32. How much?

It had been almost a week that Mateo had stayed and boy were they feeling all the feels of new parenthood.  They had just made it through another full day as Jessica was seated on her bed, pumping breast milk, knowing that Kaiden would be waking up soon to eat. She often tried to pump a good amount so that Mateo could get some bonding time and help with the feeding as well, especially in the middle of the night.

Mateo sat at the end of her bed as he watched TV with a beer in his hand, his eyes going from the TV to the bassinet. He looked over at Jessica as she removed the pump from her breast. He had seen her boobs so much at this point that it was like second nature.

"Your night tonight right?" He questioned. She nodded as she pulled her shirt back over her chest. They had been rotating nights so they each could get at least one full night of sleep. He chuckled as her nod was almost saying she didn't want it to be, Jessica had definitely enjoyed not having to get up the night before to feed him. When they say you never slept the same after having a baby she was quickly understanding it.

"If you need me to you know I got it, especially since you've been pumping plenty of milk." Jessica smiled at him, "appreciate it."

He got up as he guzzled down the little bit of beer remaining in the bottle. "Well I'm going to head to the other room. You need anything?" Jessica shook her head no as he placed a kiss on Kaiden's head.

He looked up at her since he didn't hear her response, "I'm good." She let out. "Alright." He made his way out her room as Jessica called his name. He peeked his head into the room. "Can you sleep in here tonight?" She questioned like a shy school girl. She played with the seam of her shirt as her eyes darted from him to the shirt.

"In the bed? With you?" He asked for reassurance. She placed her eyes back on him. "Unless you want to sleep on the floor."

He chuckled, "I was just clarifying. But yeah I can. Let me just get ready for bed, brush my teeth and shit." Jessica nodded in understanding. "Okay." She didn't know why she asked him to sleep with her tonight but now she was thinking she probably shouldn't have. She hadn't slept in the bed with a man in forever nor had she had sex in forever. What if she got turned on? She reminded herself she had to wait six weeks anyways. She quieted her thoughts as she got up to go store her bags of milk and clean off her breast pump.

By the time she was finished with everything he was also walking back in the room. He was shirtless with some shorts on and his phone in his hand as his eyes were focused on typing on the screen. "I'm going to check out a place with Sofia this weekend when my mom comes over, get it out the way." He let out.

Jessica furrowed her eyebrows as she pulled the covers back to get in the bed. She had already had on what she was sleeping in, she put it on once she got the shower earlier that night. "What kind of place?" She questioned.

He went to the other side of the bed pulling the covers down on that side as he glanced up at her for a quick second. "To live in, she's moving out."

Jessica nodded as she got comfortable in the bed, she sat up, leaning against the headboard as she continued talking to him. "Well why are you going to look at it? Are you two getting back together?"

Mateo headed to hit the lights before getting in the bed. "No," he sighed as he got in the bed getting comfortable, sitting up against the headboard as well. "We aren't getting back together but I told her I'd pay her rent for up to a month since I knew she wasn't working when we broke up."

"A year Mateo?" She said louder than she meant to causing her to look towards Kaiden's bassinet. "What the hell." She said looking back towards him. "That's a long time."

Mateo didn't see the big deal as he furrowed his eyebrows together. "You act like I said forever. I want her to be able to get on her feet. I'm not ruthless Jessica."

"A couple of months would have be just fine. She doesn't have family here or anything?"

"She does, but I was just supposed to make her go move with her family after she's been living with me so long?"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "It's a break up Mateo, that's for her to figure out. You're babying her."

"Whatever." He let out as he shook his head. He didn't care for her criticism and in his mind she didn't have a say in it anyways. "It's my decision to not just kick somebody out on their ass."

"You didn't do that regardless. She's been in your house this whole time. All I'm saying is within this time she could have got herself a job, stayed with some family for some time and found herself a place. All I said was you're babying her by paying her rent that long. I didn't say to kick her out on her ass."

"Well it's my decision, my money and a choice I've already made. I'm not hurting anybody else's pockets so it shouldn't even matter what I decide to do. Besides, you weren't complaining about not paying for this place. You haven't paid a bill not once. All I'm paying is the rent at her place, nothing else."

Jessica threw her hands up, "whoa, and that was your choice! I even offered to pay you something and you said no. So don't do that. I can take care of myself. But you're right. It's none of business. It's your pockets, do what you want." Jessica let out with attitude that Mateo didn't fail to catch but didn't let phase him nonetheless.

"Exactly, my choice to take care of all the bills in this house and it's my choice to pay her rent that's all I'm saying Jessica, not trying to throw it in your face that I pay for this shit too. I know you can take care of yourself."

Jessica rolled her eyes as she laid down in the bed. She faced the opposite way of him. "Okay Mateo. You made it bigger than it was. Over the conversation."

He shook his head as he looked at the back of her head. He let out a deep sigh as he got comfortable in the bed, laying down. He sat looking up at the ceiling as her TV played on low his thoughts running for a few minutes.

He turned towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. He was positive that she didn't ask him to stay in the room with her tonight for her to go to sleep upset about how a conversation went. "I'm sorry if I offended you, that wasn't my intention." He softly stated, "I get your point but I was more on the defense opposed to trying to understand where you were coming from."

Jessica was taken aback from his response. This was far from what she was used to in disagreements and in turn it made her realize she just as quickly got in defense mode we well, but she didn't feel as if she was wrong for how she responded.

She slightly turned and looked at him. The light from the TV bouncing off of his face, allowing her to see that he was looking back at her, full sincerity on his face. She fully turned facing him as she just studied his face for a moment. He studied hers back in return. "You forgive me?" She nodded as she still just studied his face and he still returned it before cracking a smile. "What?" He questioned.

Jessica didn't know what came over her as she leaned forward pressing her lips to his, but Mateo returned the gesture making her feel comfortable with her decision. Their kiss intensified as Mateo pulled her closer as their mouths roamed one another. Butterflies going crazy in Jessica's stomach as his hand roamed her body.

But it wasn't before long when the two had to pull away as Kaiden's cry started off soft going to a full out scream. Jessica pulled away as she bit her lip. "It's my night." She said with a small smirk as she raised her eyebrows moving her lower half from under the covers as she threw her feet to the floor to grab Kaiden out of his bassinet.

Mateo watched her as she checked his pamper before seeing if he was hungry. His thumb going to his bottom lip as he rubbed it. He definitely didn't expect what had just took place but oddly enough it felt ... normal.

He smiled just as she turned around looking at him. "What?" She mocked like he said moments earlier.

He chuckled lowly catching her drift. "Oh finish up with him and I'll show you like you showed me." He teased. She rolled her eyes with a slight smile on her face quickly turning around to face Kaiden as she slightly blushed.

She bit her lip as she shook her head, small smile on her face as she questioned what she just did.

—

The weekend had finally came and just as he told Sofia he would view the place she chose with her, he was doing just that. He wasn't too far from the address that she sent him but he could already see it was on the more pricey side of town. He didn't expect her to pick a dump, but he didn't expect her to try to break the pockets either. But then again with her knowing his salary she wouldn't think she was breaking the pockets.

He parked in front of a beautiful penthouse. He got out as Sofia stood outside her car with a huge smile as she looked his way. Beside her was who he assumed was the realtor or owner.

He got out the car locking his door as he walked towards then. Sofia introduced the two before they were led inside the house, it was the realtor; the owners were out of town. It was huge and he couldn't act like it wasn't nice. The realtor stayed out front to make some calls as she let them look around the place. "Three bedrooms." Mateo let out. "Why do you need three bedrooms?"

"In case I have guests Mateo." He shook his head, "one extra room is enough for that." Sofia smacked her teeth. "But it's nice right?" She smiled.

Mateo nodded, the view was amazing. He walked towards the window taking it in. "How's Jessica and the baby?" She asked changing the subject from the apartment. He nodded as he looked over at her. "They're good." They were more than good, Kaiden was getting chubbier, and Jessica and him had been exchanging kisses everyday after the first one. All was well.

"How much?" He asked her putting attention back on the place. She let out a deep sigh as she walked beside him. "It would be nice to spend a couple nights with you before I'm out the house again." She stated slightly flirtatious as she came up beside him. He ignored the comment as she answered the question. "Four thousand."

He quickly looked at her, "What?"

"Mateo that's a good deal! And you know it for something this beautiful." She spread her hands out. "They wanted five but I talked them down. This is a three bedroom! And a penthouse."

"You don't even need a three bedroom or a penthouse!" He stated. "Mateo," she whined. "I love it though."

"That's damn near $50,000 just for a years rent and you're just renting. You aren't buying this." He spit out. "If you're going to pay that type of money you need to be paying off the place, gaining equity which helps to put more money in your pockets. Besides how are you going to afford this after that year is up? Plus the other bills that come with it. I don't feel like you fully thought this through Sofia."

Sofia started to pout something that would easily help her get her way when they were together. Mateo laughed as he stuffed his hands in his pocket. "You can pout all you want but I just don't think it's smart." His phone started to ring as he pulled it out seeing Jessica's name flash against the screen.

He picked it up as she apologized for interrupting but asked if he could pick her up some food on his way back. "Of course," He let out. "Is my mom still there?" She let out a quick no as the realtor walked back in. "Okay, I'll call you when I'm heading back." And with that he got off the phone.

"I feel like if Jessica would have asked for this you would have got it no questions asked." Sofia let out low enough for the realtor not to hear.

He looked over at her, "then you clearly don't know Jessica if you think she would be stupid enough to rent something out that cost this much."

The realtor walked up all smiles, "so what do you think?" She asked with her eyes mainly on Mateo, she knew that Sofia liked it. "It's nice," He let out as he looked around the place again. "Super expensive though."

She laughed, "nothing you can't handle though Mr. San Diego!" She teased calling him by the name fans had given him.

"Exactly!" Sofia smiled with the realtor. He laughed lightly. "I think we need a little bit more time to decide."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Well it could be off the market so don't take too long." The realtor stated.

Mateo gave her a small smile, "I'll keep that in mind." He said as he headed towards the door. "Sofia," he said as he waited for her at the door. "Thank you, we'll be in touch." She said to the realtor.

The two walked out as Sofia expressed how much she wanted the place. "You need to look at other places." Mateo easily stated. She threw her hands up, "what if I can't find another place I like?"

"You will" he stated with ease as he made his way to his car. "Well can you help me look?" She asked as she walked towards his car too.

He ran a hand down his face. "Yeah, I'll search up some places too. What about where your cousin stays? That's a nice area."

Sofia rolled her eyes knowing he was right but she wanted something more. "I'll go visit her, I forgot what the inside looked like again." She gave a small fake smile.

He shook his head. "Alright Sofia." He unlocked his car door as he started to get in. "When are you coming back to the house?" She questioned before he closed the door. He shrugged his shoulders, "can't say."

"Well can you let me know?" She looked at him as a moment of silence followed, "so that you can look at and visit some of the places with me." She stated trying to cover how suspicious it might sound by her asking for a heads up.

"Yeah." He stated before closing his car door. He definitely wasn't going to let her know when he was coming back. It was his house and he would pop up when he wanted to.