Page 8 of Bravely Yours

“I was just finishing cleaning the kitchen. I’ll only be another ten minutes or so, but sure.” She nodded. “Make yourself at home.”

I took in her space, surprised by how tidy and simple it all was. I’d assumed that since she had a baby, there would be stuff everywhere. But other than the crib thing, there was no evidence of a baby. Maybe it was because she had so little at all. A sofa with two throw pillows, the small wicker coffee table, and the entertainment stand were all the furniture that made up her living room. She didn’t even have a table in the space meant for a dining room. Instead, it was outfitted with a desk and chair.

But in fairness, I’d had no intention of purchasing a dining table for my apartment either. I was a single guy, so why the hell did I need a big-ass dining room table? But my mom had argued with me over it and won, like she always did. Though the only thing it had been good for up until this point was holding all my crap.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I made my way over to the sofa and sat down. Nora stretched her legs out, balancing on my left thigh as she bounced and babbled. How did she have so much energy? Especially since she’d been crying on and off for the last hour.

As she continued to bounce, she occasionally bopped my nose. This went on for a solid ten minutes before she relaxedand laid her head on my shoulder and popped her thumb into her mouth.

About that time, Sarah stepped up next to the sofa and peered over, taking in Nora’s serene expression. “Do you mind if I put a load of laundry in real quick?”

“Go for it. We’re fine.”

She eyed me for a moment, wariness and confusion flashing in her eyes, but with a shake of her head, she padded to the back of the apartment.

I relaxed into the cushions, and Nora shifted, burrowing deeper into my chest and neck.

This wasn’t bad. Her warm weight was comforting, and she was quiet, which meant I could enjoy the game. Or maybe I could rest my eyes and listen to the game. I should take advantage of the opportunity. Who knew how the night would go once I had to go back to my apartment. Would she stay quiet like this? Her track record said probably not.

I laid my head back and let my eyes drift shut, listening to the announcers. They weren’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. We were definitely playing like shit.

“Jay,” a familiar voice called.

At the sound, I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the way her messy curls rested over large, round tits that strained against a tight white shirt.

I licked my lips, but when she cleared her throat, I tore my gaze away from her chest and back to her face. When had she pulled her hair out of the bun?

“Huh?” I mumbled, my voice hoarse from sleep.

“You fell asleep.” She cocked her head to one side. “I’m not sure I really want to risk waking her, but I should try to get her down in her crib.”

“Okay.” I stood, gently shifting Nora from my hold until a whimper had me freezing. “Will she go back to sleep?”

“If she actually wakes up, probably not.” Her lips turned down. Lips that now seemed to have a coat of shine to them that wasn’t there earlier. “At least not right away.”

“Do you want me to try to put her down?” I had no idea whether that would actually help, but I didn’t mind trying.

After a moment, she nodded. “Yeah, maybe. She seems to go down easier for anyone else.”

“You might have to walk me through it.” I smiled, giving her my best boyish grin.

She chuckled. “A little out of your element?”

In more ways than one, it seemed, since I was struggling to not stare at her glistening lips.

“Yeah, but I’m a quick learner.”

She rolled her eyes and headed toward the hallway. I followed, watching her ass sway the whole way.

I carefully placed Nora in the crib and slid my hands out from under her slowly, as Sarah had explained. Surprisingly, she barely stirred. I lingered only for a moment, hypnotized by the way the moonlight was shining through the window, illuminating Sarah’s face in the darkened room.

As silently as possible, we crept out into the hall, and once she pulled the door shut behind us, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Standing here in the narrow hallway, so close to her, I was tempted to lean forward and find out whether the lip gloss she was wearing was flavored.

I was still considering when she cleared her throat and ducked her head. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me, but I forced my feet to move back through her apartment.

With a small smile that hit me straight in the gut, she held the door open for me. “Thank you.”

I nodded and shifted on my feet. “You’re welcome.”

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