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“I’m just not as in demand as their other mommy,” Eden joked. “Neither of them will settle with me.”
“It’s because they don’t like having to fight for arm space. I guess they got enough of that in the womb.”
“Ugh. You’re telling me. It felt like a war zone in there half the time.”
Jos rubbed her eyes, and despite the early hour and the fact that she had a deadline to meet the next morning, she walked with Eden back to the nursery where two very cranky one-year-olds were waiting.
“I’ve already fed them. They’re just crabby that they have to compete for attention. That’s why they try to out-scream each other.”
“I know. I wasn’t kidding about the dual arms thing.”
“We’re spoiling them,” Eden said. “Catering to their every demand.”
“You know what?” Jos winked as she picked Alex out of the crib and rocked him. He folded into her immediately. His sister did the same in Eden’s arms. They were both quiet the minute they were rocked around the nursery. “I couldn’t imagine anything better.”
Eden looked at her wife, then at the two perfect babies they’d created. It was her love, her patience, her desire, her strength, her resilience, the fact that she’d survived everything in her life, and even her eggs for these two children, that had brought them here.
Jos walked the room slowly. She had the magic touch. Eden felt like she was less of a natural mother herself, even though she’d been the one to be pregnant, but she didn’t worry about that either. Jos showed her. Even though Jos hadn’t done it before, she showed Eden. Guided her. Loved her. She was so patient with her. She was the perfect lover. Caring. Kind. Nurturing. Protective. Smart. Witty. And still blazing hot and bossy in the bedroom.
“They’re almost asleep,” Jos whispered a few minutes later. “Should we try to set them down?”
“Setting them down is like throwing a carton of eggs up in the air and trying to catch them before they all fall and smash.”
“You’re right. Okay. A few more minutes.”
“I don’t know if it will make a difference, but thank you for helping get everything under control. You should get some sleep. You’re going to be exhausted tomorrow and you have to finish that story and then we have the charity function.”
The charity gala was in benefit of a women’s shelter. It was just one of the many charities they suppo
rted. Eden’s first book had come out, and as predicted, it had become a best seller. She’d followed it up with another book, filled with stories from her time interviewing and working with the homeless. Then she’d written the hardest thing she ever had to write. Jos’ story. They’d technically written it together, and it was heartbreaking, but it was also beautiful and hopeful because it was their story. It was Jos’ story and then it was theirs. Their life together. Their journey.
Jos still went to therapy every other week, or more as she needed it, and writing the book had been part of that process. Jos had looked up every single one of her adopted and foster siblings. She’d met with two of them in person and talked to the others regularly online. She’d come so far. So freaking far. Eden used to think she was proud of Jos, but proud didn’t even begin to cover it.
One word couldn’t encompass how she felt for this woman. Not even the word love was fully adequate.
“You have that look on your face like you’d really like to lay these babies down so they can hopefully set a new record of sleeping for two and a half hours in a row while we catch up on our sleep before the craziness starts all over, but once we get to the bedroom, you’re going to ditch the idea of sleep because you have other ideas instead.”
Eden stifled a laugh because she didn’t want to wake their sleeping children. “What kind of ideas would those be, wife?”
“The kind that involve a lot of spice and not a lot of sleep.”
“Ooh, I think I could agree with you.” Eden and Jos set the babies in their cribs at the same time and held their breaths.
It looked like they were going to get lucky. There was no crying. No one woke up. No one even so much as twitched. After all that crying, they were both out cold.
As soon as they were back in the room down the hallway, Eden stripped off her clothes. She wasn’t sexy or slow about it. She basically just tore them off and ran for the bed. Sleep was precious these days, but time together was even more so.
The bed was still Jos’ huge one. The house was now both of theirs. They’d painted the walls. Got rid of all of the white. Ordered different furniture. They’d made it a home together. A home that Eden’s parents visited regularly for dinner and even more so now that the babies were here. They loved being grandparents so much.
Jos peeled off her pajamas and switched off the light. She climbed into bed with Eden and wrapped her arms around her. It was a chaste, sweet position, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
“So, about the spice level. I was thinking three hot peppers tonight. With a side of your palm on my bottom,” Eden whispered.
Jos bit down on her shoulder to smother a giggle. “Three hot peppers, hmm?”
“Well, I am sleep-deprived and need a good waking up.”
“I can do that,” Jos said, kissing away the sting of the bite with her sweet lips. “I can definitely do that.”
