Page 62 of Christmas with the Baby Daddy

“You’re going to tuck her in?” George asked.

“Yeah, she’s tired. When someone’s tired, they should go to bed, right?”

“Yeah. That’s smart. Good night, Mama. Zach can tuck me in.”

I smiled.

“Her bedroom is down the hall,” George said.

Blake blushed and I grinned.I know.“Okay. Thanks, kiddo.”

“You don’t have to stay,” she said as I took her hand and led her through the house.

“I can,” I said, cautious about plowing into her life and calling any shots. “I am happy to.”

Just so long as I don’t overstay my stay.

Or… want to stay for good.

“You’re tired.” I steered her into her room.

“And you’re sick,” she argued. “I should be taking care of?—”

I turned her quickly, silencing her with a hard kiss. She melted under my touch and sighed by the time I released her.

“And right now, it’s time for me to take care of you.” Without planning any funny business, I stripped her out of her clothes and asked her what she usually slept in.

“You mean when you’re not around?” she teased, pointing to the top drawer of her dresser.

I got a pair of flannel PJs out. The fabric was worn and soft, printed with cartoon images of reindeer for the season. Keeping my back to her, I gave in to a huge smile.I like the sound of that.Of her only sleeping naked when she was with me. As if I were the only man she wanted in her life…

The illusion of making that happen hung just within reach, but it seemed like such a huge leap to take. Not with her. I was confident we could build something lasting here. It was a leap of faith for myself—to consider staying in Vernford and settling down after a lifetime of not doing it at all.

I helped her into her PJs. She yawned and tried to get her intricate braids undone as I buttoned up her shirt. My dick perked to attention, getting stiffer when I brushed my knuckles over her breasts, but I didn’t let my desire control this situation.

When she staggered toward her bed, giving up on half her braids and leaving it like a messy bun, I led her so she wouldn’t fall. Her eyes were already closed as she climbed under the covers I held open for her.

“I told Cole I’d be at the school early tomorrow,” I told her.

“Okay.” She nestled onto her pillow. “My alarms will wake me for George. Don’t let him stay up too late so he’ll still wake up on time for school.”

“Yes, sweetheart.” I blinked, furrowing my brow.

How… domestic of me. Tucking my woman into bed, calling her things like that.When we were fucking, it slipped out. It had this time, too, and it caught me off guard. I couldn’t call her my sweetheart if I was taking off in a couple of weeks. Long-distance relationships were a joke. It would never be enough with someone like her.

She didn’t react, already sleeping. I leaned over and kissed the top of her head before I walked out and shut her door.

Out in the living room, I saw George trying to keep the fort up. “You just need to reinforce that side,” I advised as I joined him, keeping him busy so Blake could sleep. He was clearly rested from lying around earlier, enjoying some sort of post-sickness second wind.

We built and rebuilt together, and I was relieved that my version of this stomach bug just meant slight cramps and no appetite because of the minor nausea. A fort, I could handle. I gave him advice on where the weak spots were by asking him what else he thought might work instead of just telling him what was wrong.

“You know what?” George said once we sat inside the fort and shared a ‘late-night’ root beer as a treat. “You’re good with kids.”

I bit back a chuckle. He was a kid himself saying that. “You think so?”

George nodded matter-of-factly.

Now would be the time to have them, to start a family. Since I no longer had commitments with the military, I was free to settle with dependents. My first purpose to fulfill, as soldier, wasn’t an option. But was a family the next step after years of no relationships beyond a sporadic one-night stand here or there?

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