Chapter 149 His cupcake

Chapter 149 His cupcake
Emma's POV

My face is still burning by the time I reach Dawn.

I scoop her into my arms, my legs feeling strangely unsteady as I lift her from the crib.

“Hey, hey...” I whisper, gently rocking her. “It's okay, sweetheart.”

She hiccups through tiny sobs, her little face scrunched up in confusion.

“I'm sorry,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “The washing machine scared you, didn't it?”

I sway from side to side, humming the lullaby I've sung so many times these past few months.

Slowly...

Her cries become sniffles.

Then tiny whimpers.

Finally, she settles against my shoulder with a sleepy sigh, tiny fist grabbing my shirt. I keep rocking, kissing the top of her head, breathing in her sweet baby smell.

My heart is still racing from what happened in my room, but holding Dawn brings me back to earth. This is real life. Not just the heat between me and Dylan.

“There we go,” I whisper, rubbing slow circles over her back. “Mama's got you.”

Behind me, I hear the bedroom door open.

I glance over my shoulder.

Dylan walks into the living room wearing the jeans he'd arrived in earlier, but he's still shirtless, a towel draped casually around his neck as he dries his damp hair.

He catches me looking and instead of pretending he doesn't notice...

He winks.

A knowing wink that sends heat rushing straight back into my cheeks.

Idiot.

I quickly look away, only to find myself sneaking another glance a second later.

God.

When did he get... even broader?

His shoulders look more defined than I remember. His arms are leaner, stronger. Months of training have carved muscle over muscle until he looks like somebody stepped out of a sports magazine.

It's honestly unfair.

He walks past me toward the laundry area, completely unaware that I'm still staring.

Or maybe...

Completely aware.

A few moments later, he pulls his shirt from the washing machine before holding it up with a disappointed sigh.

“I don't think this is dry enough.”

I smile despite myself. “No?”

He shakes his head. “Mind if I let it air-dry for a bit?”

“Of course not.” I nod toward the sliding glass door. “There's a drying rack on the balcony.”

“Perfect.”

He disappears outside for a minute before returning empty-handed, still shirtless. Not that I'm paying attention.

He looks even better in the soft afternoon light coming through the windows. I swallow and bounce Dawn gently in my arms.

“I don't think she's going back to sleep anytime soon,” I say quietly, stroking Dawn's tiny curls.

Dylan steps beside me. “That's too bad.”

“For who?”

“For us.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to hide another smile.

He reaches out and gently strokes Dawn's soft little cheek with the back of one finger.

“Hey there, princess.”

She blinks up at him with sleepy eyes before grabbing his finger with surprising determination.

“Well...” he chuckles. “Guess I'm trapped.”

“She has that effect on people.”

“I've noticed.” His eyes lift from Dawn to me. The smile on his face softens. Without saying a word, he reaches up and lightly cups my cheek.

My breath catches. “Dylan...”

He leans closer and instinct tells me exactly what he's about to do. Before I can turn my face away, he leans in and kisses me. It is not as wild as before, but it is deep and warm, his hand gently rubbing my face.

“Dylan, not in front of the baby,” I whisper against his lips, pulling back a little.

He blinks innocently. “What?”

“She can see.”

He smiles, that confident smile I have always loved.
“I think she's going to grow up seeing us smooch a lot anyway.”

I stare at him, my cheeks burning hotter.

Did he...

Did he just say that?

Like he’s imagining us as a real family?

The thought makes my heart do a silly little dance, warmth blooming somewhere deep in my chest, but I quickly push it down. “She is still too young for that.”

“She won't even remember this,” he continues with a shrug.

“Still.”

“Oh, come on.” He chuckles, leaning in again. “Like you said, she's still too young. She'll forget all these.”

“We can't know for sure.” I dodge him with a laugh. “Stop it.”

“You're impossible.”

“So I've been told.”

He smiles before settling for a quick kiss on my cheek.

“You're so unbelievable.” I shake my head, unable to stop smiling.

This...

This moment feels so perfect. The three of us together like this. I do not want to ruin it by thinking too hard about everything else.

The rest of the afternoon slips by almost without either of us noticing.

Dawn refuses to nap again, so we spread her colorful play mat across the living room floor instead.

She spends the next hour trying to fit every toy into her mouth while Dylan becomes completely fascinated by the world's slowest game of peekaboo.

“You've done this at least twenty times,” I tell him.

He grins. “She still laughs.”

“She laughs because you're making ridiculous faces.”

“So you're saying I'm naturally gifted.”

“I'm saying you look ridiculous.”

“Yet it's working.”

I hate that he's right.

Somewhere in the middle of everything, his shirt finally dries enough for him to put it back on.

By late afternoon, golden sunlight spills through the apartment windows, painting the living room in warm shades of orange.

The clock reminds us neither of us has been watching it.

“I should probably get going,” Dylan says reluctantly, standing from the floor. “Carmen will be home soon.”

I nod. “Yeah.”

Neither of us sounds particularly enthusiastic about it.

I walk him to the front door while Dawn rests sleepily against my shoulder.

He pauses with one hand on the doorknob. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

A smile spreads slowly across his face. “Good.”

He hesitates for just a second before stepping closer, pulling me close and kissing me hard, the kind of kiss that leaves me breathless and wanting more. His tongue brushes mine, and I melt into it for a second, hands on his chest.

When he finally pulls away, I'm left blinking up at him.

“I was thinking...” he says. “Maybe tomorrow... after I'm done with Dawn... we could have dinner.”

I blink. “Dinner?”

“Just us.”

I study him carefully. “I don't know.”

“No?”

“Aren't we supposed to be focusing on co-parenting?”

He tilts his head. “I don't think there's any rulebook that says co-parents are supposed to kiss either.”

A laugh escapes before I can stop it. “You should go back to your hotel, Dylan.”

“Or...” He steps just a little closer, fingers tracing slowly up my arm, sending little shivers through me. “I could stay.”

My heartbeat instantly betrays me.

“You could tell Carmen to spend the night somewhere else.”

“No way.” I laugh and shake my head. “Absolutely not.”

“A friend's place?”

“No.”

“A club?”

I laugh harder. “No.”

He sighs dramatically. “You're crushing all my dreams.”

“You'll survive.”

“I don't know.” He places a hand over his heart. “This feels serious.”

He reaches over and gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear before kissing me one more time, deep with tongue, slow and full of promise.

When he pulls back he sighs, his fingers linger for only a second. “It's going to be hard not thinking about you tonight.”

My smile grows despite every attempt to hide it.

He notices.

Of course he notices.

His own smile widens. “Goodnight... Cupcake.”

Everything inside me stops.

Cupcake.

I haven't heard that nickname in what feels like forever.

Nobody else has ever called me that.

Just him.

Always him.

He gives me one last wink before turning toward the hallway.

I watch him disappear around the corner.

Only after he's gone do I finally close the door, my fingers drifting unconsciously to my lips.

Cupcake.

A slow smile spreads across my face.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

Some things were never truly lost.

Maybe they had simply been waiting for the right moment to find their way home again.