Pajamas are totally fine. I mean, Bennett literally watched me puke only days ago. So yes, my hot-pink bottoms with little cupcake prints and my oversized black sweater, plus warm, fuzzy socks will work.
I hear Bennett enter my apartment as I’m standing over the stove. I invited him over, because I feel completely guilty that his efforts the other day were ruined by me. He assured me that it was still a perfect night, and even though I declined to stay, because I wanted a shower and my bed, the date left me giddy inside.
Looking up, I see he has a box of saltine crackers in his hand.
He holds them up with a subtle smile. “Precaution.” Setting them on my counter, he comes to me and pulls me into his arms.
Wasn’t sure how our greeting would be, but of course he takes the lead. He tenderly kisses my forehead until my mouth tips up, inviting him to kiss me.
It’s a smooth and warm kiss, cementing the tone of our evening ahead.
An evening that I haven’t quite planned other than to chillax together and continue to explore whether we should head down the us-as-a-couple path.
“You’re cute as fuck right now,” he murmurs against my mouth.
Pulling away with a smile on show, I refocus my attention on the stove. “Thanks, that’s what I was going for. Okay, so I can’t really mess up spaghetti. In fact, it’s the only thing I can cook. I’m a work-in-progress on that front. Want something to drink?”
“Love spaghetti, and I will grab a drink.”
“I cleared half of my dining table which means we can actually sit down like normal people.”
He grabs a can of soda then leans against the fridge to watch me. “It’s supposed to snow. Not a lot but enough that you’ll need some salt on your sidewalk. Want me to do it after dinner?”
I laugh at his offer. “I can still do it.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Can’t debate this, can I?”
Bennett shakes his head, a firm no.
“Fine. Okay, take this salad.” I pass him a wooden bowl. “I’ve got the pasta, and we can eat.”
Making our way to the table, we get settled. I may have set some mood lighting in my place, which means we have the perfect mix of dim and bright.
I begin to dish him some spaghetti and then the meat sauce. Pausing, I give him a funny look. “Is this my test for whether I’m girlfriend material? If I can cook at least one decent thing?”
The corner of his mouth slants up as he sits comfortably with his arms crossed. “No way. I already have my answer.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. You’re a keeper.”
The way his eyes pierce me with confidence right now causes a flutter in my chest, and I feel as if I may melt, which is also why I blush.
Clearing my throat, my eyes scan for something to distract us. “Cheese?” I croak out and knab the bottle of parmesan cheese.
I don’t notice he’s already trying the food until I hear him speak with a full mouth. “This is some good stuff.”
“Been cooking this since I was a teenager. I used gluten-free pasta for a little extra balance and added dairy-free crème fraiche to the sauce. I’m trying to get Brooke to teach me a few of her recipes because she is great in the kitchen. She’s full-on ready to be Grayson’s housewife for life.”
Bennett smiles. “They’re good people and meant for one another. I guess we’ll be bringing an extra guest to their wedding.”
“True, a tiny baby, and they don’t seem to mind.” I take a bite of my food.
“Your folks and brother will come around too,” he assures me and reaches across the table to touch the back of my hand.
“I know, but at least one of us has a family of gold. You and your siblings have a very tight bond.”
“We do. Life events brought us together, but our parents really encouraged the family way before all of it.”
It causes me to smile to myself. “I figured that, since you’ve thrown in the getting-married card a few times, it may have derived from family bonds and perceived responsibility. But I won’t jump into something like that. It’s got to be right. I don’t need to be made an honest woman. However, I will absolutely take advantage of the connection to Olive Owl to refill my wine supply once I can drink again.”
He scratches his chin with an amused look, and I can see he doesn’t enjoy how I changed the topic. As he tilts his head, his eye catches sight of something. “What is that?” He points to my journal; it looks more like a book of potions, but it’s beautiful and I found it in the book shop in town.
“My pregnancy journal. It’s been a while since I’ve had a sort of journal. I always used to have one when I was a teenager and thought now is a better time than any. You can look, if you want, nothing secretive, or at least nothing you can’t know.”
Bennett flashes me a look of appreciation before picking up the book and turning the pages. “This is pretty in-depth. I mean, you are tracking a lot.”
“Maybe it’s silly. Just thought it’s good to track that I’m sleeping enough, eating enough, taking my vitamins, my mood, don’t get me started on the to-do lists that pop into your head with a baby on the way.” I continue to twirl pasta around my fork as he resumes his quest of discovery.
He raises a brow at me. “You include weekly highlights.”
Oh, shit.
I lean over to try and nab the book from his hands.
“Nuh-uh, you said I could look.”
“Momentary lapse of judgment. Can I have that back?” I gesture with my fingers for him to return the goods.
He slams the book shut and holds the book out in his hands. “Okay, but only because I respect your privacy.”
“Thank you.”
Handing me the journal back, a cunning grin spreads on his face. “And because I already saw the highlight that lists kissing the baby daddy on a romantic date.”
I want to curl under the table, but the best that I can do is avoid his gaze and own it. “It’s not a surprise to you. I believe I even mentioned it on the date.”
He leans in and sweeps my hand up off the table. “But I like that it didn’t leave your mind, so much so that I made it into the journal.”
“Don’t get cocky,” I warn him, because I’m sure his ego is getting a lift.
“I think you are doing a great job balancing everything with the pregnancy and work.”
“And an overprotective Blisswood,” I add to his list. “Well, I moved out of the denial phase fairly quickly, and there is only one way forward.”
“We got this,” he reminds me, just like the many times he has said it already. “After finishing this delicious meal, should we watch a movie?”
“For sure, I may even let you pick.”
He brings his hand to his heart. “Such a giver.”
Half an hour later, we are settled on my couch with a comedy on and his arm wrapped around me. Cuddling on the sofa is pure relaxation. The scene on the screen takes place somewhere in Utah, and it sparks interest in me.
“I’ve always wanted to go to the national parks. I guess that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe one day we can leave the baby with Brooke and Grayson then head out to hike for a few days. Or is that completely selfish? Maybe he or she can come with in one of those baby-carrier things. I mean, I don’t think a bear will approach us if we’re a group. Are there bears there? There must be,” I ramble, then yawn as a wave of tiredness hits me.
Bennett kisses the top of my head. “You know you included me on a romantic getaway in that speech?”
I guess I did figure him into the equation.
“You’re growing on me.” I flash him a smirk. “Any places you want to add to the list?”
“Actually, I would love to do a Washington and Oregon road trip. We should plan all this stuff. I mean, it’ll give us something non-baby-related to focus on, and winter here is brutal, which means vacation dreams will keep the hope for warmer weather alive.”
“But you love winter.”
“Holiday season, not the months of January and February. I mean, the last few winters, even Lake Michigan froze. There is a reason the regional airport here does flights to Florida only in winter.”
Nuzzling further into him, I turn off the movie. “We aren’t watching it anyway.”
“No, we are planning our family vacations or romantic getaways, your choice.” I hear the tease in his voice, which causes me to tickle him.
“Hey, Bennett.” I feel my pulse accelerate.
“Yes, Kelsey.”
“I have a confession.” It’s bursting to come out. He looks at me, intrigued and invested. “The time you spilled wine on me, I picked the green shirt because it was the only colored shirt in your drawer, so you would realize if it was missing and then chase me for it,” I admit and see the wheels working in his head.
But then he surprises me. “Confession.” Now I wait in suspense. “I’ve never spilled a tray of wine… until you. I did it on purpose.”
His admission is everything, and I love that we were unknowingly on the same page then.
“Will you stay the night? Just to sleep. My bedtime has kind of changed, so I know it’s early. But we can just lie together and talk until I fall asleep.”
“Depends.” He looks down at me as I peer my eyes up. “Will it make it to a highlight point in your journal?” Bennett offers me his hand.
“Might even become a whole paragraph.” I take his hand, knowing I just want to be in his arms tonight.
As we walk, he stops and turns to me. “Will you clue me in to why you kept me at bay before we got pregnant?”
That.
The reason that I need to accept is a fact.
Falling for a Blisswood is as easy as they say. Because Bennett hasn’t grown on me, we clicked together from day one, but I kept barriers between us. Probably because sometimes we make complications out of something so easy.
I pretend to yawn loudly. “Oh dear, sleep is really calling to me.”
I tow him along behind me to my bedroom, but then I feel him pressing against me and his arms wrap around me. I’m completely tangled together with him.
“Fine. I’ll be patient, but you have to at least give me a proper goodnight kiss before you doze off.”
I hum my contemplation. “I may even give you two.”
Or three.