Page 165 of Bonding with the Beta

“She’s been napping all day,” Ava sighs and closes her eyes.

“I’ve got her,” Kayden’s voice echoes into the kitchen, and I find myself stuck in a trance when I focus on his dark brown eyes. “You two have dinner.”

Ava wipes her forehead. “Ugh. Thank you.”

Kayden walks towards me, and my skin begins to heat like a furnace. He holds out his arms and takes a wailing Aurora from me, his biceps flexing in his T-shirt as he does so.

Our hands brush, and a jolt of electricity rushes down my spine. We both pause for a moment as our eyes lock before he takes her again, and I drop my arms to my sides.

“Hey, hey, hey,” he says softly to her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

Aurora cries for a moment before Kayden rocks her from side to side and presses a kiss to her forehead. Then she settles into his arms as he smiles down at her.

I can’t take my eyes off them.

“That’s it, pretty girl.” He smiles. “You’re okay.”

My ovaries literally burst at the sight of them together.

Kayden slowly walks around the kitchen to keep her settled as Ava comes up behind me, her ear resting against mine.

“She’s completely in love with him,” she whispers.

I understand because same,I think to myself.Even when I tried not to.

Kayden’s eyes raise to mine for half a second, the corner of his lip twitching into the subtlest smile. Aurora makes a small sound before snuggling her face into his chest.

“You’re going to spoil that child rotten when she’s older,” Ava calls out. “Because you’re going to be the favourite by a mile.”

He laughs, and I have deeply missed the sound. “Oh, yeah, I will. She’s going to be so loved. And best believe she’s going to end up being a troublemaker.”

“From being around you?” Ava scoffs playfully. “Of course she is.”

My heartstrings tug, and if I weren’t sitting down, I’d have fallen to the floor with a thud. I want to look away, but I can’t. I’m stuck. I’m enthralled.

“Could you put her down for me and grab the baby monitor?” Ava asks.

“Sure.”

When Kayden leaves, Ava snaps her fingers in front of my face, and I flinch.

“You good?” She chuckles.

“Yep. Yeah. I’m good. Fine.”

Ava grins. “He’s so good with her. He really knows how to settle her.”

“It’s cute,” I admit.

“Yeah, they’re pretty cute.”

I step off the stool with shaky legs and walk towards the stove. “What can I help with?” I ask, glancing across the multiple frying pans.

“Everything.”

No matterhow hard I try to drift off, sleep never claims me.

I toss and turn until the sheets are a bundled mess and stare helplessly at the ceiling.

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