The House Mate (Roommates, #3)

I carried the baby upstairs, hoping against hope this was just a bump in the road and not the catastrophic end to something that had started so promisingly. Dylan and I would be okay. I’d make sure of it, but what of dealing with all of this? My lie of omission, Jenn coming by, Dylan pulling the exorcist routine-what if it was all too much, and Addison decided to get out while the getting was good?

The water was still running when I reached the bathroom, and I turned it off. Dylan whimpered softly as I made short work of her clothes and tested the water temperature before I slipped her into the tub.

The second the water hit her, she went quiet and I let out a sigh of relief.

I hated to hear her cry. Before I went to bed tonight, I needed to try to look up some more teething remedies because this shit was for the birds.

I knelt on the floor and rolled my sleeves up before setting a couple of her bath toys into the water. For a blessed few minutes, all was quiet. And then, it was too quiet. The sounds of her splashing and her bare bottom squeaking against the tub went still. The little cooing sounds she made as she moved her rubber ducky through the water ceased. And when I dared to look at her face, it was screwed up in intense concentration that could only mean one thing.

“No, no, nonononono!” I stuffed my hands under her arms and tried to lift her out of the water, but it was too late. Bubbles rose from the depths, followed by two brown logs that were definitely not chocolate.

“Addison?” I hollered as Dylan let out a peal of laughter. “Addison!” I called out again, frantic as Dylan’s oil-slicked body slipped from my grasp. I lunged for her again, watching in horror as she reached out a chubby little hand to grab one of the floating logs.

She was just about to make contact when Addison pushed through the door and let out a gasp. “Shit!”

Her voice distracted Dylan just long enough for me to grab her and pull her from the tub. She plastered her soaking-wet body against me and laughed some more.

“Huh,” Addison said, a smile finally reaching her tired eyes as she looked on. “I wonder if she was just constipated.”

I let out a groan as she grabbed a towel and took the baby from my arms, swaddling her in it.

“How about you take her into your bathroom and give her a quick hose-down, and I’ll take care of the floating logs of doom?” she asked, her lips quirking slightly in a way that made the ice wedged inside my chest start to melt.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

She wasn’t dumping us. Well, not Dylan at least.

It was a start.

I thanked her and rushed Dylan into the master bathroom to complete the bath-time ritual. Thirty minutes later, she was already nodding off on her changing table as I dressed her in her jammies.

“She’s going to be out like a light,” Addison said from the doorway.

I turned to see her there, looking like she might do the same.

“She didn’t nap at all, so she’s going to be pooped.”

It was exactly that, some off-the-cuff remark that Addison probably hadn’t even meant to be funny, that had me chuckling and then belly laughing a few seconds later.

“Pooped,” I repeated, trying to keep quiet so as not to wake the baby.

Addison started laughing as well, and she held a finger up to her lips. “I swear to heaven, if you wake her, she’s all yours. I’m shot,” she whispered threateningly.

I nodded and lifted the baby, transferring her to the crib in one smooth motion. Addison and I crept out of the room like we’d just stolen something. We didn’t speak again until we reached the living room.

“Well, that was something,” I muttered, raking a hand through my hair and sending a pitying glance down at my soaked shirt. It was only when Addison let out a strangled groan that I realized the wet white cotton was totally transparent, and my abs and chest were on full display. I locked gazes with her, and her cheeks flushed pink.

Jesus fucking Christ. As bad as it all was, she still wanted me.

Thank you, God.

“Look, about last night-”

“You’re my boss,” she said swiftly. “You don’t own me an explanation.”

“But I want to be more than that. For real, Addison. So I need you to know, I don’t think it was a mistake, what we did. I think it could be the start of something amazing. Don’t walk away from that, please.”

She stared at me and lifted a hand to her chest. “Y-you don’t want to end it? I thought what with Jenn coming and all, that you guys were getting back together.”

I wanted to kick myself for not forcing the issue last night and making Addison listen to me, but damn, she’d said she didn’t want to be with me, so what would the point have been? Now, though, I realized there was no way I was giving up without a fight.

“She came to try to get me back. When I told her I wasn’t interested but that we could discuss visitation with Dylan, she declined.”

I still couldn’t believe that Jenn had been so frank with me. So unashamed about her intentions and lack of love for our daughter, but there it was. The ugly truth.

I shook my head slowly and shrugged. “She just wasn’t meant to be a mother, I guess. She agreed that, all things considered, if we couldn’t be together, it would be best if I take full custody of Dylan. She agreed to give it to me without a fight if I released her from any financial obligation. So I did. Papers will be signed next week.”

It was twisted. I didn’t want to be happy, because Dylan deserved a mother who loved her, but the truth was this was for the best. If the only reason Jenn wanted Dylan in her life was to get to me? That wasn’t a mother’s love at all.

“I’m sorry it happened that way, Max. I wish you’d said something. I was so worried about my own feelings, I didn’t stop to consider how hard her coming here must have been for you.”

I stepped closer, relief flooding me when Addison didn’t pull away. “You had no way of knowing how things had gone down. I should’ve told you she called in the first place. Can we have a do-over?” I asked, tugging her close and closing my hands over her hips. “You get in bed tonight, drink your chamomile tea, and get a good night’s sleep while I set the house straight. And then tomorrow, we start fresh. We tell each other everything. How we’re feeling, what we’re worried about, if we’re feeling threatened, or even if we need some space. Complete honesty and a real-life, grown-up relationship. What do you say?”

She leaned up and kissed me on the mouth, but not before I saw a shadow pass over her face. “Yes,” she murmured, curling her arms around my neck and hugging me close. “I want that so much, Max.”

I squeezed her hard and then released her, stepping back with a groan. “If you’re going to go, go now. My mind knows you’re tired and overwrought, but my dick definitely doesn’t give a shit.”

She cocked her head, the shadow fading as an interested gleam entered her eyes. “I’m tired, but I’m not that tired.”

“Nope,” I said, using her shoulders to turn her around and usher her toward her room. “No way. I’m probably still harboring some sort of doo-doo parasites, and you have Spaghetti-Os in your hair, not to mention the fact that your eyes are crossing with exhaustion. Tomorrow, we’re going to wake up to a new day. Clean clothes, clean house, clean baby-”

“Clean hair,” she added with a laugh as she dutifully headed down the hallway.

“And then, you and I can get dirty at night together,” I added.

Addison turned and eyed me for a long moment, looking so intrigued by the thought that I almost dragged her back and bent her over something.

“Promise?” she asked.

“Oh, fuck yeah. Scout’s honor.”

And I couldn’t wait.