Page 102 of Grasp The Moment

“Be mad at me after you brush your teeth, Sunshine.” I chuckle. Delilah’s eyes go wide, a slight blush creeping up on her cheeks as she scurries off to the bathroom.

Georgia comes walking out of the bathroom as Delilah scurries past her. “Woah, Dels, what’s going… on?” She stops in her steps when she sees me in the doorway.

Her long blonde hair is damp from her shower; crystal beads of water pepper her hairline as she stands before me in my shirt and a pair of slippers.

She sighs, and it takes everything in me not to run to her and pull her into my arms. She’s not looking at me; I need her to look at me… To justsmileat me.

Please, darlin’... Please just look at me.

I move my head, trying to catch her eye, but she remains firm innot meeting mine.

Her voice is cold as she asks, “Why are you here?”

My heart sinks.

“I…”

Deli pops out of the bathroom, her kiddie toothbrush dangling out of her mouth as she looks at me, gesturing wildly.

“I…”

My daughter makes gestures to Georgia, opening her mouth as if to scream at me, before her toothbrush falls out.

Georgia chuckles, turning to the four-year-old. “How did that happen?”

Delilah gives her an animated shrug, cutting a quick look at me before bouncing back into the bathroom.

I clear my throat and take a step forward. “Will you go on a date with me?”

She gives me a confused look, her brows raising and lips parting, “You want to go on a date? After everything, that’s the first thing you say to me?”

My underarms itch as sweat begins to bead. Georgia’s gaze is like fire, enticing, but the closer I get, the more it burns to be near.

“No, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” She chuckles as a small smile creeps on her face.

“Ma’am.” I nod. “Let me take you out, right now. Please?”

Georgia’s shoulders fall, her brows creasing as she looks me over. She drinks me in from head to toe before nodding.

“Fine, you can take me out, but the cowboy hat stays.”

“When did you have time to get flowers?” Georgia asks as we trot down the path, riding Nora. She’d been quiet for the pasthour, from the time she got ready for today, we dropped Delilah off, and headed to the stables—she was radio silent.

I turn back to her quickly, placing a hand on one of the ones she has wrapped around my waist, and blush when I face forward.

“Plucked them from Lita’s garden.”

She gasps, quietly mumbling, “So he’s a thief and a liar…”

I can’t help the small laugh that tumbles from my lips as I steer Nora toward the clearing near the back of the property.

“I’m not a thief. Lita makes the flowers into bouquets. She—like everyone else—heard us last night and helped me arrange the flowers correctly.”

She hums, nodding as she places her head on my back. “We were a bit loud, weren’t we?” she asks, chuckling awkwardly.

Mimicking her, I nod.