He chuckled. “Good. I don’t want to wait to get married.”
“Me either.”
“Any other surprises?” he asked.
“Well…” I toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck. “There is something I’d like to practice.”
“Practice?” He smirked, lifting his hands up my ribs, caressing my breasts with his thumbs. “I thought we were done with the coaching.”
“Oh. We are.” I leaned forward, rocking against him and teasing the shell of his ear with my teeth. Then I whispered, “I was hoping we could practice making a baby.”
He stilled, and when I pulled back, he gave me a watery smile. “Really?”
I nodded. “I stopped taking the pill.”
He’d asked me to think about it months ago, but at the time, I hadn’t been ready. I was still anxious after my last experience, but the more time that passed, the more excited I was about the prospect of having a baby with Bennett. Having him with me at appointments. Watching him take care of a newborn.
When he’d first broached the subject, adding pregnancy to the mix seemed like a lot. He’d just moved in. River had just gotten a puppy. Now that we were happy and settled in, I was ready. I’d already planned to tell him, even before he’d proposed. I didn’t need a ring to know that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Fuck yes.” He pulled my shirt off. “Need you naked. Now.”
I stood and held on to the headboard as he removed my sleep shorts. And then he lifted my leg over his shoulder, spreading me so he could lick and suck and tease me until my legs were shaking. Until I didn’t remember my name, and I didn’t feel anything but him.
He gripped my hips as I slid down onto him, smashing his lips to mine. Our bodies moving in sync. Our hearts connected. Finally, my legs were so shaky that I had to stop.
“I can’t.” I laughed. “My thighs are burning.”
“Turn around and get on your knees.”
“Someone’s awfully bossy tonight.” I grinned, loving it. He smacked my ass, and I laughed.
I clutched the headboard, and he came up behind me, the mattress dipping as he eased into me, bringing our bodies flush. We sighed in unison, and he started rocking. This was when we were at our best—pure love. The ultimate connection.
One of his hands was covering mine, the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer with every thrust. “Fuck, baby. I love seeing my ring on your finger.”
I leaned my head back against his shoulder, turning to kiss his jaw. It was all so intense. The way he spoke to me, touched me, loved me. I cried out, muscles clenching as I tried my best to hold on.
He hissed behind me, and I knew he was close. Especially when he sped up, his movements jerky and uncoordinated.
“Come with me, baby.” He teased my clit with his finger. His breath on my ear. “Come.”
He pumped a few more times, and I closed my eyes to fight the onslaught of pleasure. Bliss. Blinding and endless. I cried out as he emptied himself in me. And then I shattered, spiraling out of control until we both fell onto the bed in a heap of sweaty limbs.
“Best birthday ever,” he said with a smile in his voice.
“Not sure what I’m going to have to do next year to top this,” I teased, my hand resting on his chest, his heart clamoring beneath his skin.
“It wasn’t because of what you did. Though I do appreciate the party and the gifts. It’s because I got to spend it with you.” He kissed me, slow and deep. A kiss full of love.
If it had taken all the awful dates with all the wrong guys to lead me to this man and this moment, then it had been worth it. Fairy tales did exist, and I had my own happily ever after with Bennett.
Chapter Thirty
Four months later
Asher scoffed from beside me, glass of wine in one hand, phone in the other. “Did you see this?”
“See what?” I asked.
