Page 6 of Mitch

Chapter Three

The clouds were hanginggrey overhead as Autumn peered out of her window. It had been three days since she’d moved into this place, and already it was beginning to feel like home. A deep dark burgundy couch with washable covers now graced the room, along with a large cream plush area rug and a round coffee table on top.

Dark grey and white hat boxes stacked beside the couch made a cute side table, and a few plants in the window space gave it a homey feel. Maggie’s room now had some homemade bunting strung around the room, and Mitch had said he could paint it if she wanted, although she liked the warm neutral colours he’d chosen. When she finally felt safe enough for her baby to go in her own room she wanted it to be perfect for her, but for now she was happy having Maggie in with her at night.

Now it was time to get out and explore the town that was her new home. Shoving her arms through a light jacket, and praying the rain stayed away, Autumn picked Maggie up from where she lay on her belly on the rug.

“Wanna go exploring, Roo?” Autumn buried her head in her baby’s belly, blowing raspberries through her top and making her giggle and grab her hair.

“I’m gonna take that as a yes.”

Autumn dressed Maggie in a warm coat and set her in the buggy which was waiting in the entryway. Placing the changing bag underneath, she locked her apartment and moved to the stairs. This was the bit she’d not looked forward to, carrying this heavy pram down the stairs on her own, but she’d managed so far. As she lifted it, she cursed as the metal on the wheel scraped her ankle.

“Hey, let me help you.”

Autumn looked up in surprise not having heard Mitch approach behind her. He took hold of Maggie in her pram and carried her down the flight of stairs as if she weighed nothing more than a bag of sugar.

Setting her down at the bottom, he leaned in to shake her baby’s hand as Maggie grinned and kicked her feet out, her big eyes twinkling at the sexy man. Even her daughter knew a fine man when she saw one. And following him down the stairs had allowed her an uninterrupted view of strong shoulders and cute ass she wanted to grab hold of. Those things alone were enough, but this man was more than the sum of his cute derriere, muscles, dimples, and twinkly eyes; no, he was nice too.

“Thank you for that. I should probably try and figure that out better for next time.”

“You can leave the pram under the stairs if it’s easier. I originally planned it for bikes, but none of us cycle.”

Autumn tipped her head. “Are you sure it won’t be an imposition?”

Mitch chuckled, the deep sound humming through her. “Yes, Autumn, I’m sure it won’t be an imposition.”

“Hey, don’t take the piss, my mama brought me up properly.”

Mitch glanced her over from head to toe, and Autumn fought the desire to shiver, her body responding to this man way more than she wanted it to.

“She certainly did.”

A slightly awkward silence filled with sexual tension filtered through the room, heightening her senses. Autumn had forgotten what this felt like, the giddy, heart-pounding attraction to someone that was all new.

Dropping her eyes, she blinked and garnered her nerve before locking eyes with him. “I should get going.”

“I’ll walk out with you.”

Mitch fell into to step beside her, grabbing the front door and then the bottom of the pram, lifting it over the step like a pro. As they walked towards the road, she paused, wondering which way to go.

“Where ya headed?”

Mitch’s easy tone was like a warm balm to her nerves. Something about it was comforting. She suspected it was because he reminded her of home and the family she missed so much.

Pushing the maudlin thoughts away, knowing they’d only harm her fragile peace, she shrugged. “Not sure yet. Me and Maggie are going exploring.”

“Well, if you follow that road it leads into the main town where you’ll find shops and cafés, a library, and some other stuff. If you head up the hill and then past the colleges, there’s a park with a play pirate ship.” Mitch looked up at the sky and Autumn followed, noting the clouds were still gathering but it wasn’t as grey as before.

“I think I might have a mooch around town and check out the shops and see if there are any craft shops.”

“You into all that stuff?” Mitch waved his hand in the air lamely.

Autumn grinned and shook her head at him. She mimicked waving her hand in the air. “Yes, I’m into all that stuff.”

Mitch caught it and she felt the electric pull of his innocent touch all the way to her toes. “Woman, you taking the piss out of me?”

“Absolutely not.”