by Karla Doyle
“Of course you are.” She laughed lightly. “Can I help? I mean, if you want help from me. Lennox and the puppy are away at the cottage, so I’m available from the time I close the bakery Saturday until I have to go back in on Monday morning. For anything, it’s a wide-open offer. If you need or even want anything from me, that is. I understand if you don’t after—”
“Leigh,” he said, cutting off her rambling stream. “I accept.”
“You’re sure? I don’t want to pressure you into doing something that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Babe, I think we’ve proven that’s not going to happen.” The subtle reminder of their sexual adventures sent a ripple of awareness straight to her clit.
God, she’d missed him. In the bedroom, yes, but out of it too. Missing him was over. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For picking me up from the side of the road,” she said, smiling as she leaned back in her chair.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know.” But she did. So would Brian. Depending how the weekend went, maybe she’d explain the coded comment to Sam. “Go and get some sleep with your little girl. Text me later and we’ll firm up plans for tomorrow.”
“Will do. Looking forward to seeing you.”
“Me too. See you soon.” She ended the call and leaned forward to place her phone on the desk. The sight of her toes tapping on the ceramic floor drew her attention.
The phone call had put her behind schedule. Her feet couldn’t care less about her planner or her productivity level, they wanted to dance. So did her heart.
SAM
The diaper bag slid down Sam’s arm as he reached forward to press the doorbell button. The last couple times he’d been at Leigh’s house, he hadn’t used the button. Hadn’t knocked. He’d turned the handle and let himself in. They’d gotten to that point pretty quickly in their relationship, but it hadn’t felt like they’d moved too fast. Everything about them had been an easy fit.
He shifted the bag higher onto his shoulder and waited for the door to open. A lot had changed since his last time here. Whether it was too much or not remained to be seen.
The door swung inward, its frame filled immediately with Leigh. He hadn’t forgotten how beautiful, sexy and radiant she was, those things had simply been pushed off to make room for the onslaught of new information he’d had to absorb. Staring at her now, his attraction to all things Leigh came rushing back to the forefront.
“Come in,” she said, waving him through the opening. “You didn’t have to wait at the door like a stranger.”
“You offered to help for a weekend, not—” He set Sachi’s car carrier on the floor gently, careful not to wake her, then met Leigh’s gaze again. “I didn’t want to assume anything.”
“That’s very considerate.”
And this conversation was very polite. Too polite. Moving closer, he caught her hand. Opened his mouth to speak, but didn’t get the chance. Sachi beat him to the punch with her awakening cry.
“Shit.”
Leigh squeezed his hand. “Let’s get her out of that seat, settled and happy, then we’ll talk.”
“Sounds good.”
“And, at the risk of overstepping boundaries within the first five minutes, you should probably get out of the habit of saying bad words.”
He laughed while crouching to unbuckle Sachi from the seat’s harness. “She’s two weeks old. The odds of her throwing out a curse word anytime soon are pretty low.”
“She’ll be cooing and forming sounds before you know it.” Warmth filled Leigh’s expression as she watched him lift Sachi into his arms. “She’s already learning from you. She knows your voice, trusts it implicitly. You’re the heart of her world, Sam. She soaks up your every word, action, and emotion. Plus, it’s more difficult than you think to eliminate those words if they’re part of your normal vocabulary.”
He looked down at the sweet, tiny face of his daughter. Her dark-brown eyes blinked up at him as her lips puckered around the pacifier he slid into her mouth. What was she thinking? Did babies actually think about anything at this age? Despite powering through half a dozen issues of his sister’s castoff parenting magazines, he was still basically clueless.
“Shit,” he said, then added another “Shit” for saying shit the first time. “You’re right. I need a replacement word. Any suggestions?”
She shook her head. “You’ll think of something that works for you.”
“You sound pretty sure of that. Like you always do.”
Her eyebrows drew together, her mouth turning downward in a slight frown. “Am I a know-it-all, is that how I come across?”
“No, not like a know-it-all.” A long moment passed without another word between them. Just Leigh, staring at him. While frowning. Clearly, his answer hadn’t cut it. “I’m too drained to make intelligent or insightful statements right now.”
“I’m sorry.” A soft, pink blush tinted her cheeks. “I’m being ridiculously and selfishly oversensitive. Forget I said anything. You’re here so I can help you get a much-needed break, let’s focus on that.” Moving toward him, she raised her arms. “May I hold her?”
Every wiped-out inch of him wanted to cheer, pass her the baby and fall into a deep sleep for the next eight hours. He could probably do it right here, on the hall floor, he was that damn tired. He was also determined not to waste this opportunity. Except everything he’d planned on saying evaporated when he placed Sachi into Leigh’s arms.
“Oh, Sam. What a perfect little angel. Hello, beautiful,” she said, stroking Sachi’s face.
He should say something. Thank her, at minimum. Couldn’t get a word past the lump in his throat though.
“Are her supplies all in the diaper bag? Do I need to put anything in the fridge?”
He needed to answer. Do something other than stand here, gaping and dumbstruck at the sight of Leigh swaying while holding his daughter.
The curve of her smile grew. “Never mind, I’ll get it all sorted out. You should head straight upstairs for some sleep. You’re even more exhausted than I thought.”
“I guess I am,” he said, taking the out. “I made up some bottles, enough to get through until tomorrow. Not that I’m going to sleep for that long.” He winked. “Bottles are in the bag and should go in the fridge. Diapers, wipes, and clothes are in the bag too. The playpen is in the backseat of the car. I’ll go get it, in case you want to lay her down for a nap.”
“Don’t worry about that, I have a bassinet that I saved from when Lennox was a baby. I can use that if Sachi goes to sleep. Leave your keys on the hook though, if you want. Then I won’t have to disturb you if she hates the bassinet and I need the playpen after all.”
“Sounds good.” All of it. Being here with her. Leaving his keys on the hook as if they belonged there. Taking a nap. Leigh caring for his daughter. Caring for him. “Before I go fall into a sleep-deprived, new-parent coma, there’s something I need to say.”
“Okay.”
“If all I take away from this weekend is a couple decent stretches of sleep, I’m grateful. If all you’re interested in is friendship, I’ll take it. I won’t push for anything more than you want. But my feelings for you haven’t changed. I still want to be with you, if you’re open to the possibility of dating a single dad.”
“I am.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “But only if you’re the single dad.”
Hearing the words he’d hoped for and seeing her beautiful smile couldn’t prevent the yawn that demanded release. “Sorry.”
“Here’s an idea—let’s both stop apologizing and move forward instead.”
“Great idea. I’m in.”
“Me too. Now give this little dolly a kiss and go pass out in my bed,” she said, angling to give him better access to Sachi.
He leaned down and placed a butterfly-soft kiss on Sachi’s cheek. Then tipped Leigh’s chin up and brushed his lips a
cross hers. No amount of fatigue could beat that sensation. The simple kiss brought back the memory of every other kiss they’d shared.
“That’s a promise,” he said, forcing himself to break away. “For whenever the time is right.” However long that took, it’d be worth the wait.
Chapter 12
LEIGH
“Hey.”
Such a little word, yet she’d never get tired of hearing Sam say it. Better yet, she’d never get tired of seeing him say it, since his winning smile almost always accompanied the simple greeting.
That smile was present now, as he stepped out the back door, onto the patio. He leaned against the pergola post and crossed his arms over his chest. The casual, innocent position accentuated his muscular physique. Particularly his hard, round biceps, currently threatening to pop the stitching on his t-shirt sleeves. He’d probably done curls when he ducked out to hit the gym earlier. Regardless, he was head-to-toe yum, yum, give her some.
“Thanks for letting me nap. Again.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe how much I’ve slept in the past eighteen hours.”
“You needed it,” she said quietly, glancing into the bassinet to ensure their voices hadn’t woken the baby.
He did his own head-to-toe perusal as she rose from the lawn chair and walked toward him. “I need other things too.”
“Like food, since you slept through lunchtime.”
He tilted his head. Drilled her with a look that implied food was not currently at the top of his needs list.
They hadn’t had an opportunity for anything else. Last night, he’d slept nearly straight through after she’d relieved him of parenting duty and sent him to bed. He’d stirred briefly when she crawled in beside him. Long enough to kiss her, mumble a few semi-coherent words and pull her into his arms. They’d stayed that way until she got up with Sachi for a feeding and diaper change three hours later. The pattern had repeated once more before Leigh had left the bed for good at six o’clock this morning.
Since getting up around seven, Sam had devoured the giant breakfast she’d prepared, had a nap, gone to the gym, then had another nap. With some Sachi time sprinkled in between, of course.
She wasn’t upset or disappointed. Okay, maybe a little disappointed, but only because she knew how toe-curling incredible he’d make her feel if they were alone and naked. But she hadn’t invited him over for sex.
She’d invited them over. For…many reasons.
“Are you hungry?” Standing directly in front of him, it took conscious effort to keep her hands to herself. The mature choice. “Because I could fix you a plate of something good.”
“You’re pretty small, but I don’t think you’ll fit on a plate.”
She laughed, but the heat between them was no joke. Her pulse picked up speed and the tingly need to come roared to life between her legs. Sam’s presence had that effect. When he cupped her waistline and pulled her against his hard, hot body, she nearly burst into flames.
“I want you. I know it hasn’t seemed like it, what with me mostly being unconscious since I got here, but I do. Now that I’ve caught up on my sleep…” He glanced across the patio, at the bassinet’s sleeping occupant. “How much time do we have?”
As if cued, Sachi let out her trademark the-beastie-has-awoken cry.
“Shi—” He caught himself before his go-to expletive escaped. “Sugar.”
Laughter burst from her lips. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“For you and me both.” He snuck a quick kiss before releasing her to fetch the baby from her portable bed. “Sshh…it’s okay. Daddy’s got you.” He’d told Leigh he didn’t want kids, yet he’d taken to fatherhood like a duck to water. He was a natural.
She’d never—not one time—seen a man with a child and thought DILF. The sight of Sam holding his newborn daughter, rocking and reassuring her, didn’t just warm her heart, it heated her up in all the best places.
That heat was likely to fizzle because their time together was quickly coming to an end. Seeing each other regularly—alone—would be even more difficult now that they were both working, single parents. It could be weeks before they coordinated any private time together. Even with both of them on board for dating, they’d be fortunate to stay on course. The heat between her legs wasn’t the only thing at risk of fizzling out.
“You okay?” Sam’s question brought her back to the present. He looked rested. Relaxed. Happy.
This wasn’t the time to drop heavy thoughts on him. Better that she found a way to enjoy their precious remaining time than conclude it with talk of their impending daily reality.
“Just thinking.” Not a lie. Selective truth. “Did you bring a stroller?”
“It’s in the trunk.”
“Lennox always fell asleep during a walk. Two blocks and she’d be out. She couldn’t resist the rhythmic seams in the sidewalk.”
“Sachi’s the same. My parents’ neighbors have gotten pretty used to seeing me pushing the stroller. At all hours of the day and night.” His eyebrows rose as the idea sunk in. “Bottle and diaper change first?”
She nodded. “I’ll start a bottle warming and get the stroller.”
His lips curved into an irresistible smile. “I love a woman with a plan.”
“Then you’re with the right woman.”
He reached for her with the arm not currently holding a baby. “I know I am.”
Oh, how she wanted to tell him she knew the same about him. Hoping and knowing were different things.
“Hey, no frowning. I’m not looking for a big declaration here, I don’t expect you to feel the same way. Not yet.” He squeezed her hand and winked. “But you will.”
A light laugh floated out, naturally, as it always did with Sam. “Confident as ever.”
“And you wouldn’t want me any other way.”
“True. Well…except naked. Naked and confident is a combination that really works for you. And by default, works for me,” she said, laughing again as she gave him an I-have-no-shame shrug. “On that note, I think I’ll go get the bottle warming.” The sooner they took care of Sachi’s needs, the sooner they could take care of each other’s.
A twinkle gleamed in his eyes as he watched her move to the patio door. The kind of twinkle that promised endorphin rushes and orgasms. All they needed was time, something in shorter supply than ever.
LEIGH
They’d started the walk as a mission to get Sachi to sleep. Now that they were out and about, strolling her neighborhood on a beautiful, sunshiny summer day, even the possibility of toe-curling climaxes didn’t make Leigh take a shorter route back. Walking beside Sam, her arm curled snugly around his as he pushed the stroller, ticked a box she’d erased from her life plan list many years ago.
She and Tim had taken baby Lennox out in the stroller. Many times. They’d walked, talked and laughed. As friends. Even during the brief period when they’d taken a stab at being more, they’d never had this. The constant hum of connection and sense of intimacy from the simplest touch. She didn’t want it to end.
But it would. The moment Sachi awoke, they’d be plunged back into a less idyllic reality. One of fatigue, frustration, and general disarray that came with parenting a newborn. Sam’s reality.
“You’re pretty quiet all of a sudden.” He flexed his biceps beneath her palm. Always an attention-getting move in her books.
“Just thinking.”
“You seem to be doing a lot of that. Want to talk instead?”
“Would it be okay if I said no?”
Looking down as they walked, he met her gaze. “I’m going with the safe answer and saying yes.”
“Such a smart man.”
He chuckled. “It’s not my math brain calculating probabilities, it’s my very personal desire to make you happy.”
“You do,” she said as they stopped at a corner. “I’m always happy when we’re together.”
“This is where I should say okay and not mention the s
adness in your eyes or that long sigh you made a couple minutes ago.”
“Correct.”
“Then, okay.”
“Thank you.” Leaning in and rising to her tiptoes, she placed a kiss on his cheek. “How about we head back to the house? Sachi just made her deep sigh with a little hummy sound at the end that she does when she settles into a deep sleep. If we go home now, we might get a solid half hour together.”
A smile replaced the straight set of his mouth and the furrow eased from his brow.
“Planning what we can do with thirty minutes?” she asked.
“I wasn’t, but I am now.” He winked as they stepped off the corner. “Before that, I was thinking about how you’d noticed the thing with Sachi’s sleep hum.”
“That’s what made you smile?”
“Yeah.” Pushing the stroller singlehandedly, he caught her fingers and laced them with his. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, having a baby around to deal with. But you’re great with Sachi. Learning her patterns, noticing all the little details, giving her so much attention and affection. You haven’t just taken care of her this weekend, you’ve cared about her.”
“Of course I care about her, Sam, she’s your daughter.”
Hesitation not typical of Sam hovered in his expression as he turned his head to meet her gaze. “I wasn’t sure you would care, given the circumstances.” Nothing but full disclosure from Sam, as always. Even when it might kill a mood, or potentially, their relationship.
The invisible hand around her heart squeezed tighter.
“My turn to be totally honest. The truth is, I was more than a little scared of how I’d feel about Sachi.” The admission eased some of the pressure inside her chest. “Those worries disappeared the first time I picked her up.”
He lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her curled fingers. “Thanks for opening your mind and heart.”
With her front door only a few strides away, it was time to switch gears. “My mind and heart aren’t the only body parts I want to open this weekend.”