Page 72 of Sentinel's Kiss

“How do you feel about diapers?” Ashley asked him as they walked toward the front door.

“Not my kink,” he said.

Of course, Layla took that moment to open the door for them. She gave Josh a surprised once-over and then gave Ashley a thumbs-up behind his back.

“Are you sure Jeremy knows about this?” Ashley said. Jeremy hadn’t been too welcoming to Josh.

Layla nodded. “I mentioned it to him.”

“And he was okay that Josh was here with me?”

“Auntie!” Little Maya charged over to Ashley and begged to be picked up. Ashley bent down and hoisted her up, resting Maya on her hip. She was a solid weight in her arms. It helped that she no longer looked like a baby or a toddler. Maya was her own little person now.

“Hello, Princess,” Ashley said. “Where’s the prince?”

“He’s napping.”

But the loud wail from the other room belied that statement.

“Well, I’ve got to go,” Layla said, with a touch of desperation. “I have a spa appointment and then I wanted to go shopping.”

Familiar panic welled up inside Ashley. Shit. She had thought she could handle this.

“Take your time,” Josh said. “We’ve got this covered.”

“Do you have any experience with babies?” Layla asked, hesitating.

“Yes. I volunteer as a baby cuddler at Suffolk County Hospital.”

“Oh,” Layla said, her face soothing into a relieved mask.

“What? You didn’t tell me that.” Ashley whipped around with her niece in her arms.

“I sort of did. Victoria and Molly, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” Ashley said. “I was so jealous of them.” A whisper of relief threaded through her. They were actual babies.

“That’s where I was last night,” Josh said.

Now Ashley felt like a real idiot for being annoyed with him.

“Well, now you have to share him with your niece and nephew.” Layla kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. I swear I still have Syrian dirt under my fingernails. I’m going to spend the entire rest of the day being pampered.”

“You deserve it,” Ashley said, ignoring the feeling of dread in her stomach. This was it. She was going to be alone with the babies. Thank God Josh was here.

With one last wave, Layla nearly ran out the door.

“I think she was afraid we’d change our minds,” Josh said.

Maya wiggled to be put down and ran into the living room, where Barney, the big purple dinosaur, was on TV.

“I still might,” Ashley said as they walked into the guest room, where Logan was announcing his displeasure.

He was a sweet little boy, but her hands were shaking too hard to hold him. He looked furious at being alone in his crib.

“You want out, big guy?” Josh asked, and held out his hands. After one suspicious look, Logan let Josh lift him out. Ashley took deep breaths. It had been worse when he was younger. She couldn’t even be in the same room with him. She felt so stupid.

“Down,” Logan said.