Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Sighing, Grady closed his eyes. Sage was in full-blown Little headspace now, and he was partially to blame. Taking a deep breath, he took a glass of ocean punch. The twinkle in her eyes told him she knew exactly what she was doing to him. Little brat.
“Sorry,” she said, but her smile told a different story. “I meant, have some punch, boss.”
“Damn straight you did,” he grumbled and started to fill two paper plates with the food he’d made.
Without warning, Sage threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Settling back in her seat, she lifted her ocean punch up to Rose. “Cheers!” she said and bumped Rose’s water bottle with hers.
As they ate, Sage chatted with Grady and Rose. She overlooked the fact that Rose didn’t answer her verbally. She smiled at his daughter whenever Rose used nonverbal gestures.
That wasn’t to say his daughter wasn’t engaged in the conversation. She nodded and swayed as Sage asked question after question, waiting after each one until Rose answered.
It was all he could do not to bend over and press a kiss to her forehead each time she got Rose to respond. A cowboy could fall in love with a woman like that.
Not him, of course. But a cowboy whose life wasn’t as complicated as his could fall easily.
An unexpected rage flashed through him at the thought of Sage with some other man. What the hell was that about?
Once everyone had finished, Grady gathered the plates. “Two clean plates. What big girls I have.”
The words came out before he could stop them. His hope that Sage had missed his slip-up was dashed when her pupils dilated, darkening her sapphire eyes to the color of the ocean at night. It was the last thing he needed, so why did his cock get so hard?
To get away before she noticed that, too, he stood with his back to Sage and said, “Mermaid princess schoolwork must be hard. I’ll take this back to the kitchen and put everything away.”
Once he had himself under control, he returned with a plate of frosted unicorn and dragon cookies. He hadn’t been aware he’d be attending an under-the-sea-themed picnic party when he’d bought them at the local bakery, but hoped these might bring another smile to his daughter’s face. What he hadn’t really counted on was seeing Sage still wearing that same smile—the one that always caught his eye and never failed to make his cock pulse. His mind flashed to visions of sending Rose to bed for a nap before pinning Sage down on the blankets she’d spread and showing her just how much he appreciated all her efforts.
Instead, he bowed low and presented the platter. “Dessert, m’ladies.”
Sage’s voice came out quieter than usual. “You made all that… for us?”
Picking up a frosted unicorn cookie, Rose whispered, “Pretty!”
Everything around them disappeared.
Rose had spoken.
His knees went so weak he almost dropped to the floor. Maybe it was just one word, but it was clear and full of wonder.
It hit him square in the chest. Two years. Two hellacious years of silence, and here was his baby girl speaking again—because of Sage. The little wildfire currently sitting cross-legged on his floor in that adorable mermaid costume had given Rose back her voice.
He would have wrapped his daughter in a bear hug and danced around the room with her in his arms if it hadn’t been for Sage’s hand settling on his boot. She was beaming with joy as well, but she held herself calm.
“I agree, princess, they are pretty,” Sage said.
Sage’s Little was no longer in charge. The woman’s self-discipline and control stunned him. She treated his daughter’s breakthrough as if it were completely normal. He now had a new respect for her ability and wisdom.
“Would you like to tell your pa thank you, sweet girl?” Sage’s bright sapphire eyes sparkled as she glanced up at him. When Rose gave the hand gesture for thank you, Sage’s smile didn’t falter. Her eyes held no disappointment. She simply nodded, then spoke for both of them, soft and sweet. “Thank you, Daddy, for all you did for us.”
He had no words. The emotions that flooded him from hearing Rose’s sweet voice washed over him like a tidal wave. His mind reeled, and it was all he could do not to lift his daughter from her spot on the floor, hug her tight, and spin her around.
Rose had spoken, and it was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. His focus on the magnitude of everything that might mean consumed him, so it took him a minute to register how Sage had addressed him, and not for the first time either.
Daddy.
The knowledge hit him while he was still off balance, so he chose to ignore it. For now. Right now, he had to be very careful not to put pressure on Rose or say the wrong thing. He cleared his throat, his big hands flexing at his sides as he fought the burn behind his eyes. Blinking hard, he did his best to keep his emotions held tight.