One Moment Please (Wait With Me #3) - Amy Daws Page 0,80

the actual baby before they can really accept what’s going on.”

I sigh. “That makes sense.”

A loud crash cuts through the line. “Oh shit, Claire just knocked over my entire Tupperware of craft buttons. Dammit. I gotta go.” The line ends before I even have a chance to say goodbye.

“Who was that?” Josh asks, stepping up behind me in the kitchen as I pour more creamer into my coffee.

“My sister,” I reply cheerily as I turn, mug in hand. My eyes drift down his body as he stands before me in nothing but a pair of gray joggers. I clear my throat and focus on my thoughts. “She wants me to babysit my nieces Saturday night. I was thinking I’d bring them over here. Do you mind?”

“Of course, I don’t mind,” Josh says as he moves to stand beside me and pours himself a cup of coffee. He pins me with a serious look as he adds, “This is your house as much as it is mine.”

I narrow my eyes. “Except you still haven’t cashed any of the checks I keep giving you.”

“Can’t friends pay for shit for friends?” He turns to take a sip of his coffee giving me a nice view of his square jaw. “And besides that, you do a lot around here which certainly earns your keep.”

“Like what?”

“Um…like all the cooking.” He gestures to his belly. “I’ve gained five pounds since you moved in.”

“Maybe I’m just trying to help you work on your dad bod.” I bite my lip coyly, a warmth spreading inside me. His abs are still quite visible above his low-slung waistband.

He huffs at that, and then his face turns a bit more serious. “So, do you want me to make myself scarce Saturday? I’m off this weekend but if you want the place to yourself I can go hang with Max.”

I frown and shake my head. “No, you can be around. I might need your help and my sister kind of wants to meet you.”

His brows lift. “That sounds ominous.”

“She’s cool. Mostly.” I bite my lip, hoping he doesn’t see through my bluff.

He nods slowly. “Then sure, I’ll stick around.”

He leans in and presses a kiss to my forehead, wafting me with his delicious aftershave before taking his coffee to his bedroom where I’ve been sleeping every night.

As he walks away, I have no shadow of a doubt that Josh would still be sexy as hell even with a dad bod. I can’t wait to see him with my nieces.

Craft shit is scattered all over the dining room table, and Lynsey’s been running around for the past hour trying to make everything perfect for her two nieces. I knew she loved those little girls based on how much she’s spoken about them. But I had no idea she’d empty all of Hobby Lobby in preparation for their visit. This seems a bit extreme.

Lynsey’s in the bathroom when the doorbell rings so I head to the door to let them in. I’m greeted by a tall brunette who looks about my age. Standing on either side of her are two little blondes who are elementary school-aged.

“Holy shit,” Lynsey’s sister blurts, taking off her sunglasses to look me up and down. “Are you Dr. Dick?”

My body tenses and suddenly Lynsey’s voice peals from behind me. “Christine, this is Josh! Josh Richardson.” She clamors in front of me, shooting me an apologetic smile over her shoulder before bending to hug her nieces. “Josh this is my big-mouthed sister, Christine.”

“Very big,” Christine adds with a smile as she offers her hand. “And I’ve heard you’ve got a very big—”

“Television!” Lynsey finishes, squeezing her nieces’ shoulders to her sides, her face stricken with guilt. “We’ve got all sorts of movies and games and popcorn and we’re going to have a great slumber party, right girls?”

“Is that where the baby is?” the younger one asks, poking Lynsey in her stomach.

“Yes, Claire, this is where the baby is.” Lynsey pats her bump and glances nervously at me.

“That’s so weird,” the older one says and reaches out to pet Lynsey’s belly next.

The whole scene makes me uncomfortable. These kids just got here and they’re already rubbing Lynsey like a Buddha statue.

Lynsey clears her throat and gestures to the taller one. “Josh, this is Lennon. And the little one here is Claire.”

Claire holds Lynsey’s hand and tucks herself behind her aunt. “I’m not little.”

Lynsey purses her lips. “You’re right, Claire. You’re eight now. Nothing little about that! And Lennon, is eleven,” she