Page 12 of Santa Baby

Even as she says it, she starts shifting around in my lap playing hell with my self-control. But after a few minutes of just holding her, she does start to relax.

“See this is nice. No rush, no fast moves, just relaxing with one another.” She doesn’t answer me, but she doesn’t stiffen up again either. I shift so I can see her face and realize her eyes are closed and her head is leaning against my shoulder. I smile to myself as I settle back down and get comfortable while holding her.

We didn’t fail. Talia did get comfortable with me…so much so that she went to sleep on me. I rearrange us so her head is lying better against me and rub up and down her back. Even this will help her get used to my touch and help her relax around me. She must have been exhausted to fall asleep so fast while she was straddling my lap.

I let my hands roam over her to memorize her form before reaching for the remote and turning something on. Finally, after a couple of hours living with the world’s worst case of blue balls, I stand and carry her up to my bed where Noelle is resting in her crib. I click the baby monitor off now that we are in the same room and lay Talia on the bed.

I'm not sure if she was aware this was my room when we moved the baby’s crib up here but it’s too late to raise concerns now since she’s asleep and so is the baby. I work her leggings off and then gently remove the sweater she was bundled up in. I worry she’s going to wake when I have to take it over her head, but she only rolls and snuggles into the soft sheets surrounding her.

Looking at her in my big bed, she looks tiny and small even though she’s curvy as hell and there is plenty to keep a man’s hands full. I take in everything about her now that I can look without having to pretend I’m not as interested in her as I am or as drawn to her as I find myself. Her dark hair spread over the silk sheets making my hands itch to touch, to trace, the same way I did her back and the swell of her bottom when she fell asleep on me.

I run my palm down the front of her tank. Not in a creepy way so I can feel her softness underneath but in more of a worshipful way. I can’t believe this woman is in my bed, in my home. Soon she’ll have my last name, she already owns my world. Finally, I allow myself to shuck my shirt and go look for pajama bottoms so I can crawl in beside her and hold her all night long.

It might be early in the game but so far, I would say I am right where I want to be.

Chapter Ten

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Talia

I wake up to an empty bed and look around disoriented about where I’m at and where Noelle is. When I finally remember agreeing to move in with Nic, I flop back on the nest of pillows behind me. Then I start searching for my phone.

I don’t know how late it is, but it feels late. When I finally find it, I freak out a little bit.

“Oh my God! Oh my God!”

I quickly dress and run down the stairs to find Noelle… on the floor…with Nic. Both of them turn to me when I stumble off the last step and stare at both of them. Nic gives me a big smile as he scoops Noelle up in his arms. “We were getting to know one another a little better.”

Seeing him in the floor, playing with the baby does something funny to my heart…and my stomach. I sit down with them and give Noelle my hand so she can put it in her mouth.

“Don’t let her fool you, she’s already had breakfast.”

I giggle as she noms on each finger and then starts exploring the space around us. “I, um, am sorry about last night.”

I need to apologize before I do anything else. The last thing I want is for him to feel awkward around me or to think that I might be bored by him…or worse.

“Last night?” He gives me a questioning look forcing me to explain.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. It has nothing to do with you. I was just…”

“Tired. I understand. You’ve gone through a lot to be everything for Noelle. Don’t be sorry because you had to crash for a minute.”

“Or eight hours.”

“Really. There is nothing for you to feel bad about. I want to help you and Noelle. And if that means I give you some time to do a basic human function then…I’m happy to help.” I give him a smile and feel myself relax for the first time since we got here when he starts to speak again. “I figure we’ll spend Thanksgiving here and for Christmas, we’ll go home - to the big house.”

“The big house?”

“It’s what we call the ancestorial home. Mom stays there more than she does in the city.”

I feel the smile melt off my face at the mention of his mom. “You’re…mom? Oh my God, won’t she realize immediately something is off? You can’t fool a mom. She’ll see right through us.”

He gives me an even bigger grin than he gave to Noelle. “She already knows.”

My mouth falls open. “Oh great! She probably thinks I’m some opportunist or…worse.”

“She’s excited to meet you and Noelle.”

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