4. FOUR
FOUR
Colton
I pace the house after Natalia goes to bed, my bull making me extra protective with the presence of an infant and now a female in my territory.
I check the locks and the security system, check every window, and look in on Jayden who, despite his earlier fussing, is sleeping contentedly.
The nurse said to wake him every three hours for a feed, but the poor mite is finally sleeping soundly and I don’t have the heart.
I set my alarm for the next feeding and tell myself skipping one in favor of sleep will do us both good.
Then I collapse into bed and try to settle.
It’s so difficult when I know I’ll have to wake in only a few hours.
I’m also strangely aware of Natalia—her scent, her presence.
It’s slightly unsettling how much I have already mapped the clover, thyme, and oat notes of her scent.
The shape of her curves. How perfectly they appeal to me.
I try hard not to think about that too much because it was pretty obvious she wasn’t at all interested when I complimented her looks.
Which honestly checks out. I have a knack for being interested in females who are completely unavailable.
After a restless start, I fall asleep so heavily my alarm is blaring loudly by the time I wake.
I fumble around with it and finally manage to switch it off.
Then I drag myself out of bed and just remember to pull on some sweatpants before shuffling bleary eyed toward the kitchen to make Jayden’s bottle.
As I stumble down the hall, the door to the guest room opens and Natalia emerges, hair adorably mussed, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She almost steps into me in the darkness, and I grab her shoulders gently to stop her from careering straight into my chest.
There’s a sharp indrawn breath and she freezes, the hand rubbing her eyes dropping to her side. Then she looks up at me so slowly it feels as if her gaze drags phantom hands up my abs, over my pecs, and all the way to my face and right back down again.
Her mouth drops open.
Holy hell, if that’s what she can do to me with one sleepy glance, imagine what her real touch would do.
It’s only then that I glance down at myself and see the state of my sweatpants and the large bulge tenting the front where the nature of my late-night thoughts is imprinted on my body. We both speak at the same time. “Sorry, I was just going to—”
“I heard an alarm. Is it—”
And break off awkwardly. I didn’t think she would be awake. Lucky I remembered the pants I guess. Not that they’re doing a whole lot in terms of keeping me decent. I need to be more careful with Natalia in the house. Clearly my cock can’t be trusted around her.
Natalia swallows and the tip of her tongue darts out to wet her lips in a movement I find utterly mesmerizing. “You want me to help?”
My sleep-fogged brain takes way too long to wake up and fully process what she’s asking. I have more than a few moments where I picture her slowly undoing the drawstring of my pants and getting to her knees…
“Did you need anything? You’re getting up to feed Jayden, right?”
Oh. Right. She was talking about my son. “Y-yeah. Thanks.”
I’m such an oaf, standing there thinking dirty thoughts when I don’t even know her situation. She could be married with kids for all I know. They could be joining her tomorrow. I mean she never mentioned anyone, but still. I haven’t asked.
It doesn’t take me too long to prepare the bottle, but then I have to wait in the kitchen for my unruly cock to subside.
I can’t go in there with Natalia with my cock practically trying to escape from my sweats.
I’m just debating whether to go add three pairs of underwear and maybe a cup for extra protection when Jayden starts a shaky cry from down the hall, and I can finally palm myself down and hurry along the dark corridor.
As soon as Jayden spots me with the bottle his cries double in volume, his little face scrunches up, and his cheeks turn bright red.
Natalia hands him over, and I awkwardly juggle him and the bottle, trying to get myself settled in the sofa chair.
I had hoped he would take the bottle more readily after waiting a little longer, but he turns his face away as soon as the first drop squeezes out onto his lip.
Natalia hovers. I look over at her, hoping she has some advice since poor Jayden is howling with frustration. “I thought he’d be hungry.”
“He is. Listen to that cry and see how he curls his tongue. Try standing.”
I do and Natalia moves in close, demonstrating how I should rock from side to side.
I think about what she said before and hold Jayden so he can better see my face. “Hey, buddy. I think you are hungry, aren’t you? Come on, give it a try.”
He makes a tragic little whimper, and the tears stop. He blinks up at me.
“That’s great,” whispers Natalia. “Keep going.”
I would, only I’ve run out of things to say. Determined not to fail him, I spurt the first nonsense I can think of as I lower the bottle’s nipple toward his mouth. “Come on, sweetling. You want some milk, don’t you? This will be good, you’ll see. Come on. That’s right.”
I hold my breath as he tentatively opens his mouth and accepts the nipple.
His face screws up and his tongue works, almost pushing the bottle from his mouth, and for a moment I think he’s rejected it again. Then his lips close around it and he begins to suck.
“Yes!”
At my exclamation he pauses and unlatches, and I curse myself for distracting him. “Sorry, sorry, buddy. Keep going.”
Natalia laughs softly. “There you go. You’ve got this.”
“I think I do.” I grin at her in wonder.
She pats me on the arm. “Well done. I’m going to leave you to it, unless you need anything?”
“No, I’m all good. Thank you. You’re an absolute godsend.”
She sneaks away with a final smile, pulling the door gently closed behind her and leaving me and Jayden in the softly lit nursery.
Experimentally, I lower myself into the chair very slowly until I’m finally seated with Jayden in my lap, sucking hungrily at the bottle.
“Maybe this isn’t so hard. It’s just a matter of learning the right moves and practicing.
Just like football. I just needed a good coach. ”
Jayden stares up at me, still sucking away at the bottle as if to say ‘it took you long enough.’
“We’ll get used to each other,” I tell him.
Jayden unlatches, lets out a massive burp, and spews the stinking formula all down my front.
But at least he goes back to drinking right after that, and eventually I get him back to sleep, wash up, and return to my bed.
I stare in horror at my phone on the nightstand, which tells me it’s been almost two hours since I woke.
How am I ever going to be game ready by the weekend?
And how on earth do I convince Natalia to stay forever and be my permanent nanny?
She’s everything me and Jayden need, I can already tell.