I glared at Nova. “Shut up, kid. Before she thinks I’m a liar.”
Nova giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. I was just glad to see that she wasn’t upset over the whole Garret thing for the moment. “I’m kidding. There’s no one I trust more than Max to tell it to me straight.”
Delaney glanced up at me, and the look in her pretty brown eyes had me catching my breath. “I already knew that,” she told Nova.
I dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose, then nudged her toward the kitchen. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”
Nova scooped up the bags again and followed us into the next room. While I got drinks, she pulled out the containers of food. I hadn’t known what Delaney would like, so I’d gone simple with cheeseburgers and fries for all three of us. When she opened her box, her eyes got huge and she did a little happy dance, and I was glad I’d picked correctly.
Her moan at the first big bite she took went straight to my dick, and I was glad the island was between my cousin and me because I didn’t want her to see the bulge that was now straining the confines of my jeans. Between bites, Delaney and Nova got to know each other, and I just stood back and watched the two of them.
My cousin seemed to adore Delaney, and I was hoping Lexa and Mom felt the same instant connection. Not that it would stop what was going to happen between this little treasure and me if they didn’t, but it would make things easier on my girl. Around eight, Aunt Flick honked the horn of her SUV from the garage’s parking lot.
Nova gave Delaney a hug then motioned for me to follow her out as she gathered her stuff.
I walked out the door with her, and she turned to face me with a frown. “You know she’s the girl Maverick has been looking for, right?”
I clenched my jaw and nodded. I’d known that from the moment I’d brought her home, and that was why I hadn’t wanted to take Delaney shopping yet. Ben had gotten calls about someone breaking in to local businesses, and then Maverick had told us that River suspected it was a girl who had also gotten into the Ink Shoppe a few times. But nothing had been stolen—not even food, from what my brother-in-law had said—so Delaney hadn’t really broken any laws. And even if she had, I wasn’t about to let her be arrested. Ben and Maverick didn’t need to know the girl had been found.
Nova’s face softened. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. She’s so sweet, Max. I love her already.” She punched me in the arm before pointing her finger up at me. “You better take good care of her, or I swear I’ll kick your ass.”
I laughed and bent to kiss the top of her head. “Easy, little lioness. No need to get violent. I promise I’ll take care of my treasure.”
“That is so adorable,” she gushed. Throwing her arms around my middle, she gave me a quick squeeze before turning to descend the stairs. “Text me if you need anything. Love you.”
“Love you too, Nova,” I called after her, then waited until she texted me she was in the SUV before going back inside.
Delaney was right where I left her, cuddled up on the couch once again, with a blanket tucked around her legs. I hadn’t shown her what was in the shopping bags yet, mostly because I wanted her to try everything on for me, and I didn’t want Nova to witness how my body was going to respond to the show.
Once the door was securely locked behind me, I grabbed the bags and carried them into the bedroom before coming back and scooping her into my arms. She giggled and clung to me as I carried her into our bedroom and placed her in the center of the bed.
“It’s not much,” I told her. “This town doesn’t really have a lot to offer for fashion yet. But once you’re settled in, we can go to the mall and get you whatever you want.”
“You didn’t have to do this,” she argued. “I’m fine with your clothes.”
“But I want you to have pretty things,” I signed before pouring out the contents of the first bag onto the bed in front of her. There were a few pairs of jeans that she said were her size, several tops in different styles, panties, and bras. All of which Nova had picked out.
While she shifted through the clothes, I grabbed the other bags, the ones from the grocery store. They held shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and deodorant that Nova had also picked out, along with a few other items I’d trusted my cousin about when she’d said Delaney would need them. I grabbed the box of tampons and the package of other feminine hygiene products, intending to put them in the bathroom, but my girl’s eyes widened and then filled with tears.
I dropped them on the floor and reached for her. “What’s wrong?” I demanded, the pressure returning to my chest.
“You.” She signed as her tears fell faster. “You’re too much.”
My heart stopped. “I’m sorry. I’ll fix it. Just tell me what I did wrong.”
Delaney shook her head. “No. You did nothing wrong. You are…perfect.”
Her answer only confused me. “Then why are you crying, treasure?”
A sob escaped her, and she burrowed her face into my chest for a moment. But I couldn’t fucking breathe. Cupping the side of her face, I tipped her head back and repeated the question slowly so she could read my lips. “Why are you crying, baby?”
“Because I’m happy, and that scares me. The last time I was happy, I lost my parents.” She began to tremble as she fought to contain her sobs while still signing the next words. “And I don’t want to lose you, Max.”
5
Delaney
How could one person change my entire world in less than twenty-four hours?
I’d gone from having nothing and no one, to Max giving me everything. It felt like a dream. Someone cared about me, and that meant more to me than anything in the world.
The last time someone had cared, I’d lost them both in the blink of an eye. Max was quickly becoming so much more than just the hero who rescued me the night before. I was feeling things I’d never felt before for anyone. It was exhilarating—but yeah, totally terrifying.
If I allowed myself to get too close and then I lost Max, it would destroy me completely.
Yet, I wasn’t sure I even cared.
All I wanted was to savor whatever this was with him.
He stroked my hair back from my tear-soaked face and placed a tender kiss on my forehead. That simple, innocent touch of his lips on my skin was enough to calm the sobs trying to tear me apart, and I blinked up at him in an attempt to stop the flood of tears from my eyes.
“You will never lose me,” he signed with a look on his face that told me he meant every word. “Because I am never, ever, letting you go, little treasure.”
My heart melted as he called me that sweet endearment yet again. The first time, I’d tried to ignore the puddle of goo it turned me into, thinking maybe he was just being kind. But I was starting to think he really did consider me his treasure. I didn’t understand how this hot, amazing guy would want me, but I didn’t want to open his eyes to the reality of how messed up I was either.
Picking me up, he sat on the edge of the bed and cradled me in his arms. I rested my head on his chest and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of cedar and citrus along with the hint of what must have been oil from the car he’d worked on earlier. The scent soothed something deep in my soul, and I closed my eyes, just letting myself enjoy being in his arms for the moment.