Page 46 of Juan

Daphne’s gaze softened. “I hear you. But the baggage we each carry always affects those closest to us. Not always in bad ways, though. I mentioned it the other day, but maybe find a therapist who can help all of you with this massive shift.”

Amber considered the suggestion, then nodded. Everything was happening so fast, she hadn’t given it any serious thought, but she would.

“And talk to Juan,” Daphne continued. “If you have questions or concerns about how to make it all work, I can assure you, he does, too. It might be a hard conversation and maybe even a messy process, but the two of you will figure something out. You might try a few different things along the way, but if it’s important, you’ll figure it out.”

The man in question walked in at that moment, followed by North and Scipio. His gaze scanned the room, then landed on her. A small smile touched his lips. One she answered with her own.

“They look like they were up to something,” Daphne murmured. Amber shifted her attention to Scipio and North, then studied all three of them. They each wore a look of sly satisfaction, as if they’d gotten away with something. Or were planning something.

“You’re right,” Amber replied. “And judging by the way North and Scipio aren’t looking at me, it’s probably something they don’t want me to know.”

Daphne leaned in. “Good thing you have the ability to persuade Juan. I’m not saying he’s malleable—none of the Falcons are. But a night of good loving, from the woman he loves, might convince him to share the details.”

The word love tripped through Amber’s head. She didn’t want to label what lay between her and Spencer; she just wanted to feel it, experience it. But Daphne wasn’t wrong. Not that Spencer needed sex to loosen his tongue, or that he’d be reluctant to talk with her about anything that concerned her or Zoe. But a subtle (or not so subtle) reminder of their connection wouldn’t go amiss.

“On that note, I think it might be time to tuck in for the night,” she said. “Zoe wakes early.” They both rose.

“And you have orgasms to experience,” Daphne added, drawing everyone’s attention. Amber closed her eyes and exhaled. When she opened them, all five men were still grinning.

“I swear to god, Daphne…” she muttered under her breath.

Daphne chuckled, unabashed, as Lovell and Superman put their cues away and walked over, reaching them at the same time as Spencer, who wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her temple. Scipio and North veered toward the bedroom wing, raising a hand in a goodnight gesture as they headed to their rooms.

“What do you think about taking a boat out tomorrow?” Lovell suggested, lifting Daphne’s hand and kissing it before looping it around his forearm. “We could stop at Charley and Joey’s store and pick up one of those baby life jackets.”

“It’s supposed to be a nice day,” Spencer said. “The water will still be cold, but we can take Clara and Adrian around the lake. Maybe stop at the Pier for lunch?” he suggested, referring to a boat-up restaurant at the south end of the lake.

“Clara and Adrian have an appointment with the lawyer in the morning, but maybe after that?” Amber said. She’d have to check with the two women, but a day on the water, away from murdering exes and legalizing her daughter’s status, sounded like a good idea. And truth be told, there wasn’t much for her to do at this point. Her lawyer was doing his thing while HICC did theirs. She could either sit around the clubhouse and make herself crazy or get out and enjoy the day.

Choices, Daphne had said. There’d be a lot of them in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. But this was one she could make now.

“Sounds like a plan,” she said.

Spencer smiled. “I’ll call in the morning and reserve a boat for after Zoe’s morning nap. We can feed her a snack when she wakes up, then head out for a late lunch at the Pier?”

Everyone nodded, and after hugs goodbye and goodnight, Superman headed to his room, Lovell and Daphne home, and Spencer, still holding her hand, trailed her up the stairs to her room.

When the door closed behind them, Spencer spun her around, sank his fingers through her hair and kissed her. In what felt like the next beat of her heart, they were both naked on her bed, her wrists held in one of his hands as he kissed and nipped his way down her body. Neither spoke as their skin slid against each other, as their hands touched and danced over the other’s bodies. And when he finally entered her, desperation and need twisted and coiled, fueled by his confidence, fed the connection between them. A connection so taut with trust, with desire, with hope that as one, they cried out the other’s name when their release crashed through their bodies, echoing through each other, leaving them both shaken and well sated.

Pleasure still hummed through Amber’s body when Spencer returned from the bathroom and gathered her in his arms. Tucking her head in the space below his shoulder, she wrapped an arm around his torso. His lips touched her head, and his fingers combed through her hair.

“Did you have a good catch-up with Daphne?” he asked, his voice muted in the darkness.

She didn’t want to leave this moment of peace, but tomorrow would be busy and she might not have a chance to talk with him. And she didn’t want to put off the subject too long. She and anxiety were well acquainted and no doubt, whatever stories and catastrophes her mind started spinning about how complicated their future might be would be way worse than anything they’d talk about.

“We did. I don’t know how to do all this, Spencer,” she said. “I don’t know how to make it work.”

His body tensed under her.

“Make what work, exactly?” he said, his voice no longer sated and warm.

She shifted, raising her head to look at him. In the dark, his green eyes held a wary shadow. She replayed what she’d said, wondering what put that look there, then frowned.

“I started that conversation midway through the one happening in my head,” she said.

“I don’t know what that means, Amber.” His fingers stopped moving.

“It means that in my head, we’d already started a conversation about how we’re going to navigate my new job and Zoe and all the changes we need to consider. In my head, I’d reached the point where I admitted that I didn’t know how to make it all work for us and I’m hoping you have some ideas.”