“No worries,” I tell him, stepping up beside him and running my nails over his chest. “I can help with that later.”
The door slams, startling the baby. “Never mind. We’re not going out,” he says, setting the bag and the carrier on the floor.
I bark out a laugh. “Oh no, you don’t, Mr. Callahan. You promised me a date.”
“That was before I saw you in that dress and decided I’d rather keep you here, enjoying the hell out of stripping it off your body,” he answers, his voice low and husky. The images his words create send heat flooding between my legs.
“As tempting as it is, I don’t think Milo would approve of your changes to his date.”
Chase glances down at the sleeping baby. “You’re probably right. Look at that look of disapproval he’s giving me.”
I look down too, smiling at the peacefully sleeping boy. “Oh, he’d definitely disapprove.”
Chase reaches down and grabs the carrier and bag once more. “Then, let’s go, before my cock can talk me out of this again.” He throws me a wink and escorts me from the house.
We make our way to his truck, hand in hand, and he makes me wait until he has Milo secured in the back seat. Then, he helps me climb into the front, accidentally copping a feel of my ass as we go.
“So where are we going?” I ask as we head out of the cul-de-sac and toward the main road through town.
“Milo says it’s a surprise.”
“A surprise, huh?”
“He’s the boss,” he confirms, flashing me a big smile before returning his eyes to the road.
A few minutes later, he pulls into the parking lot of our local Italian restaurant. “Carlo’s?” I ask as he puts the truck in Park.
“Have you been here?” he asks, a tinge of nervousness in his voice.
“No,” I reply, glancing at the deep red awning and the red and green stained-glass windows in the front.
“Really?”
“Really,” I confirm, unfastening my seat belt. “I’ve always wanted to try it since they opened.” But I’ve been told it’s very expensive, I think to myself, but don’t state it aloud.
“Well, the owner used to work out with me. He always said if I wanted a table to call him personally,” Chase says, sliding out of the truck and coming around to my door.
His hands are respectable as he helps me down, though they linger a little longer than deemed appropriate on my hips. “I bet you take all the girls here,” I tease.
“No, never. You’re the only one I’ve ever brought.”
We stare at each other for several seconds, much passing between us. Both of us recognize that our situation is new, but nonetheless real. I can see his affection, his desire, and his happiness reflecting in his eyes, and I’m sure he can see mine. It’s getting harder and harder to not tell him that I’m completely and utterly in love with him, but I’m still not quite there.
Almost.
But I want it to mean… forever.
Chase retrieves the baby carrier and bag and leads me to the restaurant, his hand protectively and possessively positioned on my lower back. Inside, the lighting is low and romantic, as soft Italian music plays through the restaurant. The hostess gives us a smile and a quick, appreciative glance at Chase, but doesn’t let her eyes linger too long. She smiles at me, one I return as I acknowledge her private thoughts. Yep, he’s hot.
And he’s mine.
Chase gives his name to the hostess, who leads us to the back of the restaurant to a small table. She doesn’t linger, doesn’t flirt, and doesn’t check him out anymore, and I can’t help but smile, a reminder that not all women are skanky, dirty hos. “Your server will be with you shortly,” she says with a smile before retreating back to the front.
A wooden high chair appears moments later, turned over to hold the carrier seat. I place the bag on the floor as Chase fusses over Milo, making sure the seat is secure. Then, he holds out my seat, his hand grazing against my spine as I lower into my chair. My body tingles in anticipation of later this evening.
“This place is beautiful,” I tell him, glancing around and checking out the ambiance.
“You’re beautiful.”
I look across the table and find his eyes focused solely on me. “You’re smooth,” I tell him, glancing over at the sleeping child. “Milo taught you well.”
Chase grins that cocky little smile and places his napkin in his lap. “He said I was a tough student, but I think he did well in his teachings. You know, for 3:00 a.m.”
“I could have helped,” I tell him as the waiter fills our water glasses.
“You needed some sleep,” he replies, taking his menu and flipping it open.
“You do too. We’re a team, right?” I ask, not bothering with my menu yet.
He sets his down and reaches for my hands across the table. I place mine in his, reveling in the feel of his warm, calloused skin against mine. “We’re a team. But sometimes, a member of the team needs to sleep. You had the first feeding last night and were exhausted. Part of being on this team is recognizing that and making sure you’re taken care of too.” He strokes his finger along my knuckles, a shiver rippling through my body.
“I like that,” I tell him, swallowing hard. “A team.”
Pulling my hand upward, he places a kiss on my knuckles. “We’re a team, Gabby. You, me, and Milo.”
My eyes burn with unshed tears, and I have no idea why. I’m not usually this much of a crier, but for some reason, his sweet, sincere words strike right through me. Or specifically, right to my heart. “Thank you.”
He smiles once more, his eyes only for me. “You’re welcome, sweet Gabrielle. Now, let’s get this date moving. I have big plans for dessert later.”
Chapter 14
Chase
“You were such a good boy,” Gabby praises Milo. We just got home from our date, and she’s right. He was the perfect angel all night.
“He takes after his daddy.” Daddy. The word still sounds foreign to me, but I don’t hate it. In fact, I’m starting to like it. I just pray that this little man really is mine. I’ve grown quite attached to him and I know Gabby has as well. I hate that Gabby isn’t his mom, but tonight something dawned on me. She is. In all the ways that matter, Gabby is his mother. She loves him, takes care of him, takes care of me.
She chuckles. “You’re handsome like your daddy,” she coos at him. She’s sitting on the couch, his carrier at her feet as she holds him in her arms. The sight has my heart restricting in my chest.
Making my way to where she sits, I crouch down to my knees and place my fingers under her chin, lifting her eyes from my son to me. “I love you.” Her eyes soften and she opens her mouth to say what I’m not sure, because I lean in and press my lips to hers. I never want her to feel obligated to say it back. However, I need her to know. I won’t ever stop telling her just like I’ll never stop loving her. Gabby is it for me.
Her phone rings, and I stand, grabbing her purse and handing it to her. I take Milo from her arms so she can answer. “Hello.” She mouths “Gwen” to me. “That’s a great idea,” she says. I take the seat next to her and rest Milo against my chest. “I’ll run it by Chase and let you know.”
“Yes. Whatever it is, yes. If it puts that smile on your face, I’m all in,” I say, not bothering to lower my voice.
She laughs. “He doesn’t even know what he’s agreeing to,” she tells her sister. “Okay. Give us a few and I’ll call you back.”
“What was that?” I ask as soon as she ends the call.
“Gwen’s taking Sophia to get her picture taken on Saturday. She invited me and Milo to go with her.”
“Don’t you have to have an appointment or something?”
“Yeah, but she’s using a private photographer who has her own studio. She pays for studio time, and the photographer said that the one-hour slot was more than enough time to shoot both babies. Especially since Milo is little. We don’t have to get him to cooperate like we do Sop
hia. She’s already old enough to have an attitude.” She chuckles.
“Do you think it’s a good idea?” I ask her.
“Yeah, I mean he’s grown just in the time we’ve had him. He won’t be this tiny little man for long. I think we should capture that. We need all the ammo we can get for when he’s a teenager.”
I love that she’s putting herself in our lives years from now. “You make the call, babe.”
“He’s your—” she starts, but the look I give her shuts her up.
“We’re a team, Gabby. You’re here, in his life, helping me raise him. You can make those decisions for him. I want you to. Hell, I need you to.”
“You don’t need me to.”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to find out what it’s like to not have you there to make them. Not because I want you to take care of my kid, but because I want you in my life. I want you in my son’s life. I want this future you speak of, and torturing him with adorable pictures when he’s a teenager. I want the life you’ve painted.”
“Okay.” She nods. Her eyes are glassy with tears and I know she gets it, that my words are spoken from my heart. “Milo, guess what, buddy?” she asks, resting her hand on his back, on the top of mine. “You’re going with Soph tomorrow to get your pictures taken.” She smiles. “Lucky for you, I have the perfect outfit.” She grins down at my son.
“I’ll give you my card to get some copies. I want to give some to Mom and Dad and send a few to Colt.” I called my parents a few days ago and told them about Milo. They didn’t even question, just wanted to know when they could meet him. I’m reluctant until we know for sure, but at the same time, this little guy deserves all the love and attention we can give him.
“Have you heard from him?”
I tamp down the worry when it comes to my big brother and his career. “No, but when I do, he’s going to get the surprise of his life when he finds out that he’s an uncle.”
“Maybe he can help shed some light on that night.”
“I doubt it. He was messed up. Completely out of it. He was worse than me the next day. I just have to accept the fact that I don’t remember much the night this little guy was made.” She sucks in a breath, and I look up to find her eyes welling with tears. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be insensitive.”
“No, I just… I wish it were me.”
Her confession steals the breath from my lungs. It’s the first time she’s voiced that she has deep-rooted feelings for me. Oh, I know she loves my son, and she cares for me, but without saying the words she’s told me that, her actions tell me all I need to know, it’s okay that she can’t say it. She loves me. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Gabby. I hate that I did this to us. That I can’t remember. I— All I saw was you, so the fact that we’re holding my son right now as a result of that night, I still can’t seem to wrap my head around it. It doesn’t make sense, yet he’s here.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” She bites down on her bottom lip, which tells me she’s worried about my reaction.
“Never be sorry for telling me how you feel. I want you to be able to be open and honest with me.” I worry she’s going to realize what an undertaking this is and leave.
“I’m not mad at you. We weren’t together, Chase. Hell, if anything, I’m mad at myself. I fought the attraction I felt for you for way too long. Maybe… maybe if I’d pulled my head out of my ass sooner and admitted what was really between us wasn’t hate at all, things would be different.”
“Maybe, but I was just as bad. I could have sat you down and took time to be serious and tell you how I felt about you. I’m just as much to blame in that regard.”
“Yeah,” she says softly, her eyes raking over my son. “But then we wouldn’t have this little guy. And no matter how much we hate the circumstances, we love him,” she says, leaning in and kissing the top of his little head.
Lifting my arm, she slides up next to me, resting her head against my shoulder. I pull her close and everything is right in my world. I have the love of my life, and my son, what more could a man ask for?
“We should give him his bath and get him to bed. You did promise me dessert, after all.”
“I believe we agreed that you would be my dessert.”
“Then we better get to it.” She pulls away and I stand with Milo in my arms. “Time for a bath, buddy. Your old man has some dessert to eat. Trust me on this, it’s not something you want Daddy to miss out on.” I pretend to be whispering, but I know she can hear me. I hear her snort a laugh, and my smile grows wide.
In my room, I lay him on the bed and strip him to his diaper. Gabby hands me a small blanket. “Thanks. I should have grabbed that before I stripped him down.”
“I know he hates to be cold. Why are you leaving his diaper on?”
“Like you have to ask. Do you not remember Peegate?” I ask her.
“Peegate?” she repeats, barely able to contain her laughter.
“Don’t act like you don’t remember,” I tell her.
She throws her head back and laughs. “I think I need a refresher,” she says through spurts of laughter.
“If that’s how you want to play it.” I look down at Milo. “Tell Gabby about the time I was giving you a bath. I wanted to do it on my own as I needed to learn to take care of you. Well, I stripped you down and held you to my chest. As soon as I got you pressed against me, you pissed all over me.” Hell, it’s even hard for me not to smile retelling the story—now that it’s over. “You remember, right, Milo? The way Gabby heard me cussing and came running into the room, thinking I’d hurt you or something? Then, she fell onto the bed laughing at me? She says she doesn’t remember.” I scoff playfully.
“I still wish I would have captured that moment,” she says, wiping tears from her eyes.
“We agreed pictures to embarrass him when he gets older, not me.” Looking back to just a few days ago, it’s already hilarious. In ten, fifteen, twenty years, it will be even funnier.
“You need some help?” she asks.
“Nah, I think I’ve got it, but you can keep us company.” I nod toward the bathroom and she follows us inside. I place the baby tub on the sink and start the water. Grabbing the little duck from the counter that tests the temperature, I hold it under the stream until the temperature is just right, then begin to fill the tub.
“At least let me hold him while you do that.” She stands from her seat on the toilet and takes him from me. “Are you ready for your bath? You’re going to be all clean and relaxed. Then you get a bottle and get your belly full and you’re going to sleep all night long. Right?” she asks him.
“You’re dreaming, Gabs.” I hold my hands out for him. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“Take his diaper off first and then take him, that will be easier,” Gabby suggests.
It’s a solid plan, so I unwrap him and take off his diaper, tossing it in the trash and then taking him from her. I place him in the small tub and he shivers. “I know, buddy, you’re not a fan, but we have to do this. It’s an everyday deal. Bathing. You might as well get used to it,” I tell him. I take the small cup with a duck on it and pour some water over his belly. I’m leaning over him, so I don’t notice at first until I feel the warmth. I look down to confirm my suspicion and warm spray hits my cheek. “Son of a bitch.” I pull out of the line of fire.
“Oh my God!” Gabby slaps her hands over her mouth to conceal her laughter.
“Help me, woman,” I say as the piss rolls down my face and drips onto my shirt.
Gabby steps closer and takes the cup out of my hand. Once I know she’s got him, I back away and rip my shirt over my head, tossing it in the hamper.
“Nice shot, buddy,” Gabby whispers.
I smack her on the ass and she yelps in surprise. “Just for that, I get extra dessert.” I turn on the hot spray of the shower. Quickly, I strip out of the rest of my clothes. I don’t even wait for the water to heat up before stepping under
the spray. I have to get this piss off me. “This is Peegate 2.0,” I say, piling more body wash than I would ever need to clean my entire body into the palm of my hand. I lather it up and scrub my face, neck, and chest until they feel raw.
“Oh, come on.” Gabby chuckles. “It’s just a little pee. He has your DNA.”
“I don’t give a shit. That is not okay, Gabs.”
“He’s a baby,” she coos at him.
“I’m not mad,” I say, “but damn, what is it with him pissing on me all the time?”
“Just wait until you get puked on. Or even shit on. Ahh,” she sighs dramatically. “The joys of parenthood.”
“He’s damn lucky he’s cute,” I say, feeling better now that I have thoroughly scrubbed my skin raw of the piss. Turning off the water, I step out of the shower and grab a towel. Gabby eyes me in the mirror. “Gabby,” I growl. My cock grows just from her eyes on me. She doesn’t look away; instead, she takes her time raking her eyes over my body in the mirror. Milo coos and she snaps her attention back to him.
“We’re all done, cutie.” She positions a towel against her chest and then picks him up. I watch her as she manages to wrap a baby towel around his body with little effort.
I should feel like a tool, getting hard watching her with my son. However, the ease and care she has with him, it does more to rile me up than her slow perusal of my body. She’s caring for him, a part of me. That does something to me. Twists me up inside.
“I’ll grab a bottle.” I toss my towel into the hamper and move to my room to grab some boxer briefs. Satisfied that I’m covered—you never know who’s going to end up on your doorstep these days—I make my way to the kitchen to make his night bottle. A few minutes later, I find them in the living room. Gabby is sitting on the couch, with a bundled-up Milo in his pajamas, talking softly.
“Daddy’s making you a bottle,” she tells him. “He’s the best daddy,” she goes on. “You’re lucky to have him. He’s strong and reliable. Things that I fought hard to overlook because I didn’t want to admit what I felt for him. And now he has you, which only sweetens the pot. I know he’s worried that I don’t think so, but you’re too hard to resist. You have that in common—you and your daddy.”
Fair Lakes Series Box Set Page 44