“Charlotte, I’m so sorry,” Sutton rushed to say before turning her attention to Lucy, a sternly lifted eyebrow aimed at her daughter. “Luce, take it down a notch; what is the biggest bath time rule?”
Lucy’s blue eyes ducked down to stare at the water as she heaved out a sigh. “Be mindful.”
“That’s right. And did you feel like you were being mindful just now, when you splashed water onto Charlotte and the floor?”
Lucy bit her lip, slowly shaking her head before she looked at Charlotte. Her tone was painfully earnest as she informed her, “Youhaveto be mindful in the bath because it’s not nice to splash people, and making a mess on the floor can make you fall and almost hit your head and almost give Mama a heart attack.”
Charlotte couldn’t help but smile; the discomfort from her shirt clinging to her and starting to feel a little chilly faded from her awareness. “Is that right?”
“She speaks from experience,” Sutton murmured next to her. Her soft touch fell to Charlotte’s wrist, squeezing slightly as her eyes searched hers. “Why don’t you go to my room and change? I’ll just finish up here. Her hair is already washed, so this was just some extra playtime. Which”—Sutton turned to look down at Lucy—“seems to be over now, I think.”
“Okayyy,” Lucy acquiesced with a sigh. “I’mreallysorry about splashing you. I didn’t mean to,” she apologized, wide eyes digging right into Charlotte’s chest and gripping around her heart.
Charlotte let out a deep breath, shaking her head. “I know you didn’t, and it’s all right; the trick is”—she leaned down and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper—“I have a hundred more just like this.”
Lucy positively beamed up at her, and Charlotte felt herself melt back.
What was a wet shirt, anyway? A little uncomfortable, sure, but she found that she truly didn’t care.
And she still felt that way a half hour later, snuggled up in one of Sutton’s soft, worn NYU T-shirts.
Sutton walked into her bedroom, appreciatively dragging her gaze over Charlotte. “You are always more than welcome to wear my clothing; I enjoy it.”
Charlotte quirked an eyebrow at her, amused. She couldtellSutton liked it by the way her voice dropped an octave. Charlotte couldn’t tease, though. Not when she liked it so much, too, wearing Sutton’s warm, soft, delicious-smelling clothing and feeling like she was wrapped up in everything that wasSutton.
“But I really am sorry about the bubble bath splash.”
Charlotte shook her head, dismissing the apology. “Darling, it’s really fine. That’s—” She cut herself off, halting as she realized what she’d been about to say. Even though her heart thudded at the words, she pushed through them. “That’s just life with a child, right?”
The wondrous tone in her voice reflected exactly what she felt inside. Life with a child. Charlotte was really here, embarking on life with a child. With Sutton.
Sutton’s gaze was so unbelievably soft as she nodded. “Yes. That’s exactly right.”
“I’m an exceptionally fast learner; next time, I’ll change out of my work clothes before bath time. Perhaps into a bathing suit,” she joked.
“I’ve never seen you in a bathing suit,” Sutton murmured, walking closer to her, eyes dark and glinting.
Charlotte’s breath caught from the look alone. “No, I suppose you haven’t. I haven’t seen you in one either.”
And she found that her mind ran wild with the idea. Sutton in little bikinis. Sutton wearing one of those 1940s halter-top one-pieces. Yes, she found that very, very appealing.
“Let’s not make the first time we do that be during bath time with my daughter,” Sutton decided, wrapping her arms around Charlotte. She felt Sutton link her hands at the small of her back.
She brought her own arms up, looping them around Sutton’s neck as she tilted her head up. “No? Why’s that?” she teased, dipping her gaze to Sutton’s lips, licking her own, the anticipation filtering through her.
“Because I know what I’ll be thinking about.”
“And what will that be?”
“How quickly I can get you out of it.”
“Sutton Spencer!” Charlotte playfully rebuked her, but then her breath caught on a moan as Sutton’s mouth descended to her own.
For just a moment, the kiss felt hungry, demanding. Sutton’s teeth nipped into her bottom lip, her hands coming up to grip Charlotte’s waist. Charlotte sighed into Sutton’s mouth, and the tone of the kiss shifted with it, turning into something gentle and welcoming and everything Charlotte needed. She looped her arms around Sutton’s neck, grounding herself.
Sutton broke away moments later, already smiling down at Charlotte when Charlotte blinked her eyes open. “I hadn’t gotten to properly greet you tonight.”
“Well, there was the key,” Charlotte joked, but it didn’t feel like a joke to her. Not really.