Total Knock Out / Book Two

Chapter Nine: Ice Cream Fiend

Logan smiled at Rori when she turned towards her, taking a lick of the ice cream cone her daughter was currently holding and letting the chocolate flavor melt in her mouth. It had taken over fifteen minutes and seven flavor tests before Rori had settled on it, bouncing on Logan's hip in excitement when the teenager behind the counter had handed it to her.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Stanford asked, pulling her attention away from her daughter and Logan just shook her head while she watched him take a huge bite out of the frozen yogurt he had ordered.

"Rori's got about another two minutes with hers before she decides she's full and passes it off to me. No point in getting my own when I have to finish hers," Logan laughed, reaching for a napkin in the dispenser and turning to wipe the mess of chocolate off of her daughter's face.

It was all very domestic, the three of them sitting in a comfortable silence at a booth all the way in the back; hidden from the door. If Stanford wasn't constantly looking over the room, a predatory gleam in his eyes, Logan could almost pretend like it was an average, run of the mill family day.

She tossed the used napkin on the tabletop and accepted the half eaten ice cream cone when Rori held it out, gliding her tongue around the base of the chocolate treat to catch any stray drops that were trying to fall. She blushed when she made eye contact with Stanford, knew what it sort of looked like when she put the tip of it in her mouth and hallowed her cheeks to suck some of the ice cream in so she didn't have to touch it with her teeth.

Stanford cleared his throat and looked back down at his frozen yogurt, and Logan reached out without even thinking; wiping the melted smudge of it off of his chin like she had done for Rori a million times. He froze with a bite halfway to his mouth and she pulled her hand back hastily, turning back towards her daughter so she wouldn't have to look him in the eyes again.

"I kicked the bag," Rori said proudly, wiggling her head with so much excitement that one of her small buns started to come loose. Logan reached out to fix it, a smooth, practiced movement she could probably do in her sleep, before answering.

"I saw! You did so good. Ms. Charlie said that you should do it without your shoes on next time, though, so you don't hurt your toes."

Rori nodded head head enthusiastically before slipping off the bench and crawling under the table, popping out right beside Stanford and wiggling her way onto his lap. Logan hid her smile behind her hand when he pulled her closer to his chest and wrapped one arm around her stomach, keeping her in place while her daughter stole a bite of the frozen yogurt in front of her; making a face at the taste of it.

"Mama's gonna be the new teacher," Rori whispered to Stanford, angling her head back so she could see his face. Logan let out a soft laugh when the two of them started to wiggle their eyebrows at each other, going back to the ice cream cone in her hand.

She had been a little shocked when Darcy and Maddox had offered her the job, especially when they offered to pay her well above the standard for a preschool teacher. Apparently it had been something they had wanted to do since their daughter had been born, but lack of resources had kept them from actually going through with it. Logan had said yes in a heartbeat, needed some normality it her life right now, plus the thought of watching little Parker while Rori and Zoey played together just felt right.

Stanford scooted to the edge of the bench he was sitting on, Rori still on his leg, before standing up and turning her against his chest so she could slide down onto his hip. He held his hand out for Logan, helping her out of the booth after she had grabbed their trash. She threw it away as they walked towards the door and held her arms out for Rori, but her daughter just shook her head at her and snuggled further into Stanford's body.

If she were smart, she'd just have him put her daughter down and make her walk; so it would be easier to explain to Rori when they got home that Stanford couldn't be called Daddy and that he was only helping them for a little while. But the look on Rori's face said she was already attached, and Stanford's wasn't much better.

Logan let out a sigh and tugged her cardigan tighter around her body, following Stanford down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. The small shop they had just been in was only a fifteen minute walk away from his house and the sunshine beaming down on her felt wonderful, despite the small chill that still lingered in the air.

Stanford reached out to tug her closer to his body when a group of people tried to pass them, wrapping one arm around her waist while the other tightened it's hold on Rori. Logan smiled hesitantly up at him, still not used to the way that he just moved her all the time; like she weighed nothing and it was the most normal thing in the world for him to constantly pick her up and set her back down a few inches away.

The first time he had done it was two days ago at breakfast, and it took everything in her not to let out a scream when his hands had settled on her waist and the next thing she knew she was in front of the stove instead of in front of the coffee pot. Rori had thought it was hilarious, jumping up and down in front of him until he took the hint and walked all the way over to the table with her dangling from his arm like a monkey. It was taking some getting used to, but at least now Logan didn't feel a scream trying to claw its way out of her throat every time he did it.

They reached the house without any further incidents, Rori fast asleep on Stanford's shoulder and Logan practically melted into a puddle at the sight they made together. She still didn't trust him all the way, that kind of thing after her past was going to take more than just a handful of days, but she had to admit to herself that he was attractive; and him holding onto her daughter like she was the most precious thing in the world only made him even more irresistible.

Logan took the key out of his hand and unlocked the door when his phone started to ring, gently taking Rori out of his arms and going inside of the living room to give him some privacy. She laid her daughter down on the couch and covered her up with a soft throw blanket before making her way back to her own bedroom, slipping off her shoes and tossing her belt and cardigan on the bed. She wondered back into the living room when she heard Stanford come back in and close the front door.

"Elijah is coming to stay with you guys for a little bit, he'll be here in about ten minutes. I have a family emergency that I need to take care of," Stanford growled, raking his hand through his hair and Logan didn't say anything about the thunderous expression that he wore. Whatever was going on, it looked like there would be hell to pay.