Page 48 of The Sweetest Chirp

He thinks it is, but then he says, “I thought you’d stay at your mom’s?”

I roll my lips before licking them, unable to look into the brown orbs of my dreams. “They’re renovating, so your parents offered.”

“Okay, cool. So, I should unload everything here, then?” he asks, clapping his hands.

“I can.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “No, I’ll do it. You stay and hang with everyone.” He leans in, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. His voice is low as he asks, “Are you okay?”

Unable to resist, I look into his eyes, and they’re staring intently into mine. There is a fire burning in them, leaving me gasping. I want to fall into them, get lost in all the promises, and I know that’s bad. One thing is for sure, I wouldn’t need any damn song to make me kiss those lips again.

Not now that I know what they taste like.

I nod. “Just overemotional.”

He brushes his thumb along my jaw. “Understandable.” He sighs. “I’m gonna unpack the car and leave everything down here. Then I’ve got to head back to my apartment and pack some of my stuff.”

I’m apparently not comprehending what he is saying until Maeve asks, “Are you staying here too,synok?”

His eyes are on me, and it’s clear he doesn’t see any issue with staying in his family home with his baby mama like I do. How am I supposed to resist him if he is right beside me? He nods with a grin on his handsome face. “Yeah. Wherever Audrina and Arwen are, I want to be near when I can.”

My stomach does more flips than a gymnast in the Olympics, and all I can do is stand there as he winks. Why does he say things like that? Doesn’t he know he confuses me more and makes me think there is a glimmer of hope between us? Because there isn’t. There can’t be. But as I watch him lean in and kiss Arwen’s head, I wonder if he’ll kiss me. Shit, do I want him to kiss me?

Oh my God, I need to get it together.

He tells her he’ll be back in a few, and she nods in acknowledgment before he stands. His eyes hold mine hostage as he turns his cap around and gives me one last lingering look that has me wanting to roll onto all fours in front of everyone.

Wait, what?

I’m thinking that, and he’s staying here? In the same house we are?

I know it’s his family home, but he has a place.

This isn’t a hotel. There aren’t industrial locks on the doors to keep me from tripping and falling on his cock.

“So, you’re not together?” Mom asks, and Maeve snorts. “Because that exchange looked very sexually charged.”

“And I don’t need to remind you, but sex leads to gorgeous little girls. Not that I’m complaining because she’s my new favorite.”

“Wow. Thanks, Mom,” Ingrid signs and says, while I drop my head down, my shoulders crowding my ears.

What the hell is happening?

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

My baby and my girl are staying at my mom’s.

With me.

I wasn’t expecting that turn of events, but thank God Anya likes to redo her house all the time. I could kiss her if I didn’t think she’d hold me down and bitch at me for chasing offher daughter after knocking her up. I smile to myself as I head toward my apartment. That went as well as I thought it would. I was fully ready to be questioned, to be blamed, but what I wasn’t ready for was how strong Audrina would be as she stood her ground. She made it seem like she couldn’t handle them, but she did. She didn’t need to wait three years; she could have done that before, but…maybe she couldn’t have.

Maybe she needed to have Arwen and be a mom first before she faced her own mom.

No matter what, I’m stoked they’re staying here.

Audrina and Arwen, my girls.

I use my key to enter my apartment just as Telly yells out in pure frustration. “Dude, cover my fucking ass!”

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