He groaned, then rolled me to my back with a heart-stopping grin. “Thank God. I knew I fell in love with you for a reason.”

He didn’t make me wait three minutes or even two.

That box was short more than just one condom by the morning.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jackson

I hated working nights. It meant less time with Morgan and Fin because I was always asleep when they were awake and vice versa. But tonight was my last night shift for another month, so I’d just have to suck it up.

After zipping up my flight suit, I checked Fin’s room, but it was empty. The laughter coming from downstairs explained it. I found my girls in the dining room, Finley in a chair with her new cat perched on her lap and Morgan behind her, weaving her hair into another crown of braids that happened to match the very one she was wearing in her hair, but Finley’s had red, white, and blue ribbons threaded through it.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, leaning against the bar. God, I could get used to this. Having Morgan here with Fin made everything seem complete—whole.

“Morgan had a cat, too! He spilled glasses of water on her mama every day!” Fin exclaimed, stroking Juno’s fur.

“Batted them right off the end table,” Morgan added with a smile and threw a wink at me.

Fuck, I loved this woman, and it was okay that she hadn’t said it back yet. Eventually my charms would wear her down.

“Oh? So just as people-friendly as Juno over here.” I eyed the tabby and kept my distance. Finley had dragged the thing out of the rain a little over two weeks ago and worked her magic on her…and me. A trip to the vet later, we now had a cat that despised me and hissed at every opportunity.

“Hey, Juno likes people!” Finley argued.

“Sure, people who aren’t your father,” I countered as the cat stared me down.

Morgan pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and finished Fin’s braid. “You’re all set, my dear!”

“Thank you!” Finley sang, already headed to the nearest mirror.

“Make sure you’re packed for your mom’s. We’re leaving in ten minutes!” I called after her.

Morgan walked straight into my arms, laying her cheek flat just below the patches on my chest.

“I hate that I have to work tonight,” I said into her hair, breathing in her scent as I held her close.

“Me, too.”

“You sure you’ll be okay?” I tipped her chin up to look in her eyes and got knocked on my emotional ass just like I did every time.