“Don’t worry about me,” I told her, sincerely. I wasn’t someone who needed a ton of sleep. “I just wanted to see if I can do anything to help.”
“I don’t know what to do. He’s been changed, fed, he doesn’t have a fever.”
She looked so flustered, I reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Sometimes babies just cry.”
“It’s the worst sound in the world,” she said, blowing her hair out of her eyes. “It hurts my heart that he’s suffering.”
I eyed Sully. His face was beet red from his exertions and he had fat, wet tears clinging to his eyelashes and rolling down his cheeks. His head was lolling back and he had fists tightly gripping Savannah’s loose T-shirt. A bubble formed in his mouth. The kid was either pissed or in pain. That was clear.
“Does he sound angry to you or in pain?”
“I don’t know!” She bit her lip.
“Yes, you do. You know your baby. Just take a deep breath and relax.” I touched Sully’s arm. “What are you trying to tell Mommy, little man?”
Savannah smoothed his wispy hair back and stared at her son. “Why would he be angry? He was sleeping. It has to be pain, then. Maybe it’s gas. I shouldn’t have eaten broccoli. They say it’s hard to digest.”
Her tone had changed from panic to guilt. “Here.” I reached out for him. “Let me burp him. Maybe that will knock something loose.”
Savannah was flustered enough that she handed Sully to me without protesting. “Do you know how to burp a baby?” she asked.
I scoffed. “Are you kidding? I’m the king of burping babies.” I lifted a hand and showed her. “Big palms, loads of experience.”
Putting Sully over my shoulder I massaged his back, then patted firmly but gently. The first few taps yielded no results but then he let one rip. I felt warm spit-up roll down my bare skin. Damn. I ignored it and continued to massage his back as the shrill crying settled down into wet hiccups and shuddering.
“I think that did it,” Savannah said, sounding relieved. “Thanks, Maddox. Here, let me settle him down so you can go back to sleep.”
“I think he’s falling asleep already,” I said, as Sully started to sniffle. “He wore himself out. Let’s sit for a minute until we’re sure he’s out, then I’ll transfer him to his crib. I know how dicey the transfer is.”
Savannah gave a soft laugh. “It’s like dismantling a bomb.”
I sat down on her bed and leaned against the headboard, making sure Sullivan was comfortable and had plenty of space and air. I lifted my legs onto the mattress and raised my knees. Savannah sat down next to me. She gave a sigh as she leaned back, pulling the blanket over her feet.
“You have fun with your friends?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
She nodded. “Thanks again for watching the baby.” She reached out and ran her finger lightly over Sully’s leg, covered in a soft pajama bottom.
Watching her, seeing her expression of love, was fucking with my resolve to let her dictate the boundaries of our relationship. I didn’t think she had any idea how beautiful she was, inside and out.
“That’s what I’m here for,” I said. Sullivan’s weight grew heavier as he relaxed. It felt like a huge achievement to calm him down, and I had to admit, I was feeling proud of that fact. “So are your girlfriends all single?” I asked, just trying to make conversation.
“Three out of four are single,” she said. “Why, do you want an introduction?”
“No, of course not. I was just curious. Wondering what dating in New York is like.”
“Leah has a new relationship and she’s insanely happy. Isla doesn’t date. Felicia is something of a recluse in recent months. And Dakota is a wild child. It’s hard to tie her down.” Savannah turned slightly toward me. “Why isn’t my brother dating anyone? Or is he? He won’t tell me anything.”
I wasn’t going to give up Steve’s secrets but I could give her an abridged version of the truth. “Steve dates lots of girls. Just not one in particular.”
She made a sound, like she didn’t like the idea her brother was potentially a manwhore, which he was. I had no opinion on what my buddy did or with who. He took home a steady stream of women who were perfectly happy to have sex with him and nothing more, so I figured it was all good. Steve wasn’t ready or interested in a relationship and was just having fun.
“And you?” she asked.
“That’s not my style. I’m not a casual sex kind of guy. I like to settle in and get to know a woman, and when we have sex, I want it to be about her, about us, not some routine of moves I use on everyone.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you have a hookup, you go in doing what you normally do, right? It’s a standard set of steps. When you know someone, when you’ve been burning for them, when you look at them and want them so much your cock is aching, you do it for them. Every kiss, every touch, every lick, is based on what you know about them. What they like. What they crave. How do you do that with a stranger? You don’t. It’s based on what you want.”