She groaned. “Another one? Jeez, you trying to make my gift seem even crappier?”
He shook his head and reached for her hand, his other one on the knob of the spare room that they never went in. “It wasn’t a crappy gift. I’ll get a lot of use out of my stir-fry book,” he said with real and genuine affection in his voice. He turned the doorknob. “Now, it’s not quite done. I thought you might want to have a hand in the final touches … ” He opened the door and flicked on the light.
She gasped and stared in amazement as she slowly spun around the room and took in the nursery. “Oh my God … ”
This man …
“You’d mentioned you wanted to do the baby’s room in yellow and gray with an owl theme, right?”
She nodded and ran her hand over the smooth, painted wood of the white sleigh crib.
“I haven’t put up much art or anything, just a few things I’ve found. But feel free to go crazy.”
“I … ” She shook her head “I can’t believe you did all of this. When?”
He shrugged. “You work a lot. I had time.”
“Did you make the crib?”
He shook his head and came up beside her. “No. I know a guy who does woodworking as a hobby. I commissioned it.”
“It’s … ” She ran her hand over the silky wood again. “It’s incredible.”
He shrugged and toed at a piece of nothing on the carpet. “I hope you don’t mind. I just wanted to help you. Take away the stress. My brothers thought I was nuts, given how big of a control freak you are.”
She was flooded with the need to be with him. Near him.
She ate up the distance between them and rested her arms on his shoulders, her hands tickling the nape of his neck. She had to lift up onto tiptoe to kiss his chin. “Thank you,” she murmured.
His arms drifted around her waist. He grunted.
She chuckled against his skin. “That all you have to say?”
He grunted again, his head tilting down and his eyes finding hers. “What do you want me to say?”
She blinked up at him and smiled. “I dunno. You just grunt an awful lot.”
He grunted again, and she giggled.
“I like the sound of your laugh,” he whispered, still gazing down at her. “It’s not a girly giggle.”
She lifted one eyebrow. “No? What is it? Awomanlygiggle?”
The corners of his eyes creased, and his mouth lifted into a lopsided smile. “Yeah.”
“I’m glad I moved in,” she said softly. “I’m happy I don’t have to do this alone.”
His hands tightened around her, and he pulled her closer. “You’re not alone.”
“Not now.”
His lips brushed her forehead. “Not ever. You, this baby, I’ll always be here. Protect you both. Take care of you.”
Emotion caught in her throat from his words. She pushed back up to her tiptoes again and lifted her head. He angled his down to hers and took her mouth. But unlike all their other passionate embraces that were fueled by lust and a carnal need, this kiss was slow, sweet and filled with something much more than Krista could even begin to decipher. Her heart constricted inside her chest, and a lone tear slowly slipped down her cheek as he continued to kiss her, to hold her, to protect her.
Her hands slid down from his shoulders and roamed across his big chest and down to the hem of his shirt. He was so warm. The heat from him radiated through the fabric and into her skin, swirling through her.
Seconds later, she found herself scooped up in his arms and being carried fireman-style down the hallway to his bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed and began peeling away her clothes. The way his eyes devoured her made her entire body pulse. He looked at her like no other man ever had. As if she was all he would ever need or want. Gooseflesh raced across her skin as he removedher pants and underwear. But his searing stare quickly warmed her. He wasn’t nearly as patient with his own clothes and removed them with deft precision and speed.
