The bruised organ behind my ribs shattered into a million pieces for this little girl. I held her tighter, my tears sliding down my cheeks. I couldn’t make that promise.
Life was too damn unpredictable. And then there was Taelyn.
What if a judge sided with her? Would Millie feel like I’d let her down? That I’d abandoned her when she needed me the most?
No. I couldn’t think like that.
One day, one problem at a time.
Right now, I still had my little girl in my arms. And…I had a husband. One I desperately needed to talk to since there hadn’t really been time for that.
I waited until Millie’s breathing evened out before I slowly slipped out of bed and made my way to Tristan’s room. I’d been itching to go to him since he’d said goodnight to us a while ago.
Instead of knocking, I darted inside and clicked the door shut behind me. Tristan, who paced in front of his window, faced me, eyes wide with concern.
“Kate. Is it Millie? Is everything okay?” Gaze frantically sweeping over me, he rushed forward. “Do you feel sick?”
We met each other in the middle of the room. The instant he could, he reached for me. Cradling my face in his palms, he tilted my head back.
“Millie’s fine,” I told him, my voice soft. “She’s sound asleep.”
He nodded like he understood. But I knew he didn’t when he asked, “Why are you here?”
I could’ve told him. Could’ve confessed I didn’t want to wait to be with him. That despite the gnawing fear inside my bones, I trusted him.
Instead, I rolled onto the balls of my feet and hooked my hand behind his neck. One quick tug was all it took for our mouths to fuse together.
Something between a gasp and a groan rumbled from his chest. Low and throaty, it bled through my pores, setting my pulse on fire. I hummed. Then again when his big hands shot to my waist, and he lifted me.
Legs wrapped around him; my goosebumps got goosebumps. My heart didn’t know whether it wanted to stop beating altogether or tear from the confines of my chest. And he hadn’t even taken charge yet.
Aside from his brutal grip on my ass, I was still very much in control.
He let me slide my tongue into his mouth. Allowed me to taste and claim him like he’d done to me so many times before.
We stood like that, lips locked, tongues dueling until the need for air finally broke us apart. Chests heaving, our gazes locked on to each other. His eyes burned with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
I just knew that look filled my entire body with warmth.
Not the lustful kind either. This was different. Deeper.
Slowly lifting his hand to my face, he dragged a thumb over my cheek. “What are you doing?” His voice was so low, so soft, almost like he’d been afraid to ask the question.
Ironic. I was scared too. Still, I pushed the words from my throat. “Trusting you.”
A deep frown wrinkled his brows. It didn’t last long. When my words registered, fully registered, he walked us to the bed where we fell onto the mattress in a mess of tangled limbs. Rolling me beneath his big body, he pinned me in place with a deliciously dark stare. Shivers ran down my spine while he stared and stared until I forgot how to breathe.
“What?” I asked.
His gaze never wavered from mine. “You’re beautiful.”
He might as well have brushed his fingers over every sensitive spot on my skin. Those words had the same effect. Warmth spread through my chest, crept up my neck, and settled in my cheeks. I didn’t look away. No matter how desperately I wanted to, I didn’t.
“Sure you want to do this?” he asked. “Here? In this bed?” The last three words came out hoarse, almost broken.
My gaze slid to the slow bob of his Adam’s apple before drifting up to his waiting stare.
Was I sure? “It’s just a bed,” I whispered.
