"hold on. i'm leaving too. i'll walk out with you." cassidy smiled.

"but, cass-"

i walked over to connor and put my hand over his mouth. "she thinks he's hot. let her go."

"seriously?" he mumbled.

i removed my hand from his mouth and kissed him softly. "leave your sister alone."

"i didn't say anything," he said.

"not yet you didn't. but you have that look."

connor looked at his watch. "let's get the hell out of here." he smiled as he put his arm around me.

chapter 12

connor

we both climbed into the range rover, and i sat there with my hands on the wheel. i looked over at ellery as she looked at herself in a small mirror. when she stopped looking at herself, she turned her eyes to me.

"what?" she asked.

"i can't believe what cassidy did in there."

"why? she saw a hot guy and she took advantage of the situation."

"oh, so you think he's hot?"

"yeah, he's cute," ellery replied as she put on her lipstick.

"i bet you thought he was hot back in college too," i said as i pulled out of the parking space.

"are you jealous because i said he was hot, mr. black?"

"don't be ridiculous. i'm not jealous."

"yes, you are. i can tell by that look on your face." she smiled.

"i don't want to talk about this anymore."

"okay, babe, but there's no need for you to be jealous. you know i think you're the sexiest man alive," she said as she stroked my cheek and gave me a small smile.

i smiled and we drove home. ellery became impatient with the traffic because she wanted to get back to julia. we didn't talk about the meeting, but i could tell ellery was upset about it. i didn't want her involved in this at all. if i had my way, she wouldn't know anything. i only wanted to protect me and shield her from this bullshit. she didn't deserve to have to go through this because of my past mistakes and poor judgment.

when we arrived at the penthouse and the elevator doors opened, ellery threw her purse on the table and walked into the living room. mason was sitting on the floor and had julia under her play gym. i walked over to the bar and poured myself a scotch. i pulled out my phone and sent a text message to cassidy.

"why did you need to see me earlier?"

"i wanted your opinion on a color for the office i'm redoing."

"then you should have stuck around instead of chasing after that guy."

"lol, connor. tell ellery i'll call her later. bye."

i shook my head and set my phone down on the bar. i stared across the room at ellery as she sat on the floor and played with julia. she looked up at me with her beautiful eyes and a small smile graced her face. mason got up from the floor and said that he needed to go. he picked julia up, kissed her, and then kissed ellery goodbye. i gave him a simple wave from across the room and told him to take care. when he left, ellery came walking over to me with julia. i took the baby from her, kissed her head, and held her in my arms.

"i want to talk to mason about working for us as julia's nanny," ellery said.

"what? i thought you didn't want a nanny for julia."

"i didn't at first, but did you see how he was with her? he's a natural, and julia seems to really like him. plus, it's time for me to start painting again and, with the whole ashlyn ordeal, i'm going to need help."

i smiled as i pushed back a strand of her blonde hair. "i'm happy you've decided that you needed help, and i think mason would be perfect."

"good. i'll set up lunch and discuss it with him." she smiled.

"i thought we were having dinner with him and landon tonight."

"landon told mason they'd have to take a rain check because they have some event with the modeling agency to attend tonight."

"grab julia's diaper bag and car seat. we're going out to dinner," i said.

"good, then we need to stop at the store and pick up some diapers and formula," she said as she walked away.

we put julia in the range rover and drove to the restaurant. as we were eating, she decided she was hungry and started to scream. ellery instantly took her from her seat as people in the restaurant started to stare. i grabbed a bottle from the diaper bag and handed it to ellery as fast as i could. the second the bottle hit julia's mouth, she stopped crying. we both let out a sigh of relief. it didn't last long, because when ellery went to burp her, she screamed the minute the bottle came out of her mouth. this was an upscale restaurant and the patrons weren't happy that their quiet dinner was being interrupted by a screaming baby. i gave ellery a look indicating that she needed to do something.

"what do you want me to do, connor?" she growled.

"i don't know; don't burp her."

"she has to be burped."

suddenly, ellery looked over at the couple that was sitting at the table next to us and staring. "what? have you never heard a baby cry before? turn yourselves around and mind your own business."

"ellery!" i snapped.

"you know what? i'm over this," she said.

ellery got up from the table and headed out of the restaurant. i sighed and called over the waitress for the bill. as soon as she gave it to me, i threw the money on the table and walked out after her. i found her walking down the street, carrying julia over her shoulder. i quickly caught up with her.

"you know, that was inexcusable back there," i said.

"i know it was, and i'm sorry," she said as she kept walking.

i lightly took ahold of her arm. "elle, stop and look at me. i love you, no matter how much you embarrass me." i smiled. "it's going to take time to adjust to having to go out with a new baby. we'll make mistakes along the way, but we'll get it right eventually."

ellery laughed when i said that. "trial and error, right?"

"that's right, baby, trial and error," i said as i kissed her head.

she handed julia to me and we walked back to the range rover. after we stopped at the store to pick up diapers and formula, we went home.

after we gave julia a bath and changed her into her pajamas, i sat on the bed and fed her a bottle while ellery took a shower. i stared down at her as she was looking up at me. she had the same eyes as ellery, which made me melt. this little girl was going to be my undoing, and i had a feeling she was going to take advantage of it when she was older.

"i think it's time me and you had a talk, julia. you're beautiful just like your mommy and some issues are going to come up that we're not going to see eye to eye on. the boys are going to fall all over you and they're going to want to date you. i just want you to know that you're never allowed to date boys. you're daddy's little girl, and you always will be. i should be the only man in your life. when i pass away, then you can date."

"connor!" i heard ellery snap. "don't talk like that, and you cannot keep her from dating boys." ellery laughed.

"i can try, can't i?" i smirked.

i put julia over my shoulder and burped her. she laid her head down on my shoulder and fell asleep. when i got up from the bed, i walked her over to ellery so she could kiss her goodnight. when i approached the nursery, i carefully laid julia down in her crib so as not to disturb her. i needed her to sleep so i could spend some alone time with my wife. ellery was sitting on the edge of the bed with a towel wrapped around her, putting lotion on her legs.

"let me do that for you." i smiled as i took the bottle of lotion from her hands.

"you're a bad boy, mr. black."

"i fully intend to be, mrs. black."

i squirted some lotion on my hands and began rubbing her leg. i moved my hands slowly up and down, applying a light pressure with my thumbs. as i began to rub the top of her foot, she threw head back and moaned.

"that feels so good, connor," she said.

my hands made their way to the sole of her foot. i smiled while i watched the look on her face. pleasuring her was the only thing i wanted to do. moving my thumbs up to her heel, i applied more pressure as i moved my thumbs in circles. her groans grew louder as i reached the ball of her foot and massaged it deeply.

"oh god, connor. i could come right now."

"baby, don't say things like that, and you better not. not yet."

before massaging her toes, i took them in my mouth and lightly nipped at each one. i was driving her crazy, and i loved every minute of it. i put more lotion on my hands and started on her other leg and foot. as i reached her thighs, i pushed the edge of the towel back and began rubbing small circles all the way up, focusing on her inner thigh. ellery's moans grew louder as she lay all the way down on the bed. since i couldn't take my lips not touching her skin, i leaned forward and began to kiss each area of her thigh that i massaged. taking her towel in my hands, i undid it, and i let it fall to the sides of her, exposing her fully nak*d body. my hands made their way up her torso as they clasped on to her beautiful br**sts, pinching and kneading her hardened n**ples.

"i'm so hard, ellery. the things you do to me," i whispered as my lips made their way up her thigh.

i pushed her legs further apart as she lay there, open, and begging me to make her come. my mouth explored her moist skin as my tongue lightly circled around her clit. i dipped my finger inside her as she lifted her h*ps and moved them around as my finger played inside her. i placed my thumb on her swollen cl*t and began to lightly rub it as her body stiffened and she grabbed each side of the bed. as she let out a scream of pleasure, my tongue licked its way up her breast and my mouth closed itself around her hard nipple. ellery was panting and staring at me as i stood up and took down my pants and boxers. i smiled at her as she lifted her arms above her head and crossed her wrists. i slowly climbed on top of her and clasped her wrists tightly. she gasped as my hard cock, which sat between her legs, thrust into her. i leaned my face in closer and tugged at her bottom lip with my teeth as i pounded into her over and over again.

"harder, connor," she begged.

i tightened the grip around her wrists and moved quickly in and out of her, smashing my mouth against hers in a passionate kiss. she swelled around me as her legs tightened and her body shook with ecstasy.

"christ, baby," i yelled as i exploded inside her.

as i collapsed on top of her, i let go of her wrists. she wrapped her arms around me and held me tight. i lifted my head and kissed her on the lips.

"do you realize that we made it through a full round of sex without one whimper from our daughter?"

"i know. wasn't it wonderful?" she smiled.

"it sure was, baby."

as my lips traced her jawline, we heard julia whimper. we looked at the monitor and saw her stirring in her crib. i started to get up from the bed when ellery grabbed my arm.