Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
“Done.”
“I’ll continue to work full-time. As a coach.”
“Of course.”
I knew, firsthand, she’d be the best at it.
“And… and… and…” She brought her fingertip to her lips, thinking hard. “I’ll still argue with you constantly. You won’t be able to burrow your way back into my good graces with designer bags.”
“That’s fine. I’ll burrow my way back into your good graces with your favorite things.”
“And what are those?”
“Hard facts and orgasms.”
Farrow sucked in a breath. My heartbeats intensified. Euphoria decanted over me like spring water.
My stupid heart swelled to an impossible size, a balloon about to pop.
Say yes, baby girl. Come on.
A grin crept up her cheeks. Laughter danced across her lips. She swallowed it down.
Finally—finally—she gave me her answer.
“Yes.”
I shot up, scooped her into my arms, and gave her the deepest, hungriest, realest kiss we’d ever shared.
Our friends broke out in cheers, sending the crowd into chaos, too. Everyone around us clapped, whistled, and hollered.
Even the asshole dog started running in circles around us, barking.
“Oh.” Fae giggled into our kiss, snapping her fingers as she remembered something. “I have a dog now.”
“We have a dog now.” I spoke against her lips, refusing to part. And goddammit, we had a dog now.
“Oliver says you hate messes.”
“Only when that mess is Oliver himself.”
She pulled back a little. Her thumb traveled to my neck, brushing right beneath my ear. “I figured out why I love you.”
Our noses touched.
I nuzzled mine against hers as we tried to steady our breaths. “And why is that?
“You’re my home.”
“I figured out why I love you,” I countered.
“And why is that?”
“You make my soul breathe fire, my beautiful dark desire.”
ONE MONTH LATER.
Iwake up to an elbow to the ribs.
Instead of answering, I spoon Farrow from behind, fanning her hair away from my eyes.
“Babe, are you awake?”
With an exhale, I glance at the clock on the nightstand. Five-fifteen in the morning.
Am I awake?
Depends.
Am I awake to hear Octi tell me Mom begged her—again—to consider a New York wedding, though Fae clearly wants to stay in Potomac?
No. That can wait until morning.
But am I awake for a third round of taking my fiancée against the shower wall?
Why, yes.
After all, hygiene is my passion.
Farrow reaches for the nightstand and snatches her vibrating phone. Her brows furrow at the screen.
“Zach.” She elbows me harder, eliciting a small grunt. “Tell me you’re awake.”
I close my eyes, squeezing her closer to my chest. I have a good guess at what she’s about to say, and I don’t want to get out of bed for it.
In fact, I’d be happy to keep doing what we’ve been doing the past month. Not leaving the house.
Every time Dallas comes to drag Farrow to a girls’ night, I fight the urge to hook a donut to a fishing rod and shepherd her back onto the road like a sheep.
“Zach.” Octi swivels in my arms, tracing a fingertip down my nose. “Wake up.”
I keep my eyelids glued shut.
“This isn’t funny.”
No response.
“Let’s have sex.”
My eyes shoot open. I pounce on her, covering every inch of her face with kisses.
“You horn dog.” She giggles, wriggling away from my embrace. “Dallas is having the baby. We need to get to the hospital now.”
“Why? We weren’t the ones to get her pregnant.”
I kiss my way down her neck, cupping her breast and bringing the nipple to my mouth.
We sleep naked for obvious reasons. There hasn’t been a single night where we haven’t woken up—sweaty and needy—to have sex, just to remind each other that we can.
Now that I no longer fear touching, it’s my societal duty to make up for lost time.
Fae rolls away and leaps to her feet. “It’s an emergency meeting.”
I prop my head on my fist, watching her from our bed.
She plucks her underwear and bra from the floor, pausing to add, “Dallas said she wants everyone to be there, so we can finalize the name.”
“I couldn’t care less if she wants to name him after her favorite restaurant.” Farrow shoots me a warning glare. My smile drops. “No, she doesn’t.”
“She does.” She winces, striding to the walk-in closet, only to return with an oversized gray sweatshirt and a pair of mom jeans that still somehow make her look like a model. “In her defense, the restaurant’s name is Antonio’s.”
I stare at her, grinning. Just watching her exist is enough to get my rocks off.
She buttons her jeans and tilts her head sideways. “Zachary.”
“Ma’am?”
“Put your clothes on. We’re going to the hospital.”
“I don’t even like Dallas,” I lie.
She’s fine, I guess.
For a human.
Farrow grabs her backpack, flinging it over her shoulder. “You like me, though.”
“I don’t like you, Farrow Ballantine. I’m fucking obsessed with you.”
The steady beep, beep, beep of the hospital machines echoes down the corridor of the maternity wing.
Fae’s sneakers squeak against the linoleum floor. She clutches the box of donuts tighter to her chest, racing faster than the situation requires.