“It’s not so bad,” I told him around a laugh. “I have a list. Sort of.” Liam still looked a little shell shocked so I handed over my phone with my sketch of a list. “See?”
“I see something, not sure anyone would call this a list though.” Liam’s smart remark rolled off my back as the siren song of baby cribs called to me and I made my way to a gorgeous mahogany crib that was far too lavish for my current budget. But goodness, they were all so pretty that I couldn’t make up my mind, at least until I spotted a light green crib with a rustic look. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect in every way, including price.
“Now we have a list.” Liam’s deep voice broke into my thoughts and I turned to find him staring at the crib, confusion written all over his face. “This thing is so fucking small.”
“Babies are small, Liam.”
“Yeah but that’s…breakable small. Too small,” he said, fear making his voice quiver, not enough to be truly noticeable but enough for someone who noticed everything about him. “Nice though, not too fancy.”
“Right? I love it and the price is right!”
Liam bent over the price tag and snapped a photo with my camera before he did some swiping and handed it to me. “Keeping track of what we buy and what we need will be easier now.”
My gaze turned to the screen and I sighed. “Liam this is…perfect. Thank you.” He’d rearranged the list by category from bedroom to bath stuff to travel stuff and car stuff. Typical guy language but everything else was perfect. “Pretty impressive organizational skills, sailor.”
His lips twitched. “Hey, I am more than a pretty face. And a great body.”
“And so modest on top of all that!” The truth was even scarier because he was gorgeous with a hot body, but it was his thoughtfulness and sincerity that made him increasingly irresistible.
His big shoulders rose and fell in a casual shrug. “Modesty is overrated. You work hard at your job so why shouldn’t you say you’re damn good at it?”
“Excellent point. But I have to tell you this bed doesn’t really go with a Transformers theme.”
That surprised a laugh out of him that had about a dozen hormonal women swooning beside their own reluctantly present partners. “I think I’ll survive, Olive.”
Shopping for baby items with Liam had turned out much better than I anticipated. We picked out a theme that could best be described as cartoony beach, added a bunch of items to the shower registry and made a few of the biggest purchases. “Wow. It’s so late.”
“Women and shopping,” was all he said in response. “Having the baby will be quicker than this.”
“So that endless well of patience does have its limits. I was beginning to wonder.”
His smile was, at least, chagrined. “Sorry but this is more shit than I bought to furnish my place.”
“Yeah well, you don’t have to carry extra boxer shorts, powder, wipes and ointment when you leave the house. Never mind food, a change of clothes, toys and a security blanket. Babies aren’t just pretty faces either.”
Liam’s full lips twitched in amusement as he bumped me aside and took control of the oversized shopping cart. “I know but it’s still a lot.”
“Agreed, but the hard part is done and I can do a lot of the fun shopping without you. Plus the baby shower.”
He stopped and turned to me. “Am I required to attend?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at how much he suddenly sounded like a Navy man waiting for his orders. “If I decide to have a coed shower it would be weird if you didn’t show, but the choice is always yours Liam.” It would probably be best if I kept to a traditional shower just to limit my exposure to the potent man. Things already felt too real after one trip to the doctor together, anything else would be dangerous.
Things were going well, good even. Until it was time to pay and Liam whipped out his credit card as if it was as impressive as…other things.
“Excuse me?” I looked between Liam and the cashier. “This is my purchase so I will be paying.” Both men gave me that condescending, ‘isn’t she cute’ look that I loathed above all else.
“Olive, it’s not a big deal.”
“You’re right, because I’ll be paying.” I dug in my bag and pulled out a credit card just as the receipt started to shoot from the printer. “Seriously, dude?”
The young cashier shrugged. “Thank you and have a wonderful day.”
“Brat,” I muttered and stomped off angrily. Yeah it was a sweet gesture but I was perfectly capable of buying things for my baby.
“It’s my baby too,” Liam said barely above a whisper when he caught up with me.
“Do you hear me denying the baby’s paternity?” I practically growled the question at him and stomped forward, through the automatic doors and into the bright Texas day.