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Sadie licked her lips, drawing Joel’s attention to their plumpness, a slight swelling caused by their kisses. “The idea of becoming a mother still terrifies me, but I want a baby. Desperately.”

Joel breathed out a long sigh. “Thank God.”

She ran her hand down his upper arm as if she was unable to be so close and not touch him. Joel understood the feeling.

“I want this to stick. I’ve never felt this happy,” she admitted.

Oakley found a smooth rock near the edge of the water. He scooted over to it, leaning back with his hands behind his head. Joel rolled his eyes at his friend’s lord-of-the-manor pose. “It’s smooth sailing from here on out. I got a good feeling about this.”

Sadie raised one eyebrow. “Do you? Are you forgetting who my father is?”

Oakley frowned. “I say we wait a few dozen years before we tell Mr. Milligan about us.”

Sadie shook her head. “Sorry to break it to you, but he already knows.”

Though it was dark outside, Joel could swear he saw Oakley go pale in the moonlight.

“He knows about both of us? And you?” Oakley asked.

Joel recalled his mother’s comment about keeping Oakley grounded. He suspected his mom would have some help in that area. Mr. Milligan was going to kick their asses.

“Yep. He wants the two of you to stop by some time so he can show you his gun collection.”

Sadie laughed and the sound set Joel at ease. While he didn’t pretend for one second her dad was okay with what they were doing, something in Sadie’s face told him that—like his mom—her father was going to try to accept it.

Even so, Joel said, “I’m never going to your dad’s house.”

Sadie winced at that. “You may have to reconsider that if…” She paused, clearly searching for a word. “If future events work out in a way that may or may not be in our favor.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Joel asked.

Sadie crinkled her nose. “It means my dad has the hots for your mom. He plans to ask her out.”

Oakley’s eyes widened in true terror. “Jesus Christ. We can’t let that unholy union form. If they combine forces, I’m a dead man.”

Joel didn’t reply as he let Sadie’s words soak in. Then he felt…happy. “I think that could actually work.”

Sadie and Oakley gave him matching astonished glances.

“Seriously?” Sadie asked.

“Yeah.” The more Joel thought about it, the more he hoped it did. “Yeah. I think they’d be really good for each other.”

Oakley remained unconvinced. “I think the blood flow hasn’t returned to your head yet. It’s obviously still pooling around in your crotch.”

Joel splashed Oakley, and the dirty bastard that lived in his cock actually responded to the word crotch. If the water weren’t so cold, he suspected he’d already be fully erect.

“Like I said. Lots of shit to figure out. Let’s put it all on the back burner for tonight. What do you say we go get hot and sweaty again?” Joel suggested.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Sadie said as she rose from the water, the drops sparkling in the moonlight as they slid along her silky skin.

Oakley clasped hands with Sadie, the two of them heading back to the bunkhouse. Joel was slower to follow.

He’d done it. Somehow he’d come out of the red zone and scored the biggest win of his life.

“Joel?” Sadie called out from somewhere in the darkness. “You lost?”

He was. Completely. Head over heels lost.

Joel stepped out of the water and onto the path. “I’m coming.”