Page 19 of Baby Contract

“It’s a king.” He picks up the phone to order as if that’s a done matter. Does he really want us to share a bed?

He’s really taking this pretend fiancée thing seriously.

Chapter Eleven

CARR

Osaka is a city of the future from its needle-pointed, futuristic high-rises to the vending machine ramen. Everything you could want can be found in a convenience store from phones and chargers to drinks in bags that you can mix with ice in pre-sealed cups. Addison loves it.

“I can’t believe you can just make your own lattes here for a dollar. There’s even foam on top.”

“Magic.” There’s a little foam across the top of her mouth too. I want to lick it off but settle for wiping it with my thumb. It’s my favorite thing to do lately.

She hesitates, staring at my finger. “Why do you—actually never mind.”

“Why do I lick my thumb after wiping your mouth? Because I like the way you taste.”

“My…taste?” Her voice sounds a little strangled.

“Yeah. It’s salty and sweet. Pretty addicting but not very satisfying. It always leaves me wanting more.”

Addison’s cheeks turn red, and she glances around the shop as if to see if anyone is listening. Her voice drops to a low whisper. “Carr, you can’t say things like that. I’m your nanny. I mean I’m Violet’s nanny.”

“Yes, and?”

“That would not be appropriate.”

“This isn’t a corporation, Addison. We make the rules. If you don’t want me to touch you, I won’t touch you. Just say the word.”

I see the hesitation in her eyes before she gives voice to it, and so before she can tell me no, I put a rice ball in her mouth. She narrows her eyes but eats it. “This is pretty good. Do you think Errol could make these? Like I was sort of scared to try it because rice and tuna doesn’t sound like an appealing combination, but it’s delicious.” She rubs Violet on the head. “Too bad you can only drink formula because you’re really missing out.”

“We’ll come back here when she’s older. All three of us.” I emphasize the last point.

Addison doesn’t respond, just eats another bite of her onigiri while watching me with suspicion in her eyes. We finish up our drinks and snacks at the convenience store counter since people here don’t walk around with food and drinks in their hands, and then we wander down Tachibana-Dori or Orange Street, looking at the different craft stores with the wooden puzzle boxes and sleek modern furniture. Addison buys a couple of gifts for friends, and then we head to Umeda, where the Pokémon Center is located.

“It’s not too early to get Violet addicted to a game.” I hold up a T-shirt with a cute turtle. “You like?”

Addison makes a face. “Dragonite is my favorite character.”

“What’s that look like?”

She rears back and gives me a look that says something like,What rock did you crawl out from under? “You don’t know who Dragonite is? It’s the only dragon species in Pokémon. It’s known for its kindness and intelligence and only gets mad if you’re a threat to the things it cares about.”

“Oh, so like me.” I grin.

“Have you ever saved a human from drowning?”

“Not yet, but I have it in me. Trust me. We’ll buy three of these. Where’s the baby stuff?”

We end up spending more money in the Pokémon store than I realized was possible, and because it was so much, I paid extra to have it delivered to our hotel. We visit a few more stores, but Addison is worn out. Violet has been sleeping most of the time. Not even the noise from the hundreds of people on the street bothers her. One thing I’ve learned about babies is that they love motion.

We stop and get pizza from Cubierta, a lush rooftop garden eatery that bakes the pizza New York style in a kiln. Because we are in Japan, I opt for a duck and green onion pizza while Addison has a classic margarita. The fragrant smells of baked dough and melted cheese fill our lungs as we ride back to the hotel in the rented town car.

I could get used to days like this, spending lazy afternoons eating food, buying toys, and putting a smile on Addison’s face. I plan to give her a lot of reasons to smile tonight. We only have one bed for a reason. There’s no point in denying that we’re attracted to each other. We’ll hash it out upstairs over the pizza and then make love. It’s a perfect plan.

“Let me go check on our packages, and I’ll meet you up at the room,” I tell her when we arrive at the hotel.

“Violet needs changing, so I’ll run to the restroom and meet you at the elevator.”

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