“Clara,” he cried, her name a benediction on his lips.
The sound of his need sent her over the edge. With another thrust, her orgasm crashed over her, forcing his name from her lips in a helpless cry.
He drove into her a few more times before his hoarse shout joined hers. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on as pleasure flooded every inch of her, making the world spin before her eyes.
As the tingles of her aftermath tickled along her senses, she turned her head to see the man in her arms. He’d collapsed half on top of her as his own climax had overtaken him.
Now he opened his eyes to meet her gaze, satiation clear in his expression. Shifting, he rolled to the side so he wouldn’t squish her, but she didn’t want to let him get farther than that.
“Hey,” he said as they panted together.
“Hey,” she replied to the man who was her best friend and suddenly, so much more.
Pulling her closer, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Closing her eyes, she cuddled closer. If anyone deserved gratitude it was him. He’d opened this door for them and despite what might come with the dawn, it was a night she’d never forget.
Here’s hoping it was also a night she’d never regret.
Chapter Fourteen
Clara grinned at her reflection.
She couldn’t shake the silly smile as she brushed the bird’s nest that was her hair. A dreamy sigh escaped her as she thought about the night before. Walker had been as ravenous as she was. She’d lost track of the times they’d reached for each other, reveling in their abilities to explore each other in a way they never had before.
Her responsibilities were the last thing on her mind this morning. All she wanted to do was stay in bed. But Hunter had woken up early, and Walker had gone to see to his son, though not before dropping a kiss on her lips and telling her to go back to sleep before he left.
She’d taken extra care with her clothes and idled upstairs longer than normal. Part of her wanted to go see him, but another part worried that the fairytale would be over when she did. If this had been a one-time deal, she wasn’t sure she could slip back into the friendzone so easily if that’s what he wanted.
If Walker thought he was capable of giving a relationship a try, she’d say yes without any hesitation. But if he just wanted them to be friends who occasionally slept together…
The smile faded from her lips. Last night had made it very clear to her she wanted more from him. She wasn’t content to be just one more name on his headboard as he drifted through his life. No, she wanted to be the last name. Ever.
“Hell,” she whispered. This was the worst possible time to be starting a new relationship. Children put seasoned marriages around the ringer, and she thought they’d be able to weather this storm?
Then again, most marriages didn’t have access to deep bank accounts and an on-call nanny.
“You won’t know anything if you stay up here,” she told herself.
Grabbing her purse, she gave her reflection one last look and headed downstairs.
Walker and Hunter were already in the kitchen. The baby was strapped into his high chair while Walker attempted to make him formula.
“Doing okay?” she asked over his shoulder.
“Starting to get it,” he replied, reaching out to her. Clara smiled at his morning kiss of greeting, though she couldn’t help glancing at Hunter when her lover drew back.
“Relax,” he whispered in her ear. “He’s just a baby. He has no idea the scandalous things I want to do with you.”
“Walker,” she hissed, whacking his arm even as she tried to deny the pleasure rushing through her.
“There’s coffee waiting for you on the island,” he said, turning his attention back to the formula.
“My hero,” she said, sliding into the waiting chair. Sipping her drink, she waited for him to finish.
Things don’t feel awkward, she thought. But they also don’t feel different.
Were they going to fall back into old patterns of just being friends? Her fingers tightened on the cup. Losing Walker would be the worst outcome for them, but bottling up her feelings again to just be his buddy might be even more painful.
He tested the formula on his wrist and walked over to Hunter. She watched silently as he hoisted the baby into his arms and tried to start feeding him.
“Not like that,” she said. Slipping from her chair, she helped adjust Hunter’s position so the baby could latch on to the bottle more easily.
“What would I do without you?” he asked, staring down at his son.
Clara smiled as she watched them. “You’ll never have to find out.”
For better or worse, there was no leaving him. If they had to go back to being only friends, then they’d find a way to make it work.