Marnie’s grin widened. “I think you just volunteered yourself for babysitting duty.”
“Really?” I gasped. “I’m definitely up for it when I’m not working at the bakery because I love kids, but you barely know me.”
“You’re with Hunter. That’s all I need to know,” she replied.
“Same,” Ellery echoed.
Rhiannon patted her belly. “I’ll definitely take all the help I can get.”
Three men joined us in the kitchen, all clearly Iron Rogues members based on their vests. One of them was holding the most adorable little girl who looked to be about a year and a half old. Her eyes were sleepy as she tucked her face against his broad chest.
A guy who looked slightly familiar, with a patch on his leather that named him Viper made a beeline for Rhiannon as I remembered that he’d been with Wesley the day we first met. “You need anything, gorgeous?”
She tilted her head back to smile at him. “Nope, I’m good.”
His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the mug in her hand. “What’re you drinking?”
“Don’t worry. It’s herbal tea.” She heaved a deep sigh. “I didn’t try to sneak in some coffee while you were busy.”
He set his hand on top of hers over her belly. “That’s my good girl.”
His praise sounded so much like Wesley had yesterday when he’d called me a good girl that I shivered remembering it. Luckily, he was the only one who noticed since the other two men strode toward their women to ask similar questions.
After they got the same answers, Wesley murmured, “You want some coffee?”
“Get it while you still can,” Marnie suggested.
The tall, tattooed man behind her chuckled, making me blush harder.
“Knock it off, Ice,” Wesley growled before guiding me over to a chair.
“Guess we can save giving you shit for another time,” the man holding the little girl muttered.
Wesley shook his head and shot him a dry look. “Thanks for the favor, Whiskey.”
His club brother smirked. “Anything for you, man.”
The easy camaraderie between them all settled something in my chest. But it was still a lot to get used to. A new place and people, so I stuck close to Wesley for the first few minutes, helping where I could and mostly trying not to fidget.
When Ellery offered to let me hold Porter while she ate the plate of pancakes Whiskey brought her, I jumped at the chance. He was soft and warm, smelling faintly of baby shampoo. I cuddled him close and made a silly face that had him cooing up at me.
I didn’t realize how quiet it had gotten until I looked up and saw Wesley watching me. His eyes burned with something I didn’t know how to name, but it made my breath catch in my chest.
I didn’t know if it was wishful thinking, but I swore I saw some possessiveness mixed with hunger in his amber orbs.
It was almost enough to distract me from the fact that he hadn’t used protection when we had sex. I hadn’t really thought about it until now, while we were surrounded by his club brothers, their wives, and babies. Definitely not the right time to bring it up.
I watched as Whiskey brushed a kiss across Ellery’s temple while she fed their little girl bites of pancake. His arm was draped over the back of their daughter’s chair, his hand resting on his wife’s shoulder with casual, easy affection. Marnie leaned into Ice’s side, and even with a baby strapped to her chest and spit-up on her shoulder, he looked at her like she hung the moon. Viper’s position next to Rhiannon was much the same, except his hand still rested on her pregnant belly.
They were all big, tough men. Bikers who were part of a motorcycle club that locals seemed to both respect and fear. The kind of guys who could probably snap bones without breaking a sweat. But the way they looked at their women wasn’t just gentle.
It was pure love. And they didn’t care who knew.
I couldn’t help but think about the way Wesley had cuddled me this morning, holding me as though I belonged in his arms. And of how he hadn’t hesitated to protect me—even before we really knew each other.
Then there was the way his voice went rough when he called me sunshine. And good girl.
I curled my arms a little tighter around Porter and looked back at the man I was quickly falling for. He was still watching me, his jaw tight, like he was holding back everything he wanted to say.