Page 42 of Manhattan Heart

The bottom level of the house had separate rooms when we bought it, but we wanted it more open plan to let the light in. The redesign is amazing and I’m so in love with our house. I’m excited to get us moved in.

Thankfully, Gray is richer than God, and we have movers and packers coming so all I need to do now is get my man home.

Josiah is so very proper that he insists I sit in the back seat while he drives me to the hospital to collect Gray.

“Joe, why aren’t you married with seventeen kids yet?” I’m making small talk because my belly is jumbled excited to get my eyes on Gray. It’s only been a few hours since I left him sleeping last night after he about forced me to climb into the bed with him, saying it was the only way he could get comfortable.

Little con artist. I know I’m going to spoil him rotten when he’s home.

“Did you have a girl get away? Unrequited love for your best friends girl? Ohh … I know. There’s a forbidden woman.”

In the front seat, Joe glances at me through the mirror and a smile tips up half of his mouth. “Nothing like that.”

“I could introduce you to a gorgeous dancer with legs that don’t quit, but she’s hung up on her mafia boss.”

“Is that so?” Another half grin. “Is he really part of the mafia?”

“We can’t tell, but he looks the part of a mafia Don.”

“I might steer clear of her then, if you don’t mind. I like my kneecaps in my legs where they’re meant to be.”

Getting Grayson home goes smoothly and I soon have him on the couch. Where he bitches like a …well… me.

“I’ve been in bed for days, I can do things, India.”

“Sit. Shut up. I’m nursing you back to health.” My finger points as I let the dogs in and they bark their tiny little brown and black heads off, excited to see daddy is home.

I want to howl too, I’m so joyful.

“Can I suggest a little nurse outfit?” He says in a hot rasp that’s felt in my stomach. “I think it would help. You can give me sponge baths three times a day.”

“Down, boy. No excitement for you. That means doing of the sex or talking of the sex.”

He frowns as I bring him his pills and a glass of water.

We’ll have a home nurse coming three times a week to clean and repack his incision holes until they’re healed. That bitch better not be in a sexy uniform or I’ll march her ass back out of the door.

I already have his new diet. Nothing fatty or cholesterol heavy.

Though he insists his heart issue was not food related but hereditary.

His father had the same thing about seven years ago.

No way am I taking a chance with Gray’s health.

It’s salads all the way now and he just better get used to it.

That’s how the next couple of days go by. We get into a routine of taking care of him.

In between getting the house move underway which becomes a bigger deal than expected, just the trouble of having a company all over our apartment packing it up for us is a necessary annoyance I have to chew on my lip and get through.

I’m never moving again.

Gray tries to do too much and I boss him into relaxing for god’s sake, before he gives me a heart attack. We go to the doctors for a check-up and it’s all looking good and now it’s the first night in the new house and we’re both exhausted on the couch. “I feel like we were the ones who picked up couches and fridges.” I chuckle, laying my head on Gray’s stomach. His fingers go in and out of my hair. “Can we not move ever again, you think?”

“We’re in our forever home, baby. Are the boys pissing in every corner?”

I don’t dare look. With his time off from work, Gray has been teaching the boys manners, it’s hit and miss but they’re so damn cute, I can’t get mad when they have little accidents.

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