“That’s it, General. God, so fucking perfect.” He staggered back, then pulled Snow to his feet, turning him and taking his mouth in a kiss that ravished. Snow’s legs still felt wobbly, so he held on, returning the kiss with fervor. Jude’s tongue went deep into his mouth like he was searching for every flavor Snow had. Snow sucked on his tongue, then pulled back to meet those glittering brown eyes. He smirked, happy to see an answering smile on his man’s face. They were covered in sweat and semen, the room smelling of sex.
“Feel better?” he asked, kissing the corner of Jude’s mouth.
Jude’s eyes went half-mast. “Yeah.”
“Good. Let’s shower and try to sleep now, okay?” He threaded his fingers with Jude’s, happy when the man tightened his hand. He led him up the stairs.Chapter 12“Your timing is perfect!” Andrei exclaimed as they walked through the front door of the penthouse. Snow had barely gotten his winter coat off when Andrei was placing a tiny bundle in his hands.
“Wait!” Snow cried back while already snuggling the little girl against his chest.
“I’ve got to finish warming her bottle. Just hold her for a minute. Lucas is in the shower and will be down soon,” Andrei replied as he jogged off to the kitchen.
Jude looked around Snow to see the largest brown eyes set in a tiny face topped off with thick black hair. Just like her Romanian daddy. Oh yeah, Snow was right. Andrei’s genes were strong with her. She was going to be a knockout when she got older, driving both of her daddies absolutely insane.
And seeing her being held so protectively by Snow was melting his heart and brain into a useless puddle deep in his gut. Snow might say that he didn’t want kids, but that man had a heart as big as the world. Jude was confident that he’d be a great father. The instincts were there whether he wanted to acknowledge them or not.
But if Snow didn’t want kids, then Jude would accept that. He just hated the idea of them both missing out on something that would bring such joy to their lives.
For now, he was content to watch little Daciana Vallois stare up at Snow, her bow lips parted almost in wonder as she reached for him. Snow smiled back at her, whispering a few sweet words in his soothing, baritone voice.
As if realizing what he was doing, Snow looked over at Jude, a sheepish expression crossing his face. “Here. You haven’t even held her yet,” Snow said. He offered her to Jude, but Jude backed up and started to pull off his coat.
“You’re doing just fine there, General. I’ve got to admit that I’m enjoying watching you with her right now.”
Snow rolled his eyes, but he still tucked the baby back against his chest as he walked into the living room. Jude followed him in, chuckling softly.
Almost two days had passed since they’d talked to Rowe. There had been no news so far with regard to his research, and there had been no fresh news on Jordan’s progress. He’d not had any more setbacks, which was good, but his healing was proving to be slow. They’d both taken a few days off work under the excuse of a family emergency. Considering that Jordan was in the hospital where they both worked, no one was surprised.
Snow had suggested a trip to the Vallois penthouse for a visit with Daciana. They were both bouncing off the walls at home, waiting for news of any sort. And the little girl was an excellent distraction—at least for an hour or two.
Stepping into the penthouse living room, Jude couldn’t help but marvel at the change. When he’d crossed the threshold for the first time roughly three years ago, it had felt like he’d been given access to an exclusive club. Snow, Lucas, Rowe, and Ian were so damn tight, and if he wanted to have a place with them, he’d known he’d have to earn it.
And the penthouse with its large, sweeping windows offering a stunning view of downtown Cincinnati, decorated in high-quality, tasteful furniture, and unique personal touches was their hub. Their headquarters. Their private clubhouse.
Jude had been to this penthouse for so many “family” meetings, emergencies, parties, dinners, and just lounging about for drinks. It had become another home for him almost as much as it was for Snow.
Now he need only take a second to look around and realize that a little girl ruled this roost. Baby paraphernalia covered nearly every surface. There were toys, boxes of diapers, wet wipes, clothes, soft blankets with dinosaurs, and more spread across the large open area. It was like a baby store had exploded across the penthouse.
“Wow,” Jude breathed.
“Yeah,” Andrei muttered. He came up alongside Jude with a bottle in his hand and a towel tossed over his shoulder. “Mrs. Mason has started bringing along another maid to help clean, and it still devolves into utter chaos within a day. I keep telling myself that it’ll get better when we both head back to work and get into a routine with her.”