Molly and Nick were on the way downtown when he got a phone call from Dan. He wasn't feeling well and couldn't watch Sammy. The couple got off at the next exit, turned their direction around, and headed back home.
When they got in the house, Nick went to check on Dan. He had a fever and just wanted to go to sleep. Nick brought a cup of water to his younger brother's nightstand and began heading toward the door.
"Sorry for ruining your date," Dan mumbled as he wrapped the blanket closer around himself.
"Fever got to your head, kid?" Nick joked. "Get some sleep and feel better, alright?" He turned off the lights. "Goodnight, bud," he said quietly and closed the door halfway.
Nick returned downstairs and did some laundry while Molly was checking in on Ella about the articles the two of them really had to edit. It was nearing Sammy's bedtime, but she was still up, working on her addition and subtraction problems. When the worksheet was completed, she gave it to Molly to look over.
Molly checked it, but when she looked up, the six-year-old was no longer there.
"Sammers?
Molly received no answer. She picked up the worksheet and went upstairs.
"Sammy, where are you?"
"I'm here."
Molly walked over to the open bathroom. She saw Sammy turning the water hotter and hotter until she felt the temperature was just right. She then turned it off and then started pulling her hair out of the pony.
"Going to take a shower?"
"Yeah, I didn't want to take one yesterday so Dan told me I had to take one today or I would start to be smelly," she told Molly seriously.
"Oh, okay," she answered, wanting to laugh. "I'm going to put your worksheet in your bookbag."
She scrunched her nose as she looked up at Molly. "Is it all right?"
"Perfect."
Sammy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm getting smart, I think."
Molly pressed her lips together for a second time to control her laughter. "You're already smart, honeybun."
Sammy sighed to herself, something Molly thought was odd but dismissed it as tiredness. She returned downstairs. Nick was bending over, throwing clothes from the washing machine into the dryer. Molly so badly wanted to smack his butt, but didn't.
Nick caught her looking at him. "Yes?"
"Nothing."
"Sammy's in bed already?"
"No," Molly shook her head. "She's taking a shower so she doesn't get smelly."
Nick furrowed his eyebrows and then chuckled. "Is that what you told her to get her to take a shower?"
"No, Dan apparently did."
Nick closed the dryer door and started the machine. He looked over at Molly who was hugging herself in her thin sweater, and an idea came to his mind.
Walking over to the light switch, Nick dimmed the living room lights; the fireplace's glow now danced on the wall. He took the blanket on the couch, wrapped himself in it, and sat down.
"Come," he said softly, unwrapping the blanket as he opened up his arms.
He saw her smile in the dim light, her lips still looking so red. She sat in his lap and rested her head against his shoulder. He closed his arms around her, covering her with the blanket.
YOU ARE READING
Only You
Romance"Oh my gosh, you scared me." Nick looked her up and down. She was in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and underwear. A bra was lacking too, revealing the natural shape of her breasts. "I thought you went to sleep," she said and casually dropped the...
