“Supper’s done whenever you’re ready.” He headed for the living room.
She followed him and bit back a groan. The view from the rear was just as good as the front view. His wide shoulders tapered into a narrow waist, ending with an ass so round and tight she could’ve bounced a quarter off it. Or sunk her teeth into it to double-check if it was as firm and yummy as it looked.
Get control of yourself, Sky.
Why was she having this physical reaction to him again? Strictly hormonal on a biological level because he was the father of her child?
No. You’re reacting this way because that man—your new roommate—is smoking hot.
He set the car seat on the floor. “You wanna show me how to get her outta this contraption?”
“Sure. Push the red button, move the handle up until it locks. Then unfasten the seatbelt. Just like that. See? Easy.”
Eliza’s eyes blinked open and she stared at Kade as he lifted her out.
“Well, aren’t you a bright-eyed little thing?”
Skylar watched him, chattering away to his daughter like it was an everyday occurrence. Her emotions shifted from jealousy to relief to flat-out amusement. The man was a goner for Miss Eliza Belle. He’d taken to her faster than Sky ever imagined.
“Is she always this good?”
“No.” Sky glanced at the clock. “Give her an hour. She gets really fussy around dinnertime. And then right before bed.”
“I’ll keep her entertained if you wanna eat.”
“She does have a baby bouncer. You don’t have to hold her all the time.”
Kade’s eyes met hers. “I wanna hold her. You’re gonna have a devil of a time gettin’ her away from me.” When Skylar balked, he amended, “That didn’t come out right. What I meant was…I’m just pretty much stunned by her. Not only that I didn’t know she existed, but if it’ll ever sink in that she’s really mine. And I’m responsible for her for the rest of her life.”
“It’s a daunting concept, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I really haven’t been around babies all that much, if you wanna know the truth, so I’m gonna need your help.”
Skylar expected gruffness, not Kade to act as bewildered and awestruck as she’d been. She touched his forearm, offering him reassurance “Give yourself more than a day to process it all, Kade. I had six months to get used to the idea of a baby, while she was growing inside me. You’ve had six hours. The more time you spend with her, the easier it’ll get.”
“You trust me with her?”
“You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Besides, I didn’t know all that much about babies either. To some extent, it is instinctive. Only way to learn is by doing.”
Sky sidestepped him and wandered to the kitchen, shocked at how easy it was to leave Kade with their daughter.
He’d cleaned the counters and washed dishes. A pot of chili simmered on the stove. A round bakery box with a chocolate frosted cake sat in the middle of the table. She sagged against the doorway. He’d remembered her favorite dessert.
Dammit. It’d be easier to keep this situation impersonal if he was a complete dickhead.
Impersonal. Right. A little too late for that. They had a child. The man had proposed to her not four hours ago. Apparently, he’d moved in. And apparently, she didn’t mind. She expelled a heavy sigh and muttered, “Maybe I should’ve just said yes.”
“The offer still stands, Skylar.”
His deep voice next to her ear sent a shiver through her. “You scared me.”
“I know.”
Did he mean he knew sneaking up on her scared her? Or was he talking about his marriage proposal? Rather than dig herself into a hole, she bit back the demand for clarification.
During dinner she shared the abbreviated version of her pregnancy and Eliza’s birth while Kade pored over the pictures and information in the baby book. When Eliza began to fuss, Skylar taught him how to mix formula, how to warm a cold bottle and how to test the temperature. After he finished feeding Eliza, Sky tossed him a spit-up rag and instructed him on burping.
Kade listened so attentively Skylar half-expected him to whip out a notebook and jot down notes. It didn’t faze him when Eliza barfed all over him. Changing a diaper didn’t make him turn green. He walked the floor until Eliza fell asleep in his arms, and he still wouldn’t relinquish his hold on her.
“Seriously. Put her in the bassinet. She’ll nap for an hour and then she’ll want to eat again before she’s out for the night. Or part of the night. She still doesn’t sleep straight through.”
Reluctantly, Kade laid Eliza on her back in the bassinet, tucked a blanket around her and flopped on the opposite end of the couch.