“Well, okay, since you asked so nicely. Let’s go sit on the couch and read.”
My phone vibrates in my bag as we stand up to go to the living room, and I pull it out to check, my mouth turning up when I read the message.
LEO: How are my two favourite girls doing?
Glancing up to make sure Violet’s okay, I quickly type out a response.
SERENA: Her energy is insane. But we’re good.
And because I can’t resist messing with him, I send another message
SERENA: One question though. You’re okay with having bunnies right? Because we might have stopped at a pet store…
LEO: What? Seriously?
SERENA: Okay no, I’m joking.
SERENA: They’re guinea pigs not rabbits.
LEO: Tippy…
LEO: Stop messing with me. Did you really get my kid guinea pigs?
SERENA: Omg. You’re still so gullible. No. I did not get her any animals
SERENA: Except in book form.
LEO: I’m confused.
I walk into the living room and sit beside Violet, holding up one of her books while she’s looking at the other. “Hey Vi, smile for a picture for Daddy.”
I snap a quick selfie of us and send it to Leo.
SERENA: See? Animal books. I assume those are fine.
LEO: Jesus. You’re not good for my blood pressure. Yes books are fine.
LEO: I love you.
SERENA: Love you too. Now go away. We have guinea pigs to read about.
LEO: See you later babe.
“Serena, babe.”
My eyes blink open slowly at the sound of Leo’s warm voice and the feel of his hand stroking my arm. I’m crammed into Violet’s tiny toddler bed where I must have fallen asleep with her when I put her to bed.
“Hi, you’re home,” I say, stating the obvious. In my defense, I’m a little groggy. But I manage to get out of the bed and follow Leo into his kitchen. That’s when I realize he’s not in uniform anymore, oh no. All he’s wearing are low-slung pajama pants that are showing off way too much of his delicious and shirtless body.
“No fair.”
“What?” He raises one eyebrow quizzically.
“You look yummy. And I can’t stay.”
His quiet laugh shouldn’t be sexy, but then again, everything Leo does is sexy.
“Am I supposed to apologize for wearing pajamas?”