“What can I do to help?” Spencer asked.
Unprepared for the sweet offer, Krissy just looked at him, and to her absolute horror, she felt her eyes fill with tears. “I wanted tonight to be special. I bought a negligee.” She reached for the bottom hem and held it out so he could see it. “One look at me and you were supposed to go crazy with lust and take me up against the door. Instead, here I am, holding a stinky baby. My new negligee is soaked and quite possibly as stinky as the baby.”
She met his eyes again. “This stuff happens when you have a baby. And we’re a package deal. So maybe it’s a good thing you see what it’s like early on so...” If you don’t want to be a part of it you can back out now.
Spencer reached out and wiped the tears from beneath her right eye, then her left. “Tonight will be special,” he said sincerely. “Only a little later than planned. And that sex against the door scenario you had in mind?” He shook his head. “Never would have happened, not tonight anyway. Tonight we’re taking it slow. But greet me in that negligee without a stinky baby in your arms, any night after tonight, and you can count on some door pounding action.”
The smile came to Krissy’s face without her even thinking about it. “Good to know.”
“Now what do we have to do to get the little guy settled?” Spencer rubbed his hands together.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to.”
“Well, he needs a bath and his crib and changing table need to be changed.”
Spencer hesitated. “I was thinking more along the lines of me holding him while you handle the smelly stuff.”
Krissy gave him a playful shove.
“Hey. I’m new at this. I need to work up to the gross stuff.”
Krissy liked that he planned to stick around long enough to work up to the big stuff. “Come on.” She walked to the bathroom.
Spencer followed. “I’m glad you’re using the baby bathtub.”
Krissy dumped out the dirty water and added fresh, warmer water. “Good call. Turned out I needed it after all.”
As Krissy washed J.J. Spencer stood behind her, watching, and she didn’t mind at all. Early on, she probably would have thought he was critiquing her technique, and he probably would have been. But now, it felt more like he was trying to learn by observing in addition to just keeping them company.
J.J. splashed.
“Wow. He really likes the water.”
“Yeah. But it makes giving him a bath a wet undertaking.” Krissy glanced over at Spencer. “I wonder if he’ll be as good a swimmer as Jarrod?” Jarrod had been a member of their high school swim team.
“Time will tell.” Spencer handed her a towel.
She laid it out on the bath mat then lifted a slippery J.J. from the tub, laid him down on it, and swaddled him up.
“Is that the towel I got you?”
Krissy nodded. “Another perfect gift. Thank you.” She lifted J.J. and turned to Spencer. “Since you’re here to help.” She placed J.J. in his arms. “Give me a minute to clean out the tub.”
That done, Krissy changed and dressed J.J. out in the living room, leaving him in Spencer’s care while she tackled clean up and odor control. “I should have listened when you suggested I get a two bedroom,” she yelled down the hall. Then she opened both of her bedroom windows.
When Spencer didn’t answer, she went to find out why.
“Shh,” he said, holding his fingers to his lips.
He sat leaning back on the couch with J.J. sound asleep on his chest, looking every bit a proud papa. Krissy’s heart swelled, knowing deep down in her soul, that no matter what happened between the two of them, Spencer would always play a special role in J.J.’s life.
“I hate to do this, but I need to run the dirty linens down to the laundry room. They’re stinking up the whole apartment.”
He nodded. “But change first.”
She looked down. Right, she was still in her negligee. Her wet, stained, anything but sexy at the moment, negligee. Sixty dollars, wasted. Oh, well, nothing she could do about it now.
When Krissy got back from the laundry room, she found Spencer in her bedroom, leaning over the crib, rubbing J.J.’s back.
When he noticed her watching he pointed at J.J. and gave her a wide-eyed, big-mouthed smile that seemed to say, ‘Look what I did!’
“Great job,” she whispered giving him two thumbs up. Then she added, “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
He nodded.
Her lilac scented body wash smelled so good and the hot water felt so good, Krissy decided to take a little longer than a quick shower to relax and regroup and decide how to restart her seduction. On the verge of shutting off the water, Spencer knocked then opened the door.
“Wanted to run something by you,” he said.
Krissy stuck her head out of the side of the shower curtain. “What’s up?”
Spencer stared like a man hoping if he tried hard enough he could conjure up X-ray vision. “In my Internet travels I came across articles on breastfeeding women and sex.”
Krissy fought a smile. “Oh, you did, did you?”
His eyes finally found hers. “I just want to make it clear that I am perfectly fine with you wearing a bra during sex. But listening to you in the shower gave me an idea.”
“Oh, it did, did it?”
He nodded. “Leaky breasts don’t matter in the shower, right?”
She liked where this was headed. “No they don’t.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He whipped his polo shirt over his head. “Because I really...” he stared at that shower curtain again “...really want to see all of you.” He unbuttoned then unzipped his pants. “Feel all of you, bare skin to bare skin while I make love to you, especially this first time.” He shucked his pants, underpants and socks. Spencer Penn naked was absolute male perfection. Defined muscles, a light dusting of hair on his chest, and an impressive erection that she couldn’t wait to feel inside of her. “So what do you think about slow, careful shower sex?” he asked. “Or start in the shower and finish on the couch sex?”
“I think you put a lot of thought into this.”
He nodded. “I put a lot of thought into everything.” He bent down, took a condom out of his pants pocket and held it up. “It’s an affliction.”
“It’s not a bad thing.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“In fact I like a man who puts a lot of thought into things and comes up with ideas like slow, careful, fully naked shower sex.” She pulled back the curtain. “Get in here.”
Never had a man seemed more eager to join her in a tub. “I was hoping you’d say that.” Wasting no time he ripped the packet, rolled on the condom and pulled her into his arms. “God you feel good.” He let out a breath. “I feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime to hold you like this.”
His hands roamed down her back to her butt, he squeezed both cheeks then pulled her close, bending then arching so his erection slid between her legs, front to back. And he began thrusting along her sex.
“That feels so good.” Krissy rocked her hips, hoping her legs wouldn’t give out. She planted her hands on his butt cheeks, then gave a squeeze and yanked him forward, holding him still so she could glide along his slick length, over and over again.
Spencer moved his arms to her back, squeezed her tight, and pressed her breasts to his chest as he swiveled from side to side. “I knew you’d feel like this. So soft.”
A needy pressure built between her legs. Krissy found his nipple and sucked it into her mouth, still rocking.
Spencer sucked in a breath. “Next time I will last longer, I promise.”
She sucked again, tilting her pelvis, bringing his tip to her opening.
“You ready?” Spen
cer asked.
“So ready.”
He turned her so she was facing the wall. “Put your leg on the side of the tub.” He moved behind her, his front pressed to her back, as he positioned himself at her opening once more. “Talk me in,” he said. “Let me know how you feel.” He dipped inside.
Suddenly Krissy felt a little nervous.
Somehow Spencer knew.
“It’s going to be good.” He wrapped an arm around her front, loosely, not restraining her in any way, holding the weight of her right breast in his hand, as he dipped inside a little further.
The sensation familiar and yet different. “More,” she said.
He pulled out and slid back in, deeper. Krissy’s body stretched to accommodate him. “Again.”
He pulled out and pushed forward.
This time Krissy pushed back, taking more of him.
Spencer sucked in a shuddery breath. “God how you test me.” He pulled her close and started to move, gently, slowly.
Krissy moved with him, the rhythm perfect. Until she needed, “More.”
He gave her more of him until she took all of him.
“Faster.”
He picked up the pace, his breath turning into a pant by her ear.
“Harder.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
He slammed into her from behind, over and over, caressing both of her breasts now, squeezing them, while avoiding her tender nipples, as if he somehow knew.
“You feel so good inside of me,” she told him, meeting each powerful thrust with one of her own. “I need your hand.” She removed it from her breast. “Here.” She placed it between her legs, didn’t need to do anything more than that because it was like he knew exactly what to do.
“God you’re good at this.” He possessed her, controlled her, used her body, taking what he wanted, but giving so much more. Her orgasm started to build. “Please tell me you’re close.”
“Ready when you are,” he panted in her ear, driving into her from behind, fondling her from the front, replacing the memory of every man before him with the memory of what he was doing to her right now.
“Now,” she said, straining out her release. “Now.” She came again.
Spencer let out a grunt and stiffened against her back. He pulled out, thrust in deep and held himself there, grunting again, kissing her ear, her neck, hugging her tightly. “I want to stay like this for the rest of the night.”
“Not sure the hot water will hold out.”
“Too bad.”
Too bad indeed.
Krissy lowered her leg and Spencer left her body. She felt the loss of their connection immediately, missing it, wanting it again. Turning she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
He kissed her over and over, affectionate and caring kisses turning passionate. “That was so good. Just like I knew it would be.” He turned off the water, reached for the towel on the hook, and wrapped her in it. “How do you feel?” He looked deep into her eyes as if trying to ascertain the truth there.
Krissy climbed out of the tub, reached inside the cabinet beneath the sink, and handed him a fresh towel. “I feel wonderful,” she told him the truth, stretching. “I wish...”
“What?”
“My place isn’t set up very well for entertaining men.”
In the process of towel drying his head, he stopped and looked at her. “Good.”
“Whoa.” She held up both hands. “Down boy. I only meant, I have a twin-sized bed in a bedroom that I share with my baby. My couch doesn’t open into a sleeper—” He started to speak. She held up a finger to stop him and kept talking, “which in hindsight may have been a mistake. Yes I probably should have listened to you. What I was trying to say, before you went jealous male on me,” which she kind of liked, “is that I don’t have any place where we can lie down together. Comfortably.” To cuddle.
Spencer pulled her into his arms. “From now on, we’ll use my place. I’ve got a nice big bed. We can get one of those portable cribs and set it up in the living room for J.J.”
“Always thinking.” She smiled. “I like that.”
“As for tonight.” He kissed the top of her head. “The couch is fine. When I get tired I’ll head back to my place.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
OVER THE NEXT few weeks, Krissy began spending more nights in Spencer’s bed than in her own. His orderly apartment had turned disorderly. Baby stuff cluttered his living room, dishes sat in his sink, unwashed, and dirty clothes and towels seemed to materialize out of nowhere, draped on his couch, balled on his bathroom floor, and piled in the corner of his bedroom. And he didn’t mind one bit.
It amazed him how quickly he’d transitioned from happily single bachelor to contented family man, how easily he’d fallen into the role of dad for J.J., and how much he’d grown to care for Krissy, in such a short time. She didn’t nag, or complain, or question where he’d been or where he was going. She didn’t call him throughout the day, didn’t demand his attention, and really didn’t seem to expect anything from him. She was smart and sexy, fun and most importantly, independent. She was the perfect woman.
He recalled a snippet from Jarrod’s letter.
Look at her. Really look. Past her pretty face and hot body, beyond her flirty behavior and sarcasm, deeper, to the sweet, thoughtful, special woman she is inside.
In the last few weeks, Spencer had done just that. And it hadn’t taken him long to realize how lucky he was to have Krissy in his life. He looked to the corner of his sofa where he had J.J. propped up beside him. “What do you think of the game, buddy?” Spencer pointed to his laptop screen where ‘they’ were watching NYC United play the Arizona Wolfpack, in Arizona.
J.J. smiled at the attention and shook his rattle.
During halftime Spencer called to Krissy who was in the kitchen preparing a lasagna for dinner. “How are you feeling about Patti and Bart’s big news?” Their plans to relocate up to White Plains to be closer to Krissy and J.J.
“I’m actually looking forward to it.” She walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel, and came to sit beside him on the couch. “I’m anxious to get back to work. With Patti willing to babysit J.J., it’s the perfect situation for me. I think having them close will be good for all of us.”
Spencer thought so, too, couldn’t wait to have access to local babysitters he trusted so he could take Krissy out on dates and they could spend more time doing ‘couple’ things. “My friend Steve asked if we’d like to go out for dinner with him and his wife on Wednesday. She’s six months pregnant, and they’re fine with us bringing J.J.” It’d be their first time taking J.J. out to a restaurant. Heck, it’d be Spencer’s first time taking Krissy out to a restaurant.
“Wednesday doesn’t work for me.”
What? What did she mean Wednesday didn’t work for her? He waited for her to explain. She didn’t. So he asked, “You have other plans?” With who?
She stared back at him but said nothing.
“With J.J.?”
“Nah, I think I’ll leave the kid home alone. He can’t walk or crawl yet, what trouble can he get into?” J.J. started to fuss so Krissy walked over to pick him up. “Of course, with J.J. I’m breastfeeding. I do everything with J.J. I go everywhere with J.J. He is always with me, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week!”
“I’m sorry. Of course you’ll be with J.J. Stupid question.” Spencer moved the laptop from his lap to the coffee table. “So where are you going?” As long as Spencer wasn’t traveling they spent every evening and most nights together. Exactly what plans did Krissy have that didn’t include him?
She swayed on her feet, rocking J.J. while rubbing his back, appearing not at all eager to tell him.
; Which made him want to know even more. “What’s the big secret? Why won’t you tell me where you’re going on Wednesday?”
“It’s no big deal and I don’t want you worrying that—” She stopped mid-sentence.
“Don’t want me worrying about what?” He sat up straighter.
“I knew you’d make a big deal about it, so I didn’t plan to tell you until after I did it.”
“Did what?”
Never one to back down, her eyes met his. “Introduce J.J. to my mom.”
Her brain-injured mother who Spencer hadn’t seen since her injury, but who he’d heard plenty of stories about back in the day. “Your mother? Who has violent outbursts?” At least she used to. “Who doesn’t even know who you are? Why would you put J.J. at risk to meet a woman who doesn’t even know who you are?”
“Wow. That was a jerky thing to say.” Krissy walked over to J.J.’s diaper bag, picked it up and set it on the recliner. Then she started walking around the living room collecting J.J.’s things one handed. “Regardless of whether she remembers who I am or not, she’s still my mother.” Krissy wouldn’t look at him. “I remember her the way she used to be, before the brain injury turned her into a different person. I want to introduce her to my son, not because it will mean something to her, but because it’ll mean something to me.”
He’d hurt her feelings, the very last thing he’d wanted to do. “I’m sorry.”
“You should be sorry.” She bent down to pick up J.J.’s blanket from the portable crib, balancing J.J. on her hip at the same time.
“Let me help you.”
Before he could reach her, she whipped up the blanket, nearly toppling the crib over. “I don’t need your help.”
“Stop.” He grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her around so she had to look at him. “I’m sorry. Of course you should take J.J. to meet your mother. I’ll go with you.” To ensure his godson’s safety.
Krissy looked mortified at the thought. “You can’t.”
He can’t? “Oh, yes, I can,” Spencer said. “And to keep J.J. safe, I will.”
Krissy looked ready to lash out at him, but she didn’t. Instead she inhaled then exhaled and said, “I’m going to ignore your overbearing statement, because I know you said it with J.J.’s best interest at heart. But to clarify, no, you can’t go with us. We won’t be alone. Kira and Derrick will be there. We’ll all make sure J.J. is safe.”
The Nurse's Newborn Gift Page 14
