“Yes, sir.”
“Good girl,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. “Your vitamins are on the counter. Take one and clean yourself up. I want to take you out and grab some real dessert.”
“That sounds wonderful,” she said, grinning.
He winked in agreement. Slinging her shirt over her shoulder, Taylor blew a kiss in his direction and sauntered into the kitchen. There was no mistaking the weight of Sebastian’s stare as it tracked her every step, making sure she complied. Despite his gentleness and play, there was a veiled tension seething below the surface, a reluctance that she couldn’t quite place. She twisted the cap off a bottle of water and downed one of the horse-sized pills with a wince. Satisfied, Sebastian finished tying off his pants and headed for the stairs.
Taylor set her drink aside and followed behind with a mute shake of her head. Did he really think she wouldn’t take care of their baby? Or was he just searching for a way to feel more in control. She couldn’t help but wonder how his day had gone or what had been said, but it wasn’t likely that was information he was going to share. Combing her fingers through her bedraggled hair, she sighed. In the end, it didn’t matter. He hadn’t taken his frustrations out at home, and for him, that was a huge step. It gave her hope. Not just for today, but for the future as well. Maybe, despite it all, things really were going to be okay.
Traffic lights shimmered off the damp asphalt, casting the downtown sector into colorful prisms. Pulling Taylor closer to his side, Sebastian scanned their surroundings. Golden streetlights glowed overhead, lending the historic brick buildings lining the streets extra warmth and charm. It was a beautiful spring evening despite the previous storm. The rich smell of damp earth and blacktop rose around them as they wandered the sidewalks hand in hand. Returning his attention to Taylor, he smiled. Even clad in a simple light blue halter dress, she was stunning. The cool, fresh air had helped bring some much needed color back to her cheeks, and an innocent joy radiated from her as she peered up at him.
“Penny for your thoughts,” she teased.
Laughing quietly, he shook his head. “I was thinking it would be safer to dress you in a potato sack from now on.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “You are impossibly jealous, Agent Baas.”
“I’m not jealous, sweetheart. I am just protective of what is mine.”
“So you’re greedy?”
He paused outside the diner and turned to face her. “Is there a reason why I shouldn’t have you all to myself, Taylor?”
She swung her big grey eyes up to his with an adamant shake of her head. “No, Sebastian. Not at all.”
“Good to know,” he said, fighting to keep his amusement hidden. Leaning down, he issued a husky whisper against her ear. “I will never share you with another man. You would do well to remember that, darling. I would hate to have to prove that point to you again.”
“You have nothing to worry about, Seb. No one else could ever measure up to you. You have completely ruined me for other men.”
Winking, he kissed the pouty swell of her lips. “That was my plan.”
Releasing his hold on her, he opened the glass door and ushered Taylor inside. A musty aroma with an undercurrent of grease replaced the fresh air from outside. Sebastian squelched a grimace, his studious gaze raking over the small cluster of rounded tables and padded booths, doing a quick assessment of their occupants. The staff was already starting to wipe things down for the evening, and not many customers remained. An elderly couple sat sharing a plate of crumb cake. Withered and bent with milky irises, neither one of them posed any threat. A pudgy, middle-aged man glanced up from the evening paper, his beady brown eyes barely flickering their way before he took another sip of his coffee and resumed skimming the headlines. On the far side of the diner, a young mother struggled to keep her chattering toddler in his seat.
Confident in their safety, Sebastian steered Taylor toward an intimate booth in the back where he could continue to monitor the diner’s comings and goings. She pressed close to his side, content to share in the space and the warmth radiating between them. A pained wince crossed his face as he plucked the lacquered menu from its holder only to find it stuck to his fingers with grime. Taylor snickered quietly beside him and pulled a bottle of hand sanitizer from her purse.
“Thank you,” he said, squeezing a liberal amount onto his palm. “You would think they would clean these things once in a while.”
“Not everyone lives by your impeccable standards, Sebastian.”
He snorted in agreement. “I really don’t think it’s asking too much.”
They made their selections, and he drummed his fingers on the scarred tabletop as they waited for a server. His patience was all but gone by the time a harried looking blonde finally made her rounds.
“Sorry about the wait. What can I get you?” she asked, swiping her bangs out of her eyes with the back of her arm.
“I’ll take a cup of coffee and a slice of your peach pie.”
“Make sure that’s decaf,” Sebastian corrected. “And I will have the same.”
“You want the pie, too?” the waitress asked.
“Yes, please.”
He waited until the woman left before blinking at Taylor in exasperation. Smothering another giggle, she shrugged.
“We can’t all be as smart or insightful as you either, Sebby,” she razzed. “Some of us are human, and therefore prone to bouts of stupidity.”
“I have my fair share of flaws, sweetheart. We both know that.”
“At least one of them has been dormant lately.”
Laughing quietly, he lifted a brow. “Are you referring to my belt?”
“Oh no, Sebastian. I wouldn’t dare. Last night was visit enough for me.”
“Mmm. So you claim.”
Her expression grew more serious as she toyed with her napkin. “Why did you change my order?”
“For one, we don’t need you bouncing off the walls all night. For two, I don’t think caffeine is good for the baby,” he said, running a tender finger over her abdomen. “I could be wrong, but I seem to remember Monique cutting it out altogether when she was carrying Mia.”
“I didn’t think about that. I don’t have the slightest idea what I’m doing here, Seb. I don’t know anything about having a kid. I mean other than how they are made…”
His shoulders shook with his quiet laugh. “I think we have that aspect cornered quite well.” Taking her hand, he pressed a gentle kiss against the top. “We will get through this, Taylor. Everything is going to be okay. I’m going to dig around and see what I can do about getting you into a doctor next week. We’ll figure everything out. I promise. Just sit tight, baby.”
The love and adoration in her eyes was humbling.
“Okay.” Her face took on an impish gleam. “But I should probably warn you now—I am going to have a ridiculously long list of questions when I go.”
Smiling, he caressed the high slope of her cheek. “I would expect nothing less, darling. Don’t think I won’t.”
He glanced up when the waitress approached with their pie and topped off their mugs. Sebastian watched Taylor’s eyes drift shut as she slipped the first bite past her lips, her face a simple declaration of bliss. Everything about her was such a startling contrast to the world he knew. She wasn’t fueled by ulterior motives. All she longed for was acceptance and love. Spearing a piece of pie off his plate, he tried to remember if there was ever a time he’d felt the same. He’d wanted those things from his father, and tried like hell to get them, but part of him had known it was an unattainable dream. In the beginning, he loved the man, but in the end, he’d feared and respected him more. That disconnect laid the groundwork in many ways. It helped build the foundation of who he was today. He pondered that for a moment, his appetite waning.
What would his own children grow up to be? Closing his eyes, he prayed they would take a different path. One that wouldn’t leave them as conflicted and broken. One that did
n’t put their lives and families in danger every goddamn day. If he had one hope, one dream, it would be for them to grow up happy, safe, and free to experience the life they chose.
His thoughts came to a screeching halt when the bell over the door chimed. A gust of fresh air swept through the restaurant and, looking up, Sebastian froze. Instant tension snapped through his muscles, making them ache. His fists clenched and locked in time with his jaw. The sharp, pinched face staring back at him was one he knew all too well. He’d been seeing it everywhere for the past few weeks. The man bowed his head and tried to slip into a booth near the door, but it was too late. Sebastian tossed his fork on his plate and sprung to his feet. He’d had all he was going to take.
Taylor scrambled across the padded booth and reached for his arm, pleading twisting her beautiful face. “Seb?”