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Nineteen
DELILAH
I was getting to know the ceiling of my new bedroom intimately well. And that’s because I spent a good half-hour or more staring up at it each night, while trying to fall asleep.
Ah, crap.
It irked me because I’d never had this problem before. In fact I’d always slept like a baby, all throughout my life.
Except for now.
I sighed beneath the blankets, spreading my hands over the comforting warmth of my belly. Things had definitely settled down since the move-in. In fact, the children and I were getting into a nice little routine. Things with the guys were picture-perfect. Even my social life was picking up.
Yet it seemed the longer I remained here, the more distractions my night-time mind kept focusing on. It wandered from thoughts of the twins to memories of my niece and nephew. From trying to make future plans for play-dates to recalling and repeating old ones I’d always enjoyed. I thought about Liam, and Duncan, and Julius, and even Stephen, my date from the other night. His message to me had been sweet, telling me what a wonderful time he had and how he’d like to take me out again this coming weekend.
And after the conversation I had with my sister, I’d even said yes.
It still seemed strange though, going on a date with the guys in the house, waiting for me to come home. Leaving them here to go out. Knowing that if my date went well there was a possibility I’d be kissing, making out with, and potentially doing evenmorewith some internet guy I’d only met once, before coming home to them.
In a way it was like having three big brothers, only it wasn’t like that at all. I knew there was nothing brotherly about the way the guys stole glances at me, around the house. And after watching them march around bare-chested while filling out their boxer-briefs?
The feeling wastotallymutual.
Still, a girl had needs, and by now my needs were many. Besides, it wasn’t like I could just—
CRRASSSHHH!
I bolted upright, instantly fully awake.
What the—
It wasn’t a noise so much as something falling over, followed by a loud skittering.
The babies!
I flung back the covers and flew through my bedroom door, just as Duncan’s head poked into the hallway. We looked at each other for less than half a second, then the two of us were bolting toward the nursery, full speed.
Oh my God…
We reached the door at the same time, practically elbowing each other out of the way to rush inside. We were greeted by silence and darkness amidst the two opposite cribs. Both Jace and Courtney were dozing soundly in their little sleep-sacks, resting perfectly on their backs. Everything looked exactly as it should be. We double-checked it anyway before tip-toeing out.
“What the hell was that noise then?” I asked, once the nursery door was closed.
“You heard it too, right?” asked Duncan.
“Of course!” I exclaimed. “It was too loud not to hear.”
Almost on cue, a scratching noise reached our ears. It hadn’t come from our wing, or even from the kitchen area. It came from the other end of the house.
Theunoccupiedend.
“Liam?” I asked, already pretty sure of the answer. “Julius?”
“They both stayed at the Shop tonight,” Duncan reiterated. “It’s not them.”
His expression turned hard, and suddenly there was a restrictive hand on my belly. The big ranger pushed me back, ushering me behind him as he made his way forward and down the hallway.
“Stay here,” he ordered.
