Bringing my head up, I frowned at Maddie's back. "What has that got to do with anything?"
"Other than the fact that they're great to look at?"
Glancing down at my suckling baby, I then looked back up at Maddie. "Are you the one who needs a lobotomy?"
With an exasperated sigh, Maddie turned back around. "I'm saying, they're out for others to see. Like Burke. You know, your husband."
"I don't whip them out like a girl looking for beads at Mardis Gras."
"Well, no shit, but you could when he's in the room. I mean subtly, like you are now, but more flesh."
"You have a screw loose." I rolled my eyes and watched Finn make a fist before resting it on my pale skin. Okay, so they were bigger because I was breastfeeding, but they also leaked all the time. "I have to wear breast pads to keep milk from soaking through my clothes. How am I supposed to make that sexy?"
"It was just a suggestion. Isn't there a time when that will go away?"
"Maybe." But I'd fed Finn plenty of times in front of Burke, and never thought he was staring at my chest. "Wait, there are times when he sits near me and watches, but I thought he was looking at his son."
"Maybe he was." Maddie scraped a random piece of wallpaper off the window frame. "Or maybe he was thinking, gee, I miss those tits being in my mouth."
"Maddie!"
She laughed. "Don't be a prude."
"I am not a prude." Well, maybe I was.
"My point is simply that you can let the opportunity present itself. You have to take charge of your life, and that includes your husband. Communicate with him and don't be afraid to let him lust after you."
"I don't see how I'll be anything but exhausted for another year or so." Sighing, I picked Finn up and rested him against my shoulder to burp him. "But I'll give it some thought."
22
Burke
I hated that I'd been gone for so long. One week turned into three faster than I could say fucked up shipments and incompetent idiots. The lieutenants shouldn't need Caden up their asses to make sure they did their jobs properly, but that's how they acted. I went from thinking I'd rearrange management within the corporation, check a few properties and go home, to getting stuck in Bristol. It wasn't my intention to make a habit of business trips, but some matters required my personal attention.
As I promised myself I would, I took time out of the schedule on the last day to visit a jewelry store. Embarrassingly, I realized I had no clue what Kinsley would like, so I decided to pick out several styles and bring them back to her. The jeweler was quick to offer them on loan, making me grateful to be well enough known I could do that. I would allow Kinsley to pick which set she liked best and have the others sent back.
For myself, I bought a plain platinum band. I didn't need diamonds or anything fancy and didn't feel the need to show off. It was as simple as wanting it known I was a married man. Hopefully, Kinsley would be happy with my gesture, despite the way she constantly reminded me she didn't need things. It was a symbol more than it was decoration, and that was something I felt certain she would recognize.
Pissed that I'd officially missed more of Finn's life than I'd been present for, I asked around for the best baby store and then spent an inordinate amount of time in it. Of course, I was surrounded by security men when I went shopping. Never again would I make the mistake of thinking I could go anywhere alone, even for a second.
As I browsed through the children's store, I wished for a moment I'd hired a personal assistant, but I rarely saw the need. Besides, if I couldn't choose a few gifts for my child, then I was truly lost. The sales clerk followed me around, commenting on all my choices.
I picked up a soft blue blanket, and she said, "This one is perfect for a baby boy." She gave me no choice but to pick a different one to spite her.
I rolled my eyes when I picked up two clip-on pacifier sets, and she commented, "You have such wonderful taste."
But her last comment made me pause. "Shall I deliver these for you?"
"That depends. Are you personally offering to bring them to my house in Boston?"
Blushing, she dipped her blonde head. "Yes, I would be more than happy to do that for you."
"Then no. My men will take care of everything."
What was it about that town, with women putting themselves in my path repeatedly? In Boston, I had a distinct buffer nobody crossed into, but here they went out of their way to put their feet in their mouths. Why would anyone offer such a thing to a man wearing a wedding ring and picking out baby items?
I was itching to leave that city behind and go back to a petite brunette and a little ebony-haired baby. It hadn't occurred to me until I left, but I missed Kinsley. It was almost a shock to think I enjoyed my wife’s company. Maybe we could have something real if I worked on it.
