Inferno Part 4

~95~ Dessert

Josie's POV

He drives a little faster than he did going to the restaurant, and I find myself wanting to take his hand to help calm him down.

"I'm so sorry, Josie.....This is why I can't—This...." He blows out a breath and shakes his head. "I'm sorry."

Before I can stop my hand, it moves on its own and takes his, resting on the gear shift.

He looks at me, just as surprised as I am.

"You're going to get your daughter. Why would you apologize for that?"

He squeezes my hand and puts his eyes back on the road, staying silent at my rhetorical question.

I wait for him to let go of my hand, but he doesn't. He takes his thumb and rubs it gently over my knuckles, and the way his hand feels on mine is making my tummy do some sort of circus crap.

When we pull into an apartment complex, he gets out and pauses. "You're welcome to come....."

"Nah, I'll stay here."

He nods as he gets out and locks the doors, and I watch him as he runs into the building.

Five minutes later he comes out with his little girl, holding onto his neck so tightly it makes my throat catch. I can see from here how relieved she is to have her daddy.

He opens the back door and when her eyes adjust, she sees me in the front seat.

"Josie?!?!"

"Hey Jenna!"

She grins big as she climbs into the front seat and hugs me so tightly, she makes my neck pop.

"You get lonely too?" She asks when she pulls away, and Owen still has half his body in the back, waiting to buckle her into the seat.

"Come sit, JJ. It's cold out here!" He says in amusement.

"But daddy, Josie is in your car!"

He grins at her and nods. "I know. We went and had dinner together. Come sit."

"What'dya eat?" She asks me with a smile.

"Lasagna."

"No, I mean what important stuff did you eat? What dessert?"

"We didn't"

She nods sympathetically and pats my shoulder. "Yeah, daddy can be unfair sometimes. He REALLY thinks eating your dinner is important. The lasagna was too icky to eat, huh?"

Even Owen can't stop from chuckling as he pats the booster again. "JJ come sit, please? I'm freezing out here."

"Fine, but daddy...Josie is sorry. She promises to eat really good next time if you will let us get ice cream now."

"Us?" Owen asks as he bites his lip to keep from smiling.

"I cried lots and had a hard night...I really need some chocolate, daddy."

"Spoken like a true lady. Please sit and I'll take you guys for ice cream." Owen chuckles.

"Woohoo!" She bounces as she scrambles to the booster and sits. Owen kisses her head and buckles her, and then gets in the car.

"You good to get ice cream?"

"Well, I thought I ate pretty good."

He chuckles as he nods and we leave the apartment, and Jenna starts to sing happily in her seat.

"Did you not have fun tonight at all, JJ?" Owen asks, and I can tell he is trying to get information out of her discreetly.

"No. Mommy just wanted me to sleep! She wanted me to go to bed right after supper, daddy!"