“Oh, I know, but those longing looks said it all, and it was only a matter of time once they were forced to see each other every day.”
“She’s happy. So is Hadley.” A frown tugs at her mouth and brow.
“That’s not a good thing?”
“Oh, it is. But I was thinking it’s odd that they seem so happy when they weren’t unhappy before.”
“You’ve known them a while.”
“About five years. We met their first week of college.”
“What were you doing there? I know you’ve got multiple degrees, but you weren’t in their classes, were you?”
“No. We met at the coffee shop just off campus. Hadley was having problems with her laptop and I offered to fix it.” She shrugs. “It didn’t take much and I’m sure she would have sorted it out sooner or later but from that moment on we kept bumping into each other and quickly became friends.”
“I’m grateful they met you. We wouldn’t have Van in our lives again without your help.”
“You all need to stop thanking me for that.”
“Never. Our thanks are the least of what we owe you for bringing him back to us.”
“I didn’t do it for payment or gratitude.”
“I know. But still.”
“There is nothing I hate more than people using other people against each other. And using a child?” Her fist clenches where it rests on her thigh. “That’s the lowest of the low and if I can stop it from happening, I will. Every time.”
I’ve hit a nerve. I’m not sure how or what exactly, but now that she’s moving in with me, I’ll have time to figure out what makes Vivian Lenore Garnett tick.
Not tonight though. Tonight we need to take care of the baby sleeping peacefully between us.
“Are you finished?” I reach for our shared plate. “We should clean up and get some sleep before little man wakes up for his next bottle.”
“Diaper or bottle duty?” Vivi asks as she stands and stretches. “Also, do you have something I can sleep in?” She wiggles herhips and my dick twitches in my pants. “I need to get out of these pants.”
Her words have visions of her peeling the skintight jeans down her legs, an inch at a time, slowly revealing the sleek legs I know she has, flooding my mind. And once she’s removed those jeans my imagination conjures images of her taking her top off next.
The twitch turns to a throb; my cock pulsing as it inflates. Shifting to the side, I try to hide my growing erection and think about the disaster my first diaper changing experience was in an attempt to banish all thoughts of a naked Vivi from my head.
“Easton?”
“Hmm…” I look over my shoulder to find her arching an eyebrow at me. It takes effort to remember where we are in our conversation. “Yeah, I’ve got something you can wear.”
I’ll hunt up the thickest and biggest sweater and sweatpants I can find. It’s bad enough she’ll be only feet away—in my bed—I don’t need the temptation of her being in a t-shirt and boxers.
“Just point me in the right direction and I’ll grab something while you take the plate to the kitchen.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get it.”
Pushing to my feet, I head for my walk-in closet, keeping my back to her and hoping I can calm my dick down before I return.
Once in the closet it doesn’t take me long to establish my quest to supply Vivi with maximum coverage is fruitless. I have little in the way of winter clothing—no need when I spend the majority of my time in warmer climates. What I do have for colder weather is in QVE’s New York apartment.
The best I can hope for is a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of gym shorts. Jeans and slacks won’t be any more comfortable than her own jeans and that’s the only long pants I have here.
“You all right in there?” Vivi’s voice floats into the closet and my dick twitches again.
“Yeah. Coming.”