Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37

Skye

W e spend the rest of the afternoon playing board games including Chutes and Ladders, Clue, and Junior Scrabble. Competitive like me, Maddie beats me fair and square almost every time—except at Scrabble. I show off my word power and expand her vocabulary. Totally receptive, she keeps my mind off Finn though I wonder why he hasn't called to check up on her. Still a bit worn out from her hospital ordeal, I make my lovebug go to sleep early after catching her yawning throughout the arroz con pollo dinner Rosita prepared for us. Even more tired than I thought, her eyes close while I'm reading her Madeline's Rescue. Thankfully, before she can beg for a dog like Genevieve.

With my little girl fast asleep, I spend time on the Internet. I'm past diving into the news stories I broke as Skye Collins, not one giving me a clue of who tried to kill me. Instead, I google one retailer after another. Click. Click. Click. Bingo! Within a half hour, I find exactly what I've been looking for on Amazon. It's so, so cute. So perfect! With a happy smile on my face, I put it in my shopping cart and proceed to check out with my credit card. With Maddie turning five shortly, it'll be the perfect birthday present. About to place my order, a car pulls into the driveway. It must be Finn. With Kayla. My stomach knots with dread. Just as I hear the front door open, I complete my purchase. As I await the confirmation, he staggers into the kitchen. Alone.

"Hey," I say, looking up at him.

He looks stressed. Tired. Almost haggard. Strained lines bracket both his eyes and mouth.

He shrugs off his bomber jacket, letting it drop to the floor. My first instinct is to pick it up and fold it over a chair, but I let it be.

"Is everything okay?" My thought bubble: Where's Kayla?

"Yeah," he mumbles. "How's Maddie?"

My voice picks up. Brightens. "She's great. We had a wonderful day."

"No wheezing?"

"Absolutely none."

"She's asleep?"

I smile. "Yes, as far as I know."

"I want to see her. Please come with me."

The tone of his voice is demanding. Almost needy. He takes off his shoes and I do the same. Barefooted, I silently follow him to Maddie's room.

Just as I expected, she's lost in dreamland, her cherubic face aglow in the nightlight. One arm curled around Kangy. Her breathing normal.

"She looks so peaceful," he says softly, standing beside me.

"Yes, she does." I can feel his eyes on me as I tenderly brush off a few stray hairs that have fallen on her face.

Then, I watch as he bends down and plants a soft kiss on her forehead.

She stirs a little, a smile curling on her rosebud lips.

"Daddy?" She's only half-awake, her eyes still glued shut.

"Yes, baby. I'm here."

"Can we look for a unicorn tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Give Scarlet a kiss for me."

"I will." The two little words make my heart flip, but I know he doesn't mean them. He's just appeasing his daughter.

"Come," he whispers after she dozes off again.

Quietly, we head back downstairs.

"Have some wine with me."

That sounds so tempting, but I decline.

"C'mon, I insist."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why?"

"I work for you."

"Technically, you're off duty. It's your day off. So no excuses."

Five minutes later, we're in the great room, Finn seated on the couch, his long legs stretched out on the coffee table and me on one of the cushy chairs, angled toward him. The blaze in the fireplace crackles as we share a delicious Merlot. The velvety red wine courses down my throat and warms me.

"I owe you an apology," he begins, setting his glass down on the table.

"What for?"

"I should have called you to check up on Maddie, but I lost my damn phone in one of the stores I was in."

"You went shopping?" With Kayla?

"Yeah, I went to a mall to look for a present for my daughter. Her birthday's next week."

"Labor Day."

His face registers surprise. "How do you know that?"

"Um . . . she told me." Quick thinking!

"I want to do something special. Any ideas?"

"Well, since it's a holiday and she has the day off from school, I thought we could go on a road trip."

"Where?"

"Apple picking in Oak Glen."

"Where's that?"

"Not far from Palm Springs. The orchards offer a lot of fun things to do with kids plus it'll tie in nicely with the unit we're doing on food and nutrition."

Finn's face brightens. "That sounds awesome." Reaching for the bottle, he pours me more wine. I take another sip.

"This is really nice."

"It reminds me of you."

My brows shoot up. "Really? How?"

"It's earthy, expressive, and complex."

I let out a little laugh. "You sound like a wine connoisseur. One of those people who writes reviews in Wine Spectator."

"Describing fine wine is a lot like describing fine art. Or a fine woman."

"What do you mean?"

"You have to put your five senses into it. Extrapolate the experience."

"Well, I guess I'll never be an art or wine critic. I lack the vocabulary."

We drink more of the Merlot over a short stretch of silence. Setting his glass down, Finn's eyes stay on me.

"Thanks for taking care of Maddie today on such short notice."

"Of course. We had a great time. It was fun to do things with her other than schoolwork."

"She really seems to like you."

"The feeling is mutual. I'm really fond of her. She's very special."

"She is."

Silently, we intake more of the wine. While my glass is not depleted, Finn pours more into each of our goblets. I'm feeling the effects of the alcohol. More relaxed. My guard down.

"Were you ever married?" he asks.

Even in my loosened up state, his out of the blue question throws me for a loop. My skin bristles. I hesitate before answering, my voice small and tentative.

"Yes."

A brow lifts. "You're divorced?"

"No."

"Separated?"

How do I answer that when at last we're re-united? My vocal cords knot. "Sort of."

"He left you?"

I nervously twiddle with the locket that's hidden under my top. "No, I left him."

Finn is stunned into silence. He imbibes more wine and then asks, "Any kids?"

"Yes... one. I left my child with my husband."

Finn says nothing. His face pinches in deep thought. Perhaps shock.

I try to imagine what's going through his mind. Does he think I'm neglectful? Selfish? Even evil? I swallow hard to banish these thoughts. It's futile. When he finally asks me why, my voice cracks.

"I had no choice. It was for the best." For you. For her. For us. "It's not something I really want to talk about."

I'm grateful he doesn't probe as he sets his wineglass back down on the table. "Come over here, Scarlet."

I don't budge.

"C'mon." Patting a leather cushion, he shows me where he wants me. The expression on his face is so warm and inviting, the glow of the fireplace bathing him in a soft amber glaze. I can't resist.

Slowly, with my wineglass in hand, I rise and tread over to the couch, lowering myself next to him. As I sink into the cushion, the heat of his body radiates through mine, setting every bone and cell on fire. Before it spills, I set my glass on the coffee table next to his.

"Scarlet, you're very maternal. I bet your child really misses you and needs you."

His words resonate deeply with me. My heart swells with unspoken emotion. Feeling tears well in my eyes, I bite down on my bottom lip and gulp them back. His hand touches down on my thigh, grazing it lightly.

"Have you seen your child recently?"

I nod. "I have. She's very special. I love her so much."

"Ah, so you have a daughter. No wonder you're so good with Maddie."

Still battling tears, I twitch a half-smile and say nothing as he takes another sip of his wine.

"Just let me know if you ever need to take some time off to see her. A child shouldn't be separated from their mother for too long."

"Thanks, I will." Truth : I never want to leave Finn and Maddie. I never want us to be separated again. Everything I want in my life is right here. A few traitorous tears leak out from the corners of my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I mutter, brushing them away. "Sometimes I get emotional."

Finn turns my way, his beautiful face shining light onto mine. He cups my tear-streaked face in his hands. "Hey, it's okay," he says softly.

Though I try blinking them back, the tears keep coming. So close to me, I can feel his warm breath heat my soaked cheeks. His eyes burn into mine, the sparks between us palpable. Almost visible. My heart flutters like a hummingbird as a rush of desire pulses between my legs. I want him so badly I can taste him. Then, without warning on my next blink, he leans into me, and still cradling my face in his palms, he reads my mind, sinking his lips onto mine. I submit, having wanted this kiss for so long. It's everything I remember. Sensual. Possessive. Generous. All-consuming. My body grows slack, melting into him, as if a lightning bolt has hit me. Fireworks explode behind my sealed lids as he deepens the kiss, the wine-laced taste of him making me drunk with need and desire. Our tongues dance as if they've known each other forever (they have!), mine chasing his as it sweeps through my mouth. Moans gather in the base of my throat like musical notes, mixing with the percussion of my thudding heart.

I can't get enough of him.

Then, suddenly, as if someone has pulled a plug, the music stops. His tongue disappears.