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He leaned down and placed a butterfly-soft kiss on Sachi’s cheek. Then tipped Leigh’s chin up and brushed his lips across hers. No amount of fatigue could beat that sensation. The simple kiss brought back the memory of every other kiss they’d shared.
“That’s a promise,” he said, forcing himself to break away. “For whenever the time is right.” However long that took, it’d be worth the wait.
Chapter 12
LEIGH
“Hey.”
Such a little word, yet she’d never get tired of hearing Sam say it. Better yet, she’d never get tired ofseeinghim say it, since his winning smile almost always accompanied the simple greeting.
That smile was present now, as he stepped out the back door, onto the patio. He leaned against the pergola post and crossed his arms over his chest. The casual, innocent position accentuated his muscular physique. Particularly his hard, round biceps, currently threatening to pop the stitching on his t-shirt sleeves. He’d probably done curls when he ducked out to hit the gym earlier. Regardless, he was head-to-toe yum, yum, give her some.
“Thanks for letting me nap. Again.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe how much I’ve slept in the past eighteen hours.”
“You needed it,” she said quietly, glancing into the bassinet to ensure their voices hadn’t woken the baby.
He did his own head-to-toe perusal as she rose from the lawn chair and walked toward him. “I need other things too.”
“Like food, since you slept through lunchtime.”
He tilted his head. Drilled her with a look that implied food was not currently at the top of his needs list.
They hadn’t had an opportunity for anything else. Last night, he’d slept nearly straight through after she’d relieved him of parenting duty and sent him to bed. He’d stirred briefly when she crawled in beside him. Long enough to kiss her, mumble a few semi-coherent words and pull her into his arms. They’d stayed that way until she got up with Sachi for a feeding and diaper change three hours later. The pattern had repeated once more before Leigh had left the bed for good at six o’clock this morning.
Since getting up around seven, Sam had devoured the giant breakfast she’d prepared, had a nap, gone to the gym, then had another nap. With some Sachi time sprinkled in between, of course.
She wasn’t upset or disappointed. Okay, maybe a little disappointed, but only because she knew how toe-curling incredible he’d make her feel if they were alone and naked. But she hadn’t invited him over for sex.
She’d invitedthemover. For…many reasons.
“Are you hungry?” Standing directly in front of him, it took conscious effort to keep her hands to herself. The mature choice. “Because I could fix you a plate of something good.”
“You’re pretty small, but I don’t think you’ll fit on a plate.”
She laughed, but the heat between them was no joke. Her pulse picked up speed and the tingly need to come roared to life between her legs. Sam’s presence had that effect. When he cupped her waistline and pulled her against his hard, hot body, she nearly burst into flames.
“I want you. I know it hasn’t seemed like it, what with me mostly being unconscious since I got here, but I do. Now that I’ve caught up on my sleep…” He glanced across the patio, at the bassinet’s sleeping occupant. “How much time do we have?”
As if cued, Sachi let out her trademark the-beastie-has-awoken cry.
“Shi—” He caught himself before his go-to expletive escaped. “Sugar.”
Laughter burst from her lips. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“For you and me both.” He snuck a quick kiss before releasing her to fetch the baby from her portable bed. “Sshh…it’s okay. Daddy’s got you.” He’d told Leigh he didn’t want kids, yet he’d taken to fatherhood like a duck to water. He was a natural.
She’d never—not one time—seen a man with a child and thoughtDILF. The sight of Sam holding his newborn daughter, rocking and reassuring her, didn’t just warm her heart, it heated her up in all the best places.
That heat was likely to fizzle because their time together was quickly coming to an end. Seeing each other regularly—alone—would be even more difficult now that they were both working, single parents. It could be weeks before they coordinated any private time together. Even with both of them on board for dating, they’d be fortunate to stay on course. The heat between her legs wasn’t the only thing at risk of fizzling out.
“You okay?” Sam’s question brought her back to the present. He looked rested. Relaxed. Happy.
This wasn’t the time to drop heavy thoughts on him. Better that she found a way to enjoy their precious remaining time than conclude it with talk of their impending daily reality.
“Just thinking.” Not a lie. Selective truth. “Did you bring a stroller?”
“It’s in the trunk.”
