braided rug, he joined them. He tickled Lee’s pudgy tummy and earned a big toothless grin in return.
“I thought I heard you come in.” One hand supporting the baby’s head, she leaned sideways to brush her lips across his. “I owe you an apology for this morning. I was horrible to you. I was frustrated and I didn’t mean—”
He caught the words with his swift kiss and reached to take the baby wash from her. “It’s all right.”
Scooping warm water over the baby, he lathered the small, wriggly body. “Shoot, son, you’re as slippery as Daddy’s alligators.”
“He’s usually as grouchy as one of them too,” Caitlin said softly and moved to help rinse. She lifted the dripping baby from the tub and Tick wrapped a soft towel around him before gathering him close. With a smile, Caitlin feathered her fingers over Lee’s head. “But he’s been in a good mood today.”
“I hate I missed that.” Tick kissed his temple, inhaling the clean baby scent. “Has he eaten?”
A sweet smile flirted with Caitlin’s lips. “Just before his bath. He’s getting sleepy.”
Sure enough, when Tick shifted Lee in his arms, the little lids were already drooping. “Come on, Leebo,” he whispered into the wispy hair atop the warm little head, “Daddy’ll put you to bed.”
He carried his son through to the nursery, keeping up a steady stream of talk while he diapered, lotioned and dressed him. The quiet sounds of Caitlin clearing things away in the bathroom filtered down the hall, and she appeared in the doorway as Tick tucked a thin blanket around the baby.
“He’s almost out.” Tick slanted a smile at Caitlin. Water spots dappled the fitted white T-shirt she wore over pink yoga pants. She didn’t return his smile, but watched him with a soft, serious gaze, and his stomach dropped. Hell, maybe he was in the doghouse after all.
He joined her at the doorway and she stepped backward into the dim hall, her eyes glittering.
A frown pulled at his brows. “What is it, Cait?”
She leaned against the opposite wall. “I miss you.”
Her fierce whisper sank into his consciousness, and his lashes fell, relief crashing through him. A low, rough laugh escaped him.
“It’s not funny, Tick.” Her husky murmur caught on his name. “You’re either pulling extra hours with the department, filling in, or you’re on that damn farm. When you are here, you’re not here . You don’t talk to me, you go out of your way not to touch me, and do you know how long it’s been since we made love? I miss you and I want you back, damn it.”
He crossed the hall, grasped her chin and kissed her. Hard. Fully. Completely. The way he’d wanted to for weeks.
“Want an exact count on how long it’s been?” he murmured against her mouth. “I can give you one.”
“No.” She gently sucked his lower lip between her own and he groaned. “I want you.”
“You realize it’ll be fast the first time, right?”
“Who cares?” She wound her arms around his neck and pressed closer. “Fast is good. We can be slow the second time.”
“And the third.” Bending to slip an arm beneath her knees, he swung her into his arms and headed for the stairs. “Maybe the fourth.”
“Confident there, aren’t you, Lamar Eugene?” She laughed into his throat. “Oh my God, I love when you do the Rhett Butler thing.”
“Yeah?” He almost missed a step as she nibbled the side of his neck. Laughter and arousal warred in him. “Keep doing that, precious, and we won’t make it to the bed.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Considering how long I’ve waited to make love to you again, I’d like to do it right.” He skirted Lee’s baby swing in the living room and narrowly avoided tripping over the car seat.
“I’ve never known you to do it wrong, Calvert.”
“You’re good for my ego, Falconetti.” He dropped her on their bed and knelt over her, staring into eyes dark with desire. “Lord, I love
“I thought I heard you come in.” One hand supporting the baby’s head, she leaned sideways to brush her lips across his. “I owe you an apology for this morning. I was horrible to you. I was frustrated and I didn’t mean—”
He caught the words with his swift kiss and reached to take the baby wash from her. “It’s all right.”
Scooping warm water over the baby, he lathered the small, wriggly body. “Shoot, son, you’re as slippery as Daddy’s alligators.”
“He’s usually as grouchy as one of them too,” Caitlin said softly and moved to help rinse. She lifted the dripping baby from the tub and Tick wrapped a soft towel around him before gathering him close. With a smile, Caitlin feathered her fingers over Lee’s head. “But he’s been in a good mood today.”
“I hate I missed that.” Tick kissed his temple, inhaling the clean baby scent. “Has he eaten?”
A sweet smile flirted with Caitlin’s lips. “Just before his bath. He’s getting sleepy.”
Sure enough, when Tick shifted Lee in his arms, the little lids were already drooping. “Come on, Leebo,” he whispered into the wispy hair atop the warm little head, “Daddy’ll put you to bed.”
He carried his son through to the nursery, keeping up a steady stream of talk while he diapered, lotioned and dressed him. The quiet sounds of Caitlin clearing things away in the bathroom filtered down the hall, and she appeared in the doorway as Tick tucked a thin blanket around the baby.
“He’s almost out.” Tick slanted a smile at Caitlin. Water spots dappled the fitted white T-shirt she wore over pink yoga pants. She didn’t return his smile, but watched him with a soft, serious gaze, and his stomach dropped. Hell, maybe he was in the doghouse after all.
He joined her at the doorway and she stepped backward into the dim hall, her eyes glittering.
A frown pulled at his brows. “What is it, Cait?”
She leaned against the opposite wall. “I miss you.”
Her fierce whisper sank into his consciousness, and his lashes fell, relief crashing through him. A low, rough laugh escaped him.
“It’s not funny, Tick.” Her husky murmur caught on his name. “You’re either pulling extra hours with the department, filling in, or you’re on that damn farm. When you are here, you’re not here . You don’t talk to me, you go out of your way not to touch me, and do you know how long it’s been since we made love? I miss you and I want you back, damn it.”
He crossed the hall, grasped her chin and kissed her. Hard. Fully. Completely. The way he’d wanted to for weeks.
“Want an exact count on how long it’s been?” he murmured against her mouth. “I can give you one.”
“No.” She gently sucked his lower lip between her own and he groaned. “I want you.”
“You realize it’ll be fast the first time, right?”
“Who cares?” She wound her arms around his neck and pressed closer. “Fast is good. We can be slow the second time.”
“And the third.” Bending to slip an arm beneath her knees, he swung her into his arms and headed for the stairs. “Maybe the fourth.”
“Confident there, aren’t you, Lamar Eugene?” She laughed into his throat. “Oh my God, I love when you do the Rhett Butler thing.”
“Yeah?” He almost missed a step as she nibbled the side of his neck. Laughter and arousal warred in him. “Keep doing that, precious, and we won’t make it to the bed.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Considering how long I’ve waited to make love to you again, I’d like to do it right.” He skirted Lee’s baby swing in the living room and narrowly avoided tripping over the car seat.
“I’ve never known you to do it wrong, Calvert.”
“You’re good for my ego, Falconetti.” He dropped her on their bed and knelt over her, staring into eyes dark with desire. “Lord, I love
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