eventually, his heavy tread moved away.
I undressed and put on a thin nightgown, then went to the bed and laid down, pulling the covers over me and hugging myself. Had I made a mistake moving in with Ryan? Was I looking at him differently because he’d rescued me like a knight in shining armor?
And what had that look meant? On another man’s face, I would have interpreted that expression as desire.
With too many worries to focus on, I closed my eyes.
Maybe when I awoke I’d make better sense of it all.
* * * *
I didn’t know how long I’d slept, but when I awoke my breasts were aching and full. As if on cue, the baby’s demanding cry sounded in the distance. I didn’t bother with a robe. The clock on my nightstand read two a.m. Ryan would be deep in sleep. I knew I’d better hurry before the baby woke him, or he’d find out my warnings about how hard it would be to have a baby under his roof weren’t exaggerations.
When I opened the nursery door, I was surprised to find Ryan inside, still dressed and with his tool belt riding low on his waist. Jonathon was in his arms.
I halted, drinking in the sight. Ryan would be a wonderful dad someday.
A very sexy daddy, I thought, eyeing that tool belt.
“Let me take him.” I rushed forward. “You need your sleep.”
“I changed him, but I think he’s hungry.” Ryan gave me a sideways glance. “If you’ll hold him a minute, I’ll run down to get a bottle from the fridge. You need a solid night’s sleep.”
“No need,” I said softly. I glanced down at my nightgown and grimaced. The front of it was damp over both nipples—my milk was already leaking. “I’ll never get back to sleep with my breasts this hard.”
I reached out my arms.
Ryan handed over the baby then stuck his hands in his back pockets. His cheeks turned a little pink. “Would you mind...?”
I glanced up, noted the way his gaze remained on my breasts, and understood what he was asking. He was just curious. And breastfeeding a baby was the most natural thing in the world. I sat in the rocker and unbuttoned the top of my nightgown, folding back one side to bare my breast. Then I snuggled Jonathon close, smiling as he eagerly latched on and suckled.
When I glanced up at Ryan, it was to catch him staring, his face wearing that look again. He wasn’t repulsed, not even a little bit, watching me feed my son. If anything, he looked more aroused than he had earlier.
Which turned me on, adding to the mild arousal I always felt when Jonathon latched onto my nipple. I was close to begging Ryan to stay and maybe help me with one little bitty problem...
I swallowed down the words, and leaned back in my seat, deciding I should be content with the fact the man was watching me bare my breast. Once I was back in my room alone, I’d have plenty of inspiration to spur me to orgasm.
Jonathon let go of my breast with an audible pop. I guided the tip back to his mouth, nudging his lips, but he was already asleep.
“Well hell,” I said. “Little stinker. He didn’t get to the other one. I’ll have to use the pump.”
“Here, let me put him down.”
I startled. I hadn’t noticed Ryan had come closer, but I handed him the baby and stood on shaky legs. Arousal still tightened my womb and my breasts were nearly gushing. I’d need a shower.
Ryan turned to me again, staring down at my breasts. “You’re really wet.”
“That’s because they’re full of milk. I need to express them,” I said, my heart tripping because I wasn’t going to resist the temptation. I peeled down my nightgown, not looking at Ryan for fear I’d lose my nerve. With both breasts exposed, I tugged on the nipple that hadn’t been expressed. A thin stream of milk spurted out, hitting the wood floor.
“I’ll have to mop.” When I got up the nerve, I glanced up at Ryan. His eyes glittered in the light streaming in from the hallway.
And a boner tented one leg of his pants.
I took a deep breath and gathered my
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