The Free Pass

Chapter 70

Mallory

I woke up and immediately knew I was alone in bed. The mattress has a certain feeling when your partner isn't there next to you.

I looked for the baby monitor, but it was gone. Shawn usually took it with him when he went to take care of Gracie during the night. He didn't like to wake me up with his talking or singing. I loved it when I got to watch them, though. On several occasions my love for him had increased tenfold just from what I'd seen and heard on that little video monitor. He really was the most amazing dad in the world.

I got out of bed. My phone told me that it was almost 4:00 AM. I peed and got a drink of water before going to the nursery. The door was cracked enough that I could hear Shawn singing to Gracie as the glider rocked, creaking slightly with each move back and forth.

I could also hear that Shawn's voice was breaking. He was crying.

It took everything I had to not go in the room to comfort him, but I knew he needed this time alone with Gracie.

As quietly as I could, I crept back to our bedroom and got in bed. When I woke up a couple hours later, Shawn was sleeping beside me. His bare back was to me so I put my arms around him and snuggled against him. He sighed contentedly in his sleep. I nuzzled my face in the gap between his shoulder blades, breathing deep his masculine scent.

"Mallory Mendes, you are the only person who I'm okay with waking me up this early," Shawn said, his voice extra hoarse this morning.

"That's a lie," I said as I kissed his neck right below his brown curls.

"I never lie to you," he said, rolling over onto his back.

I rested my head on his chest and threw a leg over him.

"It is a lie. You don't mind when Gracie wakes you up. In fact, I think you enjoy it."

He chuckled. "You got me there."

I pressed my body against him. "How long do you think we have before our girl wakes us up?"

"Every time we've tried to have morning sex lately, she's gotten up either right before or during, so I don't think the odds are in our favor," he said.

"Is it even worth trying?" I asked.

"Oh, baby, it's always worth trying."

Twenty minutes later I sat at the counter drinking half a cup of coffee. I'd nursed Gracie when she woke up and wouldn't need to feed her again for a while. It was glorious to have my morning cup of caffeine again, even if it was a small one.

Shawn entered the kitchen. He'd just showered and his hair was damp, which I always found sexy. He walked over to Grace who was in her high chair and kissed her.

"You know, darling, there's a word for people who keep other people from getting it on. You're lucky I love you too much to use it," he said to her. She hung on every word and then giggled when he was done.

"Someone should make baby onesies that say 'daddy's little cockblocker,'" I said as I took a small sip of my coffee, savoring the taste.

"I guarantee someone out there already does," Shawn said with a laugh as he got himself a cup of coffee.

"No way. You think?" I asked.

"Bet?"

"Okay. Loser has to clean the toilets this afternoon."

"Oh, you're on."

We both hated cleaning the toilets.

I grabbed my tablet and googled. Sure enough, Shawn was right. There was a whole line of 'cockblock' baby clothes.