by Ava Miles
Now the earlier conversation between Riley and Jess made more sense. “You aren’t to blame for her choices.”
“Yes, I am, because they put Jess in danger.” He wiped his nose. “I cried like a baby when the doctors told me she was healthy. Earlier tests had been inconclusive.”
Hearing that only reaffirmed Sadie’s belief in miracles. Angels had protected that little girl.
“The worst of it is that Mandy came back on Jess’ first birthday, wanting money,” he said. “Her drug problem was much worse, but she was still trying to make her career work. She blamed me, and she blamed Jess. And my parents and my brother’s family were there to see the whole sorry scene unfold. I had to call the cops. Oh, Sadie.”
The story kept getting worse and worse, and Sadie had to fight to control her own emotions in the face of his. “You kept her safe.”
“I have a P.I. do a yearly update on Mandy,” he said. “She’s still in Nashville, but she’s never tried to contact me again. I…calling the cops wasn’t easy, but it made her leave. She took off before they could arrive. My parents took it hard when I told them everything. They hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten for her, for us. I’d tried to keep the full story from them because I knew they’d be upset, hell, disappointed, but I ended up telling them, and they…it’s like they stepped back. I think they moved to Florida so they could pick and choose when to…step in. I don’t blame them.”
What a horrible first birthday for Jess and the father who had gone to tremendous lengths to bring her into the world. She couldn’t comment on his parents, so she only said, “But six years have passed without any contact from her, and that’s a good thing.”
He ran a hand through his hair, making a mess of it, before meeting her eyes again. “Jess seems to have questions about her mother now that you and Paige have connected, and I just don’t know how to handle them. I can’t tell her the truth right now, and I wonder if I ever can.”
Part of her felt guilty suddenly. “Oh, Riley, I’m so sorry. I never imagined me coming to find Paige would—”
“No, it’s fine,” he said, taking her hands and looking into her eyes. “Sadie, I’m so glad you found Paige. I mean, if you knew how much it’s meant to her and Mark and Haley. She had a hell of a time growing up, and she deserved a lucky break.”
Sadie had trouble considering herself a lucky break, but she supposed they were fortunate to have found each other.
“I’ve got to figure out…hell, I don’t know.” He paced in place. “I have one last thing to ask you, and I want you to be completely honest with me.”
The seriousness of his tone had her shaking her head.
“Do you think less of me for telling you I did drugs now and then? Sadie, I swear to you that I haven’t once touched them since learning about Jess, and I never will again. They…were a part of that life, and they’re something I’m not proud of.”
She touched his cheek so he would look at her. “Riley, I don’t judge you for any of that. After hearing the whole story, I think you’re even more wonderful than I ever knew.”
He swiped at a few tears that leaked out. “Thank God. I was so scared…”
“Let that go,” she said, framing his face. “I see you too, Riley Thomson, and you’re a good man and an amazing father, perhaps one of the best fathers I know. And this comes from someone who didn’t have one and did a lot of wishing for one.” Still did, come to think about it.
“We should go. I know we can see her, but…”
This outing was supposed to be about them having a good time. She took his hand, and together they headed off toward the swings.
“Riley, your vast knowledge of superheroes and Disney movies gives you an edge with kids, but you also have something else going for you.”
“What’s that?” he asked, running his thumb over the back of her hand.
“You’re well versed in loving Jess. That’s the best language any kid can hear from a parent. I mean, I only had one of them too, and I mostly turned out okay, didn’t I?”
“More than.” He blew out a breath. “I’m totally in love with you, Sadie McGuiness, and after today, I hope you haven’t gotten scared off. Because I’m going to be really honest with you. I want to make this work.”
With the happy shadow of Jess swinging on the swings washing over them, she took his hand and placed it right below her heart. “I love you too, Riley. And I’m not scared. We’ll find a way to make it work.”
“I don’t care if there are a million kids around, including mine. I’m going to kiss you.” His mouth turned up. “On the cheek.”
She gave a watery laugh as he gave her a quick peck. “Maybe when we get to your house, we can watch Iron Man. I need to become better versed in your language.”
“Sadie, you already are in all the ways that count,” he said. “Now, I’m going to push my daughter and…settle down.”
She watched him approach the swings and take his place behind his daughter. In a moment, she’d join them, but right now, she wanted to settle her own emotions and savor the sweetness of the scene.
He had been there for Jess from the moment she’d come into being, Sadie now knew, and that made him one of the greatest heroes she’d ever met. How funny that he didn’t need to be a superhero to achieve it. Love was his superpower.
She’d have to tell him later because like her not seeing herself as an artist, she wasn’t sure he realized that about himself.
Chapter 18
Riley’s so-called Plan Sadie was about to commence.
Their first outing with Jess had been so momentous, he’d come home and immediately started planning something…a surprise…a thank-you. A declaration.
He loved her. She loved him. She hadn’t run after hearing the news about Jess’ mother. She hadn’t judged him, and he’d realized later how much he’d secretly feared she would. There was still a dark, tortured part of him that judged himself for what had happened with Mandy. Clearly he needed to let that go, and the old hurts and self-judgments had started to fade away when she took his hand and placed it over her heart.
Any comic book fan understood on some level that love healed the dark places. It wasn’t all about good fighting evil and winning. No, every superhero went through a transformation when he fell in love.
He’d researched like a madman, looking for something romantic and finding fault with other people’s suggestions. He didn’t want to two-step with her at Wildhorse Saloon or head out to Belle Meade Plantation. She might like it, but it wasn’t him, and if he wasn’t comfortable too, he’d totally be off his game.
Brainstorming with Mark over their morning runs had helped. Mark had reminded him that he was good at creating magic with the girls. Why not with Sadie?
Finally he’d come up with what he hoped was a respectable plan. Paige assured him her sister would find it charming. He sure as hell hoped so.
He’d asked her to come over Wednesday night. The Bradshaws would take care of Jess, although his daughter had insisted on greeting Sadie at some point. She was as excited about the surprise as Riley was and had even helped set it up. So had Haley since the girls were joined at the hip. Paige had weighed in here and there.
When the doorbell rang, he checked his preparations one last time before heading to the door.
“Hey,” she said, standing in the fading light in another pink dress, this one the shade of bubble gum.
If there was one thing he knew for sure, Sadie loved pink and seemed to wear it when she wanted to…exude love, he thought, although it might be corny of him. He’d seen at least five shades of the color so far, from dresses to accessories. Gold, he’d realized, she reserved for moments when she needed extra confidence.
He knew the favorite colors of all the women in his life, he realized. Jess loved raspberry. His mom loved apricot. Haley loved purple. Paige loved blue. Hell, he was embarrassed to realize he even knew Mark’s favorite color: green. But he wouldn’t admit that under torture
.
“Hey,” he said, his voice growing husky. “How is it you become more beautiful every time I see you?”
“Oh, Riley,” she said softly, the gold in her eyes captivating.
“I didn’t get a chance to properly kiss you on Sunday and after everything… I really need to make up for that. Like right now.”
“Let me come in first,” she said, stepping inside. “I was expecting my usual welcoming committee.”
He pulled her against him and took her purse and set it on the table in the foyer. “I made a deal with the girls. You’ll see them in a little while.”
Her body fit perfectly against him, and he leaned down and took her mouth in a slow, drugging kiss. He’d always loved kissing, and kissing Sadie had quickly become one of his new favorite occupations. Her lower lip was lush and enticing, so he sucked on it gently. When she moaned, he felt something inside him snap. Pulling her closer, he increased the pressure of his mouth on hers, their kisses growing more urgent. He was breathing harder. Needed air. And he didn’t give a damn.
She moaned and wiggled in his arms, and he put both of his hands on her hips. He’d found himself sketching those lush curves during the day, adding them to his female superhero, and the feel of them made him groan. He had visions of dragging her onto any available surface and fitting their bodies together at last.
But that wasn’t part of the plan, so he reached for control and gentled the kiss. She moaned again like she didn’t want him to stop, but the timing wasn’t right. He kissed her neck and cheek softly and pulled away.
“We need to stop,” he whispered. “Besides, I have a surprise for you.”
“You do?” she asked, pressing back.
“Yes. Come with me.”
He took her hand and led her toward the opening to the dining room.
“I’m going to put my hands over your eyes and lead you in,” he said. “Unless you want me to blindfold you. But that seemed a little Fifty Shades to me.”
Her mouth was twitching. “I suppose that depends on my surprise.”
“You didn’t just say that.” He blinked. “Sadie, I want you like crazy, but I’m really trying to honor your feelings about sex. Please, for the love of God, don’t put those kind of images in my mind. I’m trying to hold it together as it is.”
Her brown eyes darkened. “Maybe you should stop trying so hard.”
“Whoa. What?”
“You heard me,” she said, a flush settling over her cheeks. “I’ve done a lot of thinking since last weekend. We’ve already come a long way, but it feels like something changed on Sunday. You sharing the full story about your past with Jess’ mom… It was brave, and it made me love you more…and so…I’d…like to take the next step with you.”
Baring his soul like that had made her decide this? He blinked a few times more times. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Completely sure?” he added, wanting—no, needing—her to assure him again.
“Yes.”
When she took his hand and placed it over her breast, his breath caught. Her heart was beating fast, likely as fast as his was now.
“Riley, I love you—all of you—and I want you,” she said in an almost whisper. “I feel really at peace about it. And that’s how I know it’s the right thing.”
That same peace seemed to settle over him. “I love you too, and I want you like crazy. Wait, I can do better than that.”
He took a deep breath and ran his thumb over the back of her hand.
“I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone, and I love you more than I imagined I could love a woman. Sadie, time doesn’t seem to matter with you. It’s like a truly great drawing. When it’s right, it just flows out of me. It’s when I don’t trust myself or my vision for the drawing that it takes forever.”
“Oh, Riley. I love the way you talk.”
His free hand stroked her cheek. “Guess what? You’re going to love the way I make love to you too.”
Her chest rose with a rapid intake of breath, and he could feel her arousal.
“I plan to do it quite thoroughly,” he uttered, his voice husky. “With relish. Sadie, I want to learn every part of you. Every sigh. Every dip of your figure. Every inch of your beautiful body.”
Her cheeks were bright red. “I want that too, although I’m a little embarrassed. I’m not very good at this. I…don’t want to disappoint you or anything. I mean, I’ve only been with one man, and I was so young. Sometimes I didn’t know what I was doing. He was a virgin too, and…”
“Are you finished selling yourself short?” he asked.
She took a deep breath. “Was I?”
His brow cocked. “Yep. Sadie, you’re going to do great. Know why I know this?”
“Part of me can’t wait to hear,” she said with a small smile. “I think you’re about to compliment me.”
Ah, she was a smart woman. “Sadie, you like texture and beauty and movement, and you pay attention to details. That’s all making love is, although to be honest, I don’t think I’ve really made love. I’m…” All right, time to be more vulnerable. “I’m excited to explore it with you.”
“Me too,” she said, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. “Oh, Riley. I never imagined something could feel so right.”
“Me either,” he said, “but it’s perfect. Now, before we get carried away, let me show you the surprise.”
He turned her around and placed his hands over her eyes. “No peeking,” he said, leading her into the dining room. The candles flickered, and he took inventory. Everything was as it was supposed to be.
Removing his hands, he said, “Okay, open.”
“You made dinner?” she asked. “How sweet! Wait…what in the world is this?”
She walked forward to the chest resting at the end of the table, wrapped in a bright pink bow.
“It’s your treasure chest,” he told her, praying he wasn’t going to turn beet-red from embarrassment. “I felt like you needed this.”
Her eyes blinked, but she made no move toward it.
“Open it,” he said, coming to stand beside her. “It’s not like any fake snakes are going to spring out.”
“I never even thought of that.” She gave him a look. “What did you do?”
He was so used to Jess diving into gifts, he had to tamp down the urge to open it for her. “Well, look inside and see.”
She was tentative, he realized, and then he wondered if she was unaccustomed to having people give her surprise gifts. She was the one who was always giving. He’d have to change that up.
Her hand opened the chest slowly, and then she looked at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Clothes?”
“Vintage clothing,” he told her. “Antique fabrics. For your quilts.”
“Oh!”
“I didn’t know how you’d want them cut, and I didn’t feel right about doing it, so I just…bought you fabric I thought you might like to use for quilting.”
When she didn’t move, only stood there staring into the chest, fear jolted through him. Had he done something wrong? He put his hand to her back.
“Are you okay? I thought—”
“Oh, Riley, it’s wonderful! Simply wonderful. I’m…overwhelmed. Where did you find them?”
“I visited every vintage clothing shop in Nashville,” he told her. “It was an adventure, let me tell you. I figured you work at a craft store and have access to plenty of fabric, but…well…I read how Japanese quilters use old clothing and it struck me that I could give you a treasure chest filled with old fabric for you to use however you want.”
“I don’t know what to say.” She reached slowly for the red and pink Japanese kimono and drew it out. Under it was a black and gold textured dress from the 1960s, followed by a couple of cloth purses in colorful prints.
That gold dress had been a no-brainer.
“I went with my gut on what colors and fabric you might like,” he told her. “I hope it’s okay.�
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She laid the pieces he’d bought one by one on the dining room table, fingering the material. “Oh, yes. You did great! I love the colors. And the textures you chose…I can do a lot with this.”
When she drew out the gold lamé dress from the 1970s, he said, “I know how much you love pink, but gold is your second favorite color. Well, I think so.”
“Is it?” she asked, beaming at him as she ran her fingers over the dress lying in her arms.
“You like to use it mostly as an accent,” he told her. “Maybe you’re not ready to show the world you’re that powerful yet, but I can see it. When I think of you, I see gold.”
The right side of her mouth turned up. This one was another one of those things he could see about her that she could not. “You do?”
“I do,” he said, stepping closer and laying his hand over hers. “Your heart is pink, but your body is all gold to me.”
She set aside the dress, her eyes lush and inviting. “Oh, Riley, if I hadn’t already decided to make love with you, this would have cinched it. You…no one has given me a better present than this. No one.”
Emotion flooded through him. “Whew! I was a little worried you might think it was weird.”
“No,” she said, hugging him. “It was the most thoughtful idea ever.”
Then she pressed back and put her hand on his chest. He felt the power of her touch down to his toes.
“Riley, you see me. And you understand me. I…there are no words for how precious a gift that is. I… Well, I just love you. Please make love to me.”
His hands settled on her hips. “I will. Don’t you worry about that. But I promised Jess and Haley that they could come over after you opened your present. Of course, I was hoping we might eat first but—”
“If we have them over now, we can move along to other things, right?” She gave a slow smile. “I can eat fast.”
He laughed. “My kind of woman. But we don’t need to rush. We have all night. That is, if you’re okay with doing this on a weeknight. Otherwise, we can wait for Saturday. I…didn’t expect this. But I’m good either way.”