Page 44 of Brick

Brick wiped him again.“There you go.Where’s your cup?”

“O’er there.”

Brick chuckled.In other words, “You get it.”He reached for the yellow cup and filled it with water.“Do you want to dump it?”

He shook his head.

Well, shit.Bray had been having so much fun.He didn’t want the kid to stop playing because he was scared.“Should I try?”

Bray gave him a huge toothy grin.“You try!”

“All right.”He leaned over the tub and dumped the water over his head.The warm liquid washed over his face.Bray’s laughter bounced off the bathroom wall.Brick swiped his face with his palm.

“Again!”

Well, hell.

“Me try.”Bray quickly reached for the cup, then filled it and raised it in the air.

Brick dipped his head.Water ran over his hair, down the back of his neck, and soaked his shirt.But Bray’s delight was contagious.Brick peeled his wet shirt off and dropped it on the bathroom floor.

“Again?”Bray asked, the cup already full and waiting.

He chuckled.“Go for it.”He let Bray soak him three more times before Natalie’s tinkling laugh rang in tune with Bray’s.He glanced over his shoulder to see her standing in the doorway.

“Looks like you’re both a fan of water,” she quipped.She’d changed into a black sweater, and the contrast between the dark material and her light hair and bright eyes jarred him.

He reached for the towel and passed the cup to Bray.The kid didn’t waste a second scooping more water and dumping it on himself once again.Satisfaction warmed his chest.

He’d known his son for only an hour, but maybe he’d just taught him a small life lesson about getting back up.

Natalie placed her hands on her hips and walked up to the tub.“You ready to come have a snack and watch a show?”

“Yeah.”Bray stood and reached for Natalie.

She wrapped the towel around him and swooped him out of the tub.“Let’s go get some pj’s on, shall we?”

Brick pulled the plug to drain the tub, then stood and placed the yellow cup on the edge to dry.“I thought we’d have steak for dinner.Will he eat that?”

Her gaze wandered over his bare chest then moved down to his belt buckle and back up.A pretty pink tinted her cheeks, and she bit her bottom lip.“Uh, sure.”She cleared her throat.“That sounds delicious.”The last word came out sultry.

Desire warmed his insides.He wanted to touch her.To coast his thumb over that luscious bottom lip.Her gaze held his for several beats, as if she couldn’t tear herself away.The air sizzled between them, the electricity so palpable that if he touched the draining bath water, he’d probably give them all a shock.

“Snack,” Bray declared, squirming in Natalie’s arms.

She kissed the boy’s cheek.“Yes, let’s go get you some jammies and a snack.”

He watched her carry their son out of the bathroom and struggled to comprehend how fucking drastically his life had changed in a day.

***

Natalie held Brayon her lap while he dove into his sour-cream-covered baked potato.He’d been extra snuggly with her since his bath—well, since they rescued him—and she couldn’t get enough of his bouncy little self.

She smoothed back his curls and kissed his cheek for the dozenth time.“So you told me Rami’s story.What about the other guys?”

Brick smirked.“Well, Taschen’s wife, Seraphina, is expecting.It’s wild as hell to think of him as a father.”

“Oh my gosh.I feel so bad he came here to help me when his wife is pregnant.”