“It’s all for me if you keep trying to convince me not to drink it.”
“Point taken.” Gingerly, he stood. “You mind if I grab a quick shower?”
“Not at all. Towels are in the closet. Use anything you need.”
“Thanks.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, his calloused skin hissing over his unshaven jaw. “I can probably shave later.”
“You look fine like that.” She grinned. “Scruffy suits you.”
Matt laughed. “Well, maybe since I don’t have to look presentable for work anymore, I should grow out one of those lumberjack beards.”
“If you do, I swear to God, I will steal the clippers from your sister’s barn and shave it while you’re asleep.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You know, anyone else I would think was just joking. But you—”
“I am so not joking.”
Matt chuckled. “Duly noted. All right, let me get a shower, and I’ll join you for coffee.”
While he went into the bathroom, she headed downstairs. The coffeepot was on a timer, but she’d fallen asleep next to Matt last night, and she’d forgotten to set it up. Which meant waiting. For coffee.
On any other morning after any other night in bed with him, waiting a few minutes for coffee would’ve been okay. After all, once the two of them got started, there was no stopping for anything, not even coffee. Last night had sucked, though. And this morning hadn’t been great for either of them. If ever there was a morning for her household appliances to come to life like they were in a Disney film, this was it. But no.
And the woodland creatures probably won’t show up and clean my house either. Thanks, Obama.
Fortunately, the coffeepot didn’t take long to make enough to fill half a cup. She’d work her way through that while the rest of it brewed.
She cautiously sipped her coffee. As long as the first swallow went down, she’d be okay, and thank God, it did.
By the time she’d finished that precious half cup and was starting to fill another, she was pretty sure she’d make it through the morning.
Matt’s footsteps started down the stairs, so she poured him a cup of coffee. When he walked into the kitchen, stubble still darkened his jaw, but he had some more color in his cheeks now.
She handed him the cup.
“Thank you,” he said, taking it in both hands. “Oh God, coffee…”
“Right?” She smiled. “Feeling better?”
“Much.” He carefully took a sip. “What about you?”
“Better, but it might be touch and go for a few hours.”
He grimaced. “Just morning sickness, right?”
She nodded. “First time in a few days too.”
“It’s not every day?”
She shook her head. “It was for a few weeks, but it hasn’t been lately. Some days, I get it. Some days, I don’t. But it’s getting better.”
“Good to hear.”
“Tell me about it. I just hope it really does clear up completely in the second trimester. My mom said she had it until the day I was born.” Dara groaned. “God, if that happens…”
“If that happens, this baby is so grounded.”
She laughed. “Until he’s thirty.”
Matt wagged his finger at her stomach. “You hear that, kid? Twenty-five to life if you keep making your mom sick like that.”
Dara’s laugh got stuck in her throat. “Mom. Wow.” She shook her head. “It’s weird, thinking I’m going to be somebody’s mom.”
“Yeah. I feel the same way about being someone’s dad.” He slid a hand over her stomach and kissed her temple. “You’d almost think we were adults or something.”
Dara laughed, resting her head beneath his chin and her hand over his. “Who the hell let that happen?”
“No kidding.” He glanced out at the driveway. “Do we still need to bring anything in?”
She shook her head. “No, the crib was the last of it.”
“Oh. Good.”
“Thank you again, by the way.” She smiled. “I really appreciate you going out and getting everything.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re in this together.”
And thank God for that. Going into this alone had been intimidating as hell.
The thought didn’t do a damned thing for her stomach. She closed her eyes and took some slow breaths. There’d be other fun bullshit later in her pregnancy, but she couldn’t wait until the daily nausea was good and gone.
“You still queasy?” Matt asked.
“A little.” She opened her eyes. “I’ll be okay as long as nobody makes me smell anything horrible.”