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“If I ever get my hands on that fucker,” Finn threatened.
“As much as I love this protective side of you, promise me you won’t do anything to jeopardize our life?”
He shook his head. “Never. I’m not going anywhere this time.” He kissed her temple. “I’ll be here to protect you . . . and the baby.”
She met his gaze. He hadn’t really brought up the child growing in her womb, choosing more to act like it wasn’t happening. “Do you want to come to my next appointment and find out what we’re having?”
His eyes lit up. “Yeah—I mean, if you’re okay with that.”
She smiled. “I’d love for you to be there.” She placed his hand on her belly, studying his reaction.
Finn’s eyes focused on her bump with part apprehension and part curiosity. “It feels like I woke up in someone else’s life, and it’s a good life—don’t get me wrong—but it doesn’t feel like my life. Do you know what I mean?”
Charli nodded and dropped her attention to the scuff on the wooden floor, trying not to let him see the disappointment in her expression.
Finn’s finger lifted her chin so she had no other choice but to face him. “But I want this life. I want . . . you. I want to be the Finn you married. The one you made this baby with. It’s just gonna take me some time to get there.”
Her chest squeezed tight. “That makes me happier than you know.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, his arms wrapping around her.
“We’re in this together,” she promised.
“Together,” he repeated before his lips slid over hers, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth.
She coasted her palm up his thigh, his hand wrapping over hers and placing it where he needed her touch most. His cock pressed against the zipper of his pants. He groaned when she slid her fingers over him and deepened the kiss.
She giggled and pulled back. “We have to be at the bar in thirty minutes, and I still have to shower.”
“We can shower together and save water?” He moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
“Something tells me that won’t make it any faster.” She laughed.
He traced the edge of her smile. “I love when you laugh. Your whole face lights up, and everything seems right in that moment.”
She sucked in a breath, his sweet words hitting her like a punch to the chest. “Well, I do know the bosses pretty well. I think they’d understand if we were a teeny bit late.” She bit her lip.
He smirked. “Then I’d better get to it.” Finn pressed his mouth to hers as happiness swirled and dipped in her belly like millions of lightning bugs buzzing with hope and anticipation. Emotion welled in her heart. It was some of the old, and a lot of new. But one thing was for certain—she was falling in love with this man all over again.
* * *
An hour later, Charli sliced the limes as Mason came up behind her with fresh ice.
“How’s everything going?” he asked before dumping it into the ice box.
“Good.” She scanned the room. Finn was helping the band for the night set up on the stage.
Mason tipped his head. He was a man of few words—and they were usually gruff. He looked more like a lumberjack—tall and broad with a big beard and half of his face badly scarred. But when you got to know him, he was just a big teddy bear underneath.
“It’s actually going really well. Finn always has an adjustment period when he comes back from deployment where he’s off for a while before he levels out. That’s sort of what this feels like. But this time has been so different.”
“I’m happy to hear it’s going better. I’m here if you guys need anything.”
“Thanks, Mason.”
“No problem.”
The doors opened and customers filed in. By ten that night the place was at full capacity. The band was doing a cover of “Dangerous Game” by Klergy. The drumbeats blasted as she weaved through the crowd to deliver another round of drinks. Setting the cocktails around the table, she yelled to the girl who had ordered them, “Enjoy!”
