Page 30 of Stay With Me (Griffin’s Den #2)

THIRTY

Noah

My stomach rumbles as I open the fridge to pull out the stuff to make burritos for dinner.

As I set everything I need on the counter, the floor creaks when Luna comes into the kitchen from her bath. I look over my shoulder as she comes around the corner wearing one of my shirts, and just like that, I start to get hard again.

I turn to face her and will my dick to behave because she needs the reprieve. “How was your bath, baby?”

“Perfect,” she says, walking up to me and wrapping her arms around my waist.

Today has been nothing short of amazing. I didn’t think I could connect with someone like I have with Luna. Hell, I never even connected with my ex like I have with Luna.

“How are you feeling?”

“A little sore, but it was totally worth it,” she says, beaming.

I smirk and kiss the top of her head. “Want to help me with dinner?”

“Are you going to cook topless?”

I laugh. “I can, but I don’t think Jess or Am will want to see that when they get home.”

She shrugs and bends to grab a pan from the cabinet, causing the shirt to ride up, and I groan as I adjust myself.

Pan in hand, she turns around and blushes. “Sorry, I didn’t think about that.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m trying to remind myself you’re sore and that lifting you on the counter and going another round isn’t in your best interest, regardless of how much I want to.”

She cocks her head to the side and bites her bottom lip. “I could probably get behind that.”

“Lunabella… ” I say as I walk the two steps to close the distance between us. “You’re making it so hard to be a gentleman, but the ideas running through my head will have to wait for another day.”

Her breath hitches. “But we will do them, right?”

“Yeah, baby. We have all the time in the world to get through the list of things I want to do to you, but we have about”—I look up at the clock on the oven—“twenty minutes to get dinner almost done before Am is here with Jess.” I kiss her forehead and grab the cutting board.

“Do you think Jess had fun at the farm?” she asks as I cut the onions.

“I do. She seemed very interested in learning how Am’s farm works,” I tell her truthfully as my eyes start to burn from the onions.

“Yeah, The Family had a large farm, and we grew almost all our food. Usually, the kids from the ages of three to thirteen help work the fields, as we call them. Even though, after seeing real farms here, it was more like a quarter of a field.”

I turn to her as she starts to cook the ground beef, lost in thought. Shock rocks through my body as I realize again how hard her life was. “Was it something you enjoyed?”

“No, not really. I loved hanging with the babies. They were just so innocent and loved so openly. The nursery is where I started questioning everything in The Family.”

“It’s normal to question things. Hell, I was a why child. I’m sure my parents hated it, but they were patient and answered every question I ever had regardless of how silly it was.”

“You’re lucky. We weren’t to question the word of Father. I got in trouble often because I asked questions. It’s why Jess hesitates when she asks a question sometimes.”

“I never thought about it because I’ll answer the same question a million times for her if she needs help understanding something.”

As the meat simmers in the taco seasoning, we assemble a build-your-own burrito line on the island.

“You’ll make a good dad one day. Do you want kids?”

I pause because I didn’t think kids were in the cards for me after my divorce, and in this brief moment, I see my whole future.

Jess going to high school. Luna pregnant with my kids.

Her holding our babies. Us sitting on the porch swing as the kids play in the front yard.

Jess pretending to be annoyed when they start to get into her stuff.

“You okay?” she asks.

I clear my throat. “Perfect. Thank you for thinking I’d make a good dad.” I take a deep breath because I’m nervous about how she will respond to my question. “And to answer your question. I do want kids, but after my divorce, I wasn’t sure it would happen.”

“Abby mentioned you were divorced. Was it long ago?” she asks without making eye contact.

I knew this would come up, and I’m not ashamed of it, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.

“It was about ten years ago. Jenna and I got married before we finished college. When my dad passed away suddenly, we moved here and helped my mom out.” I rest my hip on the counter and turn to face her.

“On the two-year anniversary of his death, to be exact, she handed me divorce papers.”

She gasps. “She left you on the anniversary of your father’s death? How could she?”

“I don’t know. I was caught off guard when it happened, but looking back, it was for the best. She gave up everything for me, and small-town life isn’t for everyone.”

She looks down at her feet and asks, “Do um… Do you miss her?”

My hand goes to her chin, gently lifting it and bringing her eyes back to mine.

“No. I do not miss her. If I did, I wouldn’t be here with you.

I’m exactly where I want to be, with who I want to be with.

” I lean down and kiss her lips softly. Pulling away, I ask her, “Enough about me, what about you? Do you want kids?”

A soft smile pulls at her lips. “With the right person, I wouldn’t mind having a couple.”

I hope she means me because I will go to jail for killing someone for getting her pregnant.

“You’ll be a great mom, Luna. Your kids will be so lucky to learn everything you have to teach them.”

Her blush spreads down her chest and goes out of view.

Something catches my eye out the window. Turning, I see Am coming down the driveway. “Okay. Before I convince Amelia to take Jess overnight, you need to go put pants on since they’re here.”

She giggles. “Yes, sir.”

“Smart-ass.” I laugh and smack her ass as she walks by.

I watch her till she disappears into my bedroom just in time for Jess, Am, and Penny to walk up to the front door.

“Hey, guys, how was today?” I ask, opening the door.

“It was amazing! I’ve never seen anyone grow things that aren’t in soil before, and the food tastes better than some I have had! The fish are so cool, and I saw shrimp fighting!” Jess says.

Her excitement is contagious, and I laugh. “Dinner is almost ready. Want to take your bag to your room and wash your hands?”

“Yeah!” she says and takes off.

“She was okay, though?”

“Fantastic. Jess is a great helper, and I can’t wait to have her come back to the farm.” Am wiggles her eyebrows. “How was your day?”

I roll my eyes. “It was great. I’ll let Luna give you the details she wants to share. Are you and Penny staying for dinner?”

“No, Luke is taking me mini golfing.”

I shake my head. “That man is going to complain about how much you kick his ass for a whole week.”

“Who’s going to complain?” Luna asks as she walks in, wearing a pair of leggings and my shirt half tucked in.

Am smirks. “Luke. We’re going to play mini golf.”

Luna just laughs, knowing I’m right. “Jess was good for you?”

“She was an angel. She’s smart as hell and asked me great questions that I wouldn’t expect a ten-year-old to ask.”

“I’m so glad. She is smart, and I think learning something like that will be good for her,” Luna says as she walks to my side.

“Hi, Luna!” Jess says as she comes back. “Do you need me to help set the table?”

“If you can get three plates down or a bowl for yourself, if you want a bowl and not a burrito, that’s fine, but say bye and thank Amelia first,” Luna tells her.

She pets Penny first and hugs her, and Penny soaks up all the attention. Jess stands and turns to Am. “Thank you for letting me spend the day with you. I had a great time, but don’t tell Sam because he might get sad, but I can’t wait to spend the day at your farm again.”

“I won’t tell him,” Amelia says as she hugs her. Looking over Jess’s head, she mouths, “I’m totally telling him.”

Luna has to cover a laugh with a cough. “Have a good night, Am.”

“Night, friends. Have a good one.”

When she taps the side of her leg, Penny stands to follow, and they leave.

“Okay, I’m hungry. It’s time to eat. Ladies first.” I swing my arm out for them to walk in front of me.

“Such a gentleman,” Luna says.

If she knew how ungentlemanly I want to be with her right now, she might not say that. “Only the best for my girls. Jess, tell us all the cool things you learned today.”

As we start to make our burritos, Jess launches into everything she did and learned today. I don’t know if she’s been this excited before, and I know, right at this moment, that if I have to build her a home aquaponic set, I will.