Page 56 of For Your Consideration

I looked up to see his concerned eyes roving over my face. I waved him off, trying to reassure him that I wasn’t going to cry.

Even though I wasn’t so sure.

“I’m fine. Just a little tired.” It wasn’t a lie; I hadn’t slept much last night. Sophie woke up a lot just needing extra comfort. I cleared my throat and pulled the box into my chest. “Thank you, Ash. You don’t have to be—”

He narrowed his eyes at me before turning back to the counter.

Before I could tell him he didn’t have to stay, that he didn’t have to take care of me like this, Sophie started crying. Her nap was much shorter than it should have been considering how little sleep she was operating on. I let out a small, tired sigh.

“Get her. I’ll get the food ready for us.”

I didn’t know what to say so I just turned and went to get my cranky daughter from her crib. I hated seeing her sick. Normally she was the happiest, most relaxed baby so this was hard on both of us.

“Hey, little one,” I said as I came into our room. Her crying stopped for only a moment before she started again. I checked her temperature and it was still elevated so I unboxed the medicine Asher had brought. I had just run out and was going to ask Iris to pick some up when she got home but he’d saved us a trip. “That handsome man, Asher, brought you more medicine so you can feel better.”

She took the dose and I kept muttering to her as I changed her into a clean onesie since her current one was wet from her fever.

Once she was clean, she stopped wailing long enough for me to get a soother in her mouth and then she calmed down a little. I yawned as I picked her back up and we made our way back to the kitchen. Asher was sitting at the counter with our food plated in front of him. He watched me closely as I walked in.

I gave him a shy smile as I sat. My stomach dropped when I glanced over and noticed the green light on the side of the baby monitor. It was a small enough place that I didn’t normally need it but since she was sick and I was tired, I’d been carrying it around.

“How much of that did you hear?” I looked over at him, mortified.

Not only had I called him handsome, but I’d also blabbed a bunch of nonsense to Sophie. Something about how the stubble on his jawline made him even more handsome and that I understood her desire to rub it when she was in his arms.

Thank God I hadn’t gone any further than that. There was no filter left in me.

“Give her to me,” he demanded without answering my question, turning with his arms open.

“Oh, you don’t have to. She’s fussy when she’s sick.” He motioned for her again. “Seriously, she won’t even go to Iris when she’s like this. Iris usually takes care of me so I can take care of Soph.”

One of his eyebrows rose. “Let me hold her so you can eat.”

“Asher, you really don’t have to.”

“I’ll be pissed off if you pass out because you haven’t been taking care of yourself. Pass. Her. Over.” His tone was firm.

“She’s thrown up pretty regularly over the last thirty-six hours,” I warned.

“Hand her over, Sutton, a little baby vomit isn’t going to bother me.”

I hesitated another moment, looking at his expensive suit, but the command in his tone had me passing my baby over. I would be right here if he couldn’t handle her. I watched as he took my daughter effortlessly. She squirmed for about thirty seconds as he settled her on her back in his arms, tucked into his side. She continued sucking on her soother and then she started blinking heavily, like she might fall back asleep.

I sat there watching in astonishment. I couldn’t believe my fussy, sick little girl looked content and safe in Asher’s big arms. She was small for ten months, so she tucked easily into his forearm, her little legs flopped out to the side.

“Wow,” I muttered as he looked down at her with a soft smile. I didn’t know if I was more impressed by the man or how he was with my baby. I’d been impressed every time he was around her but even sick, she didn’t fight him. Aside from some short stints, she hadn’t let me put her down.

“Eat, Sutton.” He lifted his chin toward my plate. My stomach grumbled and he coughed out a laugh before I picked up the burger. It would be better to eat now in case Soph decided that she was done with him and I had to take her back.

After I took a few bites in silence I looked back to Asher who was rocking slowly from side to side, my baby now sound asleep.

“You’re good with her. Been around babies much?”

“No,” he responded quietly. “I’ve never even held one before Soph.”

I looked over at him, impressed. “Well…you’re a natural.”

He just responded with a small smile. I meant it. Sophie having only been around me and Iris meant she wasn’t very good with other people. She screamed bloody murder when the doctor would hold her for exams, but she didn’t even have to adjust to Asher—she just liked him. “So Quinn told you she was sick?” I asked after I inhaled the rest of my burger.