Page 42 of I Knead You Tonight

“For the record,” she mocks, “I don’t care what you think. I just want to go to sleep.”

“Fine.” I roll onto my back.

“Fine.”

“Good night, Drew.”

She grunts again, kicking her feet like a kid throwing a fit. “Always have to have the last word, don’t you? Good night, Winston.”

I open my mouth.

“Don’t you dare say another word!” she warns. “Go. The fuck. To sleep.”

“That’s the name of my favorite children’s book.”

“You would read children’s books, since you’re a giant baby and all.”

“You’re mean when you’re tired.”

“Just when I’m tired?” She smiles sweetly. “Sleep, Winston.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Chuckling to myself, I close my eyes.

And I fall asleep faster than I have in a long damn time.

Slice Seven

Drew

Daylight drifts in through Winston’s curtains, and I swear in that moment that, to pay him back for allowing me to stay here, the second I get any spare cash, I’m buying him blackout curtains.

If it wasn’t for the damn sun blinding me, I’d still be sleeping peacefully. And truth be told, that was the best night of sleep I’ve had in a long damn time.

I peel my eyes open and glance across the sleeping baby to the other side of the bed.

It’s empty.

“Of course he’s gone,” I say aloud.

Disappointment hits me like a ton of bricks. It’s not like I expected us to stay in bed all day or anything. Winston isn’tmineto do that with, but…

I thought maybe after his moment of vulnerability last night, he wouldn’t be so closed off and we’d…well, I don’t know what I wanted exactly.

I just know I didn’t want him to be gone.

My alarm sounds and I reach for my cell on the bedside table, silencing it before it wakes Riker.

I roll over to wake my baby, only my hand hits an empty bundle of blankets.

What the…

I spring from the bed, racing around the other side to check the drawer.

Maybe last night was all a dream. Maybe Winston never came in.

Except Riker isn’t there either.

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