by Kendall Ryan
And then the doctor is saying something about crowning, and my gaze lowers from Jenna’s face to her nether-regions and, yeah, it’s like a fucking bloodbath down there, like there was less blood at the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones, and I probably shouldn’t have looked but I’m full-on crying now at the sight of my baby—our baby—emerging into this world into the hands of the doctor.
Luckily, Chloe’s wails drown out my own. I lean down, burying my face in Jenna’s neck. We kiss and cry and hug as they whisk the chubby pink baby away to wipe her down and weigh her.
“We did it.” Jenna beams up at me. “We actually did it.”
“You did, sweetheart.”
And then when they place the tiny, soft little creature who has already stolen my heart onto my wife’s chest, I’m hit with a fresh wave of emotion. How did I ever think that I didn’t want this in my future? This is the best moment of my life—by far—and I know how incredibly lucky I am.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jenna
Motherhood is every bit as amazing as I thought it would be, and then some.
Chloe isn’t a dream baby. She fusses. She shits herself all the way up her back. She cries for no reason at all. But I love her more than words can say.
She eats and sleeps and grows, embedding herself in my heart more and more with each passing day. And Emmett? He’s beyond words. I never imagined having a partner by my side, never counted on having his steady hand or sweet disposition to get me through the tough times. And, God, it’s everything.
Part of me can’t even believe that I ever wanted to do this alone. Sharing the joy, the sweet moments and the difficult ones too, is the best part of my day. I fucking love my husband. And believe me, I’m no domestic goddess. Sometimes it’s a wonder he even puts up with me. With my hormonal crying and love of wine and need for space. But he just gets me.
And now things are about to change yet again. My maternity leave is almost over, and quite honestly, I’m itching to get back to work. Motherhood is amazing and Emmett swears it suits me, but I’m eager to get back to my shop and a normal routine where I shower before noon and don’t have leaky breasts.
The shop has never performed better. After I signed on to be part of Baxter Books, a marketing team came in and assessed my business, adding layers of marketing, PR, and advertising support. Sales have been through the roof, but I’ve had to take Britt’s word for it.
“Honey, I’m home,” Emmett’s voice calls from down the hall, and my heart swells.
My everything. My rock. He’s home.
“In the kitchen,” I call back, tossing a container of button mushrooms into a sauté pan drizzled with butter.
I wanted to make everything tonight special, this last night of my maternity leave. I have steaks marinating in the fridge, and a bottle of merlot open and resting on the counter. Chloe is enjoying some tummy time on a nearby blanket in the living room, and her last bottle of the night is heating.
“What’s all this?” Emmett asks, stopping to give me a kiss on the back of my neck.
“I was thinking we’d have a nice dinner together once Chloe went to bed.”
Emmett smiles at me like he approves of this idea.
I hoped to be more put together than my usual ponytail and yoga pants by the time he got home. But, hey, the house is picked up, and more importantly, I’ve showered and shaved my lady bits. I think that’s a win. Because, dear God, it was becoming a jungle down there.
The first time we attempted sex after I had Chloe was a disaster. It was so bad—so painful and awkward with my breast milk oozing out and Chloe crying from the other room—that we gave up and avoided the whole affair for the past few weeks.
But tonight, I’m done waiting. I want Emmett. Want to show him how much I love him. How much I appreciate him. How goddamn sexy he is. I’m going to jump my husband’s bones . . . I just hope our baby cooperates.
Emmett grabs two wineglasses from the cabinet and presses a kiss to my cheek. “I’m impressed. This looks amazing.”
I place my arms around his shoulders, leaning into him, inhaling his scent, and smile. “I love you.”
“Love you more,” he says.
After he releases me, he goes to gather up our girl. I could listen to him coo and talk to her in that sweet voice he reserves just for her.
“Come here, princess,” he whispers as he lifts her tiny body up against his shoulder, then he looks to me. “Should I give her a bath now?”
I nod. “And I laid out some pajamas for her upstairs.”
I smile as I watch them head up to her room. There’s no one I’d want by my side more than Emmett.
Epilogue
Emmett
Three Years Later
Race home and relieve the nanny? Check. Change from my business suit into clothes that I won’t mind getting barf or dirt on? Check. Start a pot of soup for dinner? Check. Now it’s time for the baby’s late-afternoon feeding.
“I swear, you guys keep me busier than the office ever did,” I say with a chuckle.
While I wrangle Landon into his high chair, Chloe toddles off into the living room in search of something to play with—or destroy. Our big black Newfoundland, Heidi the Second, is sleeping in the patch of sunlight by the bay window, but that doesn’t last long. Chloe runs right over and yanks on her poor floppy ears.
“Be gentle, sweetie,” I call out, maneuvering a spoonful of mushy peas into Landon’s mouth.
Chloe doesn’t really listen, but the dog clearly understands that she’s only three years old. As gingerly as she would handle her own puppies, Heidi bumps my daughter backward onto her butt and licks her face while Chloe screams with laughter. Despite Heidi’s hundred-pound bulk, I know my daughter is safe with her, so I let them roughhouse while I focus on trying to get more food into Landon’s stomach than on his cheeks, his bib, my clothes, or the floor.
Just as I reach the bottom of the baby food jar, the garage door clunks open, then shuts. I smile at the rattle of keys. Ever since I hired a better VP and reduced my hours to spend more time with the kids, I often beat my wife home from work.
Jenna shuts the door, hangs up her coat, and toes off her pumps before walking into the kitchen to kiss me hello. “How was your day?”
“Great. How was yours?” I reply, wiping off Landon’s messy face.
She heaves a tired, but happy sigh. “Crazy busy. We hosted a big reading-and-signing event this afternoon, so there was a ton of people, and before that we got in several boxes of new titles that needed shelving, but I can’t really complain. Business is booming.”
I nod, pleased. I used my clout as CEO to negotiate with Baxter’s other executives and nudge Jenna’s sales contract to something more in her favor. So, although Baxter Books became its owner on paper, the Lit Apothecary was allowed to maintain its indie charm instead of becoming the faceless behemoth that Jenna had been afraid of. She runs its day-to-day operations, and it still specializes in antique and collectible books. In fact, it’s doing better than ever, now that it can draw on the marketing power of a large media company.
“Are we still on to take a walk to the park in the morning?” Jenna asks.
As Landon squeals and thrashes his tiny arms in excitement, I nod. “Sounds good to me.” I poke Landon’s belly, making him giggle.
Jenna chuckles. “We need to figure out where we’re taking our summer vacation too.”
It’s a nightly dinner topic since we’ve yet to nail down a location. Jenna and I have already both arranged with work that we’ll be gone for two weeks this summer, and we’re looking forward to some time away with our mini people.
“Maybe the lava tubes of Hawaii?” I say.
She raises her eyebrows high in the pointed you better be kidding me look I’ve come to know and love so well. “You are not throwing my children into a volcano.”
I wave my hand in surrender. “Fine, fine. How about camping, maybe tak
ing the kids horseback riding?”
“Horsey!” Chloe screams from the other room, startling Heidi off her.
“Oh no, now you’ve done it.” Jenna lets out a mock groan. “We’ll have to watch that horse show again tonight.”
I peck her on the cheek. “I take full responsibility. And I’ll pour you as many glasses of wine as you want.”
“That reminds me.” In a sultry undertone, she murmurs, “Are we still meeting for our . . . appointment on Saturday night?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
I kiss her again, this one hot and lingering. It’s been difficult to squeeze in sex between work, errands, and taking care of the kids, but so worth it. After three years and two pregnancies, Jenna is just as alluring as the day we met. Even more so, in fact, now that I’ve witnessed the miracles that gave her those stretch marks. Her body is so amazing, carrying our babies, carrying her through all of life’s challenges, and I can’t wait to see how we grow old and gray together. And our weekly date nights have definitely helped make sure we can stay connected and close.
I add, “But if you’d rather check out the inside of your eyelids, we should cancel. I’m worried you’re not getting enough sleep.”
“It’s fine, darling.” She smiles up at me through her eyelashes. “I want you too. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”
“Oh?” I grin. “Then your wish is my command.”
She gives me one last kiss, heavy with sensual promise. “Right now my wish is dinner, a hot bath, and sleep.”
“Coming right up.” I lift Landon out of his high chair and pat his back until he burps, thankfully not dribbling down my shirt. “I started some lemon chicken soup about an hour ago. It should be ready soon.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Jenna walks into the living room and comes back leading Chloe by the hand, an attentive Heidi trailing behind. “You ready to eat, baby girl?”
“Eat, Mama,” Chloe replies as Jenna helps her into her chair at the dining table. Heidi lies down next to her, ready to gulp down any scrap of food she drops.
As I start ladling the soup into bowls, I look around my home, at my beautiful, smart, ambitious wife and my two cute, lively children, and it strikes me that I’ve truly never been happier.
This is a far cry from my lonely life in my penthouse apartment where every day was the same—work, gym, sleep, and more work. Each day is different, and most importantly, it’s filled with people who love me.
Jenna leans past me to get our glasses and Chloe’s sippy cup down from the cupboard. “What are you thinking about?” she asks.
“How thankful I am that I met you,” I reply.
She pats me on the butt. “Same here.”
“And I’m also glad that I stepped back to a less demanding role at work.” I hesitate before adding, “Sometimes I still feel a little bit guilty about it, but I think it was the right thing to do for you and our kids.”
“And for you too,” Jenna says gently. “You were never a hundred percent fulfilled at that job. You’re not a bad boss . . . or a bad son . . . if you don’t sell your soul to the company. It’s okay to take your own feelings into consideration and dial back on stuff you don’t like in order to make room for what you do. You have a right to live a life you enjoy.”
“I know.” I set the soup bowls on the table so I can hug her. Her warm scent lingers, and it instantly calms me.
I still feel responsible for Dad’s company; if I didn’t, I would have found a replacement CEO long before meeting Jenna. But once I had a family, I was responsible for them too, and in a weird way, that gave me the permission I needed to change my work life like I’ve always wanted to anyway.
“Falling in love with you taught me that. And I’ve found my fulfillment right here, as a husband and father, with the people who need me most . . .” I kiss her. “And who make me happiest.”
Thank God for stuck elevators and beautiful, bold women who know what they want, and cheesy spank-bank slogans that make her laugh. Thank God for good Mexican food and babies who look just like their pretty mother, and jobs that provide your paycheck but don’t have to be your whole life.
Thank God for my wife. My everything.
#YouSpankIt #WeBankIt
#YouJackIt #WePackIt
Up Next
I didn’t mean to sneak a peek of my older brother’s best friend.
But when I catch him showering by mistake, I can’t help but look. The guy is massive—and I do mean everywhere.
We’re all home to celebrate Dad’s retirement as one big happy family, except my newlywed brother’s already getting divorced, my mom keeps asking why I’m still single, and most frustrating of all, Barrett Wilson is staying with us at my parents’ home for the weekend.
I’ve known Barrett for years, so why am I suddenly noticing so many new things about him—like how big he is, and all that muscled skin and those sexy smirks? It’s maddening.
Worse than that? Since he caught me looking, he uses every opportunity to tease me, handling that cucumber in the most lewd and distracting way when he’s supposed to be helping in the kitchen, whispering that I could never handle a man like him.
When I sneak into his room to prove him wrong, things go from crazy to downright sinful. And it turns out, Barrett’s right. There’s no way I’m walking away from this in one piece.
Find out more and get your copy:
http://www.kendallryanbooks.com/books/bro-code/
Acknowledgments
A big thank-you to my editing team on this novel. My rock-star unicorn of an editor—Pam Berehulke of Bulletproof Editing—you rock my world. Huge thank-yous to Elaine York and Becca Hensley Mysoor, who each provided such valuable insight on this novel, and to Virginia Tesi Carey for your eagle-eye.
Thank you to my fabulous publicist and right hand in all the things, Dani—you rock my world. And a giant thank-you to my whole team—Ashley and Alyssa, I don’t even want to imagine a world without you. Thank you for keeping this busy mama sane.
To my dear, sweet husband for being my everything, my reason. I am blessed beyond measure.
And last, but certainly not least—thank you to my readers. You guys are everything. I would love to hear your thoughts on Baby Daddy. Please leave a review at your favorite retailer, and be sure to email me your thoughts too. I love hearing from you. I can be reached at [email protected].
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About the Author
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over two million books, and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller list more than three dozen times. Kendall has been featured in publications such as USA TODAY, Newsweek, and In Touch Magazine. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.
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sp; Other Books by Kendall Ryan
Unravel Me
Make Me Yours
When I Break Series
Filthy Beautiful Lies Series
The Gentleman Mentor
Sinfully Mine
Bait & Switch
Slow & Steady
The Room Mate
The Play Mate
The House Mate
The Bed Mate
The Soul Mate
Hard to Love
Resisting Her
Screwed
Monster Prick
The Fix Up
Dirty Little Secret
Dirty Little Promise
For a complete list of Kendall’s books, visit:
www.kendallryanbooks.com/all-books/