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He squinted at me, like he was taking stock of just how big I was. “I can ask my mommy. She could buy some for you.” Then he ran out of the room, yelling for his mother.
I rolled onto my back, breathing out a sigh. Raised the way I was, with a mishmash of families living communally, I’d been around kids. A lot of kids. I’d never been uncomfortable with them. The thing was, in the back of my mind, I thought I’d resent Wren’s kid.Ezra.Not that it was his fault he existed, but I thought I’d resent his existence anyway.
I searched around my brain and chest, and there was none of that there. I didn’t quite know how I felt about him, but it wasn’t anything bad. Definitely no resentment. He was too much of Wren for that to even be a possibility. That was a good thing, because I didn’t think Wren would like me too much if I gave her kid the stink eye.
A few minutes later, Wren stepped into the room, wrapped in a towel, with bright red cheeks and wild, frantic eyes.
“Oh my god,” she wheezed.
“Yeah.” I sat up and swung my legs off the bed. “I met Ezra.”
Her eyes flared. “Oh my god!”
“He’s cute, Wren. Looks like you.”
That snapped her out of her broken record stupor. Pride straightened her spine. “Right? Brian’s DNA got trounced by mine.”
I chuckled even though hearing that fucker’s name didn’t fill me with the warm fuzzies.
She approached me, standing between my legs. Gripping her hips, I pulled her close enough that I could press my face into her stomach. Her fingers trailed through my hair, and I felt her sigh.
“He should be sleeping. I think he must’ve heard me showering and wandered in here. I’m sorry. That had to be weird for you.”
I shook my head. “He told me you talk about me.”
She stiffened for a beat, then giggled. “Once. I mentioned your name once when I had to scramble to come up with friends’ names so my own child wouldn’t think I’m a loser.”
“Are you sayin’ I’m not your friend?”
Her hand smoothed over my head down to my shoulder. “You were always my best friend, Callum Rose. I’m hoping we can get back to that status. You’re definitely my friend, though.”
I slid up her towel to cup her butt. “Gonna work hard to get back there.” I moved my face back and forth against her stomach, wishing I could pull her astride my lap and let her ride me hard like she had last night. Now wasn’t the time. And I still didn’t feel that resentment I’d worried I might. I was more relieved by that than I expected. Then again, not liking my girl’s son was probably a dealbreaker for her.
“I have to get dressed.” She poked my shoulder. “And so do you. Ezra’s playing in his room, but there’s no telling how long he’ll be occupied. I need to sneak you out of here before he unloads a million other questions I don’t have an answer for.”
I didn’t let her go, pulling her closer instead. “Why do you need to sneak me out? The cat’s outta the bag, Wren. He’s met me. I’ve met him. The world didn’t end.”
Her shoulders curled with a weary sigh. “I don’t know what I’m doing here, but it seems like I shouldn’t be introducing men to Ezra all willy-nilly. I don’t want him confused by it.”
“Men?” My fingers dug into her peachy ass. “Why plural? I’m the only man he’s gonna be meeting, and that ship has sailed. He’s met me, he’s cool, let it be.”
The corners of her eyes pinched. “You’re sounding awfully presumptuous, sir.”
“Mmhmm. You’re mine. I’m not lettin’ you go. So, there’s no need to worry about Ezra meeting other men. It’s me and only me. I get that you wanted to go slow, but that didn’t happen, and this is the place we’re at now.” I rose to standing, letting go of her ass to cup the sides of her neck. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, Wren, and neither are you. Not gonna hurt you or fuck up your life. Not gonna hurt the boy. Stop worryin’ and get your sweet ass covered before I act inappropriately with someone’s mother.”
Her mouth fell open, so I bit her bottom lip. “Go, Little Bird. Put some clothes on.”
I tugged my jeans on, then I sat down to watch the show that was Wren getting dressed. Her panties were no-nonsense black, bra the same. She caught me looking a few times, blushed over her shoulder at me, and shook her head like I was crazy for wanting to see her like that. She didn’t understand how starved I was for this—this intimate peek into her life she gave me freely, not something I had to steal.
“Am I entertaining you?” She tossed a balled-up pair of socks at me, which I caught, grinning. “This can’t be as interesting as you’re making it look.”
Cocking my head, I grinned and swept my gaze over her. “Like watchin’ you get dressed. Bein’ in your room, smellin’ your girly scent all over everything, seein’ you in the soft morning light, it’s like I’m enveloped in Wren-world, and I’m not in any hurry to get out.”
She blinked, a smile playing at the edge of her mouth. “I smell girly?”
“So girly. Like lemonade, summer sun, and pure, sweet girl. I’ve had dreams where all I’m doin’ is smelling you and it’s like fuckin’ heaven.”
Her bottom lip caught between her teeth right before she turned away, sifting through her closet. I approached her, pushing her hair aside to kiss her shoulder, then looped my arm around her chest and pressed my front to her back.
