First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

The foyer was illuminated only by the soft recessed lights, and she had to give her eyes a moment to adjust from the brighter lights of the outer entrance. The penthouse was divided into two suites, both accessible by the key-driven elevator and secured private stairway. Aidan’s was to the left; Lexi’s, to the right.

Lexi slid her digital key into the lock, not quite sure what she would find on the other side. It was just around dinner time, and she was hoping to persuade Ian to order in tonight while she fed, bathed, and got Patrick settled in his bed. Then, with any luck, she would feed, bathe, and unsettle Ian in her bed afterward.

The spacious apartment was quiet. Too quiet. Like the foyer, the lights were dimmed. The sound of her footsteps was practically nonexistent, absorbed by the plush carpet and double-padded underlay as she worked her way through the living area. The soft, muted sounds of the flat screen in her room settled her nerves. Ian was probably in there with Patrick sprawled out on his chest, two men bonding over ESPN SportsCenter.

Kicking off her shoes, she stopped first at the kitchen to unload the bottles of milk she’d pumped throughout the day. One thing about having such a ravenous child – her body was on full-scale dairy mode. She’d learned quickly that her body was going to answer the call every two hours whether she was home or not, and ignoring it was the quickest way to aching boobs and drenched shirts. Thankfully, there had been private areas at both of the places she’d visited, allowing her to keep herself on schedule and her dignity intact.

“I hope you haven’t eaten yet.” Ian’s deep, velvety voice startled her.

“I - I thought you were in the bedroom with Patrick.”

“I was. He’s sound asleep. You smell wonderful.” Ian dipped his head down toward her neck and inhaled deeply. Lexi fought the urge to bury her hands in his hair and hold him there. A second later, he stepped back, as if he had realized what he had just done and regretted it. “Have a good day?”

“Um...” she said, trying to focus on the question. But Ian’s intimate little sniff had railroaded her thought processes, and left her freshly-waxed, sensitive womanly parts tingling intensely. “I’m sorry. What?”

That sexy half-smile of his – the one that devastated her every time – made her knees weak.

“Did you have a good day?” He took the miniature cooler from her and stacked the little bottles neatly on the shelf.

“Yes,” she answered, regaining some of her poise, but not enough. The sight of Ian’s delectable backside as he bent into the fridge was a major distraction. Thinking about sex all day had definitely put her on edge. Discreetly, she pressed her thighs together as she reached for a glass and held it under the drinking tap. “I saw Dr. McKenzie today.”

“I thought that appointment wasn’t for another two weeks,” he said carefully. “Are you having problems?” Ian’s voice was too level, too neutral. Undoubtedly, he already knew about the appointment. Aidan. Since when had he become Ian’s little narc?

“No, everything’s fine,” she assured him, but he probably already knew more about the results of her exam than she did. She wondered if anything she and the doc had spoken about afterward was transcripted into her records anywhere. “In fact, everything’s better than fine.”

“Is it now?” Hunger warred with doubt in his eyes.

“Mmm-hmm,” she answered, working hard to keep up her courage, but it was hard. Ian moved back, putting several feet between them, his body language guarded and closed. She put her arms around herself, feeling a sudden chill. “I thought maybe we could order dinner in tonight. I could tell you what she said. If you’re interested.”

“I’m interested,” he said, but his tone was not what she wanted to hear. I’m interested, it said, but it’s not going to change anything. Lexi’s chest started to ache a little.

“Okay then. If you don’t mind ordering, I’ll just go start getting Patrick’s bath ready...”

“He’s already had his bath.”

“Oh. Well, I guess I could feed him, then. It’s still a little early, but –“

“He just finished a bottle about fifteen minutes ago. He’s good for a couple of hours.”

“Oh.” Lexi was torn between feeling grateful for all that Ian had done and feeling a little disappointed that they had managed so well without her.

“He really missed you, though,” Ian said a little too quickly, no doubt spotting the moisture quickly accumulating in her eyes. “He was a very unhappy camper there for a while, and completely skipped his afternoon nap.”

She nodded, biting her lip. That probably shouldn’t have made her feel as good as it did. Still, if Patrick was all taken care of, then there was really no reason to delay. If she could just get Ian interested...

Lexi stepped up behind him as he pulled the take-out menus from the neat little magnetized clip that hung on the side of the fridge. She slipped her arms around him, laying her cheek against his back. God, he felt so good. So strong, so warm, so -