Page 33 of Crazy In Love

Swallowing, I set one hand on the back of the couch, to prop myself over the duo so I don’t fall on them, and then with the other, I gently shake Fox’s shoulder. “Hey?” I whisper, barely loud enough for the sound to register in my own ears. Then I shake her again and watch as she slowly, dazedly, meanders toward consciousness. “Fox? You awake?”

Her eyes move behind her eyelids, but her lashes remain on her cheek.

“Fox? Can you hear me?”

“Screwing with my sleep is unforgivable.” She snuggles into Franky and smacks her lips. “If this is payback for the fork, I’m gonna stab you with it.”

I choke out a soft, barely there chuckle. And because I can, becausefuck it, it’s four in the damn morning, and she’s all lazy and relaxed; I lean closer, resting my lips just an inch from her ear. “The baby is here.”

Her eyes snap open.

Lowering into a crouch, I move to her level and brush messy locks of hair from her cheek. “Tommy texted and said we could meet her whenever we’re ready.”

She doesn’t move. From deep sleep to completely alert, her brain switches on, but her body remains totally and severely still.

Her ability to control her movements this way is admirable.

Concerning, too, when I think of how she grew to conquer such skills.

She stares into my eyes, searching for the world’s longest minute of silence. Then her lips curl into a devious grin, and her cheeks warm.

Fuck, why is she pretty at four in the morning?

“She’s here?”

“That’s what I heard.”

“And we can see her?”

“He said Alana’s bugging out for a visit. Which means she’s okay.” I scrub my free hand over my face and breathe again for the first time in a while. “I didn’t ask questions, and he said not to call, since he wants us to meet her in person. But that implies Alana’s doing good, too, dontcha think? Because she’s the one who wants us to visit.”

“Yeah. I think.” She carefully straightens on the couch, slow movements and clumsy support while she tries to stop Franky from jolting awake.

My palm itches with:do I, don’t I?

Stay the fuck away, or make this easier for her?

The darkness somehow makes everything just a little less… scary, the time, a little more whimsical, so I offer my hand and swallow my fiery exhale when she accepts, her fingers wrapping around to touch my wrist. She smiles in appreciation and uses me to stabilize herself on collapsing cushions until, finally, she extricates herself from beneath Franky’s weight and lays him back down.

“You got it?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” She fixes her shorts and drags her shirt down to cover her belly, then scrubbing her hands over her eyes, she blinks, blinks, and blinks again. “What time is it?”

“Nearly four. Which is basically six, your time, right?”

“Mmm.” She pushes the hair off her face and turns to me with a megawatt smile. “She’s actually here?”

“Unless Tommy’s punking us.”

Fuck me.She does a little dance, pumping fists and skipping feet. Then, like a light switch, she turns it off and strokes Franky’s cheek instead. “Hey, buddy. Wake up.”

He grumbles and pulls away from her touch.

“You have to get up, honey. We’re going for a drive.”

“You could probably stay here if you want.” I fake a smile and pretend her rolling eyes aren’t explicitly for me. “I mean, if he wants to sleep or whatever.”

“Nice try.” She bends over the couch, much like I did, with one hand on the back to support her weight, while she runs her fingers through Franky’s hair with the other. But dammit, her shorts are still a little high, and the swell of her ass is just… it’s right there. Right in front of my face. “Did you sleep?” she murmurs. “You look pretty alert for four in the morning.”