large campus, and a lot of students are transient so the possibilities are endless. If he's back east, where do we begin?"
"Hey, we're not alone with this. While I'm home, I'll set things in motion. I'll light a fire under Detective Patterson, and I'll do as much as I can between assignments. When I'm not here, Tim won't drop the ball. This hit home for him, too." Devin reached over and grasped Ewyn's chin. "We'll find whoever did this. I promise."
"I know you will." Ewyn leaned forward and kissed Devin's mouth just as the sound of baby gurgling emanated from the monitor. He pulled away and grinned. "Duty calls."
Leaning against the doorjamb, drinking from a bottle of water, Devin watched Ewyn bathe Kiera, a scene of tranquil domestication. For someone whose introduction to parenthood only began a few months earlier, Ewyn seemed knowledgeable and organized.
On Ewyn's side of the vanity, he had laid out all the essentials for the baby's bath. A bath sheet lay folded on the counter presumably for padding, with a large towel draped across it ready for drying. An array of baby powder, baby oil, several vials of creams, and two glass canisters containing q-tips and cotton balls stood sentry along the perimeter beneath the mirror.
Next to the vanity, the chrome and glass shelves, as a rule, only contained towels and washcloths, had disposable diapers and tiny undershirts stacked in neat piles on one shelf. Hell. He must have been damn near comatose last night because he had never noticed. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to Ewyn.
With Kiera securely tucked into a bath seat nestled in the sink, Ewyn carefully and methodically washed the squirming baby. Music played in the background, and while he worked, Ewyn alternated between singing, humming, and whistling along with the melody. This made Kiera gurgle, smile, and blow spit bubbles while her tiny hands flailed like an orchestra conductor. Her chubby legs kicked and pumped, spattering and splashing water all over Ewyn, and his sexy laughter filled the room. Watching their antics, Devin couldn't control the smiles and chuckles escaping him.
Ewyn's careful, loving demeanor with Kiera stirred something within Devin. Something he didn't know how to classify, but he knew it involved contentment, and he wanted to be a part of what they had. "She likes music?" he asked in a whisper.
"Oh, yeah. She's already a music freak, seems to have the same eclectic tastes we have, and goes right to sleep when I turn on the music at night." Ewyn bent and kissed Kiera's cheek. "And you don't have to whisper. She needs to get used to our normal speaking voices."
"Oh…okay." Devin walked up behind Ewyn, wrapped his arms around the trim waist, kissed the slim neck, and Ewyn leaned back against him.
He watched as Ewyn dried Kiera, sprinkled her with a light dusting of baby powder, and smoothed a dab of cream on her little bottom. With efficient dexterity, he had her butt enclosed in a clean diaper, and her wriggling body encased in a fresh undershirt. Hands securely holding Kiera in place, Ewyn looked back over his shoulder, his eyes radiant and his sexy smirk in place. Devin bent and took a quick kiss. "Do you need any help?"
"No, I've become quite good at this. You should have seen me the night Kieki was born. I was afraid to touch her, thought I'd drop her, or break her." He lifted Kiera from the vanity and turned to Devin. "Here…hold her."
Without hesitation, Devin set his water down, held out his hands, and gently scooped Kiera into his arms. At four and a half months, Ewyn said she weighed nineteen pounds. Yet holding her close, she appeared so tiny and light…a featherweight. He glanced at Ewyn. "Tell me what I need to do."
"Just love her." Ewyn leaned against Devin's side. "And make sure you support her back, just to be on the safe side. She pretty much has it under control, but she has a tendency to jerk away when she's giggly and happy."
Devin walked out of the
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