Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Even though there’s this burning need inside me for her to be wearing my number, and my number only, I still chuckle. “No. Knox didn’t change his number, but you should be wearing my number. My name should be across your back.”
Her eyes widen. She parts her lips to reply, but all she says is “Umm.”
I smile down at her before bending so that my lips are next to her ear. I want my next words to be just for her. “I know you feel this, too, Sloane.” I kiss the spot below her ear before standing back to my full height.
She peers up at me under long lashes and nods. “I do,” she whispers.
Before I can acknowledge her confession, Camden speaks up. “Daddy, baby.” He points behind us, where Reid stands holding Coral.
“That’s baby Coral, and she’s coming to our house to see you today. You ready to go home?” I ask him. He nods, and I look over at Sloane. “What about you? You ready?”
“I’m all set.” She smiles up at me, and I want to kiss those lips, but I won’t do it here. The first time I kiss her, it will be just the two of us. “Everyone’s coming over,” I tell her. “We’re just going to order pizza. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it's okay.” She furrows her brow as if she can’t understand why I would ask her.
“Good. Let’s get him home to nap.”
“I’ll take this.” She bends to pick up my bag.
“I can carry both. I’m used to it,” I tell her.
Another soft smile is aimed my way. “Yeah, but you have me, and you don’t have to.”
Something about those ten words burrow into my chest like concrete. Solid, firm, permanent. “Let’s go home,” I mumble, sliding my arm around her waist.
“So, we’ll see you all at Baker’s?” Sloan asks Corie, Rowan, Bellamy, and Amanda, stepping forward out of my hold.
“That’s what I hear,” Bellamy replies, smiling at her husband, who’s holding their daughter and making silly faces at her to get her to laugh.
“Okay, we’ll see you soon.” Sloane turns back around and starts walking away. My bag is tossed over one shoulder, and the diaper bag is on the other.
“You going to just stand there?” Foster asks.
I turn to look at him. “Enjoying the view,” I confess.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “You need me to bring anything?”
“Nope. Just you. We’re ordering food.”
“All right.” He nods. “See you in a while.” He saunters off.
I smile as I make my way to where Sloane stopped to look back for me. Once I reach her, I place my free hand on the small of her back and lead her out to my car.
“Um, I drove,” she reminds me, once we stop next to my SUV.
“Leave it. It’ll be fine here. We’ll come by and get it tomorrow.”
“I can drive home.” She laughs. “I didn’t touch a drop of alcohol while I had Camden with me.”
“I know,” I assure her. “I just want you both with me.”
She stops walking and turns to face me. Her brown eyes show me what her words don’t. She wants to be with us, too. But she still fights me on it when she says, “It’s silly to make another trip here tomorrow. Besides, you’re off tomorrow. I assumed you’d want the day to hang with this little guy.” She reaches up and pushes Camden’s hair out of his eyes. “I don’t want to be in the way of your time with him.”
“You won’t be,” I assure her. “Let me drive us home.”
“I’ll be right behind you. I promise. I’m going to stop and pick up some brownie mix. It’s quick and easy, and we’ll have a dessert. You know Landry and Reid will ask you if you have anything.”
“I can stop at the store, too,” I counter.
“Baker Sinclair, what is going on with you?” She chuckles, grinning up at me. “Get this little man home. I’ll be there soon.” She nods for me to open the back of my SUV so she can put the bags inside.
I blow out a heavy breath. I want her with us, but I know this is a fight I’m not going to win. Not without sounding like a possessive asshole. And as far as tomorrow goes? She’s going to be there with us. Where she belongs. I know I’m paying her, and it’s all kinds of complicated, so why not make it even more so?
I’ll ask her to stay later, but if plans go my way, she’ll be sleeping next to me again tonight. I don’t even care if I have to use my son to guilt her into it. He loves her, and if I have to fight dirty, then so be it.
“Fine,” I grumble. I hit the button on the key fob to open the back of my SUV, and she places my bag and the diaper bag in the back before hitting the button to close it.