Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
L arissa felt a spurt of satisfaction when she reached out to jiggle the crib and it remained steady.
“I think it’s good now.”
Moon wadded the paper directions into a ball before shoving it into the empty box. “Good thing I was able to convince you to stay and help me rather than going out to eat with your sister, or I’d still be working on that death trap.” Giving her a peeved look, he continued picking up the protective packing for the crib.
Amused at the way he was acting, she handed him a piece of foam he had missed. “It wasn’t a death trap.”
“The way I put it together was an accident waiting to happen. Those were the worst instructions I’ve ever read, and I still say they had the illustrations mislabeled.”
They weren’t, but she didn’t argue. His pride had taken enough of hit for the night.
“Since I made you lose out having dinner at King’s, I’ll make you something to eat.”
“No, you don’t have to. I’ll grab something when I get back in Jamestown.”
“I’m hungry, too. Besides”—walking to the doorway, he gave her a sheepish glance—“I ordered pizza. It should be here in a few minutes.”
A slight rumbling sound came from her stomach at the mention of pizza.
“How can I argue?” She laughed. “I guess the baby is hungry, too.”
“Great. I’ll just take out the box to the garage.”
She headed downstairs with Moon, then went into the kitchen to make them drinks while he carried out the box. She had just set the glasses on the counter when she heard the doorbell ring.
“I’ll get it,” Moon said, coming back from the garage.
She opened a cabinet, took out a couple of plates, and set them next to the glasses.
“Dinner is served,” Moon joked as he walked into the kitchen.
The aroma caused her stomach to growl again. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
She started debating the easiest way to maneuver herself onto the tall chair at the counter, when Moon bypassed the counter and carried the pizza to the dining room table.
“This might be easier to manage.” Setting the pizza down onto the table, he pulled out a chair for her.
Larissa made a face at him. “Every day is a new adventure with this baby,” she told him, sitting down. “Yesterday, I couldn’t fit in my favorite sweats. Today, I can’t seem to judge how to maneuver my belly enough to sit down.”
Picking up the drinks, she brought them to the table to take the chair he had pulled out for her.
“Go ahead and help yourself.” Moon nodded toward the pizza. “I just want to wash my hands.”
She opened the box but waited until Moon came back and sat down next to her before taking a slice.
They ate in comfortable silence, and Larissa was glad she had changed her mind about leaving. When Priss had texted her that she was off work, she had told her that she had changed her mind due to the mess Moon had been making at putting the crib together.
“I appreciate you staying to finish the crib.”
“No problem. Other than having dinner with Priss, I had nothing else to do.”
“Sounds like you’re getting bored?”
“A little. Sizzle won’t even let me do the dishes.”
“It’s hard to be comfortable in someone else’s home,” he commiserated.
“Don’t get me wrong; they’re very nice.”
“Still, it’s not like having your own place.”
“Yes,” she agreed, taking another slice of pizza. “I’ll be glad when I can move into my house. The closing date isn’t until next month.”
“That’s a bummer.” Moon set his pizza down on his plate. “Why don’t you move back in with your sisters? I promise not to make an ass out of myself again.”
“I believe you.” She grinned at him. “You need my help to put together that dresser you bought?”
Moon grimaced at her. “I wasn’t going to ask, but I’m not going to turn your help down if you offer.”
“I would love to help. I love building furniture. Lana and Priss hate it, so I’ve always had to be the designated builder.”
“So, then, if we’re cool now, why not move back in with your sisters?”
“I would, but Lana’s lease is up, and since she’s going to be moving in with me, she can’t sign another lease. She asked her landlord to extend her current lease for a month, and he wouldn’t agree.”
“That sucks.”
“Yes, it does. Lana and Priss are going to rent a hotel room for a month, so it just makes sense for me to stay in Jamestown rather than renting another hotel room.”
“There is another option.”
Larissa looked at Moon curiously as he got up to go to the fridge, coming back with the pitcher of tea to refill their glasses.
“You all could move in here. There are plenty of empty rooms.”
She almost choked on a mouthful of pizza. “We couldn’t impose on you like that,” she managed to say in a hoarse voice.
“I don’t know why not.” He shrugged. “I planned to live at the club until the baby is born, anyway.”
Larissa stared at him in shock. “You had the house decorated just to let it sit empty?”
“I have to be at work at six. Most nights, I don’t get off until six or seven. It’s just easier to stay there to gain the extra sleep. When you have the baby, it’ll be worth the effort. Right now, I would just be coming back here to an empty house.
Sadness filled her at his thinking. He looked so lonely as he glanced toward the living room.
“You should all live here until the house closes,” he offered again. “I promise not to turn into a dick again and won’t make excuses to constantly come over.”
Despite being tempted, she shook her head. “We couldn’t—”
“I don’t see why not. Give me one good excuse.”
She took a bite of pizza to give herself time to think.
Moon laughed. “You can’t think of one, can you?”
“Give me a minute.”
“There’s no downside. Your sisters can use my garage to store their furniture.”
“You’re making it hard to refuse.”
“Then don’t. You’ll be even closer to Killyama,” he cajoled. “When’s she due?”
“Next week.” She let out a sigh of defeat. “All right, I’ll talk to Priss and Lana. If they agree, we’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Good.” He smiled, closing the pizza box and taking their plates to the sink.
“But only if you accept what we would have paid at the apartment.”
Moon started rinsing off the dishes. “I never refuse money.”
Feeling better at accepting Moon’s offer at his acceptance of the money, she called Lana and talked to both her sisters while Moon showed no conjunction about listening in on their conversation.
At Lana and Priss’ enthusiasm, her last doubt vanished, and she told her sisters she would talk to them tomorrow before hanging up.
“You’ve made their night.”
“What did it?” he asked, moving from behind the kitchen counter. “The large screen television or separate bedrooms?”
She cringed, realizing Moon had heard Priss’ squeal of delight.
“The bedrooms. She’s always shared a room with either me or Lana. All the bathrooms didn’t hurt, either. Thank you, Moon. I promise to take good care of your home until we move out. If you change your mind—”
“I won’t. While you’re here, go ahead and decorate the nursery if you get bored. I’m sure you’ll be a better hand at doing it than me.”
“I couldn’t.”
“I don’t see why not. That way, you can make sure it’s baby proof.”
“I don’t expect you to totally give away the access to your home. Feel free to come by to work on the nursery.”
“How about when you want to work on it, just give me a call, and I’ll come over?”
“That works for me.”
Moon glanced at the clock. “I didn’t realize how late it was.”
Larissa looked at the wall clock, stunned at the time. “It’s after twelve.”
“Thanks for confirming I can still read a clock,” he teased.
Larissa made a face at him. “I’m just shocked. I thought it was like seven or eight.”
“Me, too. I guess putting the crib together took longer than we thought.” Moon frowned at the clock.
“Do you have to work in the morning?”
“I do.”
She felt bad Moon was going to have to drive her to Jamestown then drive back.
“Sex Piston’s parents go to bed early. I don’t want to wake them. You could drive me to the hotel, and I can sleep with one of my sisters. That will save you the drive.”
“Or you could take one of the bedrooms upstairs. I have a few clothes here. I could lend you a shirt to sleep in.”
“I can go to the hotel.”
“Why? You’ll just wake them up. It makes more sense to stay here. My motorcycle is in the garage. I’ll leave my car keys so you can drive to Jamestown tomorrow to get your things.”
What Moon was suggesting sounded sensible, but she still hesitated to accept his offer. “I don’t know …”
Moon arched a brow at her. “Worried I’ll sneak into your room?”
Larissa lowered her lashes half-mast. “Jerk.”
He chuckled. “Come on. Don’t overthink it and just accept. You know it’s the better option.”
“Okay, I’ll spend the night,” she reluctantly agreed.
“Don’t sound so excited,” he remarked drily.
“I’m sorry to sound unappreciative. It’s just … this takes a little getting used to.”
Moon gave her a confused frown. “What does?”
“You being so nice and thoughtful.”
“I can be nice and thoughtful, especially when it involves me not having to drive to Jamestown again. You’re actually doing me another favor. I was dreading the drive.”
“Then I’m glad to help.”
“All right, then I guess the next step is you picking out the room you want to sleep in while I lock the doors and grab you a shirt.”
Leaving Moon downstairs, she went upstairs. She opened the spare bedrooms and chose the one with the ensuite bathroom. She checked the bathroom to see if there were towels before closing the door. She wanted to take a shower before going to sleep.
“Larissa?”
Larissa went to the doorway of the bathroom and found Moon walking through the bedroom door.
“I was just checking to see if you had towels. I see you already beat me to asking for them.” She moved further into the room to take the stack of towels and the T-shirt from him.
“I figured you would want to take a shower either tonight or in the morning.”
“Thank you. I thought I would take one before going to bed.”
“Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“No, this should be everything.”
“All right, then I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll come by tomorrow after I get off work for the car. If you need anything, just text me.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Good night.”
“Good night, Moon.”
She went back to the bathroom, where she took a warm shower, luxuriating in the warmth of the water and feeling the awkward tension drain off her now that she was away from Moon’s alluring body.
The whole time they had been building the crib, she had forced herself to keep her gaze away from him. Every movement he made drew her eyes like a magnet, making her want to try every dirty sexual act she could think of with him. Her shocking thoughts made her work on the crib harder just to get the thing done and her out of the close confines of being near him.
Turning the water off, she towel-dried before slipping on the gray T-shirt. Then she rinsed out her underwear with plain soap and hung them over the towel rack before going to bed.
She lay down and closed her eyes, exhausted. Yawning, she was about to fall asleep when she felt a tightening in her lower calf.
The familiar feeling made her prepare herself for the coming pain. Even though she tried to keep from crying out, the excruciating pain made it impossible. She sat up in bed, then shifted to raise one leg to start massaging her calf.
A knock on the door and Moon calling her name had her gasping out for him to come in.
Moon took one glance and immediately hurried to her side. “Muscle spasm?”
“Yes,” she gasped out.
Taking over massaging her leg, Moon sat down on the bed next to her. He rested her leg on his lap, then pressed down on the tight muscle with his thumb, massaging the bunched-up muscle.
“That feels so good.” The muscle relaxing had her head falling to his shoulder. “I hate charley horses.”
“Me, too. Sometimes I get them when I work out too hard.”
“I had a couple last week. I’ll get Lana do some bloodwork tomorrow to make sure there isn’t a reason.”
“I’ll call in tomorrow.”
“There’s no need. I only get them at night when I’m in bed.”
“I don’t care. I won’t have you driving until we make sure there isn’t something going on,” he said curtly. “I’m not going to take a chance anything will happen to you.”
Larissa lifted her head. “Don’t you mean the baby?” she said jokingly, trying to ignore the fire running up her leg and him being just inches away from where she really wanted his fingers to go.
Moon frowned at her. “I meant you.”
Her amusement faded. “I was just teasing.”
His eyes bore into hers. “I don’t consider your health something to joke about.”
“I won’t tease you again,” she promised solemnly.
His hand curved around the underpart of her knee, the seductive sensation making her bunch the blanket under her hands to keep from touching him.
“I’m not opposed to you teasing me … just don’t expect me not to take the bait.”