“But—”
“Do you trust me?”
No hesitation was needed. “Yeah, I do.”
Taking out his phone, he said, “Let me check in with Jared. See what he’s up to.”
Whit finished, and she quickly did up the cup on her nursing bra and adjusted her top before switching the baby and the cover to the other side. Kendry had been right. Whit had been overheated, because now his skin was warm and dry to the touch, not sweaty and flushed like it had been. And he wasn’t fussing.
Kendry finished his call and said, “Let me take the baby off your hands for a couple of hours so you can nap here in peace and quiet. It might also help your head if you use an ice pack on it.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to thank him and refuse the offer. Whit was her responsibility. But then she thought about driving somewhere with him in the car. No. She needed to be responsible by not getting behind the wheel in a seriously sleep-deprived state.
“Okay. Marvin left in his truck earlier, which means he’s closed up shop early for the day. There’s a comfy rocker in his work space that he told me I could use any time I wanted to. There’s also a television down there. He won’t mind if you use it. I’ll be just a few more minutes, and I’ll change him and get his diaper bag for you.”
Kendry went downstairs to investigate the accommodations, and to set up the portable bassinet. After Whit was full and burped, she changed his diaper, dressed him in a onesie, prepared a backup bottle from her precious store of pumped breast milk, and grabbed a thicker blanket and his diaper bag. Just this once, she’d accept help.
She stood in the bedroom holding Whit and paused, hoping she hadn’t forgotten anything he might need. Closing her eyes, she remembered the warmth of Kendry’s lips on hers, the way her heart had pounded, and the rush of pleasure that had coursed through her body. Her mind went fuzzy for a few seconds and then she gasped as she shook her head.
“Falling asleep while standing up holding the baby. Not good.” She rushed to the kitchen sink, got a glass of water, and took a long drink, before carefully going down the steep stairs. Her wrists ached as she held Whit securely in her arms and she noticed he looked like he felt better, too. “Sorry for overdressing you, sugar. I don’t like that either and don’t know why I thought you would.”
He slowly blinked those baby blue eyes at her, and she prayed that he’d finally nap for Kendry without any more fussing.
Kendry reassured her about his ability to take care of Whit before hustling her back up the stairs. “Don’t forget to eat lunch while you’re up there.”
“Can I make you something?” she called from the stairs.
He waved his hand at her and smiled. “Jared is bringing me lunch. Go. Sleep, Mama.”
Heat filled her again and she bit her lower lip as she smiled on the way up the stairs. Looking around the apartment, it was tempting to do the flight of the bumble bee and clean house while she had the chance. Her body felt like she’d been carrying the baby nonstop for days. She nipped the cleaning impulse and went to the kitchen and got herself a bowl of cereal, after realizing she hadn’t eaten anything that morning. “That’s good for a headache, too.” She drank more water and then crawled gratefully onto her bed and put a cool washcloth over her eyes.
Her mind wanted to race but she knew the next two hours would be fleeting so she regulated her breathing and closed her eyes.
Chapter Three
Presley Ann flinched and grimaced as Emma handled her wrist in much the same way as Kendry had. “Kendry’s right. Tennis elbow and tendonitis in your wrists. You’ve been holding Whit nonstop, haven’t you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Because of the colic?”
Presley Ann nodded her head, her cheeks filling with embarrassing heat. Obviously holding him constantly wasn’t the right thing to do.
“And neither of you have slept much?”
Presley Ann shook her head and felt like a big baby when her lip trembled. To make matters worse, her letdown reflex surged as she thought of Whit, back at the apartment with Kendry. He’d offered to watch the baby for her while she went to the doctor, saying that he was no trouble, and that he’d napped practically the whole time she’d been upstairs. A sob escaped her. She couldn’t even get her baby not to cry and then he conked out and was quiet the whole time Kendry had him. She was a royal screw up.
“Presley Ann…” Emma stroked her shoulder compassionately, which only made the sobbing worse.
She yanked several tissues from the box Emma offered and blubbered. “I’m a horrible mom! He won’t stop crying! He won’t sleep! But he’s with Kendry and he hasn’t made a sound! Kendry knew he was overheated! I’m horrible! I was overdressing him so it only made his fussing worse, and I kept thinking if he screams one more time I’m gonna lose my mind, and…”