Page 83 of Worth the Fall
“I’m sure. I want more than just sex with you, Thomas. And I’m not going to feel bad about it anymore because I’m not doing anything wrong by wanting to be with you and Clara,” she said, and I knew half of those words were for her benefit and not mine.
My poor, sweet, tortured girl.
“No going back after this,” I said as I took her face in my hands and punished her mouth with my own.
My tongue snaked inside, claiming what I wanted as one hand moved to her neck and squeezed lightly. She moaned with the pressure, and my other hand immediately moved to her ass and held on tight. Brooklyn leaned into me, her hips grinding in slow circles before someone cleared their throat and reminded us both that we weren’t alone. How easy it was to forget.
We broke away, and I glanced over my shoulder to see my whole family standing at the door, Patrick’s hand over Clara’s eyes as she struggled to get away.
“Guess we’d better get back in there,” I suggested, and Brooklyn’s cheeks turned red.
“I am hungry,” she whispered before reaching for my hand. I interlocked our fingers and held on tight.
When we walked through the front door, Clara’s eyes locked on to our joined hands. “Are you boyfriend and girlfriend now?”
I swung my head to look at Brooklyn, who stood there, grinning. “What do you say, Waffle Princess? Need a prince?” I asked, and Clara giggled at my use of her nickname.
“Hmm.” Brooklyn shrugged. “What do you think, Clara? Should I say yes?”
This woman. I knew exactly what she was doing... and so did she. She had the cleverest way of incorporating my daughter into things without making it obvious to her.
“Yes! Say yes!” Clara clapped in her signature excited move. “I knew my love spell would work! I told you, Daddy!”
Brooklyn faced me, and I told her I’d fill her in on that later.
“I guess it’s a yes then,” she said.
I kissed her in front of everyone. My daughter included.
“My work here is done.” Matthew patted himself on the back as he pulled out his chair, sat down, and took a drink.
“And mine’s just starting,” Patrick said, and I looked at him, thoroughly confused as to how my relationship affected his life. “Clara, do you want to spend the night tonight?”
Ahhhh. My two brothers are evil geniuses.
Her little mouth formed an O as her eyes whipped right to mine. “On a school night? Can I, Daddy? I have my own room at Uncle Patrick’s, remember?”
“I remember,” I said before nudging Brooklyn with my arm. “Want to have a sleepover of our own?” I said quiet enough that Clara couldn’t overhear.
On a school night?she mouthed while nodding her head gleefully.
“Can I, Daddy?” Clara asked once more, and I noticed Jasper asleep at her feet.
“You’re trying to make her like you best with this whole own room thing,” Matthew piped up.
My dad quickly agreed with him. “It’s not really fair.”
“I have a room here too, Pops,” she said, even though her room at my dad’s was my old room, growing up, so technically, we shared it. “Just not with Uncle Matthew.”
“Yet,” Matthew shouted. “I’m going to build you a whole damn house,” he promised, and she started laughing like it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard in her life.
“I’ll drop her off before school in the morning, okay?” Patrick redirected the conversation, and I nodded in agreement.
“Thanks,” I said, and he shrugged me off like it was no big deal, but it was.
This was a huge fucking deal, and everyone at the table knew it... except my daughter.
Dinner took too damnlong. I’d wanted to skip it the second Brooklyn said she’d spend the night, but we couldn’t be that obvious. At least not while my daughter was watching our every move.