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Have we waited too long?

Has she changed her mind about children?

“What’s this?” Carter plucks a tiny green onesie from the coffee table and holds it up. The contrast between the baby clothing and his powerful hands wrenches something in my soul.

That’s nothing compared to what Poppy blurts. “Our son or daughter’s first outfit.”

I only realize I’ve dropped to my knees when the floor smacks them, jarring me from my shock.

Knox rushes toward me. So does Poppy.

My face tucks against her belly, so I kiss the barest hint of a bump I can feel through the thin cotton of her dress. Over and over.

She spears the fingers of one of her hands into my hair, and the other in Knox’s. Both of us worship her and the precious gift she’s given us.

Yet when I look up, she’s starting straight at Carter.

He’s still several feet away.

Frozen.

His face unreadable.

If he fucks this up for us, I’ll never forgive him.

CHAPTER 19

Poppy

“You’re pregnant?” Carter’s gone utterly still.

“Are you mad?” I hold my breath without daring to so much as blink while I attempt to decipher his expression.

Everything I want is right here, in arm’s reach. Did I blow it?

I should have told them sooner. I was just…scared.

“No.” Carter crosses to us in a couple of long strides and cups my face in his trembling hands. “I only have one question.”

I swallow hard. “Yeah?”

“Can we fuck you senseless right now or will it hurt our baby?”

A laugh flies from my chest as my heart expands to take up all the room inside me. “In my professional opinion, it’s totally fine.”

“Good because I’ve never needed someone as much as I need you right now.” There it is, the Carter I fell for even if I only suspected he was the sort of beast I could grow to love.

“You feel well enough?” Aiden, my sweet prince charming, bristles as if he’ll fight Carter off if I need him to.

I don’t.

“Never better now that you three are here.” Tears stream down my face.

“Those are happy tears, right?” Knox swipes them away.

“I can’t believe you understand me so well. That you want what I do.” I nod, sending more droplets cascading down my cheeks. “Yes, they’re the happiest.”

“Still.” He uses his shirt to dab the moisture away. “Don’t let Gunner see, or he’ll have Kane kick our asses.”