’s sleep.” She shifted and pressed her forearm gently against her breasts and said, “And, oh yeah, I’m feeling all those nice sleep-filled hours right where it counts, too.”
As if on cue, Whit made a peep from his bedroom.
She kept the pressure to her breasts and threw the covers aside. “Glory hallelujah. Right on time.”
They chuckled and Jared said, “I’ll get dressed and make some breakfast for us while you feed the little man.”
Jared listened to her murmur to Whit as she slipped into his room and changed his diaper and fed him, while he went in search of coffee for the coffee machine and tea for her.
Presley Ann needed to get some work done before she had to go in to Stigall’s for an afternoon and evening shift. She seemed excited about the prospect of working from her home, and he didn’t want to keep her from it. Once breakfast was prepared and they’d eaten and cleaned the dishes, she gave him a kiss that lit all his nerve endings on fire before he started his day. He had the day off and knew what he needed to do.
Charity and Lydia had teased him and Kendry the night before about their barren Christmas tree, and had threatened to get up in the attic to haul down their decrepit collection of ornaments. They’d let him off the hook but with Presley Ann coming for Christmas morning, there was only one thing left to do. It was time to decorate the tree.
He could hear the faint sounds of music coming from the cottage as he opened windows in the house. Looking out one of the back windows, he could see that she’d done the same, opening the cottage to allow the mellow but cool breeze to blow through. He chuckled when Loki came trotting out the wide open front door of the cottage and flopped down on her porch, the tennis ball in his jowls, evidently having been denied his request to throw the ball.
“Poor Loki-boy. She’s got work to do.”
The rhythm of the music changed and he could very faintly hear her singing along to the song. Moving to the neighboring window he squinted and chuckled when he caught a glimpse of her standing in front of her table, sorting pieces of cut fabric out. She paused for a second, said something to the baby, and then abruptly broke into a dance move, shaking her ass and bobbing her head, making her golden curls bounce around her shoulders.
“Oh, hell yeah.”
His resolve to finish Christmas decorating wavered, and he was at the back door when the phone rang and he reached for it from the cradle on the counter.
“Hello?”
“I’m surprised you’re picking up. You’re not still in bed on your day off?” He could hear the teasing in Kendry’s voice.