“She’s a fan of chocolate.”
Lily jerked her head toward the doorway where Nash stood looking all scrumptious in his black T-shirt pulling taut across his wide shoulders and those well-worn faded jeans hugging narrow hips. His gaze zeroed right in on hers.
“I believe chocolate milk is high on the list,” he added, his tone dripping in sex. “Ice cream will do in a pinch. Right, Lily?”
Lily suppressed a shudder. The man knew exactly how to turn her on in a room full of people without so much as stepping into her breathing space.
“Why don’t we do sundaes?” Linda asked, oblivious to the sexual tension.
Cassie laughed. “Emily will love that.”
“I’m always up for anything chocolate, too,” Tessa chimed in, pushing her hair back over her shoulder.
Lily smiled, excited to be pulled into the Barrington family like she belonged there. “Sounds like a great night. What can I bring?”
“Yourself.” Cassie leaned over and patted Lily’s leg. “Linda gets offended if we try to bring anything to a party she’s throwing. And we’ve learned she’s the best and anything we make won’t compete so we just let her have at it. Bring Nash and an appetite. That’s all.”
Lily glanced to Linda who was rigorously jotting down notes, her lips thinned, her eyes narrowed. This woman was all business when it came to meal planning. Lily knew from being on the set that Linda loved to feed a houseful of people and she was an amazing chef.
“Sounds good to me,” Lily said around a yawn. “Sorry, I’m so tired lately.”
“It’s the first trimester,” Cassie told her with a soft smile. “You’ll regain some energy soon.”
Nash came to stand in front of her and extended his hand. “Why don’t I get you home? It is getting late.”
Glancing out the window, Lily realized the sun had all but set. They’d been there most of the day and time had flown by.
She took his hand and came to her feet. “This was so fun. Thanks for having us over.”
“You’re welcome here anytime,” Tessa told her. “Feel free to come any time Nash is working. We can always use another female around here.”
“Good thing the guys aren’t nearby to hear that,” Linda said as she rested her pad and pen on the coffee table. “But, I agree. Come by anytime.”
After saying their goodbyes, Lily and Nash headed home.
Home. Had she really started thinking in terms of his house as her own? She’d spent the majority of the day being welcomed into his newfound family, she was having his baby and her feelings for him were growing stronger every single day.
Yeah, she was starting to feel as if this was home. LA seemed so far away, as if a lifetime had passed since she’d been in her spacious condo. Just the thought of going back to the lonely space depressed her. She’d never fallen in love with a place—or the people—she’d visited on location before like she had at Stony Ridge. Part of her never wanted to leave, the other part had to be realistic and see that she couldn’t stay forever. Her job didn’t allow her to set roots.
So how could she raise a baby with a man who lived here? How could she leave the man she’d fallen for in such a short time?