Page 33 of I've Got You

“She okay?”

My heart did a weird palpitation thing when I heard the concern in his voice. “Sort of. She’ll be fine. She has a fever and has been sick. She’s teething.” I stood as I spoke and headed toward her room.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Nah. I was just about to eat, but that’s already gone cold and will taste like crap.” I sighed. “We’ll be fine. I’ll settle her down and just head to bed or something, try and get some sleep when I can.”

“You need to eat.”

That erratic beat spasmed once more in my chest. Concern. Someone looking out for me who wasn’t obliged to. “Honestly, I’ll be fine. I won’t be at work tomorrow, so I can recoup and look after my girl should she have a bad night.” With my hand on the door handle to her room, I said, “Thanks, man, but I’ve gotta go. I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?”

“Sure. I hope Libby feels better.”

After we said goodbye, I tucked my phone away and stepped into Libby’s bedroom. She lay in her crib sounding utterly miserable.

“Come on, pretty girl.” I scooped her up, and she immediately placed her head on my shoulder, obviously exhausted, sobbing a little quieter. I hushed her, reached for the high cabinet in her room, and pulled out the teething gel. It was still too soon for more medicine. I sat with her in the soft chair in her room and took in her teary face. She looked back at me, her bottom lip sticking out, and sniffled. Her tears were settling, but the stray one still broke my heart. God, I hated it when she was so upset.

I maneuvered her so I could open the gel, then rubbed some into her gums. She was definitely cutting two teeth. “Better than going through this another time by doing them double-whammy, right.” She continued to sniff as I spoke, allowing me to rub her gums without a struggle. Once done, I placed her against my chest, her favorite position for settling and drifting off, and she snuggled against me.

I started singing her a lullaby, completely off-key and making up the words halfway through as I was useless at remembering lyrics. No doubt she’d give me shit for it when she got older, but at eleven months, I could get away with it for a little longer.

After about twenty minutes, and too many weird songs later, her breathing settled, her sobs completely gone. I eased out of the chair and placed her gently in the crib. After tucking her in and placing her blankie next to her, I double-checked her monitor was still set and headed out. As soon as I closed the door, my text alert pinged, and I froze. I listened to see if Libby stirred, knowing I was so lucky it had gone off now rather than when I was settling her.

Opening the text, I grinned, seeing it was from Scott.

Scott: I didn’t want to knock, but there’s something on your porch. Be sure to eat it while it’s hot. I hope Libby feels better.

What the hell?

I headed to the door, careful not to bound down the staircase and make a heap of noise. As I tugged open the door, I saw Scott’s car pull away and watched his lights disappear as he turned the corner of my street. When I glanced around my porch, my gaze quickly landed on the brown paper bag. I grinned, my curiosity piqued and my stomach somersaulting.

I didn’t open the bag until I was in the kitchen. Noodle soup. Scott had brought me soup so I wouldn’t go to bed on an empty stomach. It was crazy sweet. What the hell was I meant to do with that gesture apart from swoon and fall for the idiot even more? Screw a quick kiss. Scott was going to be mine.

Chapter Twelve

SCOTT

Bright morning sunfiltered through my uncovered window and for once made me smile. Rather than duck under the covers, I grinned like a loon and stretched. I glanced toward my phone and couldn’t resist grabbing it and taking a look. A new message from Davis waited for me, and my cock twitched.

Last night, nerves had thrummed through me, my heartbeat fast and urging me on to pick up some noodle soup and drop it at Davis’s porch. I hadn’t wanted to be caught, soup—and balls—in hand and left stuttering at the ground, looking and sounding like a fool. I was not one for grand gestures. There’d never been a cause or a need. But hearing Davis, the exhaustion in his voice, knowing he was going to have a nightmare of a night, I’d simply reacted and found myself ordering food and racing away from his place as soon as I’d sent him a text.

His text back had made my chest expand and my cock take notice. I’d then spent an hour watching porn, the whole time making mental notes of what I would seriously like to try with Davis, while being turned on to the point I’d exploded. Twice. On the flipside, my ass had seen zero action from a real penis. My cheeks heated when I thought of the dildo I’d ordered a few weeks back and had been experimenting with.

I opened the message.

Davis: Coffee’s on. Get your lazy ass over here.

I threw my bedcovers off after shooting him a quick reply letting him know I was on my way. It didn’t take long to get myself together, and then I was in my car and pulling up outside his place. Taking a deep breath before I exited, I swallowed the nerves attempting to force their way to the surface. I felt giddy and ridiculous, sure this was how I’d have felt going to collect a guy for a date should I have had the opportunity. I hadn’t. I liked Davis, a lot, more than I’d ever liked anyone, and admitting that to myself was one heck of a rush.

Before I knew it, I was in front of Davis’s door and knocking.

“Come on in,” his voice called, and I smiled as I opened the door and entered. “We’re in the kitchen.” I continued through and stopped short when I took in the scene before me. Davis was shirtless. His jeans sat on his hips, leaving very little to my imagination. Hell, I’d already spent countless hours imagining the happy trail that lay beneath his beltline. He was half turned toward me, a smile on his face and a shirt in his hands. “Hey.”

I removed my tongue from the roof of my mouth and remembered how to speak and breathe. “Hey, all good in here?” I couldn’t resist another slow examination of his bare skin.

His small laugh had my gaze meeting his. His eyes were wide, amusement dancing in their depths. “We are indeed.”

Right, Libby. My gaze jerked in her direction. Covered in what looked to be oatmeal, she looked thoroughly happy. “Da Da.” She whacked her plastic spoon on her high chair tray and giggled.

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