Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Judah, however, settled right in. He even napped better than he had since he was a newborn. Long and deep enough to allow me time to clean up his toys, to do some straightening up and meal-prepping.
Little by little, though, I could feel my shoulders relaxing. Each time I walked out of our room and into the main area of the house to find… no one watching us, no one making sure I was feeding Judah exactly what was allowed, no one pacing the grounds with guns, so I couldn’t leave.
To an extent, I don’t think I realized just how many eyes were on me until there were none.
I mean, yeah, Aurelio was around in the early mornings, and came home in the late afternoons. But it was different. He wasn’t looking to judge. He was just looking.
And on more than one occasion, if I walked away to move the wash along or grab something, when I came back, Aurelio was suddenly on the floor—in his expensive suit—playing with Judah. Helping him with puzzles. Building with blocks. Running little wooden trucks along the floor.
Warren never played with Judah.
The extent of his interest in his son was dropping into the nursery a time or two a day to look at him. Maybe pat the kid’s head. But never, ever, actually interacting with him.
Because, I guess, interacting with kids required a certain level of selflessness and whimsy.
Warren didn’t possess either of those traits.
It was on the fifth day of living in Aurelio’s home that something unexpected happened.
I was grabbing a cup of milk for Judah, part of our bedtime ritual, and I came back to the bedroom to find Judah sitting on Aurelio’s chest while Aurelio read him one of his books.
I don’t have the right words to explain what the sensation was then.
Like a squeezing in my chest.
Like that swirly sensation in your belly you get when driving too quickly over a hill, making your tummy bottom out for a second.
What was that?
Longing?
It sure felt like longing.
For what?
A father—a real, loving, interactive—father for Judah?
Or was it desire for Aurelio?
Or, possibly, both?
As I watched, Judah did a big yawn, then pulled his new favorite blanket up, and started to rub the edge against his nose, a telltale sign he was close to passing out.
I didn’t dare interrupt.
I knew from experience that if you accidentally woke him up when he was so effortlessly putting himself to sleep, I would be up for hours rocking, singing, practically pleading with him to go to sleep.
So I just leaned in the doorway, listening to Aurelio’s deep, rich, soothing voice wash over me as he continued to read.
Judah’s eyes slow-blinked for a while before they shut completely, almost immediately starting to flicker as his little lips made sucking movements, something he’d still been doing since we’d gotten rid of pacifiers months ago.
Aurelio kept reading, though.
And I couldn’t seem to stop my gaze from slipping to his, watching his gorgeous face as a whole for a long time, then eventually dipping to his lips, watching them form around the words as he read.
I was so focused on those lips that I didn’t even notice that he’d closed the book.
And that those lips were speaking to me.
Until he called my name. “Claire?”
“Yeah?” I asked, gaze shooting up, face immediately heating, wondering if he’d noticed where my gaze had been focused.
“What are the chances I can transfer him without the drop-down waking him up?” he asked.
My lips curved up, never ceasing to be amazed by how much he knew about babies and kids, even though he didn’t have any of his own.
“The trick is to shift him into your arms. And jiggle as you lower down,” I told him, going over to the crib to lower the front down. “Then sometimes I even jiggle the mattress for a minute or two to make sure.”
To that, he nodded as he slowly shifted Judah into his arms.
Then, to my absolute wonder, he started to hum to him as he got to his feet.
Hum.
I didn’t think I’d ever heard a man hum before.
Least of all to a baby.
This time, when it coursed through me, I wasn’t confused.
It was absolutely attraction.
I stood back, watching as Aurelio stood in front of the crib for a second, jiggling, humming, making sure Judah was good and out before lowering him down.
I waited on bated breath for the wail.
But it never came.
Not even as Aurelio pulled up the bars, making the crib jolt.
Turning to me, he reached out for the baby monitor, switching it on.
“Can I interest you in a drink?” he asked.
God.
I didn’t even remember the last time I’d had a sip of alcohol.
It felt so indulgent. So… human. To share a drink with another adult.
“Yeah,” I said, genuinely excited as I closed Judah’s door with a quiet click, then followed Aurelio downstairs, trying not to marvel at how well he filled out his button-down. Or how nice of an ass he had.