Page 40 of If Love Had A Manual (Skeptically In Love #2)

Wes

I wake up well-rested. Too well-rested.

That’s the first red flag.

The second is the amount of sunlight pouring through the blinds.

I reach for my phone on the nightstand and blink at the screen.

10:07 a.m.

Lena’s side of the bed is empty and cold.

Did she leave?

Did I push too hard? Say too much?

God, did I ruin it?

Was it just a one-night thing for her? Was that all it ever was supposed to be?

What if she walked out of here and decided it was a mistake?

What if she’s gone for good?

Cool your shit, Wes.

This never happens to me—this panic. When Lyndsey walked out, I wished her luck. That was it. I barely gave it a second thought. One night with Lena, and I’ve turned into… this.

But fuck, what the hell do I do if she decides she can’t stay?

Because it’s not just a nanny I’m panicking about losing.

It’s her.

My chest tightens as I throw the covers back and stalk across the room, tugging on a pair of sweats before heading straight for Rosie’s nursery.

It’s empty.

Panic tightens around my ribs, but before it can settle, I hear one of my vinyls playing.

Just Like Heaven by The Cure.

Rubbing my hand down my face, I blow out a ragged breath and follow the sound downstairs.

And the sight is like a punch to the gut.

Fuck me.

Rosie’s in Lena’s arms, squealing with laughter as Lena spins them both in circles.

Lena’s wearing my T-shirt.

There’s the third red flag.

It’s so damn big on her that it brushes her thighs.

Her legs are bare, and her hair is tangled from sleep and everything we did.

I wish I could say it was just once, but when I woke in the middle of the night and found her bare skin pressed against me, my cock was hard as a rock. So yeah, I woke her .

All this scene does is remind me of that.

Of her underneath me, of how her breath hitched when I kissed down her neck. Of the way her nails scraped down my back as I fucked her, whispering filthy things in her ear, dragging it out until we were both wrecked, trembling, and desperate for more.

My jaw clenches because I can’t go there. Not now.

None of it matters if it risks her being in Rosie’s life.

That’s the part that gets me, the thing I can’t ignore, no matter how fucking good last night was.

I lean against the doorway, crossing my arms and watching as Lena twirls Rosie around again, both of them laughing and completely oblivious to the fact that my entire world just tilted on its axis.

Lena spots me first.

She slows, her breath coming out uneven as she holds Rosie tighter. “Morning.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Morning? Try almost noon.”

“Figured I’d let you sleep. You looked like you needed it.”

I huff out a laugh and dip my chin. “Yeah, well, someone wore me out.”

Her cheeks flush.

Rosie finally notices me then. Her face lights up as she wriggles in Lena’s arms. “Dada!”

I push off from the doorway and head toward them, taking Rosie from Lena. She immediately grabs my face, patting my cheeks and babbling nonsense.

I kiss her forehead before looking back at Lena. She’s watching me, expression unreadable.

We need to talk. We both know it.

But right now?

Right now, I don’t fucking care.

Not when Rosie’s safe in my arms .

Not when Lena’s standing in my living room, wearing my shirt, looking like she belongs here.

“The Cure, huh?” I ask, eyeing the record player as Rosie nestles closer against my chest.

Lena grins and tickles Rosie’s side. “We were having a dance party. Saturday morning essentials.”

She starts to sway her hips again, her bare legs shifting as the hem of my shirt inches higher with every twist of her body.

Rosie watches with wide eyes before she begins bouncing wildly in my arms, urging me to move.

Lena points at me, laughing. “Come on, Wes. You want to stay? You dance.”

She’s somehow turned my worst nightmare into something I crave. This. A family dancing in the living room on a Saturday morning just because they can.

“Pretty sure this violates your contract.”

She spins, hands in the air, that throaty laugh spilling out of her as she twirls again.

Yeah, we both know that contract is only good for ripping up now.

I look up at the ceiling and shake my head, but the smile’s already pulling at my mouth.

Rosie starts bouncing harder.

“Jesus,” I mutter, giving in. “Tyrants. Both of you.”

The song changes to Friday I’m In Love . Lena’s head falls back as she spins again, her grin wide and brown eyes shining. She’s pure light in my living room. And I am so thoroughly fucked.

My feet start moving—grudgingly at first—but Rosie’s giggles spur me on, and before long, I’m spinning her in a wide circle. Her head lolls as laughter bursts from her.

Stopping, I reach out and grab Lena’s hand. Her eyes flick to mine as I tug her in, spinning her beneath my arm.

She laughs as she twirls, my shirt rising even more, those endless legs doing things to my brain that should be illegal this early in the day.

When she comes out from the spin, her chest presses flush against mine, and she steadies herself with a hand on my shoulder. Her smile falters, just slightly.

Because even through laughter and music and the baby wedged between us, that spark is still there.

Hot.

Undeniable.

And I don’t know how much longer I can pretend it’s not about to burn me alive.