Maddison looks at me, and I just grin.
“Come on, this way,” I tell her, leading her down the hallway and up the set of stairs that leads to the second-floor landing.
The second floor has the master bedroom and master bath, along with what will be Olive’s nursery, and another room.
A room that I had designed especially for Maddison.
I stop in front of the door and turn toward her and Olive. “It’s not a huge deal.”
She eyes me skeptically. I swing the door open and reveal the room inside. It’s a sleek, feminine office designed with Maddison in mind. I know she’s taking a semester off from school, but she needs a space where she can work uninterrupted and feel creative.
Her journalism degree will award her many opportunities, and since she and Olive are moving in with me, I wanted her to have a space that was just hers. To study, to work on her side job, whatever she wants.
“Briggs,” she whispers, her voice hoarse and low. “Did you what…” she trails off, turning in a full circle, her eyes dragging over every surface.
There’s a white rustic desk in the center of the room, equipped with a brand-new iMac, printer, notebooks, pens, everything she could possibly need. On the walls, the artwork matches the rest of the room. It’s bright, comfortable and exactly what I would imagine Maddison working in.
“Don’t freak out, baby. I just wanted you to have a place where you can work, uninterrupted, that's just yours.” I gesture toward the wall of built-ins on the right side of the room. “These shelves are for you to fill up with your books. I noticed that you had a small shelf at your apartment, and you mentioned you like to read.”
Maddison rushes over to me, with Olive still cradled in her arms, and throws her arm around my neck, pressing herself tightly against me. I slide my arm around the small of her back and hold her.
“Thank you. This…it’s too much. I don’t know how to accept it,” she says quietly.
“Well, it’s done, baby, I can't send it all back. Now you’ve gotta use it.”
When she pulls back, there are tears in her eyes. She sniffles softly as they spill quietly down her face.
“Hey,” I say, wiping away a stray tear, “don’t cry. It’s nothing.”
She shakes her head over and over. “No, it’s everything, Briggs. This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me, and I just don’t know what I did to deserve you. I don’t deserve you.”
“You deserve the world, and I’ll do everything I can to give it to you, Maddison.”
If she only knew the lengths I would go to make them happy; I’d do anything for her and Olive. I’d move the Earth if that’s what it took.
“Thank you, Briggs, for being the most amazing man. I hope you know what this means to me.”
I nod. To me, it was just another thing to make her happy and comfortable here.
But her being here? It means the fucking world to me.
Twenty Seven
“My arms feel like jello,” I moan, sinking into Briggs’s plush couch, my muscles aching from moving boxes. Okay, the guys did most of the work, but I’m seriously out of shape.
I should have taken getting back into the gym more seriously, but #momlife. I’d much prefer to use my spare minutes catching up on sleep or taking a bubble bath rather than killing myself on a treadmill and that’s a flaw I’ve got to live with.
Part of me is still trying to come to terms with the fact that I live with Briggs now. I’ve been overthinking it since we discussed it, and logically… yes, it makes sense. It’s just a huge step in any relationship, let alone one that carries secrets.
But, all of my worries aside, it’s what’s best for Olive, Briggs and me with my lease ending. There was no way in hell I was going to renew it, and with the housing market as tremulous as it is right now, this definitely felt like the smartest move.
“At least everything’s here and we’re done,” Briggs says, pulling my tired and aching foot into his lap, where he starts to rub the tender arch with his fingers.
“Oh God, that feels heavenly,” I mutter. I don’t even have the energy to open my eyes right now.
One point for Baby Daddy.
The last few days between us have been… amazing. Unlike I ever imagined it would be, and I know that the clock is ticking. I lie awake at night, tossing and turning, trying to formulate a plan of what to say to fix the mess that I’ve undoubtedly created for us.
“I guess tonight would be a good night to use the jacuzzi tub?” Briggs says, his brow lifted.
Jacuzzi tub? How did I miss that on the grand tour?
“Okay, I totally missed that when you showed me around. I guess because you could fit three of my apartments in this house. I’m going to need a map.”
Briggs laughs, low and throaty. “You’ll get used to it, baby, this will be great for both you and Olive. You won’t have to deal with things breaking all of the time, and we have no noisy neighbors. Not to mention that I want both of you here. It makes me happy.”
This man deserves all of the happiness.
I nod. “It makes me happy too. It was really sweet and thoughtful that you decorated Olive’s room. I love it.”
“I was nervous that you wouldn’t, but I figured we could paint it together? I didn’t want to just assume pink or purple since she’s a girl, maybe she likes yellow.” He shrugs, suddenly looking embarrassed, so I sit up and climb into his lap.
My aching thighs settle on each side of his hips before I bring my lips to his and kiss him, soft and sweet, showing him how much I appreciate the fact that he always thinks of both Olive and me.
“You’re amazing, Briggs,” I whisper against his lips, inhaling his clean, woodsy scent.
He pulls back, his pale-blue eyes holding mine, searching for something that I can’t place before the corner of his lips turn up in a small grin.
“Go upstairs, put all that girly shit in the bath, and relax. I’ll bring you a glass of wine after I check on Olive.”
I shake my head. “Briggs, no, I have so much to d-”
He places his finger over my lips, then pulls me to him, kissing me until I’m breathless. Using his massive hand, he swats at my ass enough to make me giggle.
“Go. Wasn’t asking, babe.”
Oh, so he’s Alpha Briggs tonight. My favorite.
I kiss him again then scramble off his lap, before he can swat at me again, and follow his instructions, making my way up the massive staircase to the landing that leads into the master bedroom.
The Briggs’s bedroom is everything I would expect it to be, clean and organized. Warm neutral tones. A massive king-size bed settled in the middle of the room made of sleek, dark oak alongside matching nightstands.
Masculine and still comfortable and inviting, with a touch of luxury.
I love it.
I drag my eyes along the wood of the bed, familiar nerves resurfacing since this will be our bed.
Not just Briggs’s bed. Our bed. Where we’ll sleep together every single night, aside from the nights he’s on the road during the season.
Shaking my head, I quickly walk into the master bedroom, determined not to let my nerves get the best of me and potentially ruin our first night in the house.