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“Hmm?”
“The baby, he’s…”
Her eyes shot open and a rush of panic flooded her expression. “Hey, I have him. He’s fine.”
“I…oh, sorry.” She yawned and struggled to sit up. When Carter shifted their son and reached out to help, she dodged his attempt. “I’m fine, just sore.”
“You need anything?”
“No, what’s wrong? Is he okay?” McKenna was overwhelmed and exhausted but still fought Carter about resting. He insisted on caring for their son while she spent a couple hours trying to recuperate. She failed miserably, falling asleep during the debate.
“I think he’s hungry. He’s doing something with his mouth.”
“It’s been a few hours. Let me have him.” She slipped an arm from the gown she had on and extended them, requesting their son. Carter’s eyes lowered to the exposed skin and smiled. “Right to it, huh?”
“Carter, give me my damn baby.”
He chuckled and gingerly handed him over. “You want me to leave?”
“Only if you want to. This is the only way he eats for now so you’ll have to get used to it.”
Carter watched as she adjusted him. He struggled to latch on then sighed approvingly from the connection to his mother.
I know the feeling, buddy.
The two of them crushed his heart, so fucking severely in the best way, that he felt out of sorts. Nothing could have prepared him for how this would feel. Carter was a father and he loved the woman who gave him the title. What he had with McKenna was unconventional, but he loved her so fucking deeply. This he knew because of how badly it’d hurt to walk away back then, how badly it wounded him to stay away, and how at peace he felt in this very moment, knowing he would never make that same mistake again.
“Stop staring at me. I look like shit.”
“You’re beautiful.”
“I’m a mess, and gross.”
“You’re beautiful, Kenni.” His eyes moved over her once more, then he was gone.
Her face heated and she dropped her eyes, ducking her head briefly to hide a smile. When she looked up again, Carter was staring at their son. He did that a lot and his expression was so adorably raw with disbelief but also contentment and pride.
When he looked at their son, Carter was proud to be his father.
After the baby was fed, Carter changed him and placed Asier in his bassinet, sitting next to McKenna on the sofa. He gently grazed her cheek with a knuckle, staring at her as lovingly as he’d admired their son.
When Carter’s phone vibrated with a text, he removed the device from his pocket and glanced at the screen but dropped it in his lap. She noticed the tension in his jaw and pointed to the phone.
“Who was that?”
“My uncle.”
McKenna smiled softly. He used uncle. Carter was still struggling with having a relationship but was slowly easing into a better space with the idea. He even sent a photo of Asier with a message that he arrived into the world healthy and without incident.
“What did he say?”
“Asked to visit.”
“You gonna let him?”
“Don’t know yet.” He issued a warning look to let it go then moved on when he noticed McKenna shift and flinch. “You sore?”
“More achy than sore.”
