Temporarily Yours

Chapter 37

It was now late June, almost early July and Luke was off for a couple weeks...

I was jolted from my thoughts when I heard Luke and I's bedroom door squeak open. It was 10:30 am on a Saturday. I saw Tate's little head pop in before his whole body emerged. He closed the door quickly and quietly before crawling up into our bed.

"Hey, buddy." I whispered, lightly patting the spot in the bed between Luke and I.

Tate crawled inbetween us and snuggled up to my side. I lightly ran my fingers through his disheveled bed-head hair and smiled. This boy was just so sweet.

"Momma," Tate yawned. "Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" I was caught off guard. I wasn't Tate's mother so I wasn't sure why he was calling me that. My heart pounded.

"Tate, I'm not your Momma. I'm just Miss Caroline." I stated softly.

He sat up, scootching up towards the pillow. He shook his head. "No, daddy loves you so that makes you my Momma. You're nice so you can be my Momma."

I smiled softly, feeling tears brim in my eyes. I had truly come to consider each of the boys one of my own even though I was nothing more than Luke's girlfriend and their nanny. My relationship with them had come a long way since I first started working for Luke and it made my heart swell.

"Hey, Tate," I whispered. "Let's wake daddy up. Go jump on his tummy."

Tate smirked and hopped on top of Luke, causing Luke to abruptly sit up.

"Hey, dude, what was that for?" He asked groggily before tickling Tate.

Tate squealed as Luke continue to tickle him until I told them that was enough.

"Tate, go watch some TV before breakfast or something, okay?" I said. He obeyed and left the room, leaving Luke and I alone.

"Well, that was an interesting wake up call. " Luke announced, chuckling.

Getting out of bed, I laughed. "I figured you'd like it."

I walked into the bathroom to shower, I needed to get ready. Allowing to the water to get warm, I waited outside and looked in the mirror as I stripped of my clothes. I studied my reflection, noticing that I needed to get back to exercising again.

"Would you quit giving yourself that criticizing look?" I heard Luke say from the bedroom.

I turned my head to see Luke staring at me through the doorway. He stood from the bed and made his way into the bathroom, coming up behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked into the mirror with me.

"Every inch of you is beautiful, Carol." He said softly. "There ain't no need to be getting down on yourself. Every curve and contour of your body is perfect to me. Honey, isn't that all that matters? You should think more highly of yourself because you're drop dead gorgeous."

I grinned before grabbing Luke's hand in mine. "I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." Luke responded.

I then pulled him towards the shower and he smirked. "Really?" He asked.

I nodded and he smirked.

 
An hour or so later we went downstairs to find the kids all gathered in the living room. We said good morning and kept walking past them into the kitchen where I began to prepare breakfast.

  "Don't let the kids go outside until later. I have a surprise being set up." Luke announced quietly.

"What's the surprise?" I asked, spooning pancake batter onto a hot griddle.