Custom Built (Fast & Fury #1) - Chantal Fernando Page 0,66
at some point, but you know what? I was probably headed there anyway.”
Shaking my head at him, I can’t help but laugh at that. “No one is going to prison. We need you here.”
Quinn starts to fuss, so I take her to change and feed her, letting Crow have a little time to himself. Is this what parenting is? Tag teaming so much you barely see each other or get to spend any time together or do anything as a couple?
No wonder only the strong survive.
“But you, miss, are an angel sent from heaven,” I say, smelling her. “And you smell so good.”
She holds on to my thumb with her little fingers.
I don’t care if she keeps me up all night for the rest of my life.
She is so worth it.
* * *
“Crow, can you take your daughter, please? She pooped again,” I grumble, my voice thick with sleep.
“So now she’s my daughter?” he asks, laughing to himself. “Come here, Quinn, let me change you.”
“I never realized how much I was taking sleep for granted before this,” I say with my eyes closed. It’s been a week since I had a good night of it. “Broken sleep should be considered a reason to not have to go into work. It feels like shit.”
“Go back to sleep, Bronte, I have her,” he says, and I don’t need to be told twice. I fall asleep instantly, and when I wake up again the sun is shining.
Forcing myself out of bed, I head to the nursery where Quinn is fast asleep in her crib, while Crow is out in the living room.
Doing push-ups.
Shirtless.
He has a sheen of sweat covering his body, and I find my lips suddenly feeling a little dry. Here I am, looking like crap, and he’s still looking like a Greek god first thing in the morning.
“Good morning,” I say, enjoying the view. “Are you doing this on purpose? Because you’re not really playing fair right now.”
He laughs and continues with his workout. “Just getting some exercise in. Just because I’m a dad now doesn’t mean I need to have a dad bod.”
I get myself some coffee, and sit down on the couch, pretending to be watching the news, but I’m watching him instead.
He says something, but I miss it because I’m too busy perving to listen. “What?”
“I’m going to go for a quick jog around the block,” he repeats.
“Like that? With no shirt on?” I ask, eyes narrowing.
So my whole neighborhood gets to see him like that? Even that woman across the road who likes to check out all the younger guys?
“Yeah, why?” he asks, frowning. “It’s warm out. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“Okay,” I reply, gritting my teeth.
Well, here’s an emotion I haven’t felt in a while: jealousy.
“Have fun, you big show-off,” I mutter to myself as he leaves. “I could go outside and be all sexy too.”
Maybe in a few weeks, when I’m not so exhausted. I don’t know how he has the energy for it.
Quinn wakes up and starts screaming blue murder, so I get a bottle ready and give her what she wants. “Good morning to the most special girl in the world. Where’s your daddy, you wonder? Well, he’s out showing off his ripped body to all the women in the neighborhood.”
Quinn opens her eyes wider.
“That was my reaction too, my girl.”
* * *
Heidi comes over to spend time with her niece. “She is one beautiful kid,” she says, rocking Quinn gently. “And you get to keep your sexy figure. It’s a win-win, Bronte.”
I laugh at that. “Only you would even think of that, Heidi.”
She grins and lifts her head up, looking at me. “So I got a job at Kamikaze. I know I just finished my associate degree, but I also know Crow wants me to get a job. I appreciate you and him letting me take time to go to school. I’m working a few days a week now as a bookkeeper.”
“That’s awesome news,” I say, smiling. Crow had a serious discussion with her and she reacted better than I thought she would, which means I didn’t give her enough credit. She asked if she could go to school to figure out what she is good at and Crow was thrilled. “How do you feel about working like the rest of us?”
“It sucks,” she admits, pursing her lips. “But the people there are really cool, and I can’t just live off Crow forever. He has his own family now, and I