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“If I don’t take my hands off you, I’m not letting you out of this apartment. It’s taking everything I have not to throw you over my shoulder and carry you to bed.” He smiled at the contented expression on her face. “You look relaxed. The car should be waiting downstairs. Hurry back.”
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Pack a bag for each of us. We’re heading to Springfield when I get back.”
He raised his brows. “We’re going to see our parents?” She nodded and he released a deep sigh.
“Don’t look so thrilled. They haven’t seen Alex in almost two weeks. Do you know how much a baby his age changes in two weeks?” She went up on tip-toe and kissed him hard. “I won’t be long. I’m going to freshen up first.”
Leo watched her leave with longing a few minutes later. There were days his protective instincts rode him hard and he could barely handle her being more than arms’ length from him. They’d been through so much.
Fear of losing her or Alex was his constant companion.
He checked on his sleeping son and went to shower and dress. Afterward, he pulled their bags from the hall closet and started packing. Leo liked packing for Amelia and she liked knowing that anything she took out of the suitcase was something he’d chosen.
When his son woke from his morning nap, Leo brought him into the bedroom. He worked with one hand and held Alex with the other. The entire time, he talked to him.
He felt like they understood one another already. Serious eyes peered at him as he spoke and Leo grinned.
“Your mom is the best and we’re both lucky to have her. When you’re all grown up, I’m going to tell you the story about how much she risked so I could hold you in my arms.”
Alex released a small grunt followed by a familiar odor.
Wrinkling his nose, Leo murmured, “In the meantime, it seems someone has been only pretending to listen to me while concentrating on an important diaper development. May I simply say eww, little man?”
After changing and dressing him, Leo finished getting everything together and called the valet to take down their luggage. Alex’s diaper bag sat on the foyer table.
Two hours later, Amelia walked into the apartment with a couple of bags and food for him from his favorite deli. She looked delicious and windswept.
“You look like you’ve been getting into trouble, Amelia. You have quite the smug expression on your face.”
Allowing him a small smile, she told him, “I plead the fifth. Tell me we’re ready. I want to get there by dinner.” She set down the bags from stores he didn’t recognize and put her hands on her hips.
“Everything is downstairs…except the baby, of course.” Tilting his head, he asked, “In a rush?”
“Leo, you have no idea. Don’t touch these bags. They’re surprises and you know how much I love surprising you.”
She reached down into the brightly patterned pack-n-play sitting in the middle of their stylish living room and came out with a cooing Alex.
“Quick lunch for my darling and then we’re out of here.”
Leo watched as she settled in a comfortable chair by the window and breastfed their son. He busied himself checking the house and calling downstairs to remind the manager they’d be away for the weekend, to please keep an eye on the place.
When Alex was done, Amelia made quick work of burping him. Glancing up, she whispered, “Hustle your fine ass to the car. Uh uh...you take Alex. I’ll get the bags, sneaky.”
He laughed at being busted. Downstairs, Baylor relieved her of the packages while Leo buckled Alex into his car seat.
When they were on the road, Leo ate his favorite Mediterranean sub from the best deli in the city. After it was demolished, he focused on trying to get details about his surprise out of her.
Amelia refused to budge and threatened to put in her headphones if he didn’t behave. He switched the conversation with a grumble and soon they were laughing and talking about everything and nothing at all.
The drive seemed to take three times longer than usual. When they pulled into his parents’ driveway, Amelia grabbed Alex’s diaper bag as Leo unbuckled the sleeping baby between them.
Going around to the kitchen, he wasn’t surprised to see Augusta waiting with Sarabeth and Alejandro. Alex was immediately snatched from his arms and abducted to the living room by his grandparents.
Amelia pulled out several bottles that were filled. He frowned. “Is that breast milk?” She nodded but offered nothing else. “Um, are we staying here while we’re visiting?”
Leo loved his parents but treasured the cocoon he and Amelia kept around themselves.
Turning to him, she answered vaguely, “Alex is. Mom is staying over to help with him while we take a mini vacation. It’s close enough that I won’t freak out the first time I’m apart from him.” With a half-smile, she added, “I’m not ready to be too far away.”
