Page 52 of The Secrets We Built Together

Last night hadn't been a mistake. It felt more like a first step. A first step toward something terrifying and wonderful but real.

And for once in my life, I wasn't looking for the escape route.

I glanced over at him as he drove us home, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. I thought about how those hands looked so strong but could be so gentle and that itch of a spark fired in the back of my mind again.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, catching me staring.

"Nothing," I lied, looking away quickly. "Just... excited about the lunch club."

He chuckled, clearly not believing me but letting it slide. "You know they're probably going to tell you all kinds of embarrassing stories about me, right?"

"That's what I'm counting on," I grinned. "I need ammunition."

"Great," he groaned. "I'm never going to live down the sheep incident."

"You still haven't told me what actually happened with those sheep."

"And I never will," he said firmly, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Some things are better left to the imagination."

As we pulled into the driveway of the cottage, I felt a strange sense of coming home. Not just to a place, but to these people—Xander and Amelia. To this unexpected life I'd found myself living.

I'd never thought I'd be the type to settle down, to find comfort in routine and stability. But maybe I'd just never had the right people to settle down with.

Or maybe I'd never been brave enough to try.

Chapter 21

Xander

Inever knew shopping could be so exhausting. I sagged onto the sofa and rolled my head back to watch Blake gliding around the kitchen, Amelia in her arms as she emptied a shopping bag and started to look for places to put things away. She made it all look so effortless. Shopping for a kid had been the best fun I'd had in a long time, especially once I managed to persuade Blake to let me pick up the bill. Target was a dream come true, one-stop shop, and thank God because a full eighteen-hour shift at the hospital hadn't made my feet hurt as much as they did right now. I might be getting soft, and something about that made me happy.

"If I can get Amelia to sleep, would you mind listening out for her for a little while?" Blake asked.

"Sure."

"Fantastic," Blake said, busying around the kitchen as she started making up a bottle. "If I can get the nursery furniture made up before tonight, then I can get the rest of this stuff putaway this evening..." Her voice trailed off, but I could see she was still running through a list of things that needed to get done in her head.

"Blake." She was still walking around the kitchen, shaking a bottle and not hearing me. "Blake. Blake. BLAKE!"

Amelia started crying, and I winced. "Sorry, I'm sorry." I got up and went to her side, cooing at Amelia. "Sorry, little bug. I didn't think."

She fussed for a minute and then settled as Blake gave her the bottle. Blake was looking at me, and I found myself lost in her eyes.

"Xander..."

"Blake," I whispered back.

All I could think about was kissing her. I was about to lean in closer when she added, "You wanted me for something."

"Yes. Right." I snapped back to attention. "You don't have to do all that by yourself. Sit down, give Amelia her bottle, and let me start putting the furniture together."

"You don't have to do that."

"Let me be a big manly man, Blake. It will be good for my ego."

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Two hours later, I was finally staring at a completed crib and flopping to the floor in relief.

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