Page 91 of One Unexpected Gift

“Is that okay?”

She nodded and he mentally fist pumped the air. The spare room across the hall was completely empty so Gabriella’s wails would echo and easily be heard from their room. His room. No, their room. He liked the sound of that. Having Skylar’s things stored in his dresser, her clothes taking up half the closet, her cosmetics in his bathroom didn’t give him the heebie jeebies.

It had annoyed him at first when he and Trish got an apartment together outside Austin. Her stuff was everywhere, and he grew tired of tripping over it after a few days. Going away on his trips with his buddies was the mental space he needed so he could cope living with her when he returned.

Not that it was all bad. They’d had fun for a few years when they were dating. They just weren’t meant to be wed. They didn’t move in together until he’d been a fool and dropped to his knees in front of his family trying to impress his mother.

Had he lived with Trish before then, he would have learned they weren’t compatible. Their two-year dating life consisted of two or three nights together and the rest of the time he had to himself or with his buddies. He’d never wanted to spend seven days a week with her, and she didn’t want the same from him.

That should have been an early sign that married life wouldn’t be the same as it was for his parents. With Skylar, however, he wanted to be with her every day. He missed her when he had to go to work, when he had to climb into bed alone. And it wasn’t just because of the sex. Hell, they hadn’t had sex since they conceived Gabriella.

Nick popped open the playpen and made sure the bottom sheet was secure, then neatly folded the blanket like Skylar had shown him.

He’d stubbed his toe on this thing a few times and not once had it bothered him. He’d stepped on a pacifier, a rattle. He’d been spit up on, and even had his share of leaky diapers soak through his shirts, and not once had he wished for his own space.

The timing was right. He truly believed what he’d told Skylar in the car. Had she shown up on his doorstep with her pregnant belly he would have been annoyed like he was with Trish.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

What he did know was that he wasn’t annoyed now. Giving Skylar some alone time with Gabriella, he slipped into his master bath and took a quick shower. By the time he came out, dressed only in his boxer briefs, both mother and child were fast asleep.

Nick carefully picked up the sleeping baby from Skylar’s arms and carried her to the other room. Once he was assured she was comfortable and safe, he padded across the hall to his room. Their room. The few married guys he knew joked about married sex. How it wasn’t as exciting as dating sex. The guys with kids had said sex was nonexistent.

Nothing like going into a relationship ass backwards. At least he’d know right off the bat if this thing with Skylar was sustainable. Nick turned off the lights and slid into bed next to her. She moaned softly, rolling over so her back was to him.

While spooning without the sex hadn’t been the game plan thirty minutes ago, he had Skylar in his bed, in his arms. He’d take what he could get. With a satisfied smile on his face, he drifted off to sleep.

***

She was dreaming about Gabby’s laughter and coos. Oh, how that sound could turn any miserable day into the best day of her life. One smile, one drooly grin, those little dancing feet kicking in the air could make all Skylar’s troubles go away.

Snuggling deeper into her pillow, she heard it again. The bed dipped causing her to roll onto her stomach, squishing her full breasts. Creeping open one eye, she startled at the figure sitting next to her.

“Nick?”

“Sorry to wake you, baby, but someone’s hungry.”

Skylar rubbed the sleepy seeds out of her eyes. “I just fed her a few minutes ago.”

Nick chuckled. “More like almost seven hours ago.”

“Seven? Gabby’s never slept for seven hours straight.”

“You two were exhausted. And by the look on her face, I bet she’ll go back to sleep as soon as she eats. I already changed her.” He handed her to Skylar.

“You did? I can’t believe I didn’t hear you two.” Gabby latched on and took a few sucks before her whole body went limp. She continued to nurse, but in quiet contempt instead of ravenous hunger.

“She was all giggles and smiles when I went in there. I took her downstairs to play for a bit since she seemed wide awake but not ready to eat.”

It warmed and amazed Skylar how quickly Nick had adapted to the role of fatherhood. “You must be exhausted.”

“I’ve only had two nights of this. You’ve had more than two months. I don’t think I have the right to complain about being woken up in the middle of the night. Especially when I have this warm, sexy body wrapped around me.” He rubbed her legs and seduced her with his blue eyes.

“This warm, sexy body that fell asleep when it had promised a fun night of bedroom gymnastics.”

“I’m all about building anticipation.”

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