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“Poor little guy is just confused. You look just like his momma. Probably smell just like her too.” He comes closer and leans in to take him from me. “Can I give it a try?”
“Have at it.”
James looks like a peanut in Leo’s arms. He settles the two of them into the recliner, tests a drop of the warmed breastmilk on the inside of his wrist, and then eases the nipple into James’s mouth. I’m so tired I can barely focus, but I do see that James is looking up at Leo wide-eyed as he slurps the contents of the bottle down.
“That’s a good boy,” Leo whispers to James. “Yeah, you were starving little man, weren’t you?”
“Hey, what are doing home?”
“Race was over,” he says in a hushed tone. “I did my corporate duty. I’m all for networking but not so much for the glad-handing, ass-kissing BS that was going on down there.” He shifts James to lay on his chest and then rubs circles onto his back the same gentle way Sienna does it. His hand spans the width of James’s back, and no more than five seconds pass before Leo is rewarded with a big burp. “Best sound ever.”
I use every ounce of energy I have left to stand. “I’ll take him now. I should change his diaper before he nods off again.”
Leo shakes his head. “Just get the diaper bag for me. I want you to get some rest. I’ll change him and then finish this bottle off so he’s got a nice full belly.”
“I can’t let you do that. You must be tired after your trip.”
He gestures to where I’ve set up a pillow and blanket on the couch. “You lay down. I’m not tired. And I’m kind of loving this stroll down memory lane.” Breathing James in, he adds, “I haven’t held a baby in a long time.”
And I can see from the look on his face that he means it. Leo looks content. And even in this near-comatose state I’m in, I fight to keep my eyes open, transfixed by the sight of him cradling my nephew in his strong arms.
Fatherhood is sexy.
One last time I ask him, “Are you sure?”
“Hundred percent. Now lay down and get some rest.”
Part Three
Because the Night
Chapter Twenty-Three
Leo
I let out the breath I’ve been holding once she pulls the blanket up over her shoulders and closes her eyes. I smile when I can hear her breathing, even and deep, not five minutes later.
Standing up with James in my arms, I walk over to the love seat, doing my best not to trip over all the crap on the floor. He certainly gave her a run for her money.
Holding a baby is something I’ve missed, but cleaning poop out of all those nooks and crannies? Not so much.
“Hey, little James, you’re a stinker.” He’s smiling up at me as I smile back down and whisper to him, “You’re a cute little stinker, though, aren’t you?”
Yeah, diaper changes are all right. Just knowing you’re making a little guy like him dry and comfortable again makes the smell something you can tolerate with a smile.
“Did you give your Aunt Skylar a hard time?” He gurgles and reaches for his feet. “Looks like you did.”
I settle back into the recliner and let him finish off the rest of the bottle before I rest him on my chest and turn off the lamp.
“You must be just as tired as Sky is.” He lets out a little burp, and when I check I see that his eyes are closed. There’s one of those portable crib-playpen contraptions next to the couch where Sky is sleeping, but it doesn’t look all that comfortable and I’m not the least bit tired.
My eyes adjust to the darkness, so I can make out Skylar sleeping peacefully just a few feet away from where I’m sitting.
Does she have any idea how beautiful she is? I’ve never seen her looking so worn out and disheveled, and even in this state, she’s still the most desirable woman I’ve ever known.
When I saw James reaching his little hand up to touch her face and then the determined way he tried to get at her breast to feed, I felt a longing stir inside of me. Something primal, the most basic carnal need.
Poor thing was so tired she didn’t know what she looked like. She didn’t notice the wet spot his mouth left on her pink cotton tank top, the fabric so thin that I could see the outline of her nipple, pebbled and tight.
