It had been two weeks since she’d spent her first night with Zayne. For all of her protests that the night was a onetime thing and not a relationship, things were definitely feeling like a relationship now. She’d only had two other all-night sleepovers, including last night, when Hudson had spent the night with her mother. Andrea had picked him up that morning and brought him to his new favorite place—Mr. Zayne’s farm.

Even without many sleepovers, she and Zayne captured every stolen kiss they could whenever they were together, nearly feverish with their need to touch each other. They both agreed that it couldn’t possibly last. That the level of intense desire had to be some sort of fluke. They’d have fun with it, but it was just sex. Sex was fun.

Except...she was pretty sure it wasn’t just sex. She watched as Zayne shook a soil-filled root in her son’s direction, sprinkling him with dirt. Hudson laughed and tried to do the same, but he got more dirt on himself than Zayne, which only made him laugh harder. He’d need a bath before dinner. Zayne was going to grill burgers and veggies for them.

They’d been having a lot of dinners together, the three of them. Almost like a family. She frowned. It was probably a mistake to let Hudson become so attached to Zayne. So used to having him around. But the little boy seemed to be as good for the big man as the man was for the boy.

The dirt fight had subsided when Zayne realized how messy it could get. Instead, he’d put Hudson on his back so Zayne could run around the yard with the screeching boy clinging to him. Duke followed with a wagging tail, wanting to join the fun, but having no idea what was happening.

Same, dog. Same.

After dinner, Hudson curled up on the porch swing and fell asleep. Zayne sat in the same chair she’d occupied earlier and patted his knee. She didn’t hesitate to crawl onto his lap and curl into his arms. Her favorite place to be.

He nuzzled her hair, his breath on her ear, voice low.

“Happy?”

“Very. It’s been a great day.” She looked over at Hudson and grinned. “I’ll need help carrying him to the car, because I’m pretty sure he’s out for the night.”

“This house has three bedrooms upstairs. Why don’t I just carry him up there later?” She hesitated.

“I think it’s too soon for a family sleepover. I need to be careful with him, Zayne. He’s bought into this relationship wholeheartedly, and I don’t want him confused or hurt.”

Zayne pressed his mouth to the top of her head, leaving a kiss before answering. “I don’t want that, either. For him or you. So we’re calling this a relationship now?”