Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
She moved into his arms. “Just tired.”
He held her and she wondered if it was for the last time.
Chapter Thirteen
Brody put Nate down, laying him in the crib. “We’ve got to get him into a routine. The last few nights we’ve put him down late.”
“Or early. Depends on your perspective,” Steph said quietly. “He’s still on African time. He’s also very young. He sleeps most of the day. The fact that he was awake at the club and had attention and affection won’t hurt him. It means he might sleep a little later in the day. Kids are quite resilient at this age. As long as they have loving human contact they can get through almost anything.”
There was something about the set of her shoulders that worried him. She wasn’t relaxed and she hadn’t been for hours. He strode over to her, wishing they were back in the training room when everything had seemed perfect and possible.
“Do you want to talk about it, luv? We could go to the kitchen and I’ll fix us some tea.”
She shook her head. “I just made a pot of coffee for Declan and Shane. I got Tucker some, too. I honestly don’t want any tea.”
He wanted to talk, but maybe they needed sleep more. In the morning, she might be willing to tell him what she was afraid of. “All right. Let’s go to bed, but you need to understand that I’m going to take care of you.”
She glanced at the clock. “I wonder why you didn’t go to that meeting. I get why I’m not there, but I would think if Big Tag and Anya’s brother wanted to talk about how they’re going to take down de Vries, you should be in on that.”
He sat down on the bed in front of her. It was oddly comfortable to share a room with her, like something had finally drifted into place and he was where he should have been all along. “My place is here with you and Nate. Big Tag can take care of Fedor. It’s his job and why we’re here in the first place.”
“I thought we were here because Li and Avery are my only friends.”
There was something up with her and he couldn’t put his finger on it. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside while he considered the problem. “You have more friends than you know. And if you had come to England and this was all going down at The Garden, I would still be going to bed with you. I would let Damon handle the big stuff because my main job in life now is to make sure you and Nate are safe and happy.”
She moved closer, placing herself squarely between his legs, her hands on his shoulders. “I believe you.”
His hands found her hips, eager to recapture the intimacy they’d lost earlier. “Good, because I mean it. I was a blind fool, Steph. I never should have left you much less allowed so much time to go by. You need to know that every single day we were apart, I thought about you. I never stopped.” He picked her up and rolled her over on to the bed, putting her on her back. It was exactly where he liked her to be. On her back with her legs spread, welcoming him home. “I have a lot to make up for. I wonder how I can do that.”
She frowned. “Brody…”
Damn it. He was being a selfish git. She was probably sore and tired and he was forcing himself on her. He started to roll off her, but her hands came up, holding him in place.
“Don’t go.” She looked up at him with clear eyes. Such innocent eyes. “I wasn’t trying to stop you. I wanted to switch things up a little. I know we have our places in the bedroom, but I want to look at you this time. I couldn’t see you tonight except in the mirror and while that was hot as hell, I want to be the top. Is that okay?”
She wanted a bit of control, did she? He leaned over, kissing her nose before easing off the bed. “I think I can handle that. What do you want from me?”
She sat up, a gleam in her eyes that satisfied him immensely. “You, naked on this bed.”
That he could definitely do. There was something about the way she ate him up with her eyes that made him feel like he was ten feet tall. He kicked out of his slacks and tossed them aside gently. Every move he made required patience because Nate was sleeping mere feet away.
When he got her back to The Garden, Nate would have his own room and his parents could have some freedom. Well, as much freedom as an infant allowed. He loved the idea of moving her into his flat, waking up with her every morning. If they decided they needed more room or more privacy, they could look around at the pretty walk-ups in Chelsea. Somewhere close, so even when he was out in the field, she would have people she could rely on.