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“The house. I saw it go up for auction and I bought it. About half a year after I joined the club.”

“You still own it?”

“Yeah. I’ve never stepped foot in it. Have kept it rented out. But it’s mine.”

“Did your mother know it was you?”

“Doubt it. She was so fucked up at the time. Still is, from what I can gather.”

“You’ve never wanted to go back?”

“Never really even thought about it.” I just knew I wanted it, that it was a part of my past that I needed to, I dunno, have control over now that I was an adult.

“Well, you always have the option, which is nice,” Zoe said.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“I knew you had to have some kind of history with babies. You’ve been so good with Lainey.”

“She’s an easy baby.”

“She adores you.”

“The feeling is mutual,” I admitted.

And whether or not I was ready to admit it, I fucking felt the same way about Zoe.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Zoe

That first day had been emotionally intense but also light and fun.

Coast and I talked for over two hours while Lainey took a nap. Then, when she was up again, we took her around the property, letting her see the tortoise and the trucks across the street, dipping her feet into the pool, letting everyone steal and entertain her for a while.

That night, there was no talking about it.

Coast and I just changed for sleep, then climbed in bed together.

And sometime in the darkest part of the night, I woke up to his hands sliding up my belly, his body crooked into mine, his hardness pressed against my ass.

His hands teased under my shirt, getting my desire to a fever pitch.

And then, under the sheets, he was lowering my shorts and panties down, then sliding into me from behind. A long, fluid movement.

There was nothing hard or impatient then.

It was all soft sighs and gentle touches.

Our bodies moved together, our need grew, but it was more than that.

It was sweet and passionate, full of the deeper connection we’d forged since letting each other in on our pasts.

We seemed to move together for hours before coming together.

Then, afterward, we fell back to sleep with our bodies entwined until Lainey eventually demanded we wake up.

The next day, some part of me wanted to just hang around the clubhouse, enjoying the new company, making sneaking away for more alone time with Coast.