Like he hadn’t just suggested something akin to insanity, Ward gripped my chin and tilted my head in order to kiss my parted lips. He handed me a small container of the delicious hummus and walked into the kitchen, moving around with familiarity and ease.

Digging in, I asked something I’d been curious about. “Have you been over here before?”

Ward moved back into the doorway, his brows furrowed as he stared at me—likely trying to gauge whether I was joking or losing my mind since he’d been there often with me. Probably too often.

“Before I moved in,” I clarified.

“No.” It was one word, but it held more bite than a junkyard dog.

Huh. Weird.

“How did you know the layout already?” I asked, thinking about how he’d known exactly where the kitchen was that first day.

“It’s the same as my house. You’d know that if you’d come inside.”

“My TV is here,” I said, though it was a stupid excuse.

“Mine is about ten times bigger than that outdated thing.”

“No one likes a man who brags about his size.”

“Aw, baby, you know it’s not bragging if it’s true.” The dimpled smile he flashed was loaded with so much heat, it could’ve started a forest fire. And my wetness could’ve extinguished it.

“My show is here.”

“Have it at my place, too.”

“Yeah, but does your place have curtains and wallpaper covered in teddy bears whose eyes follow you wherever you move?”

He looked over my head at said curtains and grimaced. “It does not.”

“Exactly.” I sat back with my appetizer while Ward threw whatever in the oven.

When he came in, he didn’t bother being polite by taking a seat on the far end of the couch. He plopped down next to me before pulling me onto his lap.

I started the episode and ate, with Ward stealing the occasional bite right from my hand.

After a while, the heat from the jalapeño must’ve reached Squish because they did a happy flip.

I grinned, excitement and happiness swelling in my chest. Squish kicked and fluttered with increasing frequency, but that was the first time I’d felt that full body roll I’d read about on all the pregnancy websites.

Only thinking about how I wanted to share the moment with him, I grabbed Ward’s hand and pressed it to my lower belly.

“What’s—” he started, the one word loaded with alarm, but I shushed him. We waited in awkward silence, but nothing happened.

Great, it’ll happen again just as soon as Ward moves his hand.

Taking another bite with a lot of pepper chunks, I pressed Ward’s hand harder against me.

“Careful,” he chided, more worry infusing his handsome face.

Worry that shifted to awe when Squish rolled.

“Did you feel that?” I breathed.