“Pervert!” she laughs, batting my hand away. “Let’s just go home. We’ll get Chinese.”
My eyes soften as I look at her, and she blushes deeply. “What?”
Taking her hand in mine, I intertwine our fingers and press a kiss to the back of her hand. “Home. I like it when you say that.”
She just smiles softly and looks away, the streetlights casting golden shadows across her profile.
My thumb rubs over her ring finger.
One day.
Soon.
???
At the penthouse, she heads straight to the shower while I order us food. I lay out some comfortable clothes for her, and as she steps out, a towel wrapped around her, she finds me staring at the silk pajamas I’ve put on the bed.
“You okay?” She comes to stand beside me, droplets of water still clinging to her shoulders.
She smells like lavender and vanilla. I want to sink my teeth into her, but not today. I want to give her a break tonight. Besides, I feel a strange sensation in my chest. “I was just thinking that I quite like this domestic bliss with you, laying out your clothes, feeding you, looking after you. I’ve alwayshated sharing my space with anyone. But with you, it feels natural.”
She leans against me. “So, does this mean I’m domesticating you?”
I give her an amused look. “Depends on your definition of the word.”
Leaning down, I brush my lips against hers. Once. Twice. The warmth of her skin penetrates through my shirt.
She sighs into my mouth.
Before my hands can reach for her towel, I hear her stomach rumble, and I exhale.
“Right.” Pulling away from her, I give her a critical look. “Food first, and then we have to talk.”
The smile slips from her face. “Didn’t we talk this afternoon? I thought everything was?—”
“Not that.” I kiss her forehead, reassuring her. “It’s about something else. But first, change.”
I head into the bathroom to take a quick shower as well, and when I come out, she’s poured out two glasses of juice and is sitting cross-legged on the couch, looking at something on her phone.
“Did Jake know I was expecting before I revealed my pregnancy in your office?”
“Why do you ask?” I pick up my glass from the kitchen counter.
She shows me her phone screen. “Just curious. He didn’t seem very surprised back then. He also just sent me a link to this stroller.”
I check the image. “It’s too early to think of strollers, and yes, he knew. I told him if he didn’t watch himself, he’d have no access to the baby.”
“Well,” Natalie mutters, “he’s persistent, I’ll give him that. Like someone else I know.”
The corner of my lips tug. “If you want, I can go beat him upfor whatever he said to you that day. The only reason I’ve not gotten involved is because you insisted.”
“I can beat him up myself,” she says, a challenging glint in her eye.
I sit down next to her. “I’ll hold him down for you.”
“What’s this?” She blinks at the second picture before her eyes narrow. “Is he for real? Look at this! Look at it!”
It’s a picture of Jake grinning and wearing a t-shirt that reads ‘Favorite Godfather’, with his thumb up in the air.
