He smiles, but it’s not as wide as usual. “Just needed a break. You know, long hours and all.”
I don’t buy it. He always works long hours. In fact, he thrives on it. He has been chasing this addiction for years, trying to save every single one of his patients. I’ve worried it would one day catch up with him.
Instead of calling him on it in front of everyone, in such a public space, I try to steer the conversation for the next hour to lighter grounds. Right now, I’m thinking he needs to laugh and forget for a little bit.
Roman and I call it quits early so we can get back to Eva and the girls. All of the guys insist on having some kind of get-together this weekend so they can meet Eli. Not only did I worry about them being supportive, but I also had no idea how quickly they would want to be part of this new version of my life.
Roman insists we use his driver so we can get back to the girls faster.
When we walk through the door, Addie and Eli look freshly bathed, and they’re in their pajamas, resting in the dip of Eva’s arms while she reads a book.
Before I can ask how the night went, Jessie comes walking out from the kitchen with two bottles in her hand. My heart and body both take notice.
“Hi.” She smiles at me while she continues to walk the bottles over to Eva.
She hands Eva a bottle, then takes my daughter into her arms and sits down next to Eva and begins to feed her the bottle.
The image of it—like the scene from the other morning—sticks with me, tangling everything in my head. I don’t know how to separate the simplicity of casually dating from the reality that she’s woven so tightly into the most intimate parts of my life. She’s not just someone I’m seeing. She’s already part of the moments that matter most.
“I called Jessie to come hang with me while you guys were out,” Eva clarifies, like it matters to me the reason she’s here. I’m just happy to see her. “I just want to give Addie this bottle, and then we need to head out.”
“How was the night out?” Jessie asks as Roman and I take a seat in the chairs diagonal from them.
“Good,” I reply. “It was really nice to see the guys.”
Eva and Jessie give each other a knowing look.
“Did you tell them about Eli?” Eva asks.
Roman smiles. “He told them. I can tell he was nervous. Not sure why. He should know by now that we’ve always got his back.”
“Good for you,” Eva says. “I know it was hard for you to do that. All of this will get easier. If I haven’t said it already, I’m so proud of how you’ve taken all of this on. You jumped into this role as Eli’s father so seamlessly, and you’re doing a phenomenal job. She’s so lucky to have you.”
“Thanks, sis,” I choke out, filled with emotion.
Addie sucks her bottle down like a champ, beating Eli by a landslide. Eva gets a burp out of her immediately. Then they get her strapped into the car seat and head downstairs to the driver, leaving me and Jessie alone.
Eli finishes her bottle, and Jessie giggles. “Dude, she is conked out. Look at the milk coma this girl is in right now.”
Eli’s bottom lip is hanging open, her precious eyelids shut, and she’s not making the tiniest movement, even as Jessie nudges her arm slightly.
I smile. “Last time she did that, she nearly slept through the night.”
“Oh, maybe you’ll get lucky tonight.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
My body goes rigid at the possibility. I look her up and down. “I hope so.”
She swallows. “I can go put her in her bassinet.”
Heat surges through me at the thought of her here, close enough to touch. The memory of her last night—writhing beneath her own hand—burns bright in my mind, making the need to claim her almost unbearable.
The moment she walks out of my room, I push myself out of the chair and stalk right up to her. Her eyes open wide, surprised for a fleeting second, before I see the desire etched inside of them.
I walk forward, but she takes a step back.
“Jessie,” my deep voice says, “do you think you are in control again?”
Another step forward, but she does the same thing. “I’m always in control,” she whispers.
