Rock Wedding (Rock Kiss #4) - Nalini Singh Page 0,119
I can tell.”
“I dunno,” said a new voice. “I think those are a guitarist’s fingers.”
Walking in, Noah drew Abe into a back-slapping hug while Kit went over to join Thea, Sarah, Molly, and Lola. “Congratulations, man.”
“Sarah did all the work,” Abe said, sending her a smile that was probably a little goofy.
Her responding smile was exactly as goofy and it melted his heart. He went over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, dropped a kiss on her hair. “A wedding and a baby in less than two weeks. I think we should slow down now.”
Sarah laughed softly and held out her arms for Theo. “Look at him. Pure sweetness.”
“Yeah. I already love being a dad.”
THREE WEEKS LATER, DRESSED ONLY IN WHITE boxer briefs, Abe walked back and forth on the gritty stone paving beside the pool, Flossie pacing beside him and the night air balmy and quiet apart from the screaming and furious tiny person cradled against his bare shoulder.
They’d moved into his larger place post-birth because it had better security and a lot more private space where the media couldn’t pry—but Sarah had brought her place with her in all the décor. Including endless bookshelves in the music room, which had been transformed into their family room.
Abe loved it.
The day before, he’d mounted a sweet photo of Aaron beside his favorite picture of Tessie, and they’d all smiled at seeing those two beloved faces on the wall while Theo slept in his mother’s arms.
Right then, however, sleep was the last thing on Theo’s mind.
Abe stroked Theo’s little body, the fabric of their baby’s blue one-piece soft under his hand. “Come on, kid,” Abe said without halting his rocking, patting walk. “You’re well fed, warm, and dry.” He patted Theo’s diaper butt, a butt he’d personally cleaned up and reclad after waking to the baby’s first cry. “Why don’t you let your parents and your grandma catch some shut-eye?”
Theo just wailed louder.
“Good lungs is an understatement,” Abe said, continuing to walk, Flossie loyally following his lead. “Lead-singer material right there.”
He turned to kiss an angrily scrunched-up face, his hand careful to support Theo’s head. “It’s fine. I don’t need sleep.” Love, huge and endless, filled his heart. “All those nights of partying are finally coming in handy.” Blinking gritty eyes as his son cried even louder, he kept walking.
It took thirty minutes for Theo to wear himself out and finally fall asleep.
Yawning, Abe carried him upstairs and would’ve gone into the nursery except a sleepy Sarah whispered his name. She’d risen up on her arm, her hair a gorgeous tumble around her shoulders. “How long was he awake?” She rubbed her face.
“Forty minutes or so.” Abe sat down beside her with Theo in his arms. “How long do you think he’ll stay down?”
“AN HOUR IF WE’RE LUCKY,” Sarah said, leaning over to kiss their baby’s soft cheek. “I’ll take the next wake-up call.” She was utterly exhausted, sleep-deprived… and madly in love with both the big man seated on her bed and the tiny child he held in his muscular arms. Abe was just as sleep-deprived and as exhausted as her, but he’d proven endlessly patient.
Where others might’ve crumbled under the stress of a newborn, Abe was thriving. He soaked up the advice Diane gave them both about how to care for a baby, his joy in being a father open—he was already “teaching” Theo the piano by holding their baby in his arms as he played.
Theo always listened intently—and every so often, Sarah would wake in the night to the music of Abe playing the piano. It seemed to settle their little rock baby better than anything else. “Music didn’t work today?”
“The peanut’s a harsh critic.” Fisting his hand in her hair, her husband tugged her into him for a kiss that was slow and lazy and lush. “How about it?” he murmured. “Got enough energy to make a different kind of music?”
Sarah’s toes curled. “Let me put him down.” She took that precious, warm weight, overwhelmed by love. “I feel like snuggling him a little.” Carrying Theo across the carpet and into the adjoining room, she put him in his crib after a long cuddle. “Dream happy dreams, sweet baby.”
She tiptoed out and slipped into bed beside Abe… to find him fast asleep on his front, his breathing deep and steady. Laughing softly, she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. He stirred long enough to say, “I love you, Sarah.”