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For what?
A father—a real, loving, interactive—father for Judah?
Or was it desire for Aurelio?
Or, possibly, both?
As I watched, Judah did a big yawn, then pulled his new favorite blanket up, and started to rub the edge against his nose, a telltale sign he was close to passing out.
I didn’t dare interrupt.
I knew from experience that if you accidentally woke him up when he was so effortlessly putting himself to sleep, I would be up for hours rocking, singing, practically pleading with him to go to sleep.
So I just leaned in the doorway, listening to Aurelio’s deep, rich, soothing voice wash over me as he continued to read.
Judah’s eyes slow-blinked for a while before they shut completely, almost immediately starting to flicker as his little lips made sucking movements, something he’d still been doing since we’d gotten rid of pacifiers months ago.
Aurelio kept reading, though.
And I couldn’t seem to stop my gaze from slipping to his, watching his gorgeous face as a whole for a long time, then eventually dipping to his lips, watching them form around the words as he read.
I was so focused on those lips that I didn’t even notice that he’d closed the book.
And that those lips were speaking to me.
Until he called my name. “Claire?”
“Yeah?” I asked, gaze shooting up, face immediately heating, wondering if he’d noticed where my gaze had been focused.
“What are the chances I can transfer him without the drop-down waking him up?” he asked.
My lips curved up, never ceasing to be amazed by how much he knew about babies and kids, even though he didn’t have any of his own.
“The trick is to shift him into your arms. And jiggle as you lower down,” I told him, going over to the crib to lower the front down. “Then sometimes I even jiggle the mattress for a minute or two to make sure.”
To that, he nodded as he slowly shifted Judah into his arms.
Then, to my absolute wonder, he started to hum to him as he got to his feet.
Hum.
I didn’t think I’d ever heard a man hum before.
Least of all to a baby.
This time, when it coursed through me, I wasn’t confused.
It was absolutely attraction.
I stood back, watching as Aurelio stood in front of the crib for a second, jiggling, humming, making sure Judah was good and out before lowering him down.
I waited on bated breath for the wail.
But it never came.
Not even as Aurelio pulled up the bars, making the crib jolt.
Turning to me, he reached out for the baby monitor, switching it on.
