“I sure do.” Lynx wrapped her in tight. “I’m here to take good care of you like I used to do for Quinney ... I mean, Quinn.”
“Yay! Mom had a baby. A girl, so everything is going to be pink! Dad’s all grumpy and says he has three girls, including Mom, to make him crazy now.”
“I bet he is.” Lynx laughed. “Your dad is a tad overprotective.”
Sadie caught my eye. “We were just up there, and then the nurse shooed us out so she could help Nat get more comfortable. I kind of got the gang all candied out.”
“No problem. When can we go back up?”
Sadie started to answer me when her eyes caught on the door. I turned to see what captured her gaze, and of course, it was Billy. He was my replacement in Vegas, and another strip-club employee smitten with a dancer.
“Hey, Sadie,” he said, shuffling some flowers in his hands.
“We had to leave the room.” Sadie’s gaze softened as she took in the flowers. “But those are beautiful.”
Billy shrugged. “Yeah, I thought Natalie deserved something after pushing out Asher’s fourth kid.”
“Blech.” Quinn pretended to throw up as Lillie and Parker ran in circles around Lynx.
“Okay, okay,” I told Billy. “Why don’t you two go home? We’ll take the kids up soon and give Nat your flowers, and then take the kids home.”
“I brought Asher’s SUV with the car seats.” Billy handed me the keys, looking mighty happy to get a baby-fevered Sadie to himself.
“Of course,” I said like I knew what the hell I was talking about. “Car seats.”
I really know nothing about babies or kids.
“Michael.” Lynx put a hand on my arm, bringing me out of my head. “Let’s go up. Worry about whatever you’re worrying about later.”
I nodded and tossed my arm around my woman, who had two kids holding onto one of her hands and Quinn walking protectively by her other side. Life was good, man.
Lynx
LYNX PEEKEDinside the hospital room and found Natalie lying in bed, a baby asleep on her chest and Asher out cold in the chair.
“Hey,” Lynx whispered.
Natalie waved her in. The woman looked gorgeous, her brown hair brushed smooth, and wearing no makeup.
A commotion sounded out in the hall, and Natalie smiled. “Bring ’em back in. My brood.”
Lynx went to the door and waved, and in walked the troops.
“Daddy,” Parker yelled, wrestling Asher from his sleep.
“Hey, dude.” Asher scooped him up and placed him on his lap, kissing his cheek. “You smell like peanut butter and chocolate. Where’s my candy?”
“I ate it all!”
“You little sh—” Asher winked, and Natalie glared at him. “I mean, you should have.”
Mike laughed. “Caught Quinn about to make the same mistake downstairs.”
This time, Natalie turned her glare on Quinn.
“Who do we have here?” Mike leaned over the baby.
“This is Lulu.” Natalie lifted the small bundle off her chest, and showed off the baby’s perfect little face and sleepy eyes. “Isn’t she perfect? Her eyes are light blue, so I’m hoping they go silver like her daddy’s. That’s what Parker’s did.”
Lynx walked toward the bed, her hormones in high gear. “Can I hold her?”
“Of course.”
Lynx held the little baby until it was time to go, her only solace knowing she was able to play house for the next few days with the other kids.
She wanted a baby.
Bad.
