I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 192

"Let her sleep. I'll carry her up."

Gavin turned off the engine, walked around to Mia's side, and opened the door. He bent down, letting Sophie ease Mia onto his back.

Mia didn't stir the entire way into the apartment.

Sophie took off Mia's shoes and guided Gavin to carry the little girl into her mother's bedroom.

She quietly helped Gavin lay Mia on Sarah's bed. Just as she turned to grab a warm towel to wipe the girl's face, Mia's eyes snapped open.

Realizing she was in Sarah's room, Mia immediately sat up and looked at Sophie. "Sophie, I want to sleep with you again tonight."

Gavin let out a helpless sigh. "You little rascal. You wouldn't wake up while I carried you all the way here, but the second you hit the mattress, you're wide awake."

Mia gave a cheeky grin, threw her arms around Sophie, and started pleading, "Please? I want you to sleep with me."

Gavin leaned close to Sophie's ear. "How could Mia steal my line?"

Sophie's face burned. She swatted him playfully, signaling him not to say such things in front of the kid.

Hearing the chatter, Sarah walked into the room. "Mia, you're awake! How about I take you for a bath?"

"I want to take a bath with Sophie! I want a bubble bath!" Mia clung to Sophie, refusing to let go.

Gavin was speechless. Every word out of Mia's mouth was exactly what he was thinking.

That was the beauty of being a kid—you could say whatever you wanted. He could only stare at Sophie, his eyes brimming with unmistakable anticipation.

Sarah looked from Sophie to Gavin. How could she not understand what was going through their young minds? She had been that age once. She had crossed mountains and oceans just to see Harold.

"How about I watch some cartoons with you?" Sarah offered.

Mia's eyes lit up. She immediately let go of Sophie and clapped her hands. "I want to watch *My Little Pony*!"

"Alright, you can watch whatever you like."

Sarah smiled dotingly, took Mia's hand, and led her out to the living room.

Gavin trailed behind Sophie. Before they even stepped out of the bedroom, he pressed up against her from behind, his warm breath brushing over her ear. "Your mom is so considerate."

Sophie glanced ahead at her mother and Mia, then shot Gavin a warning glare over her shoulder. She whispered, "My mom and Mia are right there. Don't stand so close."

Whenever he got this close, her heart raced and her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She quickly took a large step forward, putting some much-needed distance between them.

Seeing Sophie's flustered, adorably annoyed expression, Gavin couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile.

"Stop laughing," Sophie grumbled, shooting him another playful glare.

"Your mom will come up with a perfectly good excuse for us."

Sophie admitted defeat. When this man decided to be brazen, he was truly unstoppable.

The moment they stepped inside Gavin's apartment, before the suitcase was even opened, Gavin pulled Sophie into his arms.

When she had pouted in frustration earlier, he had wanted nothing more than to kiss her soft, jelly-like lips. Now, he finally pressed his mouth against hers.

"Why were you blushing in the car?" His lips brushed against her ear, his hands sliding down to her waist.

Sophie knew she couldn't brush him off easily, but she hadn't expected him to still be hung up on that.

"Last time... why did you..." Sophie lowered her head. She had been completely swept up in the passion last time and knew exactly how hard Gavin had been holding back. Yet he had suddenly changed his mind and dragged her out to go swimming. Honestly, it had felt... a little defeating.

"Last time..." Gavin let out a low chuckle, the deep vibration resonating through his chest.

It was already an incredibly embarrassing topic for Sophie to bring up. Hearing him laugh made her flush even darker. Flustered, she pushed against his chest, pretending she was going to pull away, but Gavin instantly yanked her right back into his embrace.

"At the time, I hadn't smoothed things over with my family yet, and I knew you were carrying a lot of emotional weight. You were also wrestling with guilt over Luke Lawrence getting hurt. I didn't want our first time to happen under those circumstances..."

Gavin gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up so she was forced to look into his eyes. "Whenever we do this, I want us both to be completely and entirely present."