Page 30 of Spring Break With a Baby Daddy
Does that stem from my attraction to Easton or because I can’t stand the idea of Cade going into care or Lisa getting into trouble for abandoning her child?
Both seem to have equal weight. Although the thought of being married to Easton, even if it is in name only, has me wanting to take our relationship beyond the ‘friends’ I think we are.
“Penny for them?”
Lifting my gaze, I lock eyes with Easton. “There’s a lot going on up here.” I tap my temple.
“I don’t doubt it. Can I help you sort through any of it?”
He’s being careful. I don’t know why I think that, but his words are measured and his voice is smooth, soothing as though he’s trying not to trigger a reaction.
“I know it’s been a lot.” He waves a hand between us. “Us finally going on a date and then finding a baby…”
His words taper off and I don’t need to be a genius to work out the rest. “Do you really think it would help Cade if we were married?”
If he’s surprised by my question, he doesn’t show it. “I do. But I don’t want you to think you have to do it.”
“I don’t feel pressured.” And I don’t. Which is something else I should examine more closely. Maybe a shower is a good idea.I can clear my head and take a break away from the man who inspires dirty thoughts right alongside comfort and safety.
“We can table that until we hear what the lawyer says on Monday.” He glances at my laptop. “And you can leave the search alone for now too. We should take tonight and tomorrow to rest. We don’t have to go out for anything so we can stay holed up here and worry about everything else later.”
I want to—he has no idea how much I want to forget the world outside of this apartment, except that’s something I’ve never been able to do.
“You can’t stop, can you?” The smile that tilts one side of his mouth makes me smile in return.
“No. I’ve tried all sorts of things to switch my brain off. It’s my default mode. Even sleeping I’m thinking. My dreams are always about whatever is happening in my life and how to deal with it.”
His smile turns downright devilish. “I’m sure I could get you out of your head.”
The innuendo behind his words has my insides tightening. A hot coil of need twisting between my hips. “Easton…”
“I shouldn’t have said that. It isn’t what we are. Yet.” He takes a step closer. “But don’t make the mistake of thinking I don’t want us to be there. Just because my attention has been diverted by the arrival of Cade doesn’t mean I’m not still thinking about our date. About how I wanted it to be the first of many.”
“You skipped over a few steps.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, I haven’t had a kiss goodnight and I moved in with you. And now, a second date hasn’t been set and you’re asking me to marry you.”
He grins down at me. “I’m a fast worker.”
“Hopefully not fast with everything you do.” I slap a hand over my mouth as Easton bursts out laughing.
I’m not good at flirting, or dating, or talking really. I say weird things at times and my brain is always two blocks ahead of everyone else’s.
“Stop.” Easton’s hands curl over my shoulders and he bends over so we’re eye to eye. “I like that you say what you think, that you’re, at times, brutally honest. It’s refreshing. Real. And that’s a hard thing to find.”
“I want to marry you. Not just because it will help you keep Cade.” I shrug. “I’ve lived on gut instinct most of my life, definitely since I left home, and I know it’s the right thing to do except I can’t say it’s one hundred percent because of Cade.”
“And that has your mind spinning, trying to work out why you agreed.”
“No. I agreed because I was already thinking about it.”
“If we’re being honest, I have to tell you I want to marry you for reasons other than Cade, too.”
“Are we crazy? Because it’s not the first time I’ve been called that and it doesn’t bother me what anyone thinks anyway. Only you and me. If you want to get married and I want to get married, then we should. Shouldn’t we?”
The more we talk, the more confused I get. I wish there was a way to make the decision and not second guess it. This is not the way I usually operate and I have to say if this is what people with lower IQs deal with, they can have it.
