Page 67 of Game Plan

“It’s nine o’clock,” Poppy says, wrapping her arms around me from behind and kissing my shoulder. “Aren’t babies supposed to go to bed early?”

“Mama,” Sunny says again, wiggling in my arms. “Want Mama.”

Poppy steps around us and takes the bottle. “I want Uncle Finn, Sunny girl. I’ve waited for this for a very long time. So, if you could do me this one little favor and go to sleep, I’ll buy you a new sippy cup tomorrow.”

I snort. “Buying her love at fourteen months.”

“Buying her cooperation at fourteen months. And if you knew how badly I want to tackle you to the floor and climb on top of you, you’d be surprised that I only offered a new sippy.” Her brows pull together. “How about one of those little cars you can drive? Want one of those?”

“No,” Sunny says, her lip trembling.

Poppy and I exchange a grimace as Sunny starts to cry.

“Let me try,” Poppy says, lifting the baby from my arms. “Hey, girlie. Don’t cry. Auntie Pop Pop is here.”

“Mama,” she says, burying her head into Poppy’s shoulder.

I stand beside her, feet rooted to the floor, watching the woman of my dreams fall into the role that I’ve never been brave enough to imagine. But it’s so natural, so beautiful—having her in my home at bedtime, in my clothes, holding a child—that I’m not sure I’ll be the same person as I was before this moment.

I’ve always wanted Poppy. I’ve wanted a relationship with her. But now? I want this with her, and only her.

If she wants it for herself.

You better stop this while you’re ahead, Miller.

My hand falls to the small of her back. “I’m going to finish cleaning up the kitchen.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she says, patting Sunny’s back. “I can do it later—or even tomorrow. I’ll be here all day.”

“And you have to work tomorrow and watch Sunny. I got the kitchen.”

The smile she gives me hits me right in the chest.

I wink at her, then pick up the rest of dinner we left on the table to bathe Sunny.

“What time do you have to leave in the morning?” she asks, moving side to side with the baby against her.

“Around seven, probably. I have another round of media obligations, then a training session. Then Frutter is having a few of us get together to run some routes and just kind of get back into it again.” I dry my hands on a dish towel. “I’m also meeting with Chuck in the afternoon.”

“Okay.”

“Is that all right?” I lift a brow, watching her closely.

She nods, soothing Sunny. “I’ve just never been here alone before, and it occurred to me that maybe you didn’t think about that. I could totally take Sunny back to my house for the day and then come back⁠—”

“Poppy.”

I toss the towel on the counter, studying her. “If you’re not comfortable here and want to go home tomorrow, then let me know, and I’ll get the car seat in your car, so you don’t have to wrestle it. But if you think that I don’t want you here …” I grin. Silly girl. “Running the risk of you freaking out on me, but I’ll put it to you like this—if you never left again, I wouldn’t be mad about it.”

As if having her here isn’t something I’ve begged the universe for all the damn time.

Her entire body sighs. It’s evident in her shoulders sinking and the tension dissolving from her features.

“I’d be careful using that language,” she says, grinning.

“Why?”

“Have you stopped to think about what this house will look like in a week when I have to do laundry? Or when I’ve been to the office five days in a row, and I come home, strip my clothes, and rot in bed with a pint of ice cream and the remote control until Monday morning.”