Reagan turns her tired brown eyes on me. “I just need you now.” I toe out of my shoes and strip down. Easing into the warm water, I take Reagan in my arms.
“Is this helping you?” I wrap my arms around her, holding her close to me. There’s nothing sexual about this, our naked bodies melding together. It’s a level of intimacy that used to send me running. But now, all I want is to be here for Reagan. For the woman I love. To bring her a level of comfort that she needs.
“Mmm, it is.” She links our hands together, resting them on her bump. “How was your day?”
“Doesn’t matter,” I answer immediately. “Just want to be here with you.”
Reagan shifts in my arms, her lips kissing my jaw. “Don’t punish yourself, Leo. I’ll be okay.”
But will I be? We still have a while to go, and the thought of anything happening to Reagan or the baby…my heart stalls in my chest.
“I can hear you stressing from here.”
“Sorry. I’m trying not to.”
Reagan stands, water sluicing down her body. Flyaway hairs make her look frazzled, but her face is soft. Warm. “Let’s go to bed.”
I pop out of the tub, picking her up, arms below her knees and waist. “Leo! Put me down!” She swats at my arm.
“I will. But let me take care of you.” I drop a kiss on her temple. I set her on her feet before grabbing a fuzzy white towel and drying her off, taking great care in all the nooks and crannies.
“I think you’re good.”
I look up from where I’m drying her legs. Her bump has been getting bigger. God, it makes me feel like such a caveman seeing our baby growing. Knowing that it’s my baby inside her. My dick tries to make his presence known, but I push him down. Kissing her bump, I trail kisses up her body until I get to her now smiling face. I wrap the towel around my waist before guiding her into the bedroom.
It’s warm in here, the steam from the bathroom wafting out. Pulling the covers back, I tuck Reagan in before settling in beside her, keeping her close. Skin against skin.
“See? This is all I need.”
Reagan’s voice is quiet as she slips into sleep. The soft rise of her chest pulls me under with her.
Reagan
“Morning, sunshine.”Leo stirs beside me. We fell asleep early, but the baby made it so I couldn’t sleep past seven. So I sat here, watching Leo sleep. Even in sleep, he seemed unsettled, his brows drawn together. If I wasn’t trying to keep myself calm, I’d worry more about it.
“Morning, Rae.” He drops a kiss on my lips, morning breath and all, before popping out of the bed and going into the bathroom. His slow, measured steps give me the perfect opportunity to ogle him. The defined muscles in his back. The firm bubble of his ass. Strong legs. There’s never been an issue with chemistry between us. It was explosive immediately. It’s explosive every time we’re together.
But the longer we’re together, the more comfortable I feel with him. It’s in the tender moments like when he took care of me last night. In the way he held me last night when I was trying to keep it together. Knowing that Leo will be here for me during the hard times, not just the good, builds the trust between the two of us.
“You seem to be thinking pretty hard over here.” Leo flops down on the bed, nuzzling into me.
“Just shamelessly perusing you.” I trail a finger down his back, goose bumps breaking out in its wake.
“Mmm. How about you peruse while I go make you some breakfast?”
“Tim Tams and Vegemite?” My eyes open wide in excitement.
He snarls at me. “The only reason I will indulge this habit is because you’re carrying my child.” Leo spins, straddling my thighs, hands finding my bump. His caring touch is soothing, even if I wish we could take this further. “Otherwise, I would disown you.”
“I should disown you.” I cross my arms over the soft material of Leo’s shirt I pulled on earlier. “You’re the worst Aussie. I mean, who doesn’t like Vegemite?”
“Reagan.” His tone is serious. “A lot of Aussies don’t. It tastes like oil.”
“But have you had it with Tim Tams?” I waggle my brows at him, giving him my best smile.
He makes a gagging noise. “I never will. Now, you stay here, and I’m going to go make you an edible breakfast. Even if I don’t have a well-stocked kitchen.”
He hops off the bed, pulling on a pair of low-riding sweats. “As long as you come back to bed naked, I’ll stay put.” I sink farther into the bed. Leo’s bed makes it easy to stay put.
