Page 81 of Pipe Dreams
Startled hands flew to his back, but then they welcomed him in. She made a throaty little noise as her mouth softened beneath his.
Jesus. He had the urge to carry her up two flights of stairs and throw her on the bed. If they were home alone right now, he’d probably do it.
With a quiet groan, he eased back. “Sure missed you.”
“I could tell.” She smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed.
He wanted to hear,I missed you, too. The words sort of hung in the air between them. But he knew exactly why they went unsaid. Because the whole phrase would be:I missed you for two years, dummy. He was the one who had put them in this awkward position. So he would have to be the one to get them out.
“Come inside for a minute?” he asked. “Want the tour?”
Lauren peered around him. “Jeez, Mike. Your house is gorgeous.”
“Thanks. I can’t take any credit. The seller did all the modernizing. All I had to do was try not to ruin it with my old furniture.” He squinted at the long white room with its buttery wood floors and hipster light fixtures, wondering what Lauren saw. It was humbling to show her his multimillion dollar pad for the first time when he was guilty of scuttling their life in the city together two years ago. “How about that beer?” he suggested.I sure could use one.
“Well...” she gave a nervous laugh. “You go ahead. But I’m going to lay off the alcohol for a little while. Because... you never know.”
Right. He grinned, and then stepped in to kiss her on the forehead. “Sorry. I’m easily distracted.” He pulled her in for a hug, and when his arms closed around her again, everything seemed less fraught.
She tucked her chin against his shoulder and they just stayed there for a moment, both trying to get used to the new normal.
“Let me show you the house,” he asked, giving her a squeeze. “There’s something I want you to see.”
“Private bowling alley?” she teased. “Wine cellar? Man cave in the basement?”
He took her hand and led her through the living room toward the stairway. “The basement is a hundred and fifty years old, unimproved. Definitely not on the tour.”
“Holy cow—your kitchen.” She craned her neck for a glimpse toward the back. “That isfancy.”
“I know,” he chuckled. “And Hans is the only one who cooks in it. Elsa and I are takeout connoisseurs.”
He led her up to the second floor, where the door to Elsa’s room was shut tightly. “There’s two bedrooms on this floor, and then a little room Hans calls his office. It’s full of instruments and sheet music. But keep climbing.” He trudged upthe second flight. At the top of the stairs a skylight lit up the narrow hallway. “So... this is my room.” He stepped inside.
“You brought me upstairs to show me your bedroom? What a shocker.”
“Subtle, right?” He stepped into the bright room, with its high ceilings. “Never got around to decorating it,” he said. “We’ve only been here eight months, and nobody but me ever comes up here. But look.” He pushed open a door in one wall and stepped through into a little room. It had a round, antique window and a painted wood floor. The walls were a rather girly shade of pink.
There wasn’t a stick of furniture. The room was completely empty.
Lauren stepped in behind him. “Oh,” she said quietly. “It’s supposed to be...”
“The nursery,” he finished.
Her eyes lifted to his, and they were full of questions.
“Hey.” He stepped closer to her and took one of her hands. “I know you think I’m headstrong, and maybe it’s true. But I’m ready for whatever you’ll give me.” Gently, he took a step forward, and then another, until he’d backed her up against one of the pink walls. Then he cupped the back of her head and brushed his lips across hers. “I don’t know exactly what the future holds. But I can’t wait to find out.”
When her blue eyes softened, he slanted his mouth across hers again. The sound of her sigh went straight to his cock. He pressed more firmly against her body, and wondered what a baby bump on Lauren would look like, and got a thrill just reminding himself she might be carrying his child. If not today, then sometime soon.
“Daddy!” Elsa’s voice carried up the stairs.
He gave a frustrated moan against Lauren’s mouth. He kissed her once more and then stepped back. Leaning his head out of the nursery door, he hollered, “What do you need?”
“Help! With math homework!”
He cursed under his breath. “I think my kid is telepathic. She hasn’t asked me for help with math in a year.”
“Must be important, then,” Lauren said lightly.
