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Jaime stood, pulling his boxers up and kicking his jeans free.

Standing now, face to face, back at square one, almost like the last half-hour hadn’t happened at all, was surreal.

“Thanks,” Jaime said, touching my arm, “for everything today… it made everything feel better. Like I wasn’t so alone.”

My heart warmed all the way through.

“That means the world to me,” I said and I meant it.

CHAPTER9

JAIME

Evie wokeup twice during the night, once for a feed and the second time for a diaper change.

I was surprised by how well she was taking to being in a crib but chose not to question it when it meant I actually got to sleep in my bed for once.

I’d forgotten what it was like to stretch out and have my head on a pillow.Heaven.Of course, it helped that I was extra relaxed after a bit of help from my guardian angel.

A small smile lifted my lips and I buried my face in my pillow, remembering. I was already half hard from sleep and thinking about Ethan, the sensual way that he touched me and took control, but didn’t force it, made a shiver travel through my body.

It was interesting how different a man could feel and touch and act. I hadn’t thought much about being with a man before, but being with Ethan last night had made me think it would be easy. Not just in bed, but in everything.

Evie let out a loud cry, cutting my line of thought short.

“Okay baby, you come first,” I told her, climbing quickly out of bed and going to her crib. Her eyes were squeezed shut, face twisted into a cranky expression.

“Oh, hello Evie. How did you sleep? You sick of being bundled up like that?”

She let out a loud wail, but instead of setting me on edge, the sound made me chuckle.

“Okay, okay, one second.”

I quickly unwrapped her, melting at how she stretched her limbs the moment she was free.

I lifted her up, patting her back while I carried her into the kitchen to grab a bottle.

She quieted down as soon as it was in her mouth, sucking the nipple greedily.

When she was done, I laid her down on her mat and went to make breakfast.

Everything feltlighterall of a sudden. From one day to the next, everything had changed. I didn’t have to balance my girl in one arm while I made toast. There was time for real food this morning and since we’d skipped dinner last night, I was starving.

I went all out, scrambled eggs and fried bacon, made oatmeal and toast, and carried it all out to the table where I could sit and watch Evie playing.

She loved her new toys and was shaking one of them, staring up at the ceiling. As I ate, she started to make happy babbling sounds, like she was conversing with someone. Her small voice was so cute that after a while, I just rested my chin on my palm and watched her, smiling.

Eventually, unable to help myself, I pulled out my phone and recorded her.

I tapped my hands on the table a few times before deciding to forward the video to my most recent contact.

I didn’t know if Ethan wanted to keep talking to me. I may have been his charity case for the month for all I knew. Maybe he took lots of boys around, shopped for them, then ended the night sucking them off.

I bit my lip, knowing that wasn’t true and shaking the intrusive thought away.

Before I could back out, I hit send on the video and added a message.

Good call on the tummy time mat and toys. She loves them.