“I mean, sure, we could sex it up in a bed next time, but I thought you’d like to get to know me better first. You know, so that you feel better about being with such a cold, unemotional man,” he delivered in a remote voice.
“Ha ha.” At least, she thought he was joking.
The gleam in his dark brown eyes and slight quirk of his lips showed he was. “Or are you a fan of wall sex instead?”
She covered the baby’s ears. “Shh. He’s too little for this talk.”
Noel snorted. “Trust me, that kid’s no innocent. He’s shoved all sorts of things into his mouth all day. Including one of my favorite silk ties. He’s been pooping and crying all day long.”
For all Noel’s harsh words, he stroked the baby’s head with a tenderness that should have surprised her but didn’t. Shenoticed the calluses on his fingers, in particular on his middle and forefinger and thumb. From lifting weights, maybe?
He saw her regard and lifted his hand to her cheek, stroking her there and making her shiver with need. His gratified smirk embarrassed her.
She bit her lip. “You do like control, don’t you?”
“I do. I live for it.” He nodded. “And that person you’re holdingis driving me to drink. How can someone that small be so dissatisfied with life? And by all that’s holy, how can he stink so badly?”
She laughed at his disgust. “He’s been with you for a few days now. This is news to you?”
“Deacon’s been handling him, mostly. But he had a project to deal with.”
“And Hammer took off,” she remembered.
“Right. Which leaves me, but I haveto go into the city tomorrow on business.” He gave her a look she couldn’t decipher. “I’ll be done by Friday. Would you like to go out Friday night?”
She said nothing, just watched him.
“In Seattle? I thought we could see a show, if you like.”
“A show?”
“A local production ofThe Taming of the Shrew.”
Her insides warmed. “Oh, Shakespeare. That would be great.”
He paused. “I thought we could spend the evening in Seattle, return on Saturday. A hotel, my treat.”
She just looked at him.
He sighed. “Two beds, I promise.”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“Of course, if you don’t think you can control yourself around me, I can get us each our own room.”
“I can control myself.” She hoped. “The question is, can you?”
He tookthe baby back in his strong arms, and she saw little Noel Jr. curl trustingly into that broad chest. “I’m not the one who escalated that kiss.” He just had to remind her. “Or who put her hot little hands down my pants to grab my—”
“Okay,” she interrupted and ushered him toward the door. “Text me the details and I’ll see you Friday.”
“No kiss?” he teased, standing at the doorway.
She pecked him on the cheek, not trusting herself, no matter what she’d said, and gently shoved him over the threshold. She heard him laugh as he walked away.
Despite handing her the baby, he hadn’t asked her to help in any other way.
Addy grinned. “Solene, you owe me twenty bucks.”
