by Kendall Ryan
I laugh again, amused by her honesty. “It’s a special pillow. She can do tummy time. Sometimes the crying is due to gas bubbles. This could help.”
“How do you know so much about babies?” Her eyes widen and lock onto mine.
I shrug, pushing the cart toward the checkout. “I have six nieces and nephews. I babysit them sometimes.” Whether I want to or not. I smile, thinking about my sisters shoving one or more babies into my arms anytime we’re at a family gathering.
We work together unloading the contents of the cart onto the conveyor belt. When the cart is empty, I pull out my gold card and hand it to the cashier.
Ryleigh stiffens. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I’ve got this, no worries.”
She looks at me, and I can see the wheels spinning in her head. She wants to trust me, wants to think I’m being chivalrous and gallant, but she’s wary because she’s likely never had a white knight ride in and save her. I see her underlying distrust, and for some reason, I want to prove to her that tonight, her white knight is real.
Besides, I’m not letting her spend whatever tip money she made tonight on this. I’m sure she needs it for other things, like fixing her car or feeding herself, not for taking care of a baby unexpectedly dropped off on her doorstep. I still need to get to the bottom of that story, but I sense that now’s not the time.
The cashier is watching our exchange with narrowed eyes. I smile and whisper to Ryleigh that she can pay me back if she likes, but it’s really not necessary.
The cashier rings up the items we’ve purchased, and I accept the bags after sliding my credit card back into my wallet.
Once I have the bags loaded into the back seat of my car, we set off again. A few minutes later, we’ve arrived, and when I park on the street and step out of the car, I get angry.
Really. Fucking. Angry.
And my anger only intensifies with every step toward Ryleigh’s apartment.
Chapter Two
Ryleigh
I have no idea how my night has spiraled so far out of control. Scratch that, not my night—my life.
My roommate, Andi, disappeared more than six months ago, leaving me high and dry with an unpaid rent bill. And then a few days ago, she appeared again out of nowhere, only this time with a baby, promising she’d pay me back and make everything right.
Stupidly, I believed her, let her in, and she stayed the night. But in the morning, she was gone, leaving little Ella behind with a note that simply said I’m sorry.
Alexei follows behind me, appraising everything. After I pay Mrs. Henderson and collect Ella, I unlock my front door and shoulder my way inside my darkened apartment. Alexei is right behind me.
I flip the lights on and wince. Based on this guy’s car, his taste in clothing, and the way he whipped out his gold card like it was nothing to buy a stranger $70 worth of crap, he has money. Probably lots of it. I have almost none, barely enough to pay my rent and eat. And the decor shows it. Everything I own is secondhand. My brown couch sags in the middle, my dining chairs are mismatched, and my curtains are too short to fully cover the window.
I huff out an exhausted breath and set the baby carrier holding Ella onto the floor by the couch.
Alexei follows me around like a hulking lion of a man, his deep blue gaze seeing everything.
He’s angry. That much is certain.
“It’s freezing in here,” he says, frowning.
His voice is irritated, but it still manages to rip through me like lightning. It’s deep, rich, and sexy. It doesn’t matter that I don’t want to notice things like this about him; I just do. He’s spellbindingly gorgeous with this commanding presence, and I hate that he’s seeing me at my worst.
“I turn off the heat when I leave for the day.” I cross the room and adjust the thermostat. But rather than the heat humming to life like I expect, nothing happens. I try again, cursing under my breath. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. No way I’m giving him the satisfaction of knowing I might not have paid the heating bill in time. I thought I had a few more days.
“Your heat doesn’t work?” He crosses the room to inspect the thermostat. He switches the bags he’s carrying to one hand while he fiddles with the settings, but nothing happens. The thing is ancient, and I’m not all that surprised.
Why didn’t he just drop me off and leave? Why didn’t I just take the bags out of his arms and thank him for the ride and the supplies? Why is he still here?
He still hasn’t set the bags down yet, like he isn’t sure where to place them, or maybe he doesn’t want to touch anything here. Probably the latter. I wouldn’t either if I were him.
I cross the room and reach for the bags, but he doesn’t release them. He just gazes at me with those blue eyes, darkened to the color of midnight right now, eyes that see too much. His scent is intoxicating, and I can’t help but breathe it in every time he’s near, a faint combination of leather, spice, and mint that makes my knees weak. It’s been way too long since I was with a man. About as long as it’s been since I ate my last home-cooked meal, if my math is accurate.
As if on cue, Ella starts to whimper softly, squirming in her seat. The chilly temperature is probably bothering her.
I’ve been doing my best to hold it all together, not only for my sanity, but also for Ella’s sake, but in this moment, I’m struck with sheer panic. What the hell am I going to do now?
Alexei doesn’t give me a moment to even process the answer to that question. He simply struts over to the baby carrier and lifts it as though it weighs nothing at all. The damn thing hurts my arm every time I carry it.
“You guys are coming back to my place. We’ll get this all sorted in the morning.”
I cross the room to stand toe to toe with him and place my hands on my hips. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you from Adam. I’m not going home with a complete stranger.”
“You don’t have much of a choice. I’m not letting you and the baby stay here and freeze tonight. In case you didn’t notice, it’s below thirty outside, and it’s not much warmer in here.”
“Not letting me?” I sputter.
“That’s right. Now, get your shit. It’s way past her bedtime.” His gaze flicks to Ella, whose whimper has turned into a full-on cry.
I sigh and reach for her, lifting her out and bouncing her in my arms. As I expected, it does nothing to calm her.
“Let me have her.” He takes the baby from me and gently rubs small circles along her tiny back, having dropped the bags right on the floor. “When’s the last time she’s eaten?”
I check my phone for the time. It’s almost one in the morning now. Mrs. Henderson said Ella had her last bottle at ten. “Almost three hours ago.”
He nods. “She’s due soon, but let’s see if we can have her hold out until we get to my place. Then we’ll put her down to sleep.”
He continues patting her back, and when she lets out a huge burp, Alexei smiles. “There we go. Was that the problem, princess?”
She stops crying briefly, blinking as she searches for the source of the deep voice.
Holding her carefully in one of his huge arms, he opens a package of pacifiers and washes one in the sink with my anti-bacterial soap, and then gives it to Ella. She immediately begins sucking away, and her renewed cries fade into soft hiccups.
I blink at him. “How do you know all this?”
He shrugs. “A gaggle of nieces and nephews, as I mentioned. I’ve been around babies a lot. You pick things up.”
I’ve never spent much time around a baby, and these last few days have proved it. I have no idea what I’m doing with Ella, and I suddenly realize he’s right. It is way past her bedtime, and it really is freezing here. I can’t be selfish any longer. She’s not mine, but I’ve been entrusted with her care. No matter how pissed I am at Andi right now, I need to do the right thing. For Ella.
“Fine. We’ll come stay at your place for the n
ight.”
Alexei only nods, like he expected my response all along. “I’ll get her car seat situated. You want to pack an overnight bag?” he asks, his voice softer. It still manages to tear straight through me.
“Yeah. It’ll just take me a second.”
He nods and heads outside into the cold, carrying both Ella, who is now happily sucking away at her pacifier in her carrier, as well as the bags of baby stuff we bought at the store.
Scrubbing one hand over my face, I muster the rest of the energy I have left and head into my bedroom to shove some things into a duffel bag. A change of clothes for both me and Ella, along with my toothbrush. In the kitchen, I toss in a couple of clean bottles, and a small package of baby wipes.
Then I fiddle with the thermostat one last time before giving up and heading out into the cold. Once I lock my front door, I rejoin Alexei in the car. It’s warm and smells like him, and for some strange reason, that calms me more than it should.
“Ready?” he asks.
I turn to face him, taking in the dark scruffy hair dusted along his jaw, his broad shoulders, the firm line of his mouth. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this.”
“It’s fine, Ryleigh. It’s just one night, right?”
I nod. “Do you have a roommate or a . . . a wife, or anything?”
“No roommate. Definitely no wife. It’s just me. But there are two guest rooms, so you and . . . the baby can pick where you’d like to sleep.”
“Her name’s Ella.”
“Ella,” he repeats softly.
We’re quiet on the ride to Alexei’s place. It’s on the other side of the city in an area known to be where the young, wealthy elite live. He pulls unto an underground parking garage of a towering building, and has to show his credentials to a uniformed security guard who’s working at the gate.
“Good evening, Mr. Ivan,” the man says, his gaze wandering from Alexei to me, and then to the baby before widening in surprise.
“Night, Frank,” Alexei says to the guy, then pulls the car ahead when the gate opens. He parks in a well-lit underground parking lot, and then we take the elevator up to the penthouse level.
I’m having a very Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman moment here. But despite what Alexei saw earlier, I’m not a prostitute, and he certainly won’t be my knight in shining armor.
Suddenly, I’m struck by the need to correct him. “I wasn’t going to do anything with that guy, you know.”
He shrugs. “Not my business what you choose to do. I was merely trying to help you out of a situation I didn’t think you wanted to be in.”
I huff, pretty sure he doesn’t believe me. “Well, for your information, I’ve never done anything like that. So if you think you’re getting your dick sucked tonight or something, just because you bought us some diapers . . .”
Alexei holds up his hand. “Whoa. That’s not why I brought you here. And no offense, but I can get my dick sucked anytime I want.”
I have no idea what to make of that comment, like he’s got a bevy of women at his beck and call. But then the elevator doors slide open, and for a second, I just stand there and stare.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but his apartment is enormous. Polished marble floors and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the entire city dominate my view. There’s a modern kitchen that’s all stainless steel, white cabinets, and black granite, and a sunken living room with two huge, fluffy, cream-colored couches. The biggest flat-screen TV I’ve ever seen is mounted on one wall, and a hallway at the far end leads off to what I assume are the bedrooms.
“Come on in,” he says.
I step off the elevator and follow him inside. Alexei sets the shopping bags on the counter while I free Ella from her car seat. Once she’s in my arms, she begins crying again, and I let out a long exhale.
“May I?” he asks.
I pinch my lips together and hand Ella to him. I hate to admit defeat, but he does seem to know what he’s doing more than I do.
She looks so tiny resting against his massive chest. It doesn’t matter that the last thing I’m in the market for is a man, but seeing him with her does something to me. I think the technical term is ovary explosion. The way his big hands cradle her so carefully is so sweet that I nearly melt for this stranger who shouldn’t affect me like this at all.
Needing to make myself useful, I grab one of her bottles from my purse and dig the tub of baby formula out of the shopping bag. “I’ll feed her so we can go to bed and get out of your hair.”
He shrugs. “It’s no problem. I’m honestly more of a night person.”
I nod but continue making her bottle anyway. I doubt she’ll last much longer. Over the past couple of days, I’ve learned that she likes to eat about every four hours. Everything has been trial and error since. Andi left me exactly zero instructions.
Alexei’s deep voice interrupts my daydream. “There’s bottled water in the pantry.” He nods to the door at the end of the kitchen.
I go and grab a bottle of water and begin mixing up the formula.
“Are you hungry?” he asks. “You just got off work . . . I have pretzels, crackers, fruit, or I could make you a frozen pizza.”
My stomach rumbles loudly at the mention of food. “That would be great, actually. Just something simple. Pretzels would be fine.”
When the bottle is ready, Alexei reaches for it, uninterested in putting Ella down, it seems. I’m not sure why it surprises me that he’d like to feed her. He really is a natural with babies.
And even though I probably shouldn’t, part of me just feels comfortable in his presence. It’s unexpected, but I’m not complaining. “Would you mind if I took a shower? I actually feel kind of gross after I work.”
“Not at all. Second doorway on the right. The towels are in the cabinet. Help yourself.”
I nod, but then hesitate for a moment longer.
“I’ve got her, Ryleigh. You don’t have to worry.”
Smiling, I meet his eyes. I haven’t had someone to help, someone to just be there for me in so long, that it makes my chest tighten. I have to turn away quickly because I’m afraid the emotional roller coaster I’ve been on since Andi left me with Ella will surface in front of Alexei, and I’m not sure I’m ready to be that vulnerable in front of this man.
“Thanks,” I say finally, ducking out of the kitchen as I rush for the sanctuary of the bathroom and a shower that will wash my tears away quietly.
• • •
When I emerge from the bathroom, I hear Alexi cooing softly to the baby and singing her a lullaby in what I assume is Russian. She’s cradled in his arms, her eyes sleepy as she looks up at him. The sight of her tiny fingers wrapped around his index finger almost brings me to my knees. Involuntarily, though, my mouth breaks into a smile as I listen for a moment longer. Then I clear my throat.
“Hey,” he says, his lips turning up in a smirk. “Your shower okay?” His gaze wanders from mine down to my bare legs, and then back up.
My hair is damp, and I’ve changed into a pair of purple boxer shorts and an oversized T-shirt. I can feel my cheeks turn pink, but I nod and join him on the couch.
“That showerhead is seven-ways-to-Sunday amazing.”
He chuckles. “Completely agree. That showerhead alone is worth double its price when you need to relax.”
He places Ella so she’s reclining on the couch, propped up by her new Boppy pillow and swaddled in her blanket like a little stuffed burrito.
“She took the whole bottle, and then I changed her. She should be ready for bed anytime.”
“Thank you.” I give her tiny pajama-covered foot a squeeze. It’s only then that I notice the spread on the coffee table. A white platter contains a bunch of green grapes, sliced cheese, pretzels, and hummus.
“Wow. You didn’t have to do all that, thank you.” I help myself, popping a grape into my mouth.
“It wasn’t any trouble.”
Alexei watches while I eat, helping myse
lf to a little bit of everything.
“This place is amazing. How long have you lived here?” I ask.
He considers my question, still watching me. “I moved to the city about three years ago.”
“For work?”
He nods.
“What do you do?”
“I play for the Chicago Hawks.”
It takes me a moment to process this. I’m not a sports person—not in the slightest. But I realize he’s talking about the pro football team. “What position?”
“Linebacker.”
I guess that explains why he’s so huge. He’s several inches over six feet tall, and at least a couple hundred pounds of solid muscle.
“Ah. It makes sense now.” I pop another pretzel in my mouth, chewing slowly.
“What does?” he asks, lifting one dark brow curiously.
“That comment about getting a blow job whenever you want.”
He shakes his head, his smirk fading. “I shouldn’t have said that to you. It was very out of line for me.”
I shrug. “What? I’m sure it’s true. Women generally line up and drop to their knees for athletes, right? Like they’re some special, secret aphrodisiac.”
“But not you?” he asks, seeming amused by me.
I wrinkle my nose. “Sorry, no. Sports don’t really do it for me. I’m more impressed you knew what a Boppy pillow is for.”
Alexei chuckles, and I like the sound of it immediately. It’s deep and rich, and uninhibited.
When I finish eating and look at Ella again, resting between us, her little eyelids have fallen closed. She’s sound asleep.
“Can I ask whose baby this is?” he asks.
At first, I wondered if he might be skeptical, might think that she’s mine. But given the fact that I have no idea what I’m doing with her, I think he knows I’m telling the truth. “My ex-roommate, Andi. She left her with me a couple of days ago. I’ve been trying to call her nonstop since, but her cell phone is turned off. I have no idea when she’s coming back.”
He nods, looking thoughtful. “Come on. Let’s get you guys to bed.”
I nod and rise to my feet, lifting Ella carefully so as not to wake her. Alexei carries the platter into the kitchen, wraps it in plastic, and sets it inside his refrigerator.
