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“Hey.” JP grabbed her hands. “Please don’t be embarrassed. I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I kinda loved it. The only reason I woke up is that Kayla is singing the song of her people.”
“What? Oh, she’s crying.” She blinked then glanced toward the hallway with longing in her gaze. “Go see to her. I can let myself out.”
Maybe this made him a shameless asshole, but he didn’t want her to leave and wasn’t above using the only weapon he knew would keep her around a little longer. “Wanna come with me? Give her a bottle? You didn’t get to see her tonight.”
The way she lit with pleasure twisted him up inside. Hannah wasn’t like the women he usually hung around with. She was sweet, genuinely kind, and didn’t play games. Since, typically, he only ever wanted a fun time and a few orgasms, he wasn’t picky about personality or character.
Hell, half the time, he barely knew the women’s names. Not in a sleazy way. Everyone knew the score, but what the hell was the point of memorizing someone’s name when they’d be in and out of his life in an hour or two?
“Um, I’d love that. Yes, please.”
“Ok.” Her eager reaction gave him pause. Maybe he shouldn’t be encouraging her to help with Kayla. It wasn’t as if he planned to date Hannah and find a mom for Kayla. Is that how she’d interpret a night like this? Was she there with the hopes of snagging a ready-made family? One look at her happy smile had him chasing away those ridiculous thoughts. Hannah wasn’t the type to play games. She was honest and sweet.
“Why don’t you grab her while I get the bottle ready? You know where her room is?”
“Yeah, I got her dressed after her bath the other day. Remember?”
He grinned. “I do.” They locked eyes. Something passed between them. An electricity that was a combination of desire and a budding friendship. Though there was a good chance he was the only one experiencing it. Lack of sleep and stress had been fucking with his brain.
Kayla let out a godawful screech, making him wince and breaking the spell.
“I’d better go get that bottle before she shatters the windows.”
With a nod, Hannah dashed down the hallway.
After not staring at her ass while she hurried off, he made his way to the kitchen to prepare a bottle. Aside from his daughter’s wails, the house was quiet. Keith and Mickie had most likely retired to her house. Ronnie was probably asleep and who knew about Jagger. Work had been rough for him lately, so he might be asleep as well.
By the time he’d grabbed a clean bottle and stuck it under the formula maker, Kayla had quieted. He worked quickly, shaking the prepared bottle as he made his way toward his daughter’s room. When he arrived, he froze at the door, struck immobile by the sight that greeted him.
Hannah sat in the rocking chair Mickie had purchased. She didn’t notice his arrival as she rocked back and forth with Kayla in her arms, humming the same song she’d sung Kayla a few days ago. Soft light glowed from the nightlight, casting a hypnotic glow over the room.
JP swallowed as unfamiliar emotions bombarded him. The scene was entirely too domestic for him, yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away. The serene smile on Hannah’s face mesmerized him. Kayla, too, if the way she stared at Hannah without blinking was any indication.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you were there,” Hannah whispered.
He grinned. “Just watching you two beautiful ladies.”
The room was too dim to tell, but he’d bet a hundred bucks Hannah blushed.
“Here.” He handed the bottle to her.
“Thank you.” She took the bottle then laughed as Kayla practically ripped it from her hands to get it in her mouth. “Somebody’s hungry, huh?”
“Yeah, the kid can eat, that’s for sure. If I had any lingering doubts about whether she was mine, her appetite put an end to them.” He pushed a button on the music box Jagger had purchased. A soft lullaby filled the air.
“Ha. I’m pretty sure you took one look at her and knew. She has the exact same hair and eye color as you. Same nose too. Not blond like—” She coughed. “Uh, like some babies.”
“Yeah. Both my parents had dark hair. All us kids, too. We have two other brothers. Not sure if you knew that. Both are in the military and overseas right now. They’re all dark-haired, too.”
“Yeah, I noticed in the pictures in the den.”
They fell quiet with only the sounds of Kayla’s eating and instrumental playing of Rock-a-bye Baby in the background. Oddly enough, he didn’t feel the need to talk. Didn’t feel like he had to make jokes or provide a fun, jovial time. He was perfectly content to sit there in silence while Hannah fed and rocked his daughter back to sleep.
