Page 11

Beck

“Ava,” I called from the kitchen. “Come on! We need to go!”

I slipped my tumbler of coffee into my bag and fumbled for my keys. Our mornings were always a scramble, but this one felt especially chaotic. When I didn’t hear her coming down the hall, I sighed and went to find her. “Ava, what are you doing?”

When I got to her bedroom, I found her sitting on the floor, stuffing her toys into her backpack. Her brows were furrowed as she tried to decide between her stuffed giraffe and the battered plastic dinosaur, and it was like a losing battle. “Ava.”

“I’m coming.”

“You can’t take them all.”

“But Momma...” She looked up at me with those big, brown eyes and pouted. “I need them.”

“You already have plenty,” I said, crouching down beside her. “And you have tons of toys at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.”

“But not these.”

“Okay, then, pick one more and let’s go.”

She clutched her giraffe to her chest. “But they will miss me.”

“Yes, I’m sure they will, but they’ll be okay for one day.” I bit back my smile and tried to stay firm as I told her, “Besides, you won’t have time for all these toys. You’ll be busy playing with Grandma.”

Her little face scrunched up as she thought about it.

Then, reluctantly, she started putting some of the toys back in her toy box. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Great, now let’s grab your coat and get in the car.”

Ava zipped up her backpack and dragged it behind her as we rushed down the hall to the kitchen. I helped her put on her coat, and after I grabbed my bag, we rushed out the door. I put Ava in her car seat, and as I closed her door, I found myself glancing over at Thomas’s house.

My mind immediately drifted to the night we’d shared together. My cheeks warmed at the memory of his touch and how he kissed me like he had all the time in the world. He was rough and tender all at once.

I smiled when I thought back to the low rumble of his laugh as we whispered in the dark, and the way he whispered my name made me feel like I really meant something to him—just like he meant something to me. I had no idea where things would go from here, but the thought of seeing him again left me with a big smile on my face.

I drove Ava to my parents’ place, and I’d barely parked before Dad rushed out the front door and made a beeline for her side of the car. I got out and watched as he unbuckled her from her seat and lifted her into his arms, settling her on his hip.

Like his one and only daughter wasn’t standing right in front of him, he looked down at Ava with a big smile and said, “Hey there, squirt. You ready for some bacon and eggs?”

“Um-hmm,” Ava nodded excitedly.

“I thought so. Let’s go grab you a plate before Grandma eats them all.”

“Good morning, Dad,” I grumbled. “Nice to see you, too.”

“Morning, kiddo.” He started towards the house. “We’ve got our girl covered. Have a good day at work.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

I shook my head as I got back in the car and started out of the drive. I was about to pull out onto the road when Mom stepped out the front door and waved at me.

“Have a great day, sweetheart,” she called out as I smiled and waved back, then continued my drive to the hospital. As soon as I got there, I parked and headed upstairs. It was my second week there, and I’d had more training than I would ever need, but I was still feeling a little out of place.

I didn’t know many people, and I was struggling to figure out my way around. Thankfully, it was a busy Monday, and nobody seemed to notice that I had no clue where I was going. I just kept walking down one hall after the next, hoping that I’d eventually figure it all out.

I didn’t mind that I was lost. It gave me a chance to daydream about my night with Thomas. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so alive and excited for what was to come. It was that feeling that had me smiling ear to ear as I made my way down the hall.

I’d finally found my station and was on my way to see my first patient when Gloria, one of the nurses, said, “Good morning, Rebecca.”

“Good morning, Gloria.”

She had a warm smile and quick wit, and she had an uncanny ability to read people better than anyone I’d ever met. So, I wasn’t surprised when she said, “You seem to be in a mighty good mood this morning.”

“I guess.”

“Um-hmm.” Her lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “Spill it. Who’s the fella that put that smile on your face?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” She cocked her brow. “You’re walking around here like you have a secret.”

“Oh, no. It’s nothing like that.” Heat crept up my cheeks as I started shuffling through the papers on my clipboard. “I’m just having a good morning.”

“Um-hmm.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You’re not fooling me. Some fella has done put that smile on your face.”

I tried to play it cool, but my growing smile was betraying me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Honey, you might be new here, but I’ve been around long enough to recognize that look.” Her laughter echoed softly. “You’re smitten and smitten bad.”

“Maybe a little.”

“I thought so.” She smiled. “Alright, now. You can go on and do your thing. But don’t think this conversation is over.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I continued down the hall. I tended to my patient and took the necessary scans, and in a blink, I had seen six more and was about to go on my lunch break. I’d just made it to my office when my cell phone chimed with a text. I took it from my scrub’s pocket and smiled when I looked down at the screen and saw it was a message from Thomas.

Thomas:

Hey.

How’s it going?

Me:

Not too bad. Just a busy Monday.

But I’m officially on my lunch break, so halfway over.

How about you?

Thomas:

Definitely a Monday.

Getting ready for our run mid-week, and nothing is going as

planned.

Me:

That doesn’t sound good.

Thomas:

It’s all good. We’ll get it. We always do.

You and Ava wanna have dinner with me over at Rooster’s place?

Maggie is making dinner and bought hot cocoa and the Polar Express for the kids.

Me:

That sounds great.

Thomas:

Good deal.

I’ll pick you up at six.

Me:

Great. See you then.

Hey-

Thomas:

Yeah?

Me:

I really enjoyed last night.

Thomas:

That’s good cause there’s more to come.

Lots more.

Me:

Looking forward to it.

That night, Thomas picked Ava and me up, and we all spent a wonderful night together. And over the next couple of weeks, Thomas and I spent more nights together than we did apart. Thomas took me to the clubhouse, where we enjoyed the company of the brothers and several of their old ladies. I had such a great time being back with everyone.

Even more so, I loved watching Thomas in his element. I loved seeing him laughing and having a good time with his brothers, but most of all, I loved how he made me feel like I was the most important person in the room.

It was always like that when we were together. When we went sledding with Rooster and Maggie’s kids, he helped Ava down the hill time and time again, but it was me that he doted on and kissed when no one was watching. He raced Rooster down the hill more times than I could count, but his eyes always found their way back to me.

And when we took Ava to the movies, he bought her popcorn and treats, but it was my hand that he held in his lap. He took such good care of Ava, making sure that she was comfortable and having a good time, and she loved every minute of it. That meant more to me than anything else.

I had no idea what the future held for us, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had something worth holding onto.

Christmas was just a few days away, and things couldn’t have been better. I was starting to get the hang of things at work, and Ava and I were settling into our new routines with Thomas and the club. And one of those routines was our morning goodbyes with Thomas. I had just gathered my things when there was a familiar tap on the front door.

It eased open, and Thomas appeared with a coffee for me in one hand and a Santa cookie for Ava in the other. “You’re going to have to stop spoiling us like this.”

“Not gonna happen.” He would slip in once Ava was in bed and slip out long before she got up, but he always returned with coffee and a special treat for Ava. He walked over and gave me a quick kiss. “I like spoiling my girls.”

I loved it when he called us his girls. There was something about it that warmed my heart and made me want to wrap myself in his arms. I smiled as I told him, “Well, we like you spoiling us, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

“I don’t do things I don’t want to do, babe.”

“Point taken.” I took a sip of my coffee before asking, “So, the run’s still on for today, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll be heading out in a bit.”

“And you’ll be back tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, we should be back at the clubhouse around six... seven at the latest, so I should be back here no later than eight.”

“Great. I’ll fix us dinner. What would you like?”

“How ‘bout some chili or some of that chicken spaghetti you made a couple of weeks ago.”

“Sure, I can do that.” I slipped my arms around his neck and eased up on my tiptoes, kissing him briefly before saying, “Please be careful.”

“Always.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, kissing me soft and tender. There was something about his touch that had me aching for more, and that ache only grew stronger when he removed his mouth from mine and said, “I’ve gotta get going. I’ll text when I can.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Count on it.”

Thomas helped me get Ava to the car, and then we were all on our way. I dropped off Ava with my folks, then headed to work. I hadn’t been there long when I got a text from Mia asking if I’d like to go last-minute Christmas shopping with her and Londyn.

I was excited about the opportunity to spend some time with them, so I quickly accepted. I spent the rest of my day trying to think of all the things I needed to buy while I was out. I had most of it figured out, except for what I was getting Thomas for Christmas.

I had no idea what I was going to get him.

I thought about it all day, and I was still thinking about it the following day when I met up with the girls.

We’d been shopping for hours and had stopped at a small coffee shop for a quick break. We’d all just gotten settled at the table when Mia leaned down at her feet and grimaced. “I’ve got the worst case of kankles today. This baby needs to hurry up and get here, or I’m going to need a walker to get around.”

“When exactly are you due?”

“Next week, but I don’t think I’m going to make it.” Mia was Stitch’s daughter and Wrath’s ol’ lady, and she was incredibly beautiful and expecting their first child. “This kid has to weigh at least twenty pounds already.”

“I feel ya.” Londyn was Savage’s ol’ lady, and she looked equally beautiful as she ran her hand over her very pregnant tummy. “This little stinker has been dancing on my bladder for the last three days, and I can barely breathe without needing to go to the bathroom.”

“Oh, and if you sneeze,” Mia scoffed. “You can forget it.”

“Every time,” Londyn snickered. “I just don’t get it. What is it with these Fury men and their enormous children?”

“Must be in the genes,” I giggled.

“Must be,” Mia groaned. “But I love him, and I can’t wait to meet our little guy. I just gotta make it through Christmas and New Year's, and then, I’ll be set.”

“Same, girl. Same.” Londyn shook her head. “At least I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping.”

“Me too, but that’s only because Mom has done most of mine for me.” Mia leaned over to me as she asked, “So, how about you? Have you finished all your shopping?”

“I’m pretty close. I just need to figure out what to get Thomas.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t have any idea what to get him.”

“He hasn’t given you any hints?” Londyn asked.

“Nope, not a single one, and if I ask him, he says he already has everything he wants.”

“Don’t you hate when they do that?” Mia complained. “I can push and push, but Charlie never tells me anything. Last Christmas, I got him a pair of sunglasses and some new boots, but he’s never worn either of them. I have no idea what happened to them.”

“Malcomb does that, too!” Londyn groaned. “I bought him a couple of new shirts last Christmas, and they still have the tags on them.”

“I have to think of something, even if it’s something small,” I told them. “This is our first Christmas together, and it needs to be something memorable.”

“I wish I could help, but I suck at the whole gift-giving thing.” Jules was Q’s ol’ lady and had tagged along with us. While I didn’t know her very well, I was growing to like her more by the minute. “Quinton is always so thoughtful and buys the perfect gifts for the boys and me, and I end up getting him something stupid like a keychain or a razor.”

“You could get him some new riding gloves or slippers,” Mia suggested.

“I don’t see Thomas wearing slippers, but gloves aren’t a bad idea. The ones he has are a little worn out.”

“Then, get him the gloves, and you could always try a little romantic getaway,” Londyn added. “Just you two at the coast or at a cabin in the mountains.”

“I thought about that, but I just started my new job, and I’d hate to ask for time off so soon. And there’s the whole Ava thing. I’d have to get Mom and Dad to watch her—not that they’d mind watching her.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Mia smiled. “Sweet Ava has your daddy wrapped around her little finger.”

“You’re telling me,” I scoffed. “It’s like he’s completely forgotten he has a daughter.”

“Oh, he hasn’t forgotten,” Mia argued. “That man is just as crazy about you as my dad is about me. It’s the only-daughter thing. It can be a blessing and a curse.”

I don’t know how long we sat there talking about our crazy fathers and how much we loved them, but I could’ve spent all day there talking with them. They were the family I didn’t know I needed, and now, they were mine. We left there, and after spending another hour or so at the mall, we all headed home.

As soon as I got to the house, I took my gifts inside and hid them in my closet. I called Mom to see if she and Dad would keep Ava a little longer, and it was no surprise when they offered to keep her for the entire night—giving me a chance to have a night alone with Thomas. Of course, I accepted and got busy making dinner.

In a blink, it was after eight, and then, it was eight-thirty. Nine came and went, but there was still no sign of Thomas. I tried to busy myself with reading, but I couldn’t keep my focus. I was starting to worry that something was wrong, and it didn’t help matters that he hadn’t called or texted and neither his truck nor his bike was in his drive.

I was looking so forward to our quiet night alone, but now, dinner was cold, the wine was still untouched, and the candles I’d lit had flickered out. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I just knew if he was okay or not. I hated the not knowing. It was the biggest downside of being an ol’ lady.

I’d seen my mother go through it a thousand times.

Dad would be off with the brothers, doing whatever it was they did, and if he wasn’t home exactly when he told her he’d be home, it would send her spiraling.

She would start to pace and send him message after message.

She’d try to track his location, but nothing eased the worry until he walked through that door.

I promised myself that I wasn’t going to do that, but it was hard. I cared a great deal for Thomas—even more than I wanted to admit, and my heart ached at the thought of something happening to him. I was teetering on the edge of losing it when I heard the familiar rumble of Thomas’s motorcycle.

I closed my eyes and let out the breath I’d been holding, and once I got it together, I went out to the kitchen and waited for him to come inside. As soon as he walked through the door, I could tell that he’d had a long night. His jeans were dirty, and his hair was a mess, and he looked exhausted. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

“Are you okay?” I didn’t move. I wanted to, but I couldn’t seem to make my feet move. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“I was worried.” I swallowed hard, trying my best to ease the knot forming in my throat. “I thought something might’ve happened.”

“I would’ve called if I could...” A tear trickled from the corner of my eye, and I quickly wiped it away. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I lied with a nod. “I’m just glad you made it back.”

“Come here.”

Fearing I might cry, I didn’t move.

I lowered my eyes to the floor as I told him, “I made dinner.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I missed that.” I could feel his eyes on me as he repeated, “Come here.”

This time, I obliged and started over to him. As soon as I got close, he slipped his arms around my waist and pulled me towards him. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” He brought his hands up to my face, cupping my cheeks. “But I can’t promise that it won’t happen again.”

“I know.”

“You gotta know, I would’ve been here if I could.”

“I know.”

It was hard to explain, but he made me feel complete in a way I never had before. When I was with him, it was like I’d found a piece of myself that I didn’t even know was missing. He was the only man I had ever met who could touch my heart and ignite every nerve in my body with desire at the same time. I let out a grumbled sigh as I told him, “You’ve really done it, you know it?”

“Done what?”

“Made me fall for you even harder than I did when we were kids.” I eased up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, kissing him briefly. “And that’s saying something.”

“You’re not the only one who’s fallen.” His voice was low and filled with a hint of mischief. A thrill shot through me when he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine, making me instantly forget that I’d ever been upset. “I’ve fallen right along with you.”

His touch was tender yet demanding as he swept his tongue across my bottom lip, teasing, and I gasped, giving him the opportunity to delve deeper. I placed my palms flat against his chest, trying to steady myself from my shaky knees.

The feeling of his mouth on mine had me aching with need. Anticipation raged through me as Thomas’s hands slid to the hem of my sweater. He eased it over my head, and when he started working on my bra, it was clear that a simple kiss wouldn’t be enough for him. As he looked down, an admiring grin spread across his face. “Mine. All mine.”

A flash of hunger blazed through his eyes as he lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom where Thomas showed me time and time again that I truly was his and only his.

And I loved every second of it—just like I loved him.