Nick.
Oh my jeebus, I remembered falling asleep on the couch, but in those moments before I had slipped under, I honestly didn’t think Nick would’ve stayed. My eyes widened as I took stock of the situation. Nick’s body was curved around mine, and I knew this couldn’t be the most comfortable sleeping position for him. He was a tall guy, and this couch was cramped.
But he was here, his hand not resting on my hip, but on my lower stomach. In the pale light of dawn, I stared at his hand in a strange sort of wonder. Had he placed his hand there on purpose? It was such a protective, male gesture. Or had he done it while asleep?
Either way, it did something to me. Sharp tingles shot from where his hand rested and spread below in a warm wave of shivers. It also formed a knot in my chest and in my throat. Like when he asked to feel my stomach last night, I was shocked and my . . . my entire being was moved. Combine all of that with what he told me about his grandfather, I was beginning to see who Nick really was. Some of the missing puzzle pieces were appearing and clicking into place. Not all, but some.
As I stared at Nick’s hand, a very important sense of knowledge filled me. Nick would be a great father. I didn’t know a whole lot about him, but based on what he did and sacrificed for his grandfather, I had no doubt he would approach fatherhood the same way. Not to mention he didn’t see any of what he was doing to take care of his grandfather as a sacrifice. He was . . . he was a good person—a great person.
Tension that had settled in my shoulders and back since I found out I was pregnant began to slowly ease. It was like an awakening. No matter what went down between Nick and I, he would be there for our . . . for our child. I wasn’t in this alone.
But as I stared at his hand, I also realized that I didn’t want him to just be the father of our child. I wanted to find the rest of those puzzle pieces and figure him out. I wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed by him, and I wanted to know what it felt like to actually . . . make love with him. This sudden need went deeper than the physical.
I wanted him to mean more to me.
I wanted to mean more to him.
Yes, getting pregnant was what really brought us back together, but it didn’t have to be the only reason.
Carefully, I shifted so I was on my back. His hand remained where it was, splayed across my lower stomach, the weight comforting. A moment passed and his thumb moved in a slow circle, a very slow and precise circle, just below my navel.
Nick was awake.
I lifted my chin, and my gaze locked with a sleepy, light green eye. My pulse kicked up as his thumb continued to move, now in a half circle. I drew in a deep breath as my body really started to wake up and get on board with the closeness. The tips of my breasts tightened, straining against the soft cups of my bra. With each breath I took, the arousal grew and I became painfully aware of it.
“Mornin’,” Nick said, his voice abrasive with sleep.
I repeated the greeting, but I barely heard it. I was too busy staring at him. A faint shadow covered his jaw. His hair was a disheveled mess, the short ends standing up in every direction, and the slight smile on his face gave him quite the boyish look.
Clearing my thoughts, I focused on something to say and then stated the obvious. “I fell asleep.”
“You did.” Humor filled his eyes as he lifted his head, twisting it side to side as if he was working out a kink.
“You stayed.”
His gaze slowly glided over my face as he settled back down. “I did. You were just too cozy and warm to leave. You mad about that?”
“No.” Quite the opposite. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“I didn’t mind. I liked this.”
My heart started doing this little dance in my chest. “But what about your grandfather?”
“I texted the nurse. She stayed. Needed the overtime, I guess, because she was really happy about it.”
I lowered my gaze. “I hope that didn’t cost you a lot.”
“It didn’t.”
That couldn’t be entirely true. In-home nurses had to charge a pretty penny, but I was pleased that he stayed. Really pleased.
“By the way,” he drawled. “You snore.”
My eyes flew to him. “What?”
“Yep.” He grinned down at me. “You sound like a baby chain saw.”
“I do not snore!”
His gaze was hooded. “How would you know? You’re asleep.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he was right, how would I know? I never slept with a guy, not even the one I dated in high school, and while I was in college, my roommate had a habit of sleeping with ear buds in. Oh my God, maybe that was why she did that.
“Do I really snore?”
He looked serious for all about two seconds and then chuckled. “No. You don’t snore. I was lying.”
“You ass!” I screwed up my face as I smacked his arm. “Here I was thinking I actually sounded like a chain saw.”
“A baby chain saw,” he corrected.