Chapter 6

Aspen

Waking up in the morning with Weston wrapped around my body was a heck of a lot better than when I’d woken up from my nap the day before to an empty bed. For a brief moment, I couldn’t help but think he’d up and disappeared again—until I’d found his note on the pillow next to me. The one he’d signed Love, W. Talk about sending my heart into overdrive. I still hadn’t figured how much I could read into his choice of wording. I’d had to repeatedly remind myself that I’d never heard him say the words aloud to me each time I’d wanted to moon over the note.

Gently disengaging from his hold and sliding from the bed, I paused before heading to the bathroom to stare down at him. His face was relaxed, his eyelashes resting against his cheeks, and he looked almost boyishly innocent. At least, until my gaze drifted downwards. With the sheet hanging low on his hips and his hair tousled from sleep and sex, he looked smoking hot. I wanted to crawl right back into bed and trace each of his tattoos with my tongue, but he was sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake him up.

I forced myself to pad away from him, taking the baby monitor with me, and went about my normal morning routine. Just as I set my toothbrush back in its holder, I heard the rustling of Carter’s sheets through the monitor and headed into his room. It wouldn’t be long before he started fussing, and I wanted to get to him before he woke Weston.

I found him rolling from side to side, not quite able to get all the way over yet, and staring up at his mobile. “Morning, my Carter-bear. Mommy’s got you.”

I lifted him from the crib and cuddled him against my chest, breathing in his baby scent. This was one of my favorite times of day, when he’d just woken up. Morning baby snuggles were some of the best, even if I only got to enjoy them for a few minutes before he complained about being wet and hungry.

I managed to keep him happily occupied while changing his diaper, and he barely made a peep while he was breastfeeding. But then he got cranky when I was burping him.

“Shhhh, sweetie. Daddy’s still sleeping.”

Wow. It felt darn good to refer to Weston as Carter’s daddy. I heard the clearing of a throat and found him standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a huge smile on his face. A pair of hunter green pajama bottoms hung low on his hips, but it was the only thing he’d thrown on when he’d climbed out of bed.

“Or maybe not,” I mumbled, trying to ignore the slow burn seeing his naked chest ignited.

“I wasn’t about to miss my first morning with my beautiful family,” he rasped, prowling towards us. “What kind of Daddy would I be if I did?”

“The sleepy kind?” I yelped when he picked me up, took my spot on the rocking recliner, and settled me on his lap. Carter giggled happily, enjoying the ride from his position in my arms.

“I’ll have plenty of time to sleep when our kids are older.”

“Kids?”

His hand slid down, in between Carter and my stomach, to cup my lower belly. “I’m not gonna stop at just one, beautiful.”

Holy crap.He really was serious about trying to knock me up again. And if that was true, then it stood to reason maybe he meant how he’d signed his note. Right?

“How soon can you and Carter be ready to head out?”

“He’s already eaten and had a diaper change, so it wouldn’t take too long.” I shifted in his lap to twist around and peer up at him. “Are we going somewhere?”

“Out to breakfast.”

Not having to cook or clean up sounded pretty good to me. “I guess I could eat.”

“With my sister.”

“Your sister?” I squeaked, jumping off his lap and thrusting Carter into his arms. “Scratch that, it’s going to take a while. You get him dressed. His diaper bag is in the living room and probably needs a couple bottles from the kitchen, his favorite blankie from his crib, and some extra diapers.”

I raced into the bathroom and jumped into the shower. I washed up as quickly as I could, to make sure I had plenty of time to blow dry and straighten my hair. After an hour of primping, I finally felt like I was ready to face Weston’s sister. Maybe.

The look of masculine appreciation on his face when I walked out made all my preparations worthwhile. But it was the moment we walked into his sister’s home and I saw a drop-dead gorgeous brunette, dressed to the nines with a stunned look on her face, that I was truly appreciative of the effort I’d put into my look today.

“West!” she squealed. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing anyone with you.”

“Of course I didn’t,” he drawled. “It would have spoiled the surprise.”

“You know how much I hate surprises,” she groaned.

Weston leaned down to peer into his son’s face. “Isn’t Auntie Jenna silly, Carter?” The sight of such a tatted up badass being sweet and silly with a little baby would have made me laugh if it wasn’t already busy making my ovaries go boom.

“Auntie Jenna?” she gasped, her eyes going wide as she stared at Carter and me. Then her gaze swiveled between the baby and her brother, going back and forth as understanding dawned on her face.