“Baby girl, you’re growing a human. You can eat whatever you want,” he insisted. Her cheeks pinked instantly. Jonnas stood carefully, keeping one arm around her until she was steady on her feet. “Sit,” he said. The order came out naturally, and Dani obeyed immediately before visibly realizing she had. Both of them froze. Jonnas felt heat curl low in his stomach.
Dani stared at him with wide eyes from the couch. “You can’t just?—”
“Just what?” he asked.
“Use that voice and expect me to do what you tell me to do,” she said.
One corner of his mouth lifted slowly. “What voice?” he asked. Dani had a feeling that he knew exactly which voice she was talking about.
“That one,” she said.
“The one you listen to?” he asked. Her breath caught sharply. Christ. Watching her react to him like this was becoming addictive. Not because she obeyed, but because she trusted him enough to. There was a big difference between the two.
Jonnas moved into the kitchen before either of them combusted from the tension. He rolled up his sleeves again and started making food while keeping half his attention locked on Dani. She watched him constantly, like she couldn’t help herself. Every time he glanced over, her eyes darted away guiltily.
“You know,” he said casually while stirring pasta, “most people would just admit they’re staring.”
“I’m observing,” she insisted.
“You’re staring,” he said.
“You bring me tea and open car doors, and now, you’re cooking me dinner. It’s confusing.” Jonnas laughed softly. He noticed that she liked the sound of his laugh because of the way she immediately relaxed slightly every time he did it.
“Come here,” he said quietly. Dani hesitated only briefly before standing and padding barefoot into the kitchen toward him. That trust hit him hard every single time. When she stopped beside him, Jonnas tugged her against his body.
Dani looked up at him curiously. “What?”
“You look exhausted,” he said.
“I feel exhausted,” she agreed.
“You’re done working doubles,” he insisted.
Her eyes widened instantly. “Jonnas?—”
“No,” he said, using the tone she had asked him not to use on her. Dani’s lips parted slightly. Jonnas saw the exact momenther body reacted to his authority. Hell, his reacted too. “You’re pregnant,” he continued calmly. “You’re already sick constantly, barely sleeping, and running yourself into the ground.”
“I need the money,” she breathed. “I have student loans and bills to pay.”
“I have money.” The second the words left his mouth, Dani stiffened. He wasn’t sure if it was her pride or fear of leaning on him that kept her from accepting help. Either way, her independence sharpened into armor.
“I don’t want your money,” she insisted.
Jonnas immediately softened his tone. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Yes, it is,” she argued.
“No, baby girl.” He turned fully toward her now. “I’m not trying to buy you.” Emotion flickered across her face. The idea clearly upset her. Jonnas brushed his hand slowly up and down her side. “I’m trying to support the mother of my child.”
“No one’s ever offered to help me before. I guess that I’m just not very good at accepting help.” That quiet confession landed like a punch to the chest.
Jonnas looked down at her for a long moment before speaking carefully. “You really don’t know what to do when someone wants to take care of you, do you?”
Her eyes dropped immediately. “No.” The honesty in that single word wrecked him. Jonnas set the spoon down and stepped closer until she had to tilt her head back to look at him.
“You know what I want right now?” he asked softly. Dani shook her head.
“To feed you dinner.” His thumb brushed lightly across her cheek. “Put you in comfortable clothes. Make sure you take your prenatal vitamins.” His voice lowered further. “And get you into bed so you can sleep more than four damn hours for once.” Dani’s breathing turned shaky, and he was pretty surethat it wasn’t from fear. It was from need. Jonnas recognized it instantly now. She wanted care so badly it scared her.