Page 49 of Shiver

“It went really well.” She draws her shoulders back and stands tall. “Thank you for trusting me with her,” she adds quietly. “Would you, um…” She looks down at her feet, appearing bashful. “Would you mind if she maybe slept over next weekend? I’d like to give an overnight visit a go if you think it’s safe?” she asks him, unsure of herself.

It must kill her to have to have these conversations with him, but Luca takes it in stride, reassuring her as he does. “You’re doing great, Cici. I’m proud of you,” he tells her, squeezing her upper arm gently.

“Of course she can stay with you next weekend. I’ll make sure to be available in case you need anything. Iknowyou’re going to do great, but I’d rather be around in case you feel like you need something,” he says, reassuring her with a smile. His eyes remain soft, and there’s no hint of a lie anywhere in his features.

I feel like I’m intruding, so I slip past them, nodding at Cecily as I walk over to the kitchen counter. They finish up their conversation within seconds, and the door closes behind Luca as he heads over to me.

“Take a seat anywhere you’d like. I’ll be back in a few. I’m gonna change Gia into her jammies,” he tells me before heading toward his room.

I take a seat on one of the gray barstools at the kitchen island. My heart clenches in my chest at hearing Gia’s cries and Luca’s subsequent pleas for her to calm down.

I know he has help because his family is incredible, and I’m glad Cecily is doing better. But Luca’s entire life has taken a complete one-eighty from where it was before, and I wonder if anyone’s thought to see how he’sactuallydoing underneath the cool composure he seems to wear so well.

A few minutes later, he comes out of the room bare-chested with a diapered Gia lying against him.

“Sorry, I know this looks ridiculous, but all of the daddy blogs talk about the importance of skin-to-skin for bonding, and it keeps her calm while I warm up her bottle. I’ll just feed her and then get started on our dinner.” I wave him off because the apology is entirely unnecessary.

Besides, now I get to watch his coiled muscles flex as he gets her bottle ready.It’s the little things in life.He pulls a plastic baggy out of the fridge and places it on the counter before restocking the fridge with a frozen packet just like it.

Seeing him with her and how meticulous he is about ensuring she’s well cared for has my ovaries doing a little dance.

“She doesn’t drink formula?” I ask him, curiosity taking hold of me.

He shakes his head. “She did the first few days, but one of the single-dad forums on Reddit was talking about all the options for donor milk. After looking into it, I figured it would maybe be a better option for her, and if it wasn’t, we’d swap back to formula. I’m doing what I can, but with no tits of my own, this is the best I’ve got,” he says, bouncing on the balls of his feet and chuckling at his own joke.

The sound is warm and light. It sends a shiver down my spine that makes me bristle in my seat.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with formula-feeding your child. Most parents are just doing their best, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t impress me that Luca is really going the extra mile for his kid.

I watch as he holds her, setting her bottle in the warmer. Standing from my chair, I walk over to them with outstretched arms. “Can I feed her?”

His eyes flicker up to mine, crinkling at the sides with his widening smile. “I’d appreciate that,” he tells me, pressing a kiss to her head, grabbing a blanket off the counter and wrapping it around her. He places her gently in my arms.

I smile down at her and graze my thumb over the soft fabric of her green blanket. My heart aches in my chest, and my limbs suddenly feel heavy.

He grabs a towel from the kitchen counter and sets it on my shoulder, his fingertips trailing down my skin, leaving a blazing path in their wake.

Gia babbles happily, her tiny hands reaching out to tangle in my curls. Light laughter slips past my lips as I detach the strands from her tiny clutches and give her my finger to play with instead.

Luca comes around the kitchen island, handing me her bottle, which she takes immediately, sucking ferociously. “Don’t let her fool you. Cici texted me less than two hours ago that she’d fed her,” he says, rolling his eyes playfully at her. “She’s just got a big appetite. She’ll be big and strong like her dad.” He shoots me a playful wink that settles its way into my core.

Damn him.

“Are you okay with burgers for dinner? I could also make pasta, or we could order in if neither sounds good to you,” he asks me.

“Burgers sound great.”I love a good burger.

Gia looks up at me, meeting my gaze with hers. You’d never need a paternity test to know who her father is. She’s all Luca.

This kid is too damn cute; it makes my ovaries weep.

“These kids really spend nearly ten months inside their mother’s wombs just to have theaudacityto come out looking like their father,” I joke, mostly to Gia.

“Arielle complains about that all the time. She said it took three tries to get one with red hair. After that, they closed up shop.”

“How long have Arielle and Dante been together?” I ask, curious because they seem like they’ve known each other their whole lives. That’s the same impression I’d had of Kat and Alessandro, but she told me they’ve only been together a couple of years.

Some people are just made for each other, and it’s clear to everyone around them.

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