Chapter 5

Lucy

A smile hits as does a slight blush when Jayden jogs over to me on my way to my next class. A few that I know from classes openly stare as he leans down, giving me a kiss, deepening the blush on my cheeks.

"Hi baby," he says, making my heart race and I honestly can't keep the stupid smile off my lips. It's hasn't even been a full week and yet I'm so much happier than I ever imagined possible.

"Hi, what brings you over here?" I add, because most of his courses are General Ed with a few under the Business School, whereas mine are all with the College of Science division.

"I wanted to see you before you got to your last class of the day and then headed to the restaurant."

"Why? If you can't manage to get Liam from Mrs. Holmes it's fine. I'll just let her know I'll pick him up like normal. She doesn't mind the late hours," I assure him.

"I'll pick him up at six for sure. Hell, I'd pick him up from the daycare center and keep him all night if you'd let me," he adds surprising me a bit despite his continuous presence in our lives this last week. "If I didn't think Mrs. Holmes would be upset to not see him, I'd keep him any time you insisted you have to work."

"Jayden…I have to work to be able to make rent. I have a tiny bit left over from my scholarship that helps with the cost of food but rent and utilities comes out of what I make at the restaurant, so I have to work a lot of hours to afford it."

"That's part of what I wanted to catch you to talk about," he says, making my brow lift curiously. "I've been sleeping on the couch for the last almost week and while I don't mind it at all, will sleep on it until you're comfortable letting me into your bed," he adds, making me blush again at the way his voice drops, "there's not really room for all of us in the apartment, especially with my clothes and books on top of yours."

"There's not room in my bed for both of us," I tack on, making his eyes darken with desire and I can't stop the way my body reacts to it.

"But there could be if we had a two bedroom apartment. We could get a bigger bed for us, and Liam would have his own space. He's goes to sleep by himself so that shouldn't be a huge change, and we'd be just a few feet away if he got scared or needed us."

"I can't afford a bigger place, Jayden. Besides, I'm under a lease and to break it would cost money, plus a security deposit atop of that…as nice as it sounds, it's just not possible," I warn him, not wanting him to get his hopes up no matter how much I'd really enjoy it as well.

"I would be helping to pay rent then as well. Instead of living in the dorms, I'd be with you and Liam, so what I'd be paying for room and board, would go towards our place. I checked and it's completely allowable with my school fund. If I move out of the dorms by the end of the month, I'll get a refund for pretty much all but one month and there's plenty in my college fund to cover my share of the rent." I start to argue that it's not just that, but he slips his finger over my lips giving me a smile that I feel deep in my belly. "I talked to the manager at the apartment complex. There's a two-bedroom available on the backside of the complex, same floor as Mrs. Holmes even. The rent is completely manageable and by splitting it, your part would be less than what you're even paying now, because they haven't upgraded the kitchen or bathroom in it compared to the other two-bedrooms in the place. They were going to, but, if we take it as is, then they're actually going to come out ahead, because they can increase the rent on your current place even without the upgrade in the kitchen because they have a lot of pending applications for one-bedrooms and none currently for two, because they haven't had any available for a while.

"It's basically your apartment but with an extra bedroom, and slightly bigger closets. They won't require you to put down another security deposit and they'll transfer you from your current lease to the new one with no extra costs. The only kicker is that we have to be out by the end of the month. I know that's in three days, and I know it's a rush, but I can get some of the guys from my dorms to help and we can knock it out in no time. Since it would just be moving things a couple floors down using the elevator, it shouldn't be that much work."

"You're serious," I ask, and he nods. "What if you get tired…"

Jayden's mouth covers mine, stealing my words and breath at the same time, leaving me clinging to his shoulder as someone lets out a whistle behind us, mortifying me a bit. Jayden doesn't seem to have the same problem as he pulls back, smiling fully at me, dropping little kisses all over my face like I do with Liam, until I have to smile in return.

"I'm fully committed to this, to you, to Liam, baby. Hell, I would take you to the courthouse right now and make it permanent if I didn't think it would cause you to either run or have a heart attack," he adds, and my jaw drops, staring at him in shock. "I love you, Lucy. You're everything to me, already were but add in Liam and I'm never letting you go. I can and will let you take all the time you need to get to the same spot as me—in every way."

"I…okay," I manage to get out, desperately wanting to tell him I love him, but the words stick in my throat, worry that if I say them, something will happen to ruin it rushing through me. Liam loves him so much already. I can't lose Jayden, and neither can our little boy. "If you really think you're ready to move in with us permanently, I'd love it. We love having you with us and I love coming home to see you with Liam."

"And you're good with the rooming arrangements? I will sleep on the couch until you're ready for more, but I think Liam would do better if we put him in his own room from the start with the move," he says, and I fully agree with that.

"Like I said, I don't think we'll fit on my bed but maybe when we can afford to get something bigger…"

"Leave that to me, baby," he whispers into my ear after giving me another heart stopping kiss. "If you can manage it before you go in tonight, I'll let the manager know you'll stop by to sign the paperwork that will transfer your lease to the new place. There won't be any additional due for this month they just need your signature to make it official. I can stop by and put down my deposit and set up the guys to help us move maybe tomorrow? You're not scheduled until tomorrow night, right?"

"Right and I can always call and say I might be fifteen minutes late tonight if we're running behind for some reason. Then I should be home by one. Liam never sleeps in so I'm up in the morning anyway so that should work. We might need some boxes to move clothes and kitchen stuff," I warn, amazed that I wasn't at all scared about moving in together. It honestly sounds like the most incredible thing ever.

"I'll see if I can find some. Let me worry about the logistics of the move. I promise I won't make you stress over it," he says, giving me one final soft kiss before I hurried in for my final class, a smile in my eyes the entire time.

I managed to get Liam to Mrs. Holmes a little earlier than normal and the woman's eyes roamed over my face curiously as I gave Liam a kiss letting him move into the apartment to play. "Jayden said he should be here about six to get him but if not, he'll call."

"Mhmm, and what's got you all flushed?" she asks, and I can't keep the smile off my lips. "I knew you were still in love with Liam's daddy and that's why you never dated."

"I…" I can't even begin to lie and say I'm not in love with Jayden because I am, I love him more than anything. Well, he and Liam might be a tie but in immensely different ways. "I was worried what he'd do or say if he knew about Liam, but I shouldn't have been. I know that now, which is why I'm going downstairs to sign a new lease. Jayden talked to the building manager and we're going to be moving into 1832-B."

"They said they were going to start remodeling these places when tenants moved out," Mrs. Holmes says in surprise. "It's been empty for two weeks now but we didn't see anything going on with it."

I filled her in about the deal, amazed that Jayden took the time to make it happen, then headed downstairs to the office, signing my name on the paper and taking the set of keys he had ready for me. My half of the rent really is less than what I'd been spending, and I easily paid it so we wouldn't have any issues while transferring things in the online system.

It feels nice to have an extra thousand dollars in my account. Liam needs new shoes, a new winter coat, and I could use some new things as well. That extra will go a long way into getting us what we need as well as covering food and a new bed.

A smile stayed on my lips as I went about my evening, getting a little extra in tips that I can add to my splurge and buy Liam something really nice for his new room. That sent me to the back to get my things with another smile, especially when I overhear Kelsey asking if anyone had any extra shifts they don't want. I don't intend to cut my hours on a regular basis, but it would be nice not to rush here tomorrow night after moving. Her eager yes to asking if she'd like my shift tomorrow, lets me head home with another smile on my lips.

It turns into a laugh when I move inside the apartment finding a dozen boxes taking up most of the floor and table. "What on earth?"

"I told you I'd take care of the moving stress. Some of the guys still had boxes in their rooms they weren't using, so I brought them over, then got some from the grocer down the block. Liam and I had fun emptying out the cabinets and putting clothes in them until he was ready for bed. A few of the guys should be here around ten to help move the couch, beds, and the table. It shouldn't take that long. I want you to have some time to relax before you have to go to work."

"Well, since my part of the rent was cheaper than the full month here and Kelsey was asking for some extra shifts, I'm not working tomorrow night now," I admit, and a full laugh slips out when Jayden lifts me up, carrying me through the mess to the couch and just holds me.

I snuggle into his arms more, letting out a content sigh just relishing his hold until I'm about to fall asleep in his arms. He carries me to the bedroom, giving me a long, hot kiss and I can't wait until we're in the new place, with our own little space for more of that.

My boys are up before I want to open my eyes, and I smile as Jayden gives me a soft kiss as he gets Liam up. "Stay, I've got him. We still have a couple hours before anyone will begin to show up."

I don't argue then or when a sweet, tempting kiss wakes me a while later. Jayden pulls me up, giving my butt a little tap pointing me towards the bathroom, and I'm shocked to see it's nine-thirty. I never sleep in that late. It's absolutely impossible to do with Liam.

"Mama," Liam calls when I come out dressed, finding him on the couch watching something on Jayden's iPad.

"Hi baby," I muse, dropping a kiss onto his waiting lips. One day he won't want me to kiss all over him so I'll take as many as I can get in now.

"Daddy said to let you sleep. We got bek-fast," he adds, his smile brightening, and I wonder what that consisted of with most of the pots and pans in boxes.

"And we saved some for Mama, didn't we?" Jayden states. "I'll warm it up for you."

"Watching Liam so I could sleep in, and you saved me breakfast? I think you're buttering me up for something," I tease him, and the look in Jayden's eyes makes me wish the moving was done and we were alone.

"Well, Liam and I early risers while his mama always liked her mornings in bed," he counters pulling a laugh from me because that definitely changed after Liam got here. "We can't starve our girl either, can we, buddy?"

"No Daddy. Mama needs to eat," Liam agrees, and I can't argue with wanting to eat the bowl that Jayden brings me. It might be rewarmed but it's the most delicious biscuits and gravy egg scramble I've ever had.

"Thank you," I whisper to Jayden while Liam's engrossed in a cartoon, giving him a soft kiss. "For everything you've done this last week and especially for him."

"He's kind of amazing, isn't he? And before you worry, Mrs. Holmes said to bring him over while we move so you're not worrying about him getting trampled or being in the way," he adds and god, how could I not possibly love this man—even if I can't admit it to him just yet?