Santa Soldier Bear - Meg Ripley Page 0,21
points to himself. I think it’s kind of great that he can relate to the animal world so well, but I do have to really keep an eye on him when I bring him here during the day.”
They made their way toward a canopy of trees. The mirror balls that dangled from the branches enhanced the numerous lights that surrounded them. “He gets a little too enthusiastic?” Roman asked.
Melody bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “When he was really little, he was too young for it to matter all that much. As he’s gotten a little bit older and more self-aware, he’s figured out who he really is at heart. Of course, living at headquarters means that he doesn’t have to hold back his animal self. You combine all that, and you’ve got a little boy trying to jump over the railing and get as close to the real bears as he can. There was no way he could actually get to them, because of the way everything is set up here, but that didn’t stop him from trying.”
“Did he think he should be living with them or something?”
“You know, I think he wanted them to come home with us,” Melody giggled. It was hard to keep the conversation quiet, but she didn’t want Lucas to think she was making fun of him. “He couldn’t really tell me because he was so upset. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was glad it wasn’t a busy day. There weren’t too many people around to see him throwing an absolute fit over not being able to take the bears home.”
“That’s pretty cute,” Roman admitted. “I have to say, I thought these two would be too young to enjoy this, but they seem to be having a good time. Look.” Roman nodded down at the little girl in the stroller.
Ruby had been swaddled in a thick knit cap and a fleece coat, and Melody had tucked a thick blanket around her in the stroller. She’d shown a good temperament so far, and even being wrapped up like the Abominable Snowbaby hadn’t fazed her. She turned her head from side to side, her eyes wide as she followed all the moving, shimmering lights.
It was a sweet scene, one that Melody would be sure to gush about to Emersyn, but she found herself far more focused on Roman. The soft, colored lights bathed and softened his face. He was a handsome man in any light, but the way he looked at Ruby completely changed his features. This wasn’t just a man who’d seen the suffering of war and had moved off to the Cowboy State to bury that past. This was a man who felt, who wanted to feel.
He brought out the feline side of her, and Melody wanted to rub her cheek against his shoulder affectionately. She wished she hadn’t been so reserved when they’d had that time together on the couch, with the rest of the house asleep. Yes, they’d ended up in bed together, but she longed for something even more intimate. How nice it would’ve been to twine her fingers between his, to cuddle up against him and lean her head on his shoulder while they watched the movie, to stretch and snuggle and be completely comfortable with each other. The sex had been incredibly hot, but Melody knew it could go even deeper than that if they could get past everything else that was in their way.
“Isn’t she something else?” Roman murmured, nodding at Ruby. “She must’ve been through a lot over the last couple of days, but she still manages to chill out and enjoy all the lights. I know she doesn’t think about things the same way we do, but still. I might have a hard time if I were in her position.”
The warmth in Melody’s cheeks had nothing to do with the sweater she’d put on for their trip. Roman was showing her, in all the little ways, just how real of a person he was. She’d expected something different, someone more distant, when Amar had told them he was coming.
As they moved on toward the Twinkle Tunnel, Melody directed their little party over to the side. “Okay, I think it’s best to stop off for some diaper changes before we get any further. I don’t want to get inside that tunnel of lights and regret it.” She bent down to unbuckle Lucas from his stroller.
“Um, what should I do?” Roman