“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he groaned, his control slipping as he thrust up to meet her, the slap of skin against skin mingling with their ragged breaths. His fingers dug into her hips, not bruising but possessive, grounding her as the tension coiled tighter in her core. She could feel every ridge of him, every pulse, and the intimacy of it — the knowledge that this wastheirlove,theirfuture — pushed her closer to the edge.
“Liam,” she gasped, her nails raking down his chest as the pressure built, a sweet ache that begged for release. He slipped a hand between her thighs, thumb finding her clit and rubbing in tight, relentless circles. The dual sensation — him filling her, stretching her, and the precise pressure on her sensitive nub — sent her spiraling. Her orgasm crashed over her like a wave, her body shuddering as she cried out his name, walls fluttering and clenching around him.
Liam’s restraint snapped at the sound, the feel of her coming undone. With a low, guttural moan, he thrust up hard, once, twice, then stilled as his own release hit. She felt the hot rush of him spilling inside her, his cock throbbing as he held her tight against him, their bodies trembling together in the aftermath.
For a long moment, they stayed like that — her forehead resting against his, their breaths mingling, hearts pounding in sync. His arms wrapped around her, cradling her close, and she felt the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her hands. The den was quiet now, save for the soft hum of their breathing and the distant chirp of early morning birds outside.
“I’ll never let you go,” Liam murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple, his voice a vow as much as a promise. Sunny smiled, nestling closer, her body still humming with the afterglow of their lovemaking.
“And I’ll never run again,” she replied, meaning it with every beat of her heart.
In that moment, suspended between what was and what could be, Sunny finally allowed herself to believe. To imagine mornings waking up beside him, afternoons with the girls, the swell of her belly growing month by month, Liam’s hand resting protectively over their child as they slept.
A family. Her family.
Sunny
Sunny woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains she’d forgotten to close the night before. She stretched languidly in the warmth, her hand instinctively moving to rest on her abdomen. Six weeks. Their little secret was only six weeks along, yet it had already reshaped their entire world.
The bed beside her was empty, the sheets cool to the touch. Liam had an early practice — something about working on power plays before the regular session. She smiled, remembering his reluctance to leave this morning, how he’d kissed her temple while she pretended to still be asleep.
Their conversation from the previous night echoed in her mind. Marriage. A family. The future stretching before them, bright with possibility. After years of temporary homes and borrowed families, she was finally building something permanent. Something real.
A sharp, cramping pain interrupted her reverie, causing her to wince and curl slightly inward. She took a deep breath, waiting for it to pass. Probably just normal pregnancy discomfort. She’d been reading about early symptoms online — everything from gas to ligament stretching could cause twinges and aches.
As she swung her legs over the side of the bed, another cramp, stronger this time, made her pause. Something felt… off. Different from yesterday. She took another deep breath, trying to calm the first flutter of anxiety in her chest.
In the bathroom, she froze, staring down at the toilet paper in her hand. A small smear of blood, bright against the white. The flutter of anxiety crystallized into something sharper, more defined.
Spotting can be normal in early pregnancy, she reminded herself, recalling the countless articles she’d devoured since taking the test.But it can also mean…
No. She wouldn’t let her mind go there. Not yet.
She dressed quickly in jeans and a soft sweater, plastering on a smile as she headed downstairs to wake the girls. She wouldn’t let them see her worry. Children were perceptive, especially Maddie with her solemn, watchful eyes that missed little.
“Rise and shine, sleepyheads!” Sunny called, her voice impressively steady as she pushed open their bedroom door. “School day! Who wants banana pancakes?”
Hailey groaned dramatically, pulling her unicorn comforter over her head. “Five more minutes, pleeeease?”
“Not a chance, Miss Hailey,” Sunny replied, gently tugging the blanket down. “Your dad will have my head if you’re late again.”
As the girls reluctantly began their morning routine, Sunny busied herself with breakfast preparations, the familiar motions offering some comfort. Another cramp seized her, causing her to drop the spatula she was holding. She gripped the edge of the counter, breathing through it.
“Sunny?” Maddie’s voice came from behind her. “Are you okay?”
Sunny straightened immediately, turning with a bright smile that felt like plastic stretched across her face. “Just clumsy this morning. Did you decide what you’re wearing? The blue dress or the trousers and shirt?”
Maddie’s eyes narrowed slightly, unconvinced, but the distraction worked. “The trousers. I play better in them.”
“Very grown-up choice,” Sunny replied, flipping a pancake with deliberate casualness. “Tell your sister to hurry up before these get cold.”
The moment Maddie left the kitchen, Sunny grabbed her phone and stepped into the pantry, quietly closing the door behind her. She scrolled to her recently-saved contact — Dr Melissa Chen, the OB-GYN she’d found just three days ago.
The receptionist answered on the third ring. Sunny kept her voice low, describing her symptoms with clinical detachment that belied the rising panic in her chest.
“Light spotting and cramping at six weeks,” she whispered, cradling the phone close. “Yes, this is my first pregnancy.”
The response was immediate and clear: “Dr Chen wants to see you right away. How quickly can you get here?”
