Page 44 of The Decoy

The sight hits me in the gut, and a surge of possessive heat rushes through me.

I lean forward, sliding my hands up her inner thighs toward her center. Using my thumb, I catch a drop at her opening and push it back inside her, sliding deep into her tight cunt to pack my seed right back where it belongs.

Ellis gasps, her back arching off the bed, and I feel her walls clench around my thumb. “Brody!”

“Stay right there,” I growl, my voice gravelly, as I work another slow push, making sure every drop stays inside my girl. “This is mine. It belongs inside of you.”

She swallows hard, a sassy spark flashing in her eyes as her pussy clamps down around my thumb again. “You possessive, Vaughn?”

“I am now,” I say, pulling my thumb out but running it up to circle her clit, then I lean down to capture her lips in a deep kiss.

The thought of me getting her pregnant and carrying my baby takes hold of my thoughts, and yeah…I want that someday.

It makes my dick twitch, like he’s ready for round two, but Ellis is tired, and unless she reaches for me, I need to let my girl rest.

After a few more minutes of our tongues tangling, I move to the edge of the bed, stand, and go grab a cloth from the bathroom to clean us up so we don’t fall asleep sticky. After I’m done, I toss the cloth over the side of the bed and pull the duvet cover over our naked bodies, pulling her into my side.

The dogs pad into the room a few minutes later and settle together at the foot of the bed. Like it’s something they’ve always done.

Ellis rests her head on my chest, her arm wrapping around my waist, her hand resting over my heart. Her breathing is slow and relaxed now.

I pull her closer, my fingers lazily tracing patterns over her bare shoulder, my chin resting on the top of her head.

“Ellis?” I tilt my head, speaking softly.

“Hmm?” she mumbles, shifting slightly against my side.

I turn my head, pressing a kiss to her temple, letting my hands run up and down her side, my fingertips grazing her bump.

“I know this is all happening at warp speed,” I say, the truth lingering in the room. “Timing is a bit insane, honestly, and I know neither of us planned for any of this, but…”

Ellis stays quiet, listening, her hand sliding over mine on her side.

“I care about you so much,” I continue, my voice unwavering. “More than I’ve ever cared about anything or anyone in my entire life. I meant what I said to your family. I’ll be here for the baby, but I want to be with you. I want to wake up with you in the middle of the night for feedings. I want to be your partner, but also your home.”

Ellis sits up, the duvet falling down to her waist, revealing her skin. She looks at me, her eyes swimming with emotion, but her mouth curves into the sweetest, most breathtaking smile I’ve ever seen.

She reaches out, her fingers framing my stubbled jaw, her thumb brushing over my lower lip.

“I really care about you too, Brody,” she says. “True, the timing is strange, but I want to be with you too.”

She leans down, pressing her lips against mine in a long, tender kiss that makes my entire soul settle.

When she pulls back, she lays her head back down on my chest, her hand intertwining with mine over her stomach.

“I want this,” she murmurs, closing her eyes as I play with her hair, “I’m ready for this with you.”

I brush her still-wet hair over her shoulder and pull her completely flush against my body, holding my entire world against me as we slowly drift off to sleep.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Brody

My house is always quiet in January, but the week after a playoff loss usually means pulling down blinds, watching game film to see what I could have done better, ice packs melting on the kitchen counters, and restless aches reminding me that another season ended without a ring. A dark, brooding space where I lick my wounds and wait for all my bruises to heal.

This year, the silence is broken at six a.m. by the clicking of eight paws versus four against the hardwood.

Buck comes down the stairs, followed by Oshie, where they’d been sleeping at the foot of the master bed, and they trot straight to the kitchen. Buck rests his snout on the edge of my knee that I have resting on a barstool, letting out an expected huff.