Jen, Kelsey, and Gina gather around a tiny table under the umbrella, chatting about whatever it is women talk about when there aren’t any men there to hear them. Most likely, the topic is either Kelsey’s last book’s rocket trip to the top of the best sellers list, or maybe wedding plans. Those seem to be the subjects of choice lately. They’re almost one in the same, really. The book, as it turns out, is basically our story wrapped in fiction. She missed her deadline, but she did finish it, not long after I pulled my head out of my ass and told her I love her.
I toss Maddie into the air, and she squeals in delight just before she splashes down.
Clarissa holds out her arms, excited for her turn to fly. She throws her scrawny arms around my neck and hugs me, giving me a smacking kiss on my cheek, wrapping my heart around her little finger a bit tighter.
I give her a quick squeeze and launch her over the shallow water. Somehow, in mid-air, her strap-on floaties go one direction while she flies the other. I dive across the pool, grabbing her suit before she has time to suck up any water.
When we surface, Kelsey’s at the side of the pool. “Is she okay?”
Clarissa wipes her face, a big, watery smile showing off her dimples. “I swim like a rock!”
My thudding heart stutters almost to a stop.
Kelsey’s jaw drops. The rest of the group goes stock still.
I hike Clarissa a bit higher. “What did you say, Pip?”
Her smile widens. “I swim like a rock.”
My gaze meets Kelsey’s, and tears gather in her eyes as she clamps her hands over her mouth.
“You do kinda swim like a rock.” I can’t contain my laugh.
I swing the Pipsqueak up onto my shoulders as I wade across the pool toward her momma.
Gina claps and stands. “I always knew she’d talk when she was ready.”
Kelsey holds out her arms, and I pass Clarissa to her.
She hugs her tight. “My big girl. You’ve been holding out on me, haven’t you?”
Clarissa wriggles out of Kelsey’s hold and jumps into the water at the steps leading into the shallow end.
Kelsey sits at the edge of the pool, her feet dangling into the water. “I just—all this time. An entire sentence. Did you hear her? A full sentence.”
I stand between Kelsey’s legs, holding her trembling form close, rubbing her back. “She’s smart like her momma. She’ll get it figured out before long.”
* * *
“Come to bed,” I say to Kelsey.
She’s been standing in the hall for ten minutes, waiting for Clarissa to call out for her again.
The child’s words must’ve been accumulating all this time, because since she started talking, she didn’t stop until she finally gave up the fight and fell asleep.
I lean against the bedroom doorframe. “She’s going to be fine.”
“But, what if she wakes up and wants to tell me something?”
“What if I want to tell you something?”
Kelsey’s eyes meet mine. “You want to say something to me?”
I hold out my hand. “I have a lot of things I’d like to say. Come to bed, and I’ll tell you some of them.”
Her gaze flits to Clarissa’s door, but her fingers thread together with mine.
We close the door, and the dark envelops us.
I skim my hands up her thighs, pushing her night shirt up. Her stomach is still flat, but somewhere in there is the life we created together. It almost doesn’t seem real, yet I constantly find myself thinking of that little blip of white on the monitor we saw for the first time yesterday. Boy or girl, it won’t matter.
I slip my palms across her hips and down over her ass. “Don’t you ever wear panties?”
“Only when I have to.”
My mouth finds the place where her pulse thrums. I kiss her neck, sucking and nipping the skin as I massage her ass and pull her tight against my erection.
She hikes a leg to wrap it around me. I turn so I can back her to the bed. Our tongues tangle and my cock hardens all the more. I swear, I’ll never have enough of this woman.
Her fingers dance up my chest and weave into the hair at my nape. When we hit the edge of the bed, I ease her down.
But she pushes at my pecs and twists in my arms. “Stop. Wait.”
I flip on the lamp, squinting in the light. “What?”
Spike lifts his head from where he lies sprawled across the bed, tossing a look at us as if to say, “Trying to sleep here, peoples.”
Chloe perches on his ribs, one eye cracked as if daring us to disturb her catnap.
Kelsey grins. “At least she’s not still afraid he wants to have her as a snack.”
“Yeah, well—I did have that talk with him. Made sure he knows I’m the only one eating pussy around here.” I shoo the critters from our space, ushering them out the door.