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Wolfe’s eyes softened, and he crouched down to her level. “Oh, sweetheart, I know. Come here.” He put the bags on the floor and opened his arms.
Without hesitation, Belle went to him, and he scooped her up. She cuddled into him, her arms wrapping around his neck, a contented sigh escaping her as he gently rubbed her back.
“See?” he said, looking up at me, his eyes filled with a warmth that sent a shiver down my spine. “You need me here.”
I watched them for a moment, my heart aching with a mixture of gratitude and fear. Wolfe was so good with Belle, so caring and gentle. How could I turn him away when he was offering so much? When she clearly needed him? This wasn’t just about me.
With a resigned sigh, I gave in. “Alright, but if you get sick, don’t blame me.”
The smile he gave me in reply made my heart skip a few beats. “I never get sick.”
As Wolfe made his way to the kitchen, Belle still in his arms, I knew I had made the right decision. But I also knew that having him here, so close and so caring, was going to make avoiding my growing feelings for him even more difficult.
God, it made such a difference having him there, though. He’d stopped by the drugstore and picked up so many medicines and stuff, he could practically run a mobile drug store himself. Then he made a nourishing bone broth soup that any of my lecturers would have swooned over.
Later, he was on the floor with Florian, playing a board game, losing on purpose, I was sure. Florian’s laughter filled the room, and my heart swelled at the sight.
“Belle needs her medicine,” I said, trying to haul myself out of the overstuffed armchair.
“I’ve got it,” Wolfe assured me, rising to his feet and heading for the kitchen.
I followed him, leaning against the doorway, watching as he measured the exact dose with careful precision. He caught me watching, and his lips quirked into a playful smile. “Admiring my nursing skills?”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Just don’t quit your day job.”
His laughter was a rich, melodic sound that sent a thrill through me. I pushed the sensation away, focusing on Belle, who was now settled on the couch, her eyes heavy.
Wolfe approached, the medicine in hand. Belle looked up at him, trust in her eyes. “You’ll make it better, right?”
He brushed a stray curl from her forehead, his touch gentle. “I’ll do my best.”
As I watched them, something unidentifiable twisted in my chest and I rubbed at it, because it hurt.
The day wore on, long and uncomfortable, but Wolfe’s energy seemed endless. He made more soup, did the dishes, read stories, and played games. Finally, it was time for the kids to go to bed, so we dosed them up with medicine, put buckets next to their beds and hoped for the best.
Maybe it was because I was feeling so shit, but I didn’t have the strength to resist Wolfe’s pull. At the end of one of the longest days of my life, when all the kids were in bed, I joined him on the couch. My body aching and exhausted, I sought the comfort only he could give me.
“Feeling better?” he asked, his voice soft.
I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder. “A bit, yeah.”
He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. I closed my eyes, letting his presence surround me, knowing that I was crossing a line but unable to stop myself.
I didn’t want to name it, didn’t want to face what it meant. As Wolfe’s hand found mine, as our fingers entwined, I knew I wouldn’t be able to ignore this much longer. But for now, I was content to simply be. To enjoy this moment for what it was, and to let the future take care of itself.
“You should go to bed.”
“Yeah.” I really didn’t want to move, but it was getting really late and Wolfe probably wanted to get going. It couldn’t have been a fun day for him. “What about you?”
“I’ll see myself out.”
“Okay.” I stayed there a moment longer, then reluctantly dragged myself to my feet. Wolfe followed me and when I looked up at him, ready to say goodnight, the words died on my lips. The way he was looking at me, the soft glow in his eyes, held me trapped. The air seemed to thicken around us, all the unspoken words between us holding me captive.
Wolfe broke first, his lips curving in a soft smile as he brushed the tip of his finger down my cheek. “Goodnight, Esme.”
I swallowed around the thick lump in my throat, forcing out the words, “Goodnight, Wolfe.”
I fled. There was no other word for it. Straight to my room and into bed, where I squeezed my eyes shut tight, trying to hold in the emotions that surged through my system. Somehow, I fell asleep and never heard Wolfe leave.