Page 27 of Twice the Rivalry

Code didn’t say anything, but watched her with an expression on his face she couldn’t quite decipher. Finally he said, “Give him to me,” and held out his hands for the baby.

“Nope,” she replied immediately. “He’s staying with me. We finally got him to stop fussing. If you make him cry, his mother will come down here, and she needs to sleep.”

He rolled his eyes. “She won’t hear him. This room is soundproof. And I’m used to kids, so give him here.” He waggled his fingers and scooted closer.

She turned her body away and scowled at him. “I just got him, and he’s comfortable.”

“Jesus, I’m not going to steal him forever,” Code said in exasperation. “Just hand him over for a minute. Besides, your stuff was beeping a minute ago, so you probably need to check that.”

She looked back at her computer, and she did indeed see an alert waiting for her. She looked down at the now-dozing little boy and sighed. “Fine, you can have him while I deal with this, but then I want him back.” She carefully transferred him over to Code’s arms and watched as he expertly shifted him to the crook of his elbow before turning back to his own computer, rocking his arm when Harley started to fuss.

Code glanced at her. “What?”

“You’re far too at ease with a baby, considering there’s none running around here,” she remarked thoughtfully. “Had some practice, have you?”

He shrugged. “My brothers each have two kids, so I’m used to my nieces and nephews, I guess,” he replied.

“Huh. I never pictured you as an uncle,” she said as she turned back to her computer.

“Why not? Something wrong with me?” he asked curiously.

“You just don’t strike me as the type to like kids,” she said as she opened her alert. It was a message from Simba to let her know they were going to sleep for a few more hours and then head out. She sent a quick message back to let him know she got the message.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Code said drily.

Oh how wrong he was, she thought. Though, she hadn’t done a deep dive; only enough to make sure he was who he said he was, but it looked like she was going to have to dive back in.

Win hurried in with a diaper bag and some kind of sling over her chest. “Got everything,” she said, a little out of breath.

Glitch stood and took everything from her, and smiled. “Thanks, babes. I think Wren is upstairs helping Harlow get settled down.”

“I’ll go up and see if they need anything. Are we still good to practice tonight?”

“Yep,” Glitch said with a smile as she set the diaper bag on the floor and picked up the sling. “I’ll message Karissa too.” Win nodded and then hurried out. Glitch looked at the sling and figured out how to put it on. Once she had it secured, she turned back to Code and demanded, “Give him back so I can get some work done.”

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

CODE

He looked down at Harley, who was fast asleep, clearly content to be where he was. “He’s fine,” he told Glitch with a shake of his head.

“It wasn’t a suggestion,” she said firmly. “Give him here.” She stepped closer so that she was in his space and her knees pressed against his outer thigh.

He glanced down at her knees and then back up at her face, arching a brow at her. “Just can’t stop touching me, can you?” he taunted her.

She rolled her eyes. “How about we not talk about how annoying you are, and get back to you handing him over to me before you wake him again with all your blathering.”

“Blathering?” Code repeated in amusement. “What is this, eighteenth century England?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Not my fault you have no culture in your life,” she sniffed. “Now, would you shut up and give me the baby?”

He had half a mind to keep arguing, but he had work to do. If she wanted to work with a baby strapped to her body, well, all the power to her. “Fine,” he grumbled, still wanting to at least appear disgruntled with the whole thing. Carefully, he eased Harley out of the crook of his arm and stood to hand him to Glitch.

She took him expertly, and then carefully maneuvered him into the sling. Code stood close just in case. He knew all too well how babies could squirm and wiggle with no warning. Hell, his youngest niece had done that and he almost dropped her, scaring the ever-loving shit out of him. Thankfully, Harley was more well-behaved, and settled into the sling with only a stretching sound and then a contented sigh.

Code stepped back and then let out a snort when he looked down at her. Glitch glared up at him. “What now?” she demanded as she moved slowly and carefully over to her seat and lowered herself down, being careful not to jostle the sleeping baby.

“Never realized just how small you are,” Code snickered as he looked her over. “One wrong move from him and I’ll be yelling timber as you fall.”

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