Julie yawned sleepily and started to sway. Amanda snuck a peek at her cellphone, delighted to see it was the tyke's bedtime.
"Which pajamas do you want to wear?" Jacob asked, groaning as he staggered to his feet from the hard floor.
Amanda felt a bit intrusive as she watched him prepare Julie for bed. He helped her into her nightgown-Julie didn't even protest that she was a big girl and could do it herself-and combed her hair while she brushed her teeth. Once she was tucked into bed with her all of her tea party guests, Amanda leaned over her to kiss her goodnight.
"Are you going home now?" Julie asked with another sleepy yawn.
"I'm going to stay the night so I can go swimming with you tomorrow. I hope that's okay."
Julie scrunched up her brow as she considered that bit of news. "I think my bed is too small for you."
Amanda chuckled. "That's okay. I'll sleep on the sofa."
"My daddy has a big bed," she said. "You can sleep with him."
Gladly, Amanda thought. "Don't worry, I'll find a good place to sleep. Good night, Julie Bean."
"Can you read me a story, Daddy?" Julie asked.
Jacob eyed the bookshelf near the bed as if it were swarming with cockroaches. "Um . . ." he murmured. "How about I sing to you instead?"
Julie smiled sleepily. "Sing the angel song."
Amanda stepped outside the room but leaned against the wall just outside the door and closed her eyes, listening to Jacob's smooth, soothing voice as he sang his little girl to sleep. The sound made her heart swell with love. What would her life be like if he became a permanent fixture in it?
Heaven. It would be heaven.
Yet she couldn't let herself think that way. If she got too attached, she would be destroyed when they ultimately parted ways.
But maybe it was okay to imagine a future with Jacob in it. A little dreaming couldn't hurt.
Jacob's voice softened on the next chorus and softened yet again on the next. Amanda peeked into the room to find him sitting on the edge of Julie's bed, stroking her hair gently as he sang to her. Julie's eyes were closed and her face had gone slack. The tender smile on Jacob's face and the love in his expression melted Amanda's heart.
Amanda's own father had always been a minor player in her life. He'd doted on Tina, as all men did. Amanda had a much closer relationship with her mother. Seeing Jacob with Julie made her ache for the kind of blind devotion a father had for his little girl. Julie would probably never realize how lucky she was to have this man's heart in the palm of her tiny hand. Amanda hoped Julie didn't mind sharing a bit of it.
Jacob finished the song on a whisper, and his hand went still. He waited for a moment, watching Julie for signs of wakefulness. He carefully stood, disturbing her mattress as little as possible as he moved away. He shut off her lamp, which looked a lot like the castle at Disneyland, and tiptoed out of her room.
Amanda smiled at him and said, "I think-" But Jacob's finger against her lips silenced her.
He took her arm and led her to his room, not releasing her until the latch clicked shut behind them and he'd locked the door.
"Whatever you do, don't wake her up," Jacob said.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"I'm in desperate need of some adult time."
Amanda released a breathless laugh. "I'm with you on that."
He tugged off her clothes while she pulled his off. They were mostly naked when his patience reached its end and he lifted her off the floor to carry her to the bed. They collapsed on the mattress, a tangle of arms and legs. He shattered her with deep passionate kisses while he used hurried motions to cover his length with latex. Amanda cried out in bliss when he filled her. He took her hard and fast, his breaths excited and ragged against her ear. She dug her nails into his shoulders and hung on as he brought her closer and closer to the brink of release. Unexpectedly, he called out, clinging to her hips with strong fingers as he buried himself so deeply, it stole her breath. And then he shuddered against her as he let go.
She couldn't believe he'd finished so fast. He usually outlasted her several times over.
"Sorry," he murmured against her jaw, his sweat-slick belly bumping against hers with each of his labored breaths. "I probably should have rubbed that one out in the shower."
She hugged him close and snuggled into his neck. "I'm glad you rubbed it out in me."
He chuckled and went slack in her arms, pressing her into the mattress. "Just let me catch my breath and I'll make it up to you."