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Would he?
When Seth came back downstairs a few minutes later sans Laurie, I was half asleep and pondering Oliver chasing after Sage. Why, I didn’t know. I’d blame indigestion from the candy bar, but apparently, three bites had been enough before I set it aside.
“Fell asleep the minute I turned my back to get her pajamas out of the drawer.” Seth grinned and plopped down beside me on the couch. “She’s exhausted. Snoring like a puppy.”
“Aww. We still need to get her one of those.”
“After the baby is born,” Seth said as he always did.
“Mmm-hmm. Until you decide you want another one, and then it’s afterthatone’s born too.”
His dark eyes flared wide. “You’d be open to that?”
“No. Go fish. One space invader per half decade, pal.”
“We’ll see.” Chuckling, he tugged me close and spanned his hand over my belly. “I’m perfectly happy with the one we’re cooking right now.”
“Me too.” I snuggled against him. “Poor baby, she really wanted to watch the show.”
“I bought it on Amazon, so she can watch it whenever she likes.”
“You’re such a good daddy.”
“And you’re so almost asleep.” He reached for the throw tossed over the back of the couch and spread it over my legs before tugging me against his chest. “Want me to sing you a lullaby?”
“God, no. I want to actually rest, not have nightmares.” I stroked the patch of his chest revealed by his V-neck T-shirt, enjoying the prickle of the short hairs there against my skin. “Do you think Oliver would go with Sage to Vegas? You know, just to make sure she’s safe.”
“You did see how they were fighting tonight, right? What makes you think she’d be safer from him than the general population?”
“He’s a decent guy under the growl. He wouldn’t let her get into trouble.”
“What kind of trouble are we talking about? Like trip over a dick trouble or something more serious?”
I had to laugh. “She’s new to the sex stuff, and she doesn’t have a lot of experience with men. Vegas is a big, scary place for a small-town girl.”
“But somehow you think Oliver being there will help.” Seth brushed his hand over my hair, lulling me into that fuzzy place just before sleep. “He’s more dangerous than half the guys she’d meet. Maybe two-thirds. He doesn’t do second dates.”
“So? I didn’t say he’d have to date her. Just…watch her. Make sure she makes good choices. That’s my job, but I don’t want to miss a moment of Christmas with my guy and my little girl. Maybe I could get a temporary stand-in bestie.” I tucked my face into the crook between Seth’s neck and shoulder, savoring his familiar toasted sugar scent. “Jean at work might be willing to fill in if you really think Oliver wouldn’t take one for the team.”
“Oh, he’d definitely take one for the team. Only problem is he wouldn’t call her afterward.”
“Huh?”
“Go to sleep, Al. Just trust me that Oliver going to Vegas with Sage would be the worst possible thing that could happen.”
“The words ‘trust me’ never lead to good things,” I mumbled.
His deep laughter chased me into sleep.
The next time I opened my eyes, the room was dark except for the warm light from the fireplace and the glowing jack o’lantern on the side table. I rubbed my eyes and lifted my head, realizing Seth’s warm body was no longer my pillow. At some point, he’d stretched me out length-wise on the couch and covered me up. He’d probably gone up to bed or to check on Laurie.
Then I noticed the shadowy figure tucked into the chair in the corner. He held his tablet and was reading intently, the light from the screen reflecting over his face.
Like a creeper, I watched him for a few minutes, my skin heating and my pulse speeding up. I was so new to sex. So new to being intimate with him in this whole different way.
God, I couldn’t look at him and not want him. My breasts grew heavier, swelling against my bra. And my panties went damp.
“Stop staring and come over here.” He set aside his iPad.
