Page 53 of Reckless
“Fuck,” I mutter, blinking faster than a hummingbird’s wings as I try to burn my tongue on the coffee just to give myself something less mushy and unhinged to cry over.
I’ve seen Rhett hold her a million times, and it’s never been like this. No, this is all Theo.
“Did you sleep okay?” he asks as he turns back to face me.
Vivienne laughs and continues running her hands over his face. And gah, I can’t even blame her.
“Yeah,” I lie. “You?”
“Not especially.” His face morphs into a more solemn expression as he glances down at her again. “So, what led you to pick Vivienne?”
I chug back a hot gulp of coffee. Yes, more coffee.Why am I so emotional?I need to get this shit on lock before I go back to work in a few months. If I cry while I deliver bad news to people, I might as well quit.
“Um...” I glance around the room, feeling like I might be stronger if I don’t have to look at them. “It means ‘alive’ and, well . . . she made me feel alive again. She made it when my last baby didn’t. And it felt like a good adult name, you know? Like she could be prime minister with a name like that.”
Theo hums happily and smiles down at Vivienne. “Prime minister? Good for you, girl. I can’t wait to tell people my daughter is the prime minister.”
Breathe, Winter.
I laugh to cover the emotion welling at the back of my throat. How dare he be so...him. “Of course, I never considered that feeling alive would also be so exhausting. Or that I’d want nothing more than for no one to touch me, even just for an hour. Or that I’d never bathe alone again.” A shrill laugh leaps from my lips, a sad attempt to cover the emotion in my voice.
Theo’s dark eyes glance up at me. “Go take a bath, Winter.”
“What?”
“Take that coffee and go run yourself a bath. Close the door. Put some music on. Watch some porn. Go have a moment to yourse—”
I bark out a laugh. “You did not just tell me that. In front of a young, impressionable mind, no less.”
The grin he hits me with is pure knowing. He knows what he does to me, I’m sure of it. The way his eyes peruse my body is proof. I don’t think I’m the only one who vividly remembersthatnight.
“Tink, please. I might not know you all that well, but I have a sinking suspicion that the future prime minister’s first word might befuck.”
I bite down on my lip to hide the smile. Solo motherhood has turned me into a fucking trucker. I can’t even deny it.
“Go. I’ve got her. We’ll stay right here and wait for you.”
I glare at him.
“Tofinish.”
Asshole. I glare harder, but the desperately touched-out part of me screams,Do it! Take the bath!
“You know what? Yes, I’m going to go. I haven’t had a bath alone in nine months.”
“Good. Enjoy yourself.”
“If she cries...”
“We will be fine. All my older cousins have a million babies. I used to babysit.”
“I just fed her, so she should be fine.”
He smiles, all warm and gooey.
“Look. I haven’t left her alone with anyone except Harvey and Sloane’s mom, Cordelia.”
“Not even your parents?”
