Quickie:
Mathildou - No, Aaron's not quite two years old yet. Although, actually, he probably should be if the story is already in mid-July...so yeah. Then he would be two. Wow. Betcha love how I just did that, huh? And no, you don't need to say it everytime. (But it never hurts. :-D )
I had intended on updating this on Saturday, but I'm very likely to be out all day and won't get a chance to. So lucky you, you're all getting the chapter early. Hope you like it.
Chapter 31
Working together, they made it through the first struggle – the diaper changing. Kate spent the rest of that day playing with Aaron. She fished out the toys that Claire had brought and they played. He seemed to be especially fond of the wolf that she had won him, which brought a smile to her face. She'd also properly introduced him to Mackenzie - needless to say, the two became inseparable.
Sawyer, on the other hand, utilized the day to work outside in his shed. He'd catch Kate when she'd glance out the window at the shed. She couldn't see him, and that was a good thing, because he was on constant watch to make sure she didn't come out. He refused to let her in on what exactly it was he was doing out there.
After dinner, Kate thought it would be a good idea if Sawyer gave Aaron his bath, being that they were both males. Sawyer, however, didn't take to the suggestion, as she'd expected.
"Isn't that illegal anyway?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, it's not illegal. Claire and Charlie entrusted us with Aaron for the few days."
"Whatever. I still ain't doin' it."
"It wouldn't kill you to help out a little," she said, cleaning Aaron's face. He'd managed to get more of the baby food around his mouth, rather than in it.
"I helped you with the diaper."
"Okay. I'll rephrase. It wouldn't kill you to help out a little more."
He rolled his eyes and walked out of the kitchen and into the living room.
"This is your mess, sweet cheeks. You get to clean it up."
She folded her arms, and, leaving Aaron in his high chair, followed Sawyer into the other room.
"Look. I know you could care less about this. And I know that you're still mad at me for bringing him here. But I can't do this on my own." When she saw she finally had his attention, she put her hands on her hips. "Now, you can either help me out, or - "
"Or what?" he smirked.
"Or," she grinned. "You can sleep on the couch."
He snickered. "You can't kick me outta my own bed."
"Our bed, isn't it?"
"Not according to the sales receipt."
She rolled her eyes. "Your choice, James."
He leaned over the back of the couch as she turned to leave.
"Hey." She turned back around. "Since when did you start callin' me James?"
She smirked and raised her eyebrows. "Since it caught your attention."
She went into the kitchen and he slumped against the couch, lowering his arm along the top of it. He hated when she called him James. And yet, there was something about the sound of his name on her lips that made it sound that much more erotic. He knew that her new infatuation with it wouldn't die down anytime soon. So he'd just have to deal with it. She came back out of the kitchen, Aaron in her arms - he was holding his wolf.
"So what's it gonna be?" she asked him.
He glanced at her, then at Mackenzie who was sitting in his new favorite spot – the arm of the couch. He seemed to be looking at Sawyer with contempt. He sighed.
"You can bathe him." He caught her frown out of the corner of his eye. "I'll read him a damn bedtime story."
Her face lit up again, and he watched her smile. He loved that smile. It was a smile he never got to see too often. She nodded and let her hand brush against his as she rounded the couch to go upstairs. He closed his hand, grinning to himself. The sooner that kid was asleep, the better.
After Kate finished giving Aaron his bath, and putting him in his pajamas, she headed downstairs to bring him to Sawyer. She noticed that Aaron seemed to feel warmer than he did earlier, but realized it was just because he'd taken his bath. She had to stop being so paranoid. She brought him to the couch and sat him down with Sawyer, who sighed.
"Where're the books?" he asked.
"They're in the bag."
"Fine. Where's the bag?"
"It's…upstairs. I'll get it."
Before she took a step, the phone began to ring. They both glanced in the kitchen.
"You get that. Me and Huey will go upstairs."
"Okay," she agreed.
"C'mon, tyke," he said, lifting Aaron. "Let's go find us a book."
"Pigs!" Aaron squealed.
"Oh hell no…"
Kate smiled as she watched them go upstairs, then went to answer the phone. Upon getting upstairs, Sawyer put Aaron in his crib and looked for the bag. Aaron stood, grasping the bars and watching Sawyer's every move.
"If I was a bag, where would I be…" he muttered to himself. Then he looked at Aaron. "If we were bags, where would we be?"
Sawyer was only faced with Aaron's bright blue eyes. Of course he wouldn't understand. Then he spotted it on the floor near the bed. He searched through it and found three books.
"O-kay, Huey. You gotcher Three Bears, Goodnight Moon, and…Three Little Pigs," he sighed. "Take your pick."
"Pigs!"
"I thought so. But only once this time, okay?"
"Oh kay."
"Good."
Sawyer took a seat on the bed, next to Aaron's crib. He leaned his back against the wall and stretched his legs out. Aaron sat in his crib, imitating Sawyer.
"Once upon a time there was a mother pig who had three little pigs. The three little pigs grew so big that their mother said to them, 'You're too big to live here any more. You gotta go and build houses for yourselves. But take care that the big bad wolf doesn't catch you.'"
"Sawr!"
"Is that what they been lettin' you call me? Try it like this. SAWY-ER."
"Saw-er."
"Good enough."
"Sawer, big bah wolf," he held up his wolf plushie.
"That's right. Big Bad Wolf.""No. Sawer big bah wolf," he said, followed by a giggle. He seemed to be amused by his own joke. The wolf suddenly dropped out of the crib, and Aaron got on his feet immediately. Sawyer narrowed his eyes and picked it up.
"Very funny," he said, tossing the stuffed wolf at Aaron. He cleared his throat and went on with the story, while Aaron lied down holding his wolf.
"'The three little pigs set off. 'We'll take care that the wolf doesn't catch us,' they said. Soon they met a man who was carrying some straw. "Please will you gimme some straw?" asked the first little pig. "I wanna build a house for myself.' The second little pig and the third little pig went on along the road. Soon they met a man who was carrying some sticks. "Please will you gimme some sticks?" asked the second little pig. "I wanna build a house for myself.'" He paused again. "Now what kinda idiot makes a house outta straw or sticks?"
"The same kind of idiot that's reading to a baby that's already asleep?" Kate said softly, appearing in the doorway.
Sawyer looked up at her and then at Aaron who was, indeed, fast asleep. He sighed and closed the book, putting it on the nightstand beside him. She walked over and sat beside him, stretching her own legs out.
"Who was on the phone?"
"Claire. She wanted to know how Aaron was doing."
"Oh."
"James?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"No problem, Freckles."
She sat up and leaned over to kiss him softly. However, she should have realized that it never worked that way, for his hands found her face now and she felt herself leaning into him more. The kiss grew more powerful and they lowered into the bed. Kate instantly stopped him. He stared down at her, confused.
"Not while he's right there."
He glanced away then back at her. "Then we'll go in our room."
"But wouldn't it be…I don't know. Strange? And what if he wakes up?"
"What're you talkin' about? Kid's out cold."
She shook her head. "I just…can't. Not tonight."
He rolled onto his back beside her, sighing. "Fine."
She turned on her side, looking down at him, sympathetically. "I'm sorry."
He got up and walked to the doorway. "You owe me," he grinned over his shoulder.
She smiled and watched him pull his shirt over his head as he walked down the hallway to the bathroom. She turned her attention back to the sleeping Aaron. His wolf was slipping out of the crib, but Kate picked it up and put it next to him. She pulled the blanket over him and turned the lights out.