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“So, we’re having a baby, huh?” Rhys questioned.
I laughed. “I guess we are.”
“I think most couples usually start off practicing for parenthood with a dog.”
“Does Angel count?”
Angel was Jake and Abby’s Golden Retriever who rode along with them on their tour bus. I’d helped feed and walk her when I was a nanny.
Rhys chuckled. “Maybe.”
“See. We’re good.”
“I doubt that seriously, but we’ll learn. And with the guys and all their wives, we’ll have plenty of people to get advice from.”
“That’s the truth.”
Jerking his chin at the door, Rhys said, “We should probably go talk to Keira and make it as official as we can until we do the legal stuff.”
With a nod, I slipped my hand in his. I couldn’t believe how quickly our lives had changed since we’d woken up on the tour bus that morning. But it certainly was a wonderful, unexpected blessing.
Rhys
As I rolled through the remains of the colorful wrapping paper while wrestling with my nephews Jax and Cody, I couldn’t imagine a happier time in my life. It wasn’t just about being silly with the kids. It was the way Allison’s family made me feel like I was truly home. Growing up, I’d never experienced Christmases like the ones at Allison’s. There had been fine china and crystal in the formal dining room while my sister and I had been banished to the nursery to eat our turkey and dressing. It didn’t get better as I grew older. Instead, it remained just as cold and sterile. The only warmth came from our nanny and cook.
And then I’d befriended Jake, AJ, and Brayden when we were at Georgia Tech. With their friendship came my entrance into their band, Runaway Train. That’s when I’d gained the family I’d always desired. In turn, each of them made me a member of their own family. It was through Jake that I met Allison. Never would I have imagined his gangly, brace-faced little sister would one day become my wife. The only woman I’d truly ever given my heart and soul to.
When I looked up from the kids, I met her gaze. I winked at her, which sent a beaming smile to her face. God, she was beautiful with her long, dark hair and crystal blue eyes. She’d been gorgeous since the time she turned sixteen. It was a cliché, but she was like a caterpillar immerging from its cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly. Gone were the braces and the awkwardness. The gangly legs were now sexy as hell, and I loved nothing more than having them wrapped around my waist. But the best part of all was how beautiful Allison was on the inside. She had the kindest spirit, sweetest soul, and loving heart. I was a hell of a lucky man that she was mine.
Allison’s sister, Andrea, rose out off of the couch beside her. Eyeing her son and daughter, she clapped her hands together. “Okay guys, it’s time we started packing up. We have to get to Big John and Meme’s by six.”
“Aw, we want to stay here with Uncle Rhys,” Cody whined.
I chuckled at his reaction. “Sorry, Little Man, but Allison and I have to get on the road, too.”
After spending last night with Allison’s parents, we were heading down to Savannah. While my relationship with my parents could be characterized as strained as best, the main reason for going back home was to see my sister, Ellie. We planned on having Santa Claus waiting on her when she came over tomorrow morning. Even though she was thirty-one, she loved Christmas with the same childish abandon as when we were kids.
“Speaking of getting on the road, we better get packed up,” Allison said as she started for the stairs.
After giving each of the kids a quick hug and kiss, I pulled myself up off the floor. While the others worked on cleaning up the mess of wrapping paper and boxes, I went to help Allison. As I turned back to eye the kids one last time, warmth radiated through my chest at the thought that next year Allison and I would have a child of our own.
If you would have told me last Christmas that we’d be expecting a child, I would have laughed in your face. It’s not that I didn’t want children. They were always the “someday” or “one day” that Allison and I talked about. Sure, at thirty-two I wasn’t getting any younger, but Allison was still so young. She was thriving in her fashion design business. It just didn’t seem like the right time.
But sometimes you don’t know what you need until it’s staring right at you. In our case, it was a frightened seventeen-year-old birth mother asking us to be her baby’s parents. I don’t think I’d ever experienced such shock as when Allison told me what Keira had asked her. I was piss-my-pants- scared and fought the urge to run away. I’d spent the last four years of our relationship dealing with the fear I had at becoming a father. At the same time, I knew an opportunity like this didn’t come out of thin air without having a purpose. For Allison and me, it was clear that the universe was ready for us to be parents.
When I entered the bedroom, Allison was bent over the bed. Her luscious ass was on perfect display through her jeans. Although it was the most inopportune moment, my dick instantly hardened. Even after all these years together, she still that effect on me. It probably didn’t hurt that we’d spent the last two weeks apart while I was out on tour, and she was here in Atlanta working on designs.
At the thought of the five-hour car ride ahead of us, I knew I had to have her right here and right now. I crossed the room to get to her in two long strides. Sliding my arm around her waist, I pulled Allison back against me. My free hand went to cup and knead her breast.
She sucked in a harsh breath as her nipple pebbled under my fingers. “What are you doing?”
Dipping my head, I licked a trail up her neck to her earlobe. “Loving my beautiful wife.”
“While I appreciate the sentiment, you do realize it’s broad daylight at my parents’ house?”
“I’m fully aware of when and where we are.”
When my other hand came between her legs, she moaned. “Rhys, we can’t do this right now.”
