บททั้งหมดของ Married to One, Tempted by Another.: บทที่ 221 - บทที่ 230

Ciara’s POV Alice arrived first, already cooing before she even fully stepped inside. Seraphine followed with a oversized tote bag that looked like it could supply a small daycare.“Hand her over,” Seraphine said, holding out both arms. “Auntie duty starts now. We’ve got bottles, the emergency contact list, and zero intention of texting you every five minutes even though I know you’re going to spiral.”I hesitated with Rose against my chest. The anxiety hit harder than I expected. A few hours. That was all. Still, the idea of walking out the door without her made my stomach twist.Cain’s hand settled on the back of my neck, warm and steady. “She’s in good hands. We can leave. We can come back early if you need. No pressure.”Alice gently took Rose. The baby blinked up at her and then settled like she’d been waiting for this exact pair of arms. Traitor.“Go,” Alice said softly. “We’ve got her. I promise.”Seraphine waved us toward the door. “Seriously. Leave. Drink something. Touch ea

Ciara’s POV Rose woke just after five, the soft, insistent sound that had become the real start of our day. I reached her before the cry could fully form, lifting her against my chest while Cain shifted behind me in the bed.“I’ve got the bottles,” he mumbled, already swinging his legs out.“Stay. I can do this one.”He ignored me, of course. By the time I finished the diaper change he was in the kitchen warming the bottle, hair sticking up, wearing the same sweatpants he’d thrown on at two in the morning. We moved around each other without talking much. The quiet felt practiced now. Not empty. Just known.I settled into the corner of the couch with Rose. She latched easily, one small hand resting against my skin. Cain set a glass of water beside me and kissed the top of my head before disappearing back toward the bedroom to catch another hour. The sky outside was still dark. The house smelled like milk and the faint leftover scent of last night’s laundry.This was the routine. Messy

Ciara’s POV Rose had been awake for almost forty minutes past her usual nap window. She wasn’t crying. Just alert, kicking her legs, staring at the light moving across the ceiling like it had personally offended her. I sat on the floor beside the play mat and let her.Cain stood in the doorway with his arms crossed.“She’s off schedule,” he said.“She’s fine. She’s not tired yet.”“That’s not how this works. If we keep shifting things, the nights get harder. We’ve been through this.”I looked up at him. “We’ve been through a lot of things. One of them is me following someone else’s rules until I forgot I had any of my own. I’m not doing that with her.”His jaw tightened. “This isn’t about control. It’s about giving her consistency.”“And I’m saying consistency doesn’t have to mean rigid.” I kept my voice low so it wouldn’t startle Rose. “She’s a baby, not a project. If she’s happy and awake, I’m not forcing her down because the clock says so.”Cain dragged a hand over his face. “I’m

Ciara’s POV Rose went down easier than usual. One last feed, a slow rock in the dark nursery, the soft click of the monitor settling into its steady green glow. When I stepped back into the hallway Cain was already waiting, shoulder against the wall, watching me like he had been thinking about this for hours.“She’s out,” I said.He nodded once. “Good. Come here.”I walked to him. He hooked a finger in the neckline of my shirt and tugged lightly.“Entire evening. Nothing on. Not a single piece of clothing once we close this door behind us.” His voice was low, rough around the edges. “You game?”My pulse kicked. The old instinct to cover, to hide the softer stomach and the stretch marks and the places that still felt unfamiliar, rose fast. I breathed through it.“Yeah,” I said. “I’m game.”He smiled, slow and dark. “Good girl.”I stripped in the bedroom while he watched. Shirt first. Then the soft shorts. Bra. Panties last. The air touched every inch of me. I fought the urge to cross

Ciara’s POV Alice arrived with an overnight bag that looked like she was moving in for a week. Seraphine followed carrying the portable crib and a smug expression.“Hand over the goods,” Seraphine said, already reaching for Rose. “Auntie shift starts now. We have bottles, the emergency list, three backup outfits, and zero intention of calling you unless the building is actually on fire.”I held Rose a little longer than necessary. The anxiety sat sharp under my ribs. A full night. No monitor within reach. No soft sounds through the wall.Cain’s hand settled on the back of my neck. “She’s safe with them. We can go get her at any hour if you need to. No pride involved.”Alice kissed Rose’s cheek and transferred her smoothly into the carrier. “We’ve got her. Go be people who sleep past sunrise for once.”I nodded, kissed my daughter’s head one last time, and let them leave. The door clicked shut. The house felt enormous and too quiet all at once.Cain locked it, then turned to me. “Come