Poppy hissed. Parts of her body thumped on the floor. I was pretty sure she also smacked into the wall.
“Remind me to move some of my clothes in here,” she muttered.
I leaned back on the bed, watching her through the gloom. “Why wouldn’t you move all your things in here?”
She paused.
Sheremembered.
“Oh, yeah,” she said in a breathless laugh. “I guess that’s the next step.”
It was.
“First thing in the morning,” I said, rising and turning on the lamp. “Go to the bathroom, and I’ll bring some clothes for you.”
Poppy pointed a finger at me. “No dresses.”
I smirked. That was exactly what I had in mind.
“It’s not that kind of night,” she added, and I sobered.
She was right. Of course she was.
By the time she changed and was ready, Kiril pushed through the back door.
He gave me a cold smile, but the lethal quality was lost when he yawned.
“We just got the baby to sleep,” he sighed.
Poppy patted his sleeve as she passed. I bore my teeth, and my soldier winced. Poppy rolled her eyes and held open the back door.
“Get over it, Ivan. He reminds me of my cousin Theo.” And to Kiril, she said, “We owe you and Katerina a few nights of baby duty. Starting tonight, okay?”
Kiril fought another yawn as he nodded.
We were out of the house and in the car moments later. Poppy sank back into the seat, her hand absently rubbing along the seatbelt that crossed her stomach.
“I don’t babysit,” I grumped, backing into the alley and then pulling onto the street.
She snorted. “Think of it as an investment. We put in time now, and when it’s our turn, they’ll be there for us.”
Our turn.
I reached over, caught her hand, and pressed it along her belly. “I’ll be the one taking care of our child, Poppy.”
She gave me an amused look. “Babies are alotof work.”
I shook my head and accelerated. “I wasn’t there the last time. It’s on me now.”
“If you say so.” She chuckled.
Clearly, she wasn’t convinced. It didn’t matter. When the time came that a baby cried the whole night, she would see that I was tireless. If it took walking or rocking, I would put in the hours. The baby would be ours—and I was going to be there for every last part.
As the lights of Nosktuvka twinkled at the end of the street, Poppy shook off whatever thoughts occupied her mind. She stiffened, a determined look falling over her face.
“Won’t there be witnesses? Isn’t it risky doing business here?” She bit her lip.
I pulled around back, parking alongside the building. “The club closed early.”
