Page 32 of The Little Black Rose

“A donut,” she clarifies, and my muscles relax as I shake my head.

“No, those are for you,” I say, moving closer.

“Good answer,” she says, grinning as she closes the box and shoves it into the fridge. Turning back to me, she nods toward the table. “We should discuss the house rules.”

“House rules?” I ask, hurrying forward to hold her chair for her as she slides into it.

“Rule number one,” she says, looking up at me. “Make yourself comfortable. This is your home now, too, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to ask for anything…except maybe my sweet treats. Keep your meaty paws off them.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I say with a chuckle as I slide into the chair across from her.

“Rule number two,” she says, narrowing her eyes at me. “No walking around the house naked or even in your underwear.”

“Oh, that might be a deal breaker, Ava,” I say as seriously as I can manage. “I prefer to be nude as much as possible. It’s very cathartic. You should try it.”

Her mouth forms a round “o” as her eyes widen, and I lose my grip on my humor. Laughter flows out of me, and her brown eyes narrow, shooting daggers at me.

“Very funny.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” I shoot back, and her serious visage cracks.

“Anyway, my morning sickness is pretty much gone, but I don’t want to test the theory by having you walking around in the buff.”

She fake-gags, her cheeks puffing out dramatically. I laugh again and hold up my palms in surrender.

“Fine. No nudity. Can’t upset your tender sensibilities.”

“Good,” she says, then cocks her head. “Do you have any rules for me? I want you to be comfortable, too.”

“Can I assumeyouwon’t be walking around naked or in skimpy lingerie?” I ask, arching a brow.

“Obviously,” she says, leaning back and rubbing her slightly rounded stomach. “Nobody wants to see this.”

Oh, you’re wrong there,I think, but keep the thought to myself. But I also don’t want her to think anything about her is unpleasing to the eye.

“You’re more beautiful now than I’ve ever seen you, Ava,” I say quietly.

She sucks in a shuddering breath, her eyelids blinking rapidly. “Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s the truth,” I say, then clap my hands. “As for rules, I just ask that you don’t hesitate to tell me if you need anything. No embarrassment, no pride. If you need help, ask. That’s why I’m here. I want to be your rock. Your equal partner as we navigate this pregnancy and become parents.”

“I can do that…maybe,” she says, the corners of her mouth turning up.

She’s been on her own for so long, I’m sure she’s used to doing everything for herself. She’s going to have to learn to lean on me when she needs it. And I’m going to have to prove to her she can trust me to bear the weight.

“Okay,” she says, slapping her palms against the table and pushing herself to her feet. “Let me give you the grand tour, then you can get unpacked.”

I follow her around the kitchen as she shows me where everything is kept. She heads out into the living room, pointing to the end table where the remotes for the television and the streaming device are kept, then she plucks a small white card from the T.V. stand and hands it to me, telling me it’s the wi-fi password.

She heads down the hall, opening the first door to reveal a linen closet filled with extra towels and bedding. Pointing to the door across from mine, she tells me it’s her bedroom. At the end of the hall are two more small rooms and a three-quarter bathroom.

“Oh,” she says, turning back to face me, “there’s room in the garage for your car, and there’s an extra clicker in the kitchen. Remind me to give it to you.”

I nod in response, and she shifts her weight from foot to foot as we stare at each other for several beats.

“Okay, well,” she says, snapping out of it and spinning on a heel, “I’ll leave you to it. I need to take a shower and head into work for a bit.”

She heads for her bedroom door, swinging it open. I catch a glimpse of a deep purple comforter before she turns back and gives me a small smile.

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