He smiled. “But I’d love to take you out. You want to eat somewhere?”
“Yeah. Sure. I could eat.” Though right now her tummy was in knotty flutters.
“Then maybe after…?”
She could hardly catch her breath. But no, not at her house again. Not with Meghan in the next room. Plus, she was a little sore.
“My sister,” she said. “I can’t do it with her in the next room again. I shouldn’t have last night. It was too close a call.”
“Of course. I understand.” He smiled and cupped her cheek. “I’ll take you to my apartment.”
His apartment? The thought evoked both excitement and fear. “Mom leaves for work at six, and I should be home with Meghan.”
He nodded. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I understand.”
A jolt of fear struck her. What if he only wanted the sex? “You still want to have dinner?”
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Of course. I’m not just after sex with you, Mia. Though that was sure fun.”
Yes, it had been fun. But it had been so much more than that. Had it been more for him too?
Chapter Twelve
Maria’s soft gaze met his. “Angie and Rafe want to see you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “Everything’s fine. The baby’s fine. Go on in.”
Jeff ambled to the room, wiping all thoughts of Max and his threats from his mind. Right now, he wanted to concentrate on his daughter and new grandson.
He knocked softly and then opened the door to her room.
“Hi there.”
“Jeff, please come in,” Rafe said.
He entered.
“I haven’t had the chance to properly thank you for what you did.” Rafe grabbed him in a big bear hug.
The act of closeness startled Jeff. His family hadn’t been huggers. He’d never embraced his brother or his grandfather. Maybe his father before he’d died. He couldn’t remember.
But hugging his son-in-law—the man who took care of his daughter, who loved her, who’d helped her give him his beautiful new grandson—felt good. Felt right. He returned the affection.
“It was nothing. Anyone would have done the same.”
Rafe let him go. “I wish I’d been there. I’m just so thankful you were. None of us expected Little Jeff to come so soon.”
Jeff gasped without meaning to. Had he heard right? “Little Jeff?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Angie smiled. “We’ve decided to name the baby Jefferson Wayne Bay Grayhawk.”
“But what about your father, Rafe?”
“I explained the situation to him, and he was more than understanding. Our next baby will be Jack—or Jacqueline, if it’s a girl.”
Jeff was flummoxed, awestruck. A lump formed in his throat. “I don’t know what to say.”