Beneath the Stars (Falling Stars #4) - A.L. Jackson Page 0,59

I was just gettin’ ready to send my wild child up to see if you wanted breakfast.”

Oh, was I ever awake.

“Good morning,” I peeped, my voice two octaves too high. Moving over to Violet, I gave her a quick hug, that buzz still blazing through my body.

I had to wonder if the energy running a circuit through my veins would be a palpable thing.

When Violet pulled back, she kept hold of the outside of my arms and searched my face. Curiosity and questions traipsed across her pretty features.

I guessed I had my answer.

I gave her a look of indifference.

She returned one that told me we were going to talk about this later.

I just grinned the most innocent grin I could find, cleared my throat, and let my gaze roam over everyone in the room. “Morning.”

Richard lifted his coffee cup from where he sat on one of the short stools on one side of the island. “Mornin’, Mags.”

“Good morning,” Leif said, still chopping the veggies with a slow smile on his face.

“Hey there.” Mia’s was wide and welcoming, tossing it over her shoulder at me while she balanced her youngest, Carson, in her arms while she continued whipping the eggs in the bowl.

“Smells good in here,” I said as I walked deeper into the kitchen.

Correction.

Floated into the kitchen.

That’s what it felt like.

Walking on air.

Yeah, I was going to need to come back down from whatever cloud I’d hopped on if I thought I didn’t want anyone to notice.

I moved over to Mia and pecked a kiss to her cheek and another to the top of Carson’s head. The six-month-old boy tipped his head back, his gummy, two-toothed smile doing the craziest things to me.

Chest pulsing full.

I ran my hand over the infant’s head as he continued to smile up at me. I whispered to his mama, “Wonder Woman.”

Mia huffed out a laugh. “Hardly. I’m pretty sure with the way I passed out at eight last night and slept like the dead for ten hours straight, I did not earn that title.”

Leif shifted around and wrapped his arms around her from behind, setting his chin on her shoulder as he hugged her tight. “You deserved that sleep. The kids have been running you ragged.”

“See! Hooligans!” Daisy was grinning her adorable, dimpled grin when she shouted it.

Laughing, I moved over to hug her tight where she stood on the stool, lifting her feet just off the step.

God.

This child had owned me from day one. I’d had no defense against the onslaught of her wild, kind, curious spirit.

“And what would that make you?” I teased her as I set her down.

She tipped her head back to look at me, all her little teeth gleaming in a row.

“Um…I think I still got the tomfooleries, Auntie Maggie Pies. Papa said those ones are the worst.” Her voice dropped to a secreted whisper. “Way worse than the hooligans.”

I smiled down at her, my heart in her little hand.

Affection fierce and firm.

My own loyalty and devotion to this family overpowering.

Rushing my veins and whispering in my soul.

Then all of it went soaring when I felt the shift in the atmosphere.

A thrill sped through the air. Shockwaves of intensity. Blasts of light.

I barely held it together when I looked over my shoulder to find Rhys coming down the sweeping, curved main staircase. He bounded down the steps, larger than life, the longer pieces of his hair still damp and a tight tee hugging that magnificent body.

My chest squeezed, and I thought there was a chance my lungs might fail right there.

God, I had no idea how in the world I was supposed to handle this. How I was supposed to pretend like I wasn’t drawn to this man in a way that was unstoppable.

Unfathomable.

“Did I hear somethin’ about tomfooleries?” he shouted.

This morning, his grin was wide, that carefree cowboy back in full play.

It was crazy how much I liked it. How I felt relief in seeing him this way. Those blue eyes clear. The storm clouds nowhere to be found.

Daisy tossed her hands in the air. “Uncle Rhys! You finally wakes it up. I thought you were gonna sleep all day.”

There went my blush.

My flush growing hotter.

“What? And not spend the mornin’ with you? Heck no.” He came striding our way, mirth and lightheartedness painted in bold stripes through his being.

Penny and Kallie blew passed with Greyson in tow, cutting across his path.

The man tossed a playful swat in the direction of a smirking Brendon who was right behind