She stops short in front of a crib, and I catch her too late, bumping into her. My hand lands on her ass—snug in those tightjeans—and I don’t move it fast enough. The heat spikes between us, but she doesn’t say a word.
“This is it!” she says matter-of-factly, spinning to face me. “This is what I want.”
I reach over to lift the display tag and get a better look at the crib model. Though I have no clue what I’m supposed to be looking for.
The tag may as well readorganic sugar-free vegan wood.
“Is this a good one?” I scratch my head, and Penny nods.
“It’s a convertible bassinet, which means she can keep it near her bed until the baby starts rolling, or is about four months, and then it converts to a full crib, then a toddler bed. It’s really the Rolls-Royce of non-toxic infant beds.”
I tilt my head. “Huh. You know a lot about this.”
“Is it a crime to want my niece to have the safest crib? I’m never having kids, so this is my chance to spoil one.”
I throw my hands up. “Whatever you say, Aunt Penny.”
She leans down to look at the tag, and her hair gets caught on a display of wooden rings.Teethers?
“Shit, my hair is tangled!” she whispers, but before she can full-blown panic, I step behind her and attempt to free her locks.
My belt buckle brushes up against her shoulder as I lean over her. She glances up at me, silent, and I’m close enough to see her lips part slightly, her breathing hitch as I roughly whisper, “Stop moving, Pen, you’re making it worse.”
My biceps are boxing her head in when I finally get it unstuck from her hair…and right in time for an employee to round the corner.
“Can I help you two?” The worker plasters a dramatic smile on her face. “My name is Linda!”
Without missing a beat, I pull Penny to her feet and nod toward the convertible crib or whatever the hell she said it was. “Do you have this one in stock?” I ask.
“Yes, we have one left in the backroom, but it’s in birch, not walnut like the display.”
Penny grins. “That’s perfect. That’s the one we want.”
The woman takes out a scanner and types in a few things.
“Can you deliver it by Christmas Eve, assembled?” Penny asks, and Linda makes a face.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry. We can’t assemble it by then. But wecandeliver it in the box first thing Monday morning.”
Penny’s smile falls slightly. “Oh dang—”
“Monday’s good,” I cut in before she could change her mind.
She looks up at me, eyes narrowing just a fraction, her wild hair brushing against my chest.
“I can build it,sweetheart,” I assure her, and Penny’s brows rise.
Monday is Danny’s visitation day—the one I’m supposed to magically bring Penny to. Maybe building this crib will buy me points with her.
“Oh, how sweet!” the saleswoman practically squeals. “I loveseeing couples working together before the baby comes!”
Penny shudders.
To add insult to injury, I ruffle her blonde hair.
She’s going to murder me, but she made it too easy.
“Let me go check on that, but feel free to shop around and I’ll meet you up at the checkout when you’re ready,” Linda says.
