Safety in Numbers

Yeah, we know how it goes, right? No ownership in psych, not even a grain of sand in the playground. TPTB own everything, I own nothing, no infringement intended, just having some fun playing "What if…"

Karen smoothed the covers over Iris, making certain Mr. Bunny was tucked securely alongside. She took a deep breath as she brushed her daughter's baby-fine blonde hair back from her forehead.

"Baby—I just wanted you to know, Carlton's going to be here when you wake up in the morning."

Even though he'd quietly offered to leave before Iris woke up to which Karen had emphatically put her foot down, saying absolutely not. It was one thing to have been discreet in the early stages of their relationship, but even if it took him time to work back up to asking her to marry him, they were way the hell beyond early stages. This was it—for both of them. Of that she was absolutely certain.

And if he persisted in being skittish and mule-headed and fearful, well then, she'd just take the damned bull by the horns and ask him to marry her.

Soon.

"Like a sleepover?"

Kanre smiled. "Um, sort of." She thought how best to explain it in a way that would make sense to Iris without potentially creating any embarrassing moments for Carlton. "It's kind of like when Daddy used to live with us."

Iris stared up at her, brows knit together. Dammit. Karen knew that look. Mostly because she often caught sight of it in her own mirror, while trying to work through an issue. She didn't necessarily expect things to be completely smooth sailing, bringing Carlton in their little family, but given how Iris really seemed to have taken to him from the beginning, she'd hoped it wouldn't be too difficult. Even tonight, the little girl appeared genuinely happy during dinner and had sat, comfortably nestled between them on the sofa as they watched her favorite Lilo and Stitch before Karen had sent her off to get ready for bed.

So what was with the look?

But because she knew the look and knew the genesis of the look, she also knew she wouldn't get a thing out of Iris until she was good and ready.

Still, it was bedtime.

"What is it, Iris?"

Luckily, Iris seemed to have thought through the issue fairly quickly. "If it's like when Daddy lived with us, then why isn't Carlton in here saying goodnight to me?"

All right then. Not quite what she'd expected.

"You want Carlton to come in and say goodnight?"

"Yes." Iris glared and huffed out an impatient breath as if it should have been painfully obvious.

Karen found herself torn between swallowing a laugh at Iris' outraged tone and not allowing her jaw to drop in shock.

"All right, then." She stood. "I'll be right back."

He was possibly going to freak, she knew, this first time, but he'd just have to get used to it. He was part of them, now.

As she entered the living room he glanced up from the newspaper he'd been skimming through. "Iris down?" he asked quietly and for a moment, she allowed herself to soak in the moment. Knowing these would be the moments making up their life from now on—quiet moments, ordinary moments—the best moments.

She grinned to herself as she imagined what was going to happen after they finished putting Iris to bed.

Best moments on a whole other level.

"Iris wants you to come say goodnight."

Both eyebrows did an admirable job of climbing toward his hairline as he glanced over his shoulder, as if making certain he was the only one in the room.

"Yes, you, Carlton." She crossed the room and unceremoniously hauled him from the chair. "I told her you'd be here in the morning. Explained that it was like when her father used to live here."

He stopped dead in his tracks, blue eyes bright with alarm. "What?"

She huffed out an impatient breath, not unlike the one Iris had just hit her with. "Well, she asked if it was like a sleepover and I wasn't about to say it was because God forbid she come wandering out in the middle of the night, thinking she was going to catch us making s'mores."

Carlton's eyes widened further, then darkened as he no doubt envisioned what Iris could potentially catch them making. "Are you sure you want me to stay?" he asked, his tone caught somewhere between the same alarm and passion turning his eyes that intensely brilliant shade of blue.

"Carlton Lassiter, we are going to go in, say goodnight to that little girl, then you are going to take me into the bedroom and—"

His mouth was on hers, hot and insistent and oh, oh yeah… he was going to take her into the bedroom and… and…

"Let's say goodnight to Iris," he murmured against her ear as he nuzzled her jaw, his teeth nipping the lobe lightly and making her arch against him.

"Let's make it quick," she whispered back, slipping her hand inside his open collar and scratching lightly at his neck, warmth flooding her at his shiver.

"God, yes," he groaned as he adjusted his slacks, pulling the tails of his shirt free of the waistband.

In Iris' bedroom, he lingered in the doorway, calling out goodnight and earning an eyeroll from Iris.

"Not like that, Carlton." She beckoned him closer with an imperious wave he responded to with a raised eyebrow glance at Karen. Smothering a laugh, she nodded that he was better off obeying the royal summons.

Cautiously, he approached, pausing at what he thought must have been a safe distance, earning a glare that didn't ease until he was right up alongside her bed. At her impatient tug to his hand, he gingerly balanced on the edge of the mattress, finally earning a smile of approval.

"You'll be here in the morning?"

After another mildly panicked glance over his shoulder to which Karen responded with a reassuring nod, his shoulders rose with a deep breath.

"Yes, I will, Iris. I hope that's okay."

The little girl was still for a moment, then so softly, Karen could barely hear it, said, "Mommy said it's going to be like when Daddy lived with us."

Karen's breath caught—taking a step forward with the intent of saving Carlton, she stopped as she heard him start talking.

"It's not exactly the same, but yeah… I do want to be around a lot more. If it's okay with you." Karen watched as he fumbled in his pocket, withdrawing a small box. "Actually, I wanted to ask you if it would be okay for me to marry your mom."

As much as Karen hated that Spencer had interrupted their moment at the beach—as much as she hated what he'd put them through—she had to admit, this was more than making up for it. Seeing Iris' eyes widen and hearing her gasp as Carlton opened the box and showed her the contents, asking, "Do you think she'll like it?" and watching as her daughter nodded enthusiastically and flung her arms around a startled Carlton's neck made the hell they'd been through the past few days completely worth it.

They both turned to her with expectant expressions, Carlton's overlaid with a bit of uncertainty while Iris' clearly communicated, "Say yes now you crazy lady." Grinning and shaking her head, Karen approached the bed, her gaze locked with Carlton's deep blue, utterly beloved one.

"Mom, is it okay?" Iris asked much in the same way she might have begged, "Can we keep him?"

Either one worked. It was very, very okay and she had every intention of keeping him—

Forever.