Page 15 of Lonesome Man (The Smith Brothers #4)

Tucker

Six months later

The theater was packed, and I wrapped my arm around Libs when I noticed how stiff she was sitting beside me. “Okay, darlin’?”

She looked up at me, her beautiful brown eyes wide, almost alarmed. “I know I wanted to keep this a surprise, but now…I’m scared you’re going to hate it.”

I frowned. “Woman, I am not going to hate your play. Why the hell would you think that?” I whispered as the lights dimmed to signal the play was about to start.

The last six months, from the sale of her script to opening night, she’d kept the details of From Afar a closely guarded secret, wanting tonight to be the first time I learned what it was about, so this sudden show of cold feet was a surprise.

Her hand slid into mine, and she was fucking trembling. “Libs?”

The curtain opened, and I glanced up as a little girl strode out on to the stage, her parents screaming at each other in the background.

“Tilly, get your ass back here now!” the father roared.

Libs squeezed my hand again, and I knew instantly that the play was about her. The little girl ran across the stage and the lights dimmed. When they came back up, only one side of the stage was lit, and we were in an office and the little girl was nervously pacing beside an old two-way radio.

It crackled, and hand shaking, she picked it up. “Hello, this is Tilly, over.”

“Hey, Tilly, you’re speaking to Parker.” The lights on the other side of the stage lit up, revealing a little boy. He smiled wide. “But you can call me Park.”

I blinked down at the stage, my heart in my throat. The story was about us.

When I turned to her, she was staring up at me, still wide-eyed. So nervous. I lifted her hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled down at her. My new wife visibly relaxed and turned to watch her play.

When it finished and we walked out onto the street, I pulled her into my arms.

“What did you think?” she asked and bit her lip.

“I loved it. The only thing I didn’t like was the ending.” It ended with Libs breaking things off, with her alone and in pain, because she’d written the play before she’d landed on my airstrip six months ago, before she changed both of our lives for the better.

“Me too,” she said and curled her arms around my neck. “But I kind of like it this way. The real ending’s just ours.”

She was right, but then Libs was always right. I kissed her, and when I finally lifted my head again, she smiled up at me. “Let’s go home.”

Libby

One year later

The small plane tilted to the side as we made a tight turn, then straightened as Cash expertly lined us up for landing.

I peered out the window, my heart leaping in my chest when I spotted Tuck standing by his truck waiting for me.

The wheels hit the ground, and we bounced along, finally coming to a stop. Tuck was there, opening my door before I’d managed to undo my harness. Sweeping my hands aside, he did it for me, then lifted me out of the plane and wrapped his arms around me in a giant bear hug.

“Missed you, darlin’,” he said against my hair, then lifted his head and planted a kiss on me that had my toes curling.

“I missed you too,” I said, grinning up at him. Three nights was the longest we’d been apart, and I wasn’t in a hurry to repeat it anytime soon.

He put me down, but curled his arm around me, keeping me plastered to his side as we talked to Cash, then waved goodbye as he took off, heading home to his family.

“Have you seen much of our guests?” I asked as he wrapped his hand around mine and led me to the truck.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Not a peep. You were right, it’s the perfect honeymoon location.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he opened my door. “Closing night, that’s big.”

My play had been running off-Broadway for almost a year. It was a huge success, and I couldn’t miss the last show. “It was perfect.”

“Sorry I couldn’t be there, darlin’,” he said, cupping my face.

I shook my head. “You don’t need to be sorry. We have a life here as well, and I’m excited to meet our guests.”

He chuckled. “Not sure you’ll get the chance before they leave tomorrow. Last food delivery I did, I just knocked and left it at the door.”

“Why?”

“There were some seriously R-rated sounds coming out of that cottage. I’m not sure it’s okay for innocent ears,” he said, his hand sliding down to my rounded belly.

“I’ll wear a thick jacket to muffle out the sound,” I said. “The baby won’t hear a thing.”

Tuck laughed, and my heart fluttered in my chest. I still hadn’t gotten used to how goddamned handsome my husband was, and I wasn’t sure I ever would.

“Let’s get you home, so I can feed you,” he said.

“Excellent plan. Cash only had Oreos, and for some reason, they now taste like sawdust. The baby obviously doesn’t like them.”

He chuckled again, gave me another smacking kiss, and helped me into the truck.

A few hours later I was full and warm after the bath that Tuck had run for me, and when I walked out of the bathroom, my belly did some swirling when I saw him lying in bed, his hands behind his head, waiting for me.

His gaze slid down my towel-wrapped body, and the blood in my veins instantly heated.

“You miss me?” he asked, his eyes hot, gorgeous.

“You know I did,” I whispered.

“Were you a good girl while you were away?”

I bit my lip and nodded. “Yes.”

“I’ve been getting you off at least twice a day the last month, you touch yourself, darlin’?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“You want me to make you come, Libs?”

I dropped my towel. “Yes, please.”

His nostrils flared. “What do you want, baby?”

“I just…I just want you inside me.” I climbed onto the bed and crawled over to him. “I want to feel you moving deep inside me.”

He released a ragged breath. “You want to ride your husband?”

I shivered. “God, yes.”

His hands slid to my hips as I climbed on top of him. His hard body beneath mine was perfection, and I ran my hands down his tight stomach, marveling at the ridges of his abs.

His fingers flexed against my flesh. “Christ, darlin’, you’re so fucking beautiful.”

I reached down between us, curled my fingers around his hard cock, and took him deep inside me.

Tucker hissed through his teeth. “Fuck, baby.”

Pressing my hands against his chest, I swiveled my hips, grinding against him. “You feel so good, Tuck. Oh, god, you feel amazing.” I moved faster, riding my husband like I needed to, taking him hard and deep in between wild kisses.

“I missed you so much.” I’d only been away three nights, but I’d hated it. I hated being separated from him.

“Missed you, too, Libs,” he groaned, then cursed. “Gonna come, you keep riding me so hard, darlin’.”

I couldn’t stop, I sure as hell couldn’t slow. His big, rough-skinned hands slid over my hips, my belly, up to my breasts, and he massaged them with another groan. The veins and tendons in his throat, across his chest, strained as he tried to hold his orgasm back.

He didn’t need to, I was already there. Squeezing around him tight, my fluttering pussy stroked his thick cock over and over until I cried out, coming around him and pulling him with me.

Tucker let loose a shout, his hands back on my hips, holding me to him as he ground up, filling me, dragging out my pleasure like he always did.

Not missing how tired I was, my husband quickly sat up, taking my weight, and gathered me in his arms, then laid me carefully on my side.

“Got you, baby,” he said as he spooned me, his warm arms holding me to him. “Love you so much, Libs. I love our life, and I love our baby,” he said as he kissed my shoulder and slid his hand over my belly.

I rolled toward him and cupped the side of his face, smoothing my thumb over his beard.

“I thought I knew what I wanted…” I shook my head.

“I can’t believe I almost missed this, missed this life with you out of fear.

” I pressed my forehead to his. “I love you, too, Tucker Smith, so much that I’m not sure how I breathed without you. ”

“You never have to, darlin’, not ever again.”

The sound of Cash’s plane landing, then taking off again pulled me from my sleep. Our guests leaving from their stay in the cottage. Tuck had obviously slipped out to see them off and let me sleep. I thought about getting up, but instead let myself doze off again.

When I woke next, it was late morning. My trip to the city had taken more out of me than I thought, but I was definitely feeling rested now.

My hand slid over my belly. I’d had a good pregnancy so far, but I’d definitely been tired a lot, more than I thought I should.

It had been worrying me, but after a visit with my midwife while I was in the city, I knew why.

A wide smile curled my lips as I shoved back the covers, as nervous excitement fluttered through me. I had news for my husband, and I planned to tell him tonight. It had been so hard not to blurt it when I first saw him, but I’d managed to hold it back, but I wanted it to be special.

I quickly showered, dressed, and had just finished brushing my hair when I heard a shriek of delight from outside. I spun to the window, and a huge smile instantly curled my lips.

Tucker stood outside with his cousins, Hank, Beau, and Cash, who had his two-year-old daughter on his shoulders, and all four men were struggling with bunches of pink and blue balloons, trying to tie them to the corners of a gazebo, while the kids ran around draping streamers over everything.

What was going on?

The smell of food drifted up from downstairs, followed by excited chatter.

I knew those voices. There was no containing my wide smile as I headed to the kitchen. I was met with delighted laughter when I walked in on Riley, Birdie, and Freya loading plates with food. They rushed me, all taking turns giving me a hug.

“We couldn’t let you get away with not having a baby shower,” Riley said.

“When did you get here?” Tucker had kept this a total secret.

“This morning,” Birdie said, giving me a sweet smile and curled her arm around my shoulders. “Cash flew us all in. He’s been up and down this mountain four times.”

“We’re all staying at the guesthouse,” Freya said. “And wow, it’s stunning. We might have to come more often.”

I grabbed her hand. “I’ll hold you to that.”

They pulled me into the kitchen, then they all grabbed plates, and ushered me out the door.

“Time for food,” Riley said.

Freya grinned. “And presents!”

I followed them out, my heart impossibly full.

I had only known these women a year, but they’d embraced me with open arms. Now I couldn’t imagine life without them in it.

I loved them all like sisters. They’d rallied around when my father passed away, and supported me any way they could when my mother decided to sell the farm, and move to the city.

Hank, Beau, and Cash had taken turns staying here and looking after the animals while we were away for a month helping Mom sort everything out, and move into her new apartment.

And now this.

When I reached the gazebo, Beau pulled me in for a hug. “Hey, honey,” he said.

Cash and Hank were not the hugging type, unless it was their wives and children, but even they both gave me hugs. I was surrounded by examples of what a real husband, a partner, a father should be. These men, my Tucker, were all supportive, loving, strong, yet incredibly gentle mountain men.

My husband curled his arms around me, as our family finished arranging the food and finished putting up the decorations.

He pressed his lips to my forehead. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s perfect.” I looked up at him. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“I’d love to take all the credit, but Birdie, Freya, and Riley were the masterminds.”

My belly fluttering with excited nerves. “This is actually perfect timing.”

“Yeah?”

“Time to eat!” Riley called.

Tuck led me to the table.

“I have a bit of an announcement to make first,” I said instead of taking my seat. I’d been so tired yesterday, and so happy to be home. I’d wanted it to be perfect, special when I shared my news, and you couldn’t get more special than this.

Everyone turned to me and I looked up at Tuck. “You know I had a checkup with the midwife?”

His gaze held mine. “Yeah, you said it all went well.”

I nodded. “It did. But there’s more.”

“More? Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

I nodded. “Yes. That’s exactly what we’re having,” I said and grinned wide.

I saw Beau elbow Hank in the corner of my eye.

Tuck frowned. “Sorry, so are you saying boy or girl?”

“Both.”

“What?” he said, a stunned look on his face.

“The twin gene is seriously strong in this family,” I said and bit my lip.

Hank and Birdie had two sets now. First two girls, then two boys, and Beau and Freya had three boys.

They’d had twins after they’d had Connor.

Cash and Riley were the only ones who hadn’t had twins, at least not yet.

“Are you okay?” I asked, since his mouth was still kind of hanging open.

“Welcome to the club,” Beau said, grinning wide.

“The What is Sleep Again? Club,” Hank added, chuckling.

A huge smile curled Tuck’s lips, then he lifted me off my feet with a deep, rough laugh. “Happy to join,” he said, then kissed me hard grinning down at me. “So fucking happy, darlin’.”

Thank you so much for reading Tucker and Libby’s story! I hope you loved it!

If you enjoyed The Smith Brothers Series, you might enjoy my Rocktown Ink Series!

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