Jayne’s cheeks warmed at the compliment and then she blushed harder when Seth agreed with the cashier and thanked her. “Why didn’t you correct her assumption?” Jayne asked after nudging him as they walked out into the fall sunshine. There was a whisper of coolness and changing seasons in the air which invigorated her.
Seth shrugged as he carried the paint cans and shopping bag. “Because she’s right. I see you in him too. He’s not nearly as shy as he used to be, or as hesitant. He’s influenced by your sweet spirit. That’s what I see in him. So, I think she’s right.”
Jayne blew out a breath and hugged Toby to her and leaned into Seth as he pulled her near and kissed her neck. “You’re going to make me cry, Seth Carter.”
At home, while she cooked supper, he pulled all the furniture from Toby’s room and prepped the room for painting as his son watched in fascination from his playpen. She planned to start painting the following morning since it was a Saturday, and her day off, while Seth was working. Toby would be sleeping in his crib in Seth’s bedroom while his room was unavailable and she’d assured him that Toby could watch her from the security of his playpen while she worked.
On silent, bare feet, Seth walked into the kitchen to find her on top of a stepladder, stretched up, reaching into one of the high cabinet shelves. The hem of her white T-shirt was hiked up, revealing several luscious inches of her waistline and the rose tattoo. He drank in the sight of her, not wanting to startle her while she was up high. The temptation grew strong, however, and he put his hands out to catch her, just in case, as he pressed a kiss to her soft abdomen, just above the waist of her jeans. She yelped and froze, holding on to the shelf, as she looked down, her cheeks reddening like the blush on a Fredericksburg peach in July.
“You startled me.”
He grasped her hips as he glanced at Toby playing contentedly with one of his toys and grinned with wicked delight as he pressed a slow kiss to the denim covering her mound, which was at eye level. Her breathing stuttered, and she lowered one hand to brace herself on his shoulder.
“Toby—”
“Happily occupied, like me.” He nipped at the succulent, sweetly scented flesh below her belly button and then nuzzled her navel with the tip of his nose, making her belly flutter as she gasped. “Wait until I get you alone.”
“Oh…um…” Her voice trembled, and he glanced up watching as she bit her lip and her eyes rolled back as he continued kissing her abdomen. She tilted her head and moaned softly, enjoying the moment. Remembering herself, she peered over at Toby and whispered, “He’s sleeping in our bedroom tonight.”
A bolt of pleasure shot through him that she’d referred to it as “our” bedroom. A feeling of rightness came into his heart as he stroked her smooth abdomen underneath her T-shirt and then helped her step back down the ladder.
“You know you’re not supposed to stand on the top step of a ladder.”
“I know. That’s me,” she quipped, “rule breaker to the core.” He drew her into a tight embrace and joined his lips to hers as she tilted her chin up for a kiss. They wrapped their arms around each other and stayed that way until Toby called out, “Sketti?”
Seth chuckled and hugged her. Suddenly an odd chiming music filled the air.
“What’s that?” Jayne asked as she looked in Toby’s direction. “What’s in his mouth?” She ran to the playpen. “Oh no, I left the diaper bag on the couch.”
She lifted it out of Toby’s reach, and as he came close, Seth could see that he’d dumped the contents in the playpen. Diapers, clothing, toys, and wipes lay scattered in the playpen with him. The chime sounded again.
Jayne squatted and softly said, “What have you been up to, Toby?”
She tickled him, and he giggled and stuck a metallic object to his mouth. Seth lifted a teething toy to him, and he reached for it as Jayne slipped the other object from his drooly grasp. He grunted and reached for what turned out to be a cell phone, but Jayne distracted him as Seth stood and flipped the silver phone open.
“I don’t recognize this phone, do you?”
Wondering how he’d gotten it, Seth wiped the wet phone off with his T-shirt, which inadvertently opened the menu on the phone. He perused the contacts list and call history and then it dawned on him.
“This is Tamar’s phone. It must’ve been hidden in the bag and she forgot it. He must’ve pushed the power button and turned it on.” The call history indicated several calls, all from the same overseas number and then nothing else since then.