Page 40 of Only for Me

“You could have called or texted.”

“I had a lot going on with the case, then a branding shoot, it got kinda hectic.”

“It takes two seconds to send a text.”

“Damn, you missed me that much?”

I glared at him and he smiled sexily. “Chill, I’m just fucking with you. You’re right, I could have called or at least sent a text to let you know what was going on.”

“Yes, you should have. This was your idea. We were fine…”

“My bad, you’re right, I fucked that up.”

His eyes moved to Avi in her PortaPlay and I noticed his expression change. A frown shifted onto his face like it always did when he looked at her and that annoyed me.

“Will you stop doing that?”

“What?”

“Frowning at her like she’s annoying you or something.”

“That isn’t it.”

“Then what is it? Every time you look at Avi you seem irritated, like she’s an inconvenience or a problem.”

I walked over and lifted Avi into my arms before I sat next to him on the sofa. My baby blinked at her father but her little brow furrowed like she was concentrating and trying to identify him.After a minute she launched herself at him with her arms wide and her fist making grabbing motions.

He dropped his eyes and scowled again but reached for Avi and took her from me, standing her on his legs, while his massive hands cuffed her sides and back. Avi smiled big and leaned in, reaching for his beard, babbling her determination to get her little fingers on it.

I was tense and fighting the urge to grab my baby and bring her back to me. After a few minutes of trying, she fisted his beard and bounced in place, trying to tug him to her so she could bring her fist to her mouth.

“Damn, her grip is tight as fuck.” He grinned but let Avi have free reign. She continued tugging at his beard excitedly and babbling away like she was having a full blown conversation with him.

“You can’t eat my beard, shorty.”

“Everything goes straight to her mouth.”

“We’re gonna have to set some boundaries with this, pretty girl.” He gently wrapped his hand around hers and worked it free but she dove toward him and her mouth crashed against his cheek. I grinned when he laughed and pulled her back.

“Yo, your little ass is savage. Your mother not feeding you, shorty?”

“She eats, that’s just how she learns things and shows affection.”

“That’s what’s up. You fuck with your old man even though your mother doesn’t.” I narrowed my eyes and he kept his on Avi but sensed my reaction because he smirked. “Say I’m lying.”

“You’re not.”

He chuckled and pulled her back, watching as Avi locked her knees and reached for his beard again. “Y’all good though?”

“We’re fine.”

He turned his head to me and looked me over. I arched my brow which made him smile again, and my God, this man was so damn handsome. “What?”

“I can’t look at you?”

“You don’t need to look at me, focus on Avi.” I lifted from the sofa and crossed the room to begin lifting the bags from earlier but I felt him watching me.

“And I see your hard headed ass don’t have no issue swiping cards.”