Pit Stop: Baby! (Crescent Cove 4)

“Oh, God.”

“Not sure what else you were looking for. Hopefully, not my head.”

“Peanut butter.”

“Come again?”

I sighed. “Peanut butter. I’m going to be three-hundred pounds by the end of this pregnancy. It’s all I keep finding—peanut butter knives in the drawer and sink. I’ve gone through multiple jars of the stuff since I moved in.”

“Could it be part of the pregnancy thing? You know, how you were wanting sweet and salty flavors. Peanut butter certainly fits the definition.”

I relaxed in his hold. “Maybe.”

He eased me farther inside and closed the door, then he took my hand and led me to the couch. “Okay. Let’s talk about this.”

I perched at the edge of the couch. “Talk about what? I sleepwalk, end of story.”

“Somehow I doubt it.”

I twisted my hand free and clutched them together between my knees. “I used to do it as a kid. My doctor said I’d grow out of it. Just gave my parents some tips on how to deal with it. And I did grow out of it.” For awhile. Unless I was crazy stressed.

“And…”

I flopped back on the couch. “And then it came back when I was in college.”

He winced.

“Yeah, as bad as you’re thinking, times it by one hundred.”

“Ah, babe.” He shifted closer to me until our knees bumped.

“Yeah, I wanted to finish college. I was a freshmen and stressed out. I was dating a nice guy. He thought the sleepwalking thing was cute. I didn’t do anything other than talk in my sleep a little. Sometimes tried to get ready for class in the middle of the night. He’d just put me back in bed and I’d go back to sleep.”

“Until you didn’t, I’m guessing?”

That night was still burned in my memory. Not the dream—no, that was still stubbornly gone. But the embarrassment of the moment? Yeah, that was etched in my brain forever.

“Try middle of the quad at two in the morning while a party was going on.”

“Shit.”

“Oh, yeah.” I gave a surprised grunt when he hauled me over his lap and hugged me to him. I rested my hands on his chest. “Gage.”

“I’m sorry, huntress. That had to be the worst. Not just doing it, but at a party. I can’t even imagine.”

I relaxed against him. I’d never really told anyone what happened. There were witnesses of course, but the particulars had always been mine. I’d told my parents I was sleepwalking, and it was enough for me to beg to come home.

“And the worst part? Shane was at the party. It was a big Greek night, but I had my mid-term the next morning so I’d skipped the party.”

He hooked his thumbs in my back pockets in the lazy, possessive way I was growing used to. “Probably not really psyched about that either.”

I hadn’t really thought of that before. I’d been too focused on the embarrassment. “Actually, you’re probably right. Maybe even why I ended up at the party. Too bad I didn’t put pants on.”

“Fuck.”

“Oh, yeah.”