Page 12 of The Sacrifice
“Lord.” I roll my eyes and brush past her. “Where did it go?” A spider. She made my heart jump out of my chest over a spider.
“It’s over there.” She points with her index finger to the space by the coffee pot.
“I’ll see if I can find it and call an exterminator tomorrow.” I spin around. “What about the baby? Can I have the place sprayed with her here? Is it safe?”
Her eyes are glued to my chest. My bare chest because I didn’t have time to put on a shirt before I rushed downstairs to save her from a ski mask-wearing intruder. My skin tightens as awareness zips through the room.
She licks her lips as her eyes dart down to my shorts hanging below my waist. “Why don’t you have any clothes on?”
“You should thank me for the shorts. I was naked when you screamed. Would you have preferred I let you be kidnapped?”
“No” She shakes her head as if she’s coming out of a daze. “No.” She blinks. “I…. It’s fine.” Her eyes finally meet mine. “If it’s only one spider, you don’t need an exterminator. Have you seen other ones?”
“No.”
“Good. If there was an infestation, we’d need an exterminator, and we’d have to keep her out of the house until the chemicals dry. But otherwise, it’s safe.”
“Okay. Good.” Hadley’s head turns toward me as if she’s now registering my presence.
“Can I hold her? I’ve got to connect with her so she doesn’t scream as loud as you did when we’re out in public. People will think I’ve stolen her.”
“Sure.” She steps into my space and transfers her to me. When my bare arm rubs against her breast, I cringe. Stop. This is Mia. You can’t get all hot and bothered over her. Or anyone. You’ve got a baby now.
Once the baby settles against my chest, she stares up at me. And nothing happens. No water works. Nothing. Thank God.
My shoulders lower from what feels like my ears. Soap. I smell soap, but she’s still wearing the same clothes she wore when I took my shower.
Next to the sink are some bottles of baby stuff. They have little ducks on them. Hadley stretches and along her neck is some crusty stuff that I assume is formula, tears, and sweat. “How do you give a baby a bath? Won’t she get hurt in the sink?” Holding her next to me like a football, I rake my free hand through my hair. “This is crazy.”
Mia rests her hand on my forearm. “It’s going to be fine. Most people have months or years to plan for a baby and nine months to gather supplies. You’ve had like five hours. Don’t freak out. When you’re nervous, babies sense your anxiety and get upset. More than anything, she wants to feel safe and secure.”
I ignore the light scent of her perfume as it tickles my nose. “Thank you. I think I can do that.” I straighten my back. “What do we do?”
She arches one eyebrow. “First, you find that spider and kill it, and then we wash Hadley and get her into some new clothes.”
“Okay. Perfect. I can do that.” I’m not the guy who doubts himself or questions what to do next. I tend to go for it and check for the consequences later. Case in point for why I have a baby in my arms who’s wiggling against my chest and resting her mouth against my skin. “Little lady, I don’t have what you’re looking for.”
“What?”
“She’s rooting against my pec. I assume Roxanne must have breastfed at some point.”
“Oh.” She rubs her hands together and stares at the baby, which means she’s staring at me. “That makes sense.”
My entire body is hot and itchy. I need another shower. This time a cold one. I growl under my breath and scan the wall for the offending creature. It’s safer than thinking what my body is feeling.
“There it is.” Her voice is shrill as she points at the spider.
The eight-legged monster is the size of a pencil eraser and slowly moves upward along the oak cabinetry. I clutch Hadley to my chest and grab one of the legs.
“Oh, my God, you’re touching it.”
“I could be touching something else.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.What are you doing? Mia hates your guts, and you can’t stand her holier-than-thou attitude. Remember?“Grab the door.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “What is that supposed to mean?” The toe of her shoe bounces off the floor, clicking.
“Nothing.”
Her jaw flexes. “Were you making a sexual reference because the nanny code is clear that a nanny isn’t to get involved with her boss? Rule #1 forbids it. Do not get emotionally involved.”