His Lullaby Baby

by Airicka Phoenix

“I was thinking we head into Vancouver,” Lily decided. “We could do some shopping, get our hair and nails done.”

  “Oh! We could go to that spa we went to last year,” Willa added. “I loved their wrap.”

  “A spa would be nice,” Rachel agreed.

  “What about the girls?” Addy asked. “They’re a bit young for a spa, aren’t they?”

  “They have this adorable children’s area where the girls get their nails and hair done. It’s like a mini salon for kids,” Beth answered.

  “Kari thought it was a blast,” Willa assured her. “It’s perfectly safe. All the attendants are certified.”

  “It’s like a daycare,” Calla explained. “They get pampered and we get pampered.”

  “Or you could bring her in with you,” Lily suggested. “They allow that too.”

  Addy smiled. “A spa sounds really nice. I’ve never been to one.”

  “You will love it!” Calla groaned. “I was relaxed for a month after one visit.”

  “Thank you for letting me tag along,” Addy said instead. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Of course!” Lily said. “You and Hanna are always welcome.”

  “And Sean,” Beth reminded her.

  “Well, of course and Sean, but I mean to … this.” She gestured at the group. She smiled at Addy. “I love my men, but there is nothing like a girl’s weekend. You’ll see.” She gave Addy a wink.

  “Oh, did Cole and Toby make it on the road okay?” Beth interjected.

  Addy nodded. “They did.”

  Calla checked her watch. “They’re probably just finishing set up.”

  “Now don’t neither of you make a move towards that phone,” Lily warned. “Not until nearly bedtime. You girls know the rules.”

  “What?” Calla put up the hand not holding her drink. “I wasn’t—”

  “Sure!” Beth laughed. “I expect that from Addy. It’s her first night, but you two…”

  “I’m just sitting here,” Willa protested.

  “I’m actually okay,” Addy lied. “Toby’s there and Sean is very responsible.”

  “Liar!” Calla burst out laughing. “You’re dying to see how things are going. Just admit it.”

  Addy started to protest, but there was no helping it. She started laughing along with the others

  “Hey, at least she hasn’t snuck off to the bathroom with the phone,” Beth broke over the noise.

  “No!” Willa wiped her eyes. “Don’t you dare!”

  Beth ignored her. “This one…” She stabbed a finger towards Willa, who flushed bright red. “Says she needs the bathroom. Goes off and doesn’t come back for twenty minutes.”

  “We all thought she had the runs,” Calla chimed in. “But it was the longest shit in history.”

  Groaning, Willa buried her face in a throw pillow.

  “Lily goes to check on her,” Beth continued mercilessly. “She’s sitting on the can … talking on the phone.”

  “I only wanted to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything,” Willa argued, peeking over the lacy edges.

  “Right, because Sloan doesn’t pack half the house plus the kitchen sink.” Lily tossed back. She faced Addy. “That man packs to go camping the way women pack to go to Europe for a month.”

  “I’m pretty sure he did pack the kitchen sink that one time,” Calla mused.

  Addy’s sides ached from laughing, but it seemed impossible to stop.

  “I know Sloan was very prepared that one year Rosie went with them.”

  Wiping her eyes, Addy glanced to where Rosie was sitting, watching the exchange with suppressed amusement only a teenager could pull off. “You didn’t like going?”

  Rosie shrugged. “It was okay, but girl’s weekend is better.”

  Addy grinned. “You guys are making me really excited for this weekend.”

  “You should be!” Calla crowed. “It’s going to be awesome. Speaking of awesome!” She set her fourth wine glass down on the table next to her elbow. “I spoke to Mrs. Donnelly about that whole ticket mix up.” Blue eyes pivoted to Addy. “She doesn’t want it back.”

  Addy frowned. “What do you mean? Does the fundraiser not get that money?”

  “Oh, no, no, I mean, her check cleared, but she wants you to keep the winnings.”

  The winnings … Toby. Addy felt herself flush. It must have shown, because the others burst out laughing.

  “I wanted to kill you two!” Calla exclaimed once they’d calmed down. “I had women furious that you two concocted the whole thing.”

  “We didn’t!” Addy promised vehemently. “I had absolutely no idea Mrs. Donnelly was going to do that … or Toby.”

  “It was very sweet though,” Willa piped in. “Him wanting to make sure he was the one who got that date with you.”

  “Well, between the two of you, you now got two dates,” Lily said, chuckling. “Any plans on how to spend it?”

  The warmth in her cheeks deepened until her eyes were watering. “I honestly forgot all about it until just now. I really don’t care where or what we do. I just really like spending time with him.”

  Willa aww’d. “Well, Damon and I will take the kids if you need us to.”

  Addy thanked her.

  “So, how did you two meet?” Beth cut in.

  “Oh, well…” Addy shifted. “I hit him with a door.”

  That saying about things being funnier after the fact stood true in that case as Addy retold the story, barely able to get it out by the time she reached the end. At the time, she’d been horrified and mortified by what she’d done, but the more she spoke, the funnier the situation became.

  “A dog and a penis?” Calla gasped, wiping her eyes. “What the hell was he talking about?”

  Addy shook her head. “I have no idea. I was terrified that I’d scrambled his brains or something.”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure you had nothing to do with that.” Calla assured her. She reached for her wine glass and blinked when she found it empty. “Well, you know what this means.”

  Addy didn’t, but the others began shifting and getting to their feet.

  “Bedtime,” Lily declared. “We have a long day tomorrow.”

  Everyone rose and began the process of tidying up the mess they’d made. While that was going on, Willa and Calla took turns on the phone, talking to their sons and husbands. The phone was passed to Beth, then to Lily, until it was finally passed to Addy. Hierarchy of the phone, Addy thought with amusement.

  “Hey Mom!” Sean said the moment she got on.

  “Hey! How’s camping?” Addy moved out of the room into the foyer.

  “Awesome!” he declared, sounding way too enthused. “We only just set up mostly today. It’s an actual tent and everything. Not the popup kind. There’s poles and you feed it through all this fabric and it all clips together. We each also have a cot and there’s a mesh dome where we’re going to keep our food and coolers with tons of stuff!”

  Addy listened quietly as Sean ran through all the things he’d seen and done since arriving. Then he jumped into all the things they were going to do in the morning.

  “Sloan says we’re going to get up at five and hike this trail to a waterfall!”

  “Wow!” Addy laughed. “That sounds so amazing. I’m so happy you’re having a good time.”

  “I am! It’s freaking awesome! Toby helped me build a fire using sticks! We actually just sat there and rubbed until there was smoke and then a real fire. Tomorrow, he’s going to show me how to fish.”

  Warmth swirled around her heart. “Sounds like you guys are having a blast.”

  “I like him.” His voice was quieter, more uncertain. “He’s nice and he knows stuff and he’s kind of funny.”

  “Kind of huh?” she whispered, feeling her own throat tightening.

  “He’s all right.”

  Addy hesitated. “So, you wouldn’t mind seeing more of him?”

  Silence filled the space.

  “Are you dating hi
m?”

  She thought of earlier, of Toby up behind her, pumping his hips against hers, and quickly shook that thought free.

  “I’d like to,” she decided. “I like him, too.”

  “Good.” The definitive remark made her smile. “I want that. I want…”

  “What?” she pressed when he went silent.

  “I kind of really like this family. I want to stay with them. Not move in or anything, but—”

  “No, I understand,” she murmured. “I really like them too.”

  “I have to go. Everyone’s getting ready for the ghost stories, but I’ll talk to you tomorrow, right?”

  “Absolutely! I love you, baby.”

  “Love you, too, Mom. Hold on. Toby’s coming over.”

  Her heart leaped even before his deep, rich voice hit her eardrums.

  “Hey.”

  Nervous in a way she hadn’t been since she was a teenager, Addy bit her lip. “Hi.”

  She heard the faint crunch of leaves and the snap of twigs and pictured him moving away from the group.

  “Been thinking about you.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “Like getting you completely naked and screwing you mercilessly into the mattress all night.”

  The blunt remark sent a zing of anticipation and arousal singing through her. “I’ve been thinking about that, too,” she confessed, oddly breathless. “All day.”

  His low, rumbling growl skated down her spine. “Tell me.”

  Hot with embarrassment and arousal, Addy shot frantic glances up and down the hallway she was hiding away in. She could hear the women chatting in the next room. Their combined voices and laughter rose over the pounding of her heart.

  “We shouldn’t. Your mother’s in the next room.”

  “Can she hear you?”

  Addy peeked at the open doorway. “No, but what if she looks at me and—”

  “And somehow figures out how badly I want you under me naked and wet?”

  “Toby…” She’d meant to sound appalled. Instead, his name burst out of her in a choked gasp that hummed with the force of her need.

  “You know what I really want?” he went on, ignoring her weak plea. “I want to hear you make those sounds you make when you’re coming, those low, throaty gasps that I swear make me so hard it hurts. I want to hear them in every room in the house, and—”

  “Oh my God!” She slumped against the wall, her entire body humming with electric currents. Her core pulsed, an unsteady throbbing that made her want to weep. “Toby, stop…”

  His low, throaty chuckle only deepened the ache. “That is not what you’ll be saying.”

  Stifling a moan, Addy squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled. “Tell me about your day. Sean said you guys started a fire?”

  “We sure did,” he agreed at once. “The boy’s a natural pyro.”

  Addy laughed. “I’m so proud. What else?”

  “Well…” She could almost hear him scratching his jaw. It was no doubt already stubbly. “By the time Dad and I arrived, the tents were set up and the supplies organized. Uncle Sloan assigned everyone beds and I think Damon took them for a quick walk around the site, but it’s only the first day and you lose a lot of the time during the drive and unloading and setting up. We’ll have more to report tomorrow.”

  Addy smiled. “I can’t wait. Sean sounded like he was having so much fun.”

  “Yeah, he is.” He paused for a full heartbeat. “You know, I like this.”

  “What’s that?”

  He made a soft grunt like he was sitting down or leaning against something. “Having someone to call. Someone other than my mother,” he added, making her laugh. “I used to watch the others and wonder what it was like to have someone who missed you and was waiting for you to come back.”

  Something in the comment made her think there was more to that statement than what was on the surface.

  “Didn’t you ever have a girlfriend?”

  There was a long lull where she almost thought he wouldn’t answer, or that they’d been cut off.

  “I’ve dated. None of them were ever serious. Dating a guy in the military is only exciting for the first little while. Then the stress and distance get in the way of things and you get a Dear John letter and that’s usually the end of that.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered, and immediately felt stupid.

  “I like that,” he said softly. “I like knowing you’ll be there when we get home.”

  Her chest became tight. “Just come back safely.”

  “I will. Hey, Addy?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  It was like getting boot kicked in the sternum. “I love you, too.”

  “Addy?”

  Startled, her head shot up at the voice in the doorway of the sitting room.

  “Yes?”

  Beth moved a step closer. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I was wondering if you could get someone to ask Cole what he did with the laptop charger?”

  Addy nodded. “Oh, sure. I have Toby on the line now.”

  Beth blinked. “Toby?”

  “Yes, did you want to talk to him?”

  Beth continued to gawk at her, mouth slightly parted, but she shook her head. “No, just … just get him to ask … please.”

  Addy pressed the phone back to her ear. “Toby? Your mom would like to know if you could ask your dad where the laptop charger is?”

  “Yeah, one sec.”

  She heard him moving around, but she turned her attention to the woman still staring at her. “He’s going now.”

  Beth said nothing.

  Addy listened in uncomfortable silence as Toby made his way to wherever his dad was. She heard the low murmur of voices and wished he would hurry.

  “Addy?”

  “Yes?”

  “Dad said it’s in the drawer in the office.”

  Addy looked at Beth. “He says it’s in the drawer in the office.”

  Beth frowned. “Which drawer?”

  “Which drawer?” Addy repeated to Toby.

  “Can I talk to him, please?” Beth demanded, palm already extended.

  Seeing no way to refuse, Addy nodded. “Toby, your mom wants to talk to you.”

  She passed the phone over and watched as Beth took charge. Cole must have taken the phone from Toby, because Beth’s ask your father turned to why did you move it? It was nearly ten minutes later before she got the device back.

  “Hey,” she said into the receiver the moment it touched her palm.

  “Hey,” Toby said back. “That was fun and interesting.”

  Addy chuckled. “Do you want me to let you go? You’re going to have a long day tomorrow.”

  “No, tell me about what you did and what you have planned for tomorrow.”

  “I’m not sure I’m allowed to tell you.” Even to her own ear, her tone was light and flirty, something she’d never done. “It’s a girl’s weekend. I’m pretty sure it’s all very top secret.”

  “Well damn!” He huffed. “That just isn’t fair. At least tell me what you’re wearing.”

  Her laugh deepened. “Why do you need to know that?”

  “Because I’m in the middle of nowhere and it gets fucking cold at night. I need fuel for the fire.”

  That only made her laugh harder. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven’t changed for bed yet, so I’m wearing the same thing you saw me in earlier.”

  “That’ll do. I’ll just imagine taking them off you the way I did earlier.” He paused. Then groaned. “All right, baby. I gotta let you go. They’re waving me over to the fire.”

  Disappointment tugged on her bottom lip, puckering it. “That’s okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

  “Oh, you better and you better wear something dead sexy.”

  She chuckled. “I’ll be sure to make something up.”

  “Good girl. Now, go have fun. Dream of me.”

  “I will,” she blurted bef
ore she could stop herself. “I mean, I will have fun and…”

  Toby chuckled. “Goodnight, Addy.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Face hot, Addy hung up. She gripped the phone tight as she made her way back into the sitting room with the others. Her head felt so light.

  “Hey, everything okay?” Lily asked.

  Addy, unable to stop grinning, and nodded. “Yes, they both sound very happy.”

  “Good.” Lily smiled. “Now, let’s turn in.”

  Chapter 17 ~ Toby

  Water droplets glittered in the cool afternoon sunlight as running feet thundered through the clear stream. Raised voices clapped through the high points of the pine trees straining for miles in all directions. Laughter followed as the three boys tore down the rocky stretch of wilderness, poles and tackle boxes rattling at their sides.

  A few yards behind, Toby kept at a steady pace alongside Damon and Jared. Lose pebbles rolled beneath his feet, wrenching his cane and slowing him down. The effort had sweat collecting along his brow and darkening his gray T-shirt. His breath came out short and ragged, but he pushed on.

  “Hey, why don’t we take a minute?” Damon suggested, already stopping. “Getting kind of winded—”

  “Stop,” Toby panted. “I’m fine. Come on.”

  He knew the two could go much faster, but they kept time with him. Uncle Sloan and Cole were up ahead with the kids, occasionally yelling for one of them to slow down or knock it off. The latter was mostly Colten and Owen. It was Sean who was getting told to slow down.

  “That boy can move,” Jared noted, gray eyes squinting against the sun. “Like a spider monkey on speed.”

  Damon laughed. “Remember that time we raced each other up that hill overlooking the creek?”

  “And Willa slipped?” Jared finished with a raised eyebrow. “And you blamed me?”

  “Well, it was your fault. You made it into a race.”

  Jared stopped to glare at his friend. “It was a race!” he shot back. “I said, let’s race to the lake!”

  “Exactly!” Damon agreed. “If you hadn’t Willa wouldn’t have fallen.”

  Jared gawked a full heartbeat before shaking his head. “You’ve got problems.”

  “She’s not a runner,” Damon defended.

  “Dude, she was sixteen, not six. She was a big girl.”