Love Thy Neighbor

Chapter 48

Shawn shows me to one of the guest bedrooms. It's a very nice room with a queen size bed. He then walks me to the hall bathroom. He goes under the sink and pulls out a new toothbrush and some toothpaste.

I change Lila's diaper without waking her and lay her on the bed.

"Can you watch Lila while I brush my teeth and wash my face?"

"Of course."

I'm back a few minutes later.

"You know where my room is, right? If you need anything, just come on in. The door will be open."

"Thank you." I give him a quick hug and shut the door as he leaves.

It's pretty convenient that I am wearing my pajamas, since all I have to do is take off my bra. I get in the bed, but I can't sleep. I keep thinking about Lila rolling off the side. We'd put some pillows along the edge, but would that really keep her from rolling off onto the floor? There was just a thin rug over the hardwood floors. She could get seriously hurt!

After worrying for at least half an hour, I scoop Lila up and go to Shawn's room. He's sitting up in bed looking at something on his phone.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I can't sleep. I am scared she will roll off the bed."

"Do you want me to try to move the mattress on the floor? That way she won't have far to fall."

"But what if she wakes up and crawls off the bed and sticks her finger in an outlet?"

Shawn chuckles. "You are quite the worrier."

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to having her sleep somewhere without a crib or portable crib."

I look at his huge king sized bed.

"Can we sleep here?"

"Sure. I'll go sleep in the room you were in."

"No, I mean with you. If you and I sleep on either side, we can put her in the middle. We'd keep her from rolling anywhere and we'd wake up if she tried crawling over us."

"Yeah, um, of course. Just let me put something on."

He pulls off the duvet and stands up and I see he's only wearing boxer briefs. I look away as he walks to his closet. He comes back in red plaid flannel pants.

"Didn't I give those to you?" I ask.

"You did. They're still my favorites."

Shawn takes one side of the bed and I take the other. We get half under the covers and put Lila towards our heads so that she is not covered at all. She wakes up briefly and looks at both of us with a sleepy smile. She then closes her eyes and sleeps.

I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of Shawn singing softly. I look over and see him holding Lila on his chest.

Hey there Delilah
What's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away
But girl, tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true

He continues to sing the song to her until she's asleep. He then places her back between us.

"I didn't hear her wake up," I whisper.

"She rolled up against me and when I tried to move her back she woke up."

"That was beautiful. The singing, I mean."

"I've been dying to sing that to her since I met her," he admits with a grin.

"Thanks for being so sweet to her," I whisper.