AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She gets this mischievous little smirk on her face, the one that makes me wanna flip her over, slap her ass, grab a fistful of her hair, and ride her into next week. “I’ll only say yes if you fuck me until I can’t stand.”
“Mmm…” I drag my nose along her collarbone, nipping at the dip in her shoulder. My lips trail over her jaw, up to her ear. “You want me to carry you everywhere?”
“I am pregnant, so…”
“Fuck yes you are.” Now I do flip her over.
Tearing her sorry excuse for a shirt off her body, I lick up her spine, enjoying the goosebumps that dot her skin, the shiver that shakes her. I slide my hands into her pajama shorts, dragging them down her hips, over the swell of her ass. Gripping the base of my cock, I pull it out of my shorts, rubbing the tip through her soaking slit. Always ready for me.
Gripping her neck, I whisper, “With my baby,” before I slam into her.
And once I’ve had my fill—which is actually entirely impossible, because we go three times and I still want her—Claire rolls out of bed, a sweaty, wobbly mess. I watch her stop in front of the full-length mirror, hands on her belly.
I step up behind her, covering her hands with mine, my chin on her shoulder. “Where is he? You’re so tiny.”
Giggling, she lifts my fingers to her mouth, kissing each one. “I won’t show for a while, but I can’t wait, even if I’ll look like a beachball. Or a beached whale,” she adds with the crinkle of her cute nose. She tips her head over my shoulder, beaming up at me. “I can’t wait to see part of you growing in me.”
Christ, I’ve never heard anything better.
I hug her so tight, hoping like hell she can feel how much I love her, how she owns every bit of my heart, how I’ll never go anywhere without her by my side.
And ten minutes later, when we’re finally decent enough to join everyone else out in the living room, including Harper and Wyatt, who drove down together Monday afternoon, I can’t fucking help it.
I sweep my arms out, garnering every single bit of attention in that room while Claire drops her forehead to her hand and mutters out an oh no.
“I’m gonna be a fucking dad!”
***
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Avery
I’m groggy when I wake up, the warm body I’m draped over squirming, vibrating in my hold. I’m marginally aware of the sweat coating her skin as she slides against my hold, which is kind of Claire’s new normal. She’s always hot. It’s also the end of August now and I’m wrapped around her like a burrito because heaven forbid I give her any free space while we sleep.
Also, we stayed at her dad’s last night, and her childhood bed is fucking tiny.
Still, Claire starts turning in my arms, whimpering, so I twist around her, watching her face, the deep furrow of her brows. Her lips part on a sigh, a small cry pushing past, puffing out against my face.
“Dad,” she whispers, clutching at my shoulder.
My heart breaks for her in this moment, so I bury my fingers in her hair and press my lips to her forehead. She’s been doing well, as well as can be expected. She misses her dad like crazy, of course, but she’s managed to spend the last three weeks focusing on all the happy memories they shared. She smiles often and laughs, telling me stories every day, but there are days I catch her sitting on the balcony, just staring off into the distance, silent tears slipping down her cheeks.
The week after Gavin died, I sent Claire, Casey, and Vivi off to the cottage. My heart ached watching her go, but I knew they needed each other. They needed a break from the noise, this wild world. On the third day, Claire called in reinforcements.
And so we all went. Me, Charlee, Dex, Harper, Wyatt, and my parents. And the animals. God, the animals. There’s far too many.
When we got there, and Vivi came running down the driveway, jumping into everyone’s arms, all Claire and Casey could say was that they wanted their family there.
“Mom,” Claire gasps suddenly. “Mom, wait. Please don’t—” She rockets up in bed, right out of my arms, breathless and wheezing, her cheeks flushed pink. I watch her eyes move around the room like she’s taking in her surroundings, coming down, remembering where she is.
Sometimes, waking up is the hardest part for Claire. Because it’s when she realizes it was a dream, and now it’s over. She never knows when she’ll see her parents again, when they’ll visit her. But they always come back.
Her emerald gaze locks with mine and tears start sliding furiously down her cheeks. She clutches at her chest, right where her heart is, right where it hurts, and reaches for me with her other hand. I take her into my arms, kissing up every cool trail on her warm cheeks.
“Tell me about it,” I murmur against her hair.
She loves to talk about her dreams. They’re new memories for her, memories they’re making together, despite the distance, despite the fact that her parents aren’t here, even though they’ll always be with her.
