Page 161 of Holiday Heir

He leans his head toward mine. "Is that a serious question?"

"Just checking."

"You don't have to check."

"Okay. I'm staying, but you're getting up in the middle of the night," I tell him.

He grins. "Done."

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Jagger

Two Days Before Christmas

It's the second time this week I've woken up with Charlie's foot jammed into my ribs. This morning, a few strands of Lainey's hair are in my mouth.

I've never been happier in my life.

Charlie's crib sits six feet away, completely empty. Around four this morning, she decided she was done sleeping by herself. I got up because I promised Lainey I'd handle the middle-of-the-night shift. So I changed her diaper, fed her a bottle, and rocked her until her eyes closed. I tried to put her back in her crib, but she woke up thirty seconds later.

After several attempts, I brought her into bed.

Lainey mumbled something about me creating bad habits, rolled over, and pulled Charlie against her chest. She immediately went back to sleep, and I held our daughter again. I'm not sure when I fell back asleep.

Now, Charlie's sideways between us, one tiny socked foot planted against me while her mama takes up the other half of my pillow.

I stare at them, grinning. It's become my daily ritual.

We never made any official decisions. Lainey just never went back to stay with her mama at the Butterfly House. Slowly, her clothes started showing up in my closet. Her shampoo appeared in my shower. Charlie's bottles took up space in my kitchen cabinet. And diapers got stacked in almost every room.

The pink blanket Lainey swore was only coming over for one night has been draped over the back of my couch since the racetrack.

We've never talked about it. I refuse to bring it up. I'm not a stupid man.

Once a week, Lorraine keeps Charlie overnight so Lainey and I can have a date night. She'd take her more if we let her. My mom's always telling us she can keep Charlie overnight too, but once a week is enough for Lainey and me. As much as we love our alone time, being with our daughter is just as much fun.

Charlie grunts in her sleep and kicks me again.