Page 13 of Talk Wicked to Me

Emerson smiled and cradled him in her arms again. “He’s beyond beautiful, Gwen. He’s got the tiniest fingers and toes. I can’t stop kissing his cheeks. They’re so soft, and he has the cutest lips I’ve ever seen. Like a doll.”

“I cannot wait to meet him, and can we talk about that hair?” Gwen laughed. “He looks like he belongs in a baby boy band.”

“I know. Isn’t it cute?”

“Insanely.”

She felt Brennan filling his diaper. “Ugh. He just pooped, and I’ve got to tell you, these meconium poops are gross. The nurse was surprised he pooped so fast. She said it can take a day or two usually.”

“I guess you birthed a poop machine.”

“The most precious one ever.” Emerson grabbed a diaper and wipes from the nightstand. “If you have a boy, be ready, because the first three times I changed his diaper, he peed the second I took his diaper off. I swear the air makes him go. But I figured out a pee hack. I open the diaper and hold it over him to catch the pee for a minute before changing him. He pees every time.”

“I’ll buy stock in diapers, and please continue passing along all the baby hacks as you figure them out.” Gwen and her husband had opted not to find out the sex of their baby, too. “Where is your dimpled vet?”

“He went to pick up my hospital bag from my cottage. I told him he didn’t have to, but he insisted.”

“You gave him your house key? What is happening right now? In the city, you lived your entire life in a five-block radius, and suddenly you move to a small town and forget about stranger danger?”

“I don’t think he qualifies as a stranger after delivering my baby. Besides, I trust him.”

“I get that. But you don’t really know him. What if he’s a psycho stalker or something? I’m totally googling this guy.”

“You’re reading way too many thrillers. I don’t think he’s like that. I told you he acted protective of me with his family and in the ambulance.”

“I know you did, but was it asshole protective or nice protective?”

Emerson thought about that for a minute. “It was nice, with more than a hint of don’t fuck with me.”

“Oh,” Gwen said approvingly.

“Right?” She got a little thrill thinking of the way he’d taken control of the situation in the ambulance.

“Still, please do a sweep of the cottage when you get there.”

“A sweep? Are we on CSI now?” she teased. “I’ll be sure to do that between breastfeeding and changing diapers and unpacking.”

“You’re still not unpacked?”

“No, and don’t give me crap. I took on two last-minute assignments, and I was trying to finish them before Brennan arrived. That reminds me. I need to finish them, so unpacking will have to wait.”

“I think your clients can wait for a few weeks. Okay, here’s what our friend Google says about Dr. Wicked. Great reviews. Personable, professional, yada, yada. Give me his phone number.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to sleuth. Come on.”

“I’m not giving you his number. It feels wrong.” The nurse came in, and Emerson said, “The nurse is here. I have to go. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Kiss Brennan for me, and get some rest. Don’t forget the CSI sweep!”

Emerson smiled as she ended the call.

After the nurse checked on her and the baby, Emerson realized Baz had been gone for a long time. She was starting to wonder if she had made a mistake giving him her house key. But if he had robbed her blind, there was nothing she could do from the hospital, and she was too exhausted to worry about it.

EMERSON AWOKE TO Brennan’s shrill cry. The room was dark, and someone was standing beside her bed, lifting him out of his bassinet. “Sorry,” she said groggily. “I’m up. I can get hi—” Her breath caught in her throat as Baz turned around, his smiling eyes gazing at her little boy cradled in his strong arms.

“Ready to go to your mama, little man?” Baz said softly, handing the baby to her.