Page 35 of Unruly

“You don’t sound happy.”

“I’m pissed at her, Cross.”

“Yeah, I got that.”

Catherine didn’t really want to discuss all of this right now. She was in a Four Seasons hotel room in Florence with her husband on their anniversary. The least she could do was shove her problems aside, and live in the moment.

Putting her smile back on, Catherine rolled back on top of Cross, and dropped a sweet kiss to his mouth. His lips curved into a sensual smile against her own.

“You left Cece with my dad, huh?”

Cross shrugged, and then grabbed her trim waist in a tight grasp. “Basically.”

“I bet she’s giving him hell.”

“She misses you, too.”

Catherine tried not to frown, and failed. “Yeah?”

“Don’t feel guilty. Work is work, and we knew that. We make shit work, right?”

“Right,” Catherine said.

Although she wasn’t sure if she believed it entirely.

“Oh, she’s got this new idea thanks to a friend, so fair warning.”

Catherine raised a brow. “What idea is that?”

“She wants a baby brother.” Cross tossed his head back into the pillow and laughed, adding, “Or a brudder, I guess.”

She stilled on top of her husband, and her gaze darted to his. Cross quieted instantly, matching her frozen state.

“You’re serious,” she deadpanned.

“Her little friend she plays with at Ma’s—”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. And I suppose you didn’t explain that no, we’re not able to just hand her over a baby brother. Also, it doesn’t even work that way. We don’t pick a baby’s gender.”

Cross rolled his eyes. “Catty, she’s just a kid. Besides, you know what that kid is like. You can’t just tell her no. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Oh, is that what it was?”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes, then.

Catherine smacked him on the chest. “It’s not, is it?”

“Ow.” Cross rubbed at the spot. His gaze narrowed. “No, that’s not it, babe, because I’m kind of on her side here.”

“Cross!”

His hand tightened to her waist, making her breath catch, and a sweet heat flood her veins.

“She’s three,” he said, “and we’re not getting younger.”

“I am only thirty-one, thank you.”

“Catherine.”