Page 47 of Reluctantly Ever After (The Oops Baby Club #2)

In our bedroom he sets me on the edge of the bed with a gentleness that's kind of shocking coming from a guy with arms like his. It's like watching a grizzly bear handle a teacup.

"Arms up," he commands softly, and I comply, letting him pull the dress over my head. His sharp intake of breath as he takes in my lace-covered breasts sends a flash of satisfaction through me.

"When did you get this?" His fingers trace the edge of my black maternity bra, the only sexy underwear I could find that doesn't look like something my grandma would wear.

"Last week." I arch into his touch. "Thought you might appreciate something that isn't beige and ugly as hell."

"I appreciate everything you wear," he says, his voice dropping to that gravelly register that makes me shiver. "And everything you don't wear."

His hands slide around to unclasp my bra, his movements practiced now after months of undressing me. When my breasts spill free, heavier and fuller than they've ever been, he groans.

"Christ, look at you." His thumbs brush over my nipples, which have gotten darker during this pregnancy. "Fucking gorgeous."

"I'm the size of a whale," I protest, but without much conviction. It's hard to feel unattractive when Kasen looks at me like this—like I'm some kind of fertility goddess instead of an exhausted pregnant woman with a popped out belly button and cellulite on my ass.

"You're perfect," he corrects, kneeling to help me out of my underwear. "You're growing our son. Do you have any idea how fucking hot that is?"

I laugh, the sound breathy as his hands slide up my thighs. "I might have some idea, based on how often you want to fuck me."

"Can you blame me?" His mouth trails across my collarbone, down to the swell of my breast. "My beautiful wife. Carrying my baby. Your tits getting bigger every day."

I gasp as his mouth closes around one sensitive nipple. "Kasen?—"

"I know, Pink. Gentle." His tongue swirls, the pressure light. "Tell me if it's too much."

But it's not too much. It's perfect—the scrape of his scruff against my oversensitive skin, the warmth of his mouth, the way his fingers dig into my thighs. My hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.

When he pulls back, I whimper at the loss. "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere." He stands just long enough to strip off his own clothes, revealing the body I've come to know as well as my own. The tattoos that flow across his skin, telling stories I've learned to read in the dark with my fingertips. The muscles that flex under my hands as he moves back to the bed.

"How do you want this?" he asks, always conscious of my comfort these days. "Side? You on top?"

"Side," I decide, already turning away from him. "You behind me."

He settles against my back, one arm sliding beneath me, the other draped over my hip. His erection presses against my lower back, hot and hard. When his fingers slide between my thighs, finding me already wet for him, the growl that resonates from his chest vibrates through my entire body.

"Always so ready for me," he murmurs against my neck. "Is this what growing my baby does to you? Makes you wet all the time?"

"Don't get cocky," I manage, but my body betrays me as I push back against him. "It's just hormones."

"Bullshit." His teeth graze my earlobe. "You've wanted me since Vegas. Maybe even before."

I can't deny it, not when he's working his fingers between my legs like a pro, circling my clit in the way he's learned drives me crazy. "Maybe," I concede.

"Definitely." He shifts, aligning himself at my entrance before pushing in with agonizing slowness. "God, you feel so good around me. So wet every fucking time."

I gasp as he fills me, the angle allowing him deeper. "Kasen, please."

"Please what?" His voice is strained, fighting for control. "Tell me what you need."

"You know what I need."

"Say it." He thrusts into me, but it’s too slow and not hard enough. "I want to hear you say it."

"I need you to fuck me," I breathe. "Hard."

His rhythm falters for just a moment. "You sure? The baby?—"

"Is fine," I assure him, reaching back to grip his hip. "Reed said we can still have sex. I want it."

That's all the permission he needs. His next thrust is harder, deeper, his arm tightening around me as he establishes a rhythm that has me gasping his name.

His free hand slides up to cup my breast, thumb and forefinger rolling the nipple just tight enough to send sparks of pleasure-pain straight to my core.

"So fucking perfect," he groans against my shoulder. "I can’t wait to suck on these when your milk comes in."

I moan at his words, my body clenching around him. He knows exactly what that kind of talk does to me, how it ignites something primal and desperate in my veins.

"You like that?" His voice is rough against my ear. "Like knowing you're mine? That I put our baby in you? That I’ll put another one in you as soon as this one’s done?"

"Yes," I gasp as his fingers find my clit again. "Yes, fuck—Kasen?—"

"That's it," he urges, his movements growing more urgent. "Come on my cock. Show me how much you love being full of me."

The orgasm hits without warning, crashing over me in waves that have me crying out his name, my body clenching around him as pleasure ripples from my core to my fingertips. He follows moments later, his groan muffled against my shoulder as he pulses inside me.

We stay connected as our breathing slows, his arm still around me, his hand on my belly where our son has gone suspiciously quiet, as if lulled to sleep by our activities.

"Think we scarred him for life?" I ask when I can finally speak again.

Kasen laughs, the sound rumbling through both of us. "Nah. He's safe in there. Besides, this is how he got here in the first place."

"Not exactly," I remind him, shifting to face him as he slips out of me. "As I recall, it involved a lot more tequila and an Elvis impersonator."

His smile is soft in the dim light. "Best mistake I ever made."

"Was it, though?" I trace the lines of a tattoo on his hand. "A mistake?"

He catches my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. "Maybe not. Maybe it was exactly what was supposed to happen."

I settle against him, my head on his chest, my belly pressing against his side. "You think we were inevitable?"

"I think we were too stubborn to see what was right in front of us." His fingers card gently through my hair. "It just took tequila to make us pay attention."

"And a baby," I add, placing his hand on my stomach where Summit has resumed his workout.

"And a baby," Kasen agrees, his expression softening as he feels the movement. "Hey, Summit. You wanna hear the story of how your mom and dad got together?"

"Oh god," I groan. "Are we really going to tell him that?"

"He should know," Kasen insists with a grin I feel more than see. "It's a great story."

"Fine." I roll my eyes, but can't help smiling. "But I'm telling my version."

"Which is?"

"Once upon a time," I begin theatrically, "there was a brilliant, beautiful, badass woman who made the grave error of drinking too much tequila at a craft beer convention and woke up married to her very annoying mortal enemy."

"Annoying?" Kasen's eyebrows shoot up. "I prefer 'devastatingly handsome' and 'extremely talented.'"

"Shh, I'm telling the story." I place my hand over his lips. "As I was saying, she woke up married to this man who made mid IPAs and had terrible taste in beanies."

"Mid?" He nips at my finger. "Now you're just being cruel."

"Fine, slightly above average IPAs." I concede with a laugh. "Anyway, they decided to get a divorce and pretend the whole thing never happened."

"But then," Kasen cuts in, "the beautiful, stubborn woman discovered she was pregnant."

"And the handsome but annoying man," I continue, unable to stop smiling, "turned out to be surprisingly decent about the whole thing."

"More than decent," he corrects. "Unflinchingly supportive and loving."

"Don't push it." But I'm laughing now. "And somehow, against all odds and rational thinking, they ended up falling in love."

"And living happily ever after?" Kasen suggests, his hand still moving gently over my belly.

I meet his gaze, finding nothing but sincerity in those blue eyes that once made me want to scream with frustration and now make me feel like I’m home.

"Reluctantly.”

"Whatever. I think you like where this is headed," he murmurs, leaning down to press a kiss to my lips. "Especially the part where we raise our son together and you admit I was right about everything."

"In your dreams, James."

"Every night, Pink." He pulls me closer, his warmth enveloping me like a blanket. "Every damn night."