All Over Again (Sequel to Wanted Man)

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

It was nearly two AM by the time Loki was easing the car into the garage, and McKenna could barely keep her eyes open as she pushed open the door and climbed out of the car. "I cannot wait to go to bed."

Loki unlocked the garage door leading into the finished basement that served as his man cave, and guided her past him into the house. "You go on up. I'll drive Allison home and then lock up."

"Are you sure? I don't mind doing it."

He bent to kiss her. "Don't fight me on this, love. Just go to bed."

She smiled at him as they made their way up the basement steps and into the kitchen. In the family room, Allison was dozing on the sofa, covered by the pink and black afghan McKenna's mother crocheted for her when McKenna was in high school.

"Allison?" McKenna gently shook her. "Come on, hon. We're home."

Allison blinked sleep from her eyes. "Oh... I'm so sorry, Mrs. Laufeyson. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's fine, Allie. How was Selig?" McKenna asked.

"Oh, he was an angel, Mrs. Laufeyson. As usual. He's so excited about being a big brother. It was all he could talk about."

Loki chuckled as he picked the television remote from the coffee table and switched off the television. "I can see that. Come along and I'll drive you home."

Allison yawned as she sat up and searched for her shoes. "I can walk, Mr. Laufeyson. It's only a few houses down."

"It's also almost two-thirty in the morning." Loki jingled the car keys in his palm. "So I'll drive you."

"Well, okay, but you don't have to."

Loki shook his head, gesturing to the basement door. "I know I don't."

They left and McKenna sighed as she refolded the old afghan to place over the back of the sofa. She heard the low throaty pull of the Mustang's engine as Loki carefully backed down the drive and onto the street. Allison had been babysitting for them for almost two years now, and as she was entering her junior year of high school, McKenna knew her days of being available were limited. She didn't want to think of trying to find someone they all loved as much. Impossible.

With the afghan back in place, she moved over to the fireplace, where on the mantel stood a collection of silver-framed photographs. In the middle, in the largest frame, was one of her and Loki taken on their wedding day-probably at Shannon's insistence. It was a beautiful shot, taken of them in the Western Courtyard, with the setting sun behind them streaking the sky azure and coral.

It didn't seem like all that long ago that they'd begun their journey together. And now, when she thought about how far they'd come, she sighed softly. Hopefully all would go well with the search for the Tesseract. She couldn't imagine being there, in their home, without him. Didn't want to think about it.

She made her way upstairs, going into Selig's room and up to his bed. His windows were cracked open, the blue drapes fluttering in the cool breeze, and she tugged his comforter up to his chin. He sighed in his sleep and rolled over, the soft light from his nightlight glinting along his black hair.

With a gentle hand, she stroked his hair away from his forehead and bent to brush a kiss over his cool cheek. "Sleep well, little man," she murmured, standing up and gazing down at him. He looked so peaceful, so angelic, and she would have given anything in her power to keep him this age forever.

She left his room, closing the door by, and padded down to her and Loki's room, pressing a hand to her belly as the baby gave a solid kick. "I know, little one," she murmured, rubbing the lump that she thought might be an elbow. "Easy on my insides, please."