Page 12 of Summer With You

My stomach rumbled loudly as I blinked slowly and stared up at the ceiling. The baby was hungry.

The baby!

I froze for a moment, waiting for an inclination of cramps, but nothing came. Amber had been right about resting. Sitting up, I swung my legs off the side of the bed and stood, stretching my arms above my head as I yawned. Checking the window on my way out of the room, I caught a glimpse of the setting sun and knew my kids would be bouncing up and down for dinner any minute now, and I hadn’t even brought enough food to make anything tonight.

Quickly exiting the room, I found Ace had been busy, especially when I entered the kitchen and saw him standing over a boiling pot of pasta.

“Ace?” I croaked and cleared my throat before continuing. “What’s going on?”

He whirled around with a big grin and sauntered over to me, settling his hands onto my hips. “How are you feeling, Princess? How’s our little one?” He placed a small kiss on my forehead before letting go of me and going back to the pasta.

“I guess I just really needed some sleep. I didn’t realize how stressed I’ve been the last few days. Where are the kids?” I leaned against the counter, taking in the image of my husband cooking. His muscles flexed every time he stirred the pot. Tattoos dancing along the curves of his body under the harsh kitchen light. God, he looked amazing. How did a woman like me get so lucky?

Somehow, this man just became more attractive with age, and I found myself falling for him even more every time I looked at him.

“Showering, but should be down any minute. Take a seat, and I’ll dish you up a plate. You must be starving.”

I didn’t move . . . couldn’t when I was mesmerized by him taking charge, taking care of our little family when I couldn’t. Ace had turned into an admirable man, definitely not the same boy who had captured my heart all those years ago.

“How can I help?” I asked him. It felt strange not to be doing anything.

I walked up to him, wrapping my arms around his torso, leaning my head against his back, listening to his steady heartbeat.

“By resting,” he told me. I made a disgruntled sound that made him laugh. “How are you feeling? The baby?” he asked again as he placed a warm hand on top of mine and squeezed.

“A lot better. The stress of packing for the trip must have just gotten to me. No need to worry anymore. Let’s just have a good time with our kids, okay?”

“Sit your pretty little ass down, and let me take care of you, Celine.” He turned in my arms, blue eyes piercing with love and worry as he gazed down at me.

I tightened my embrace around him, letting my head fall to his chest, feeling his sharp intake of breath. It still excited me that little old me could make this strong man feel vulnerable, that I could make him react with the slightest touch.

“Only if you promise to do that later tonight once the kids are in bed, handsome.” I pulled back quick enough to see the cheeky, smug grin take over his chiseled face.

“I can definitely promise you that, baby. Luckily for us, I know of the best, instant stress reliever.” Desire dilated his pupils as he looked down at me, head leaning down, our lips so close to brushing.

“Mommy, you’re okay!” There was nothing quite like your youngest child ruining a moment of intimacy. Ace groaned in annoyance before pressing a kiss to my forehead. I giggled.

Charlie’s little body slammed into me, arms wrapping around my leg in an instant. If I hadn’t been holding on so tightly to Ace, we both would have crashed to the ground, but the man was like a wall of steel. Nothing knocked him over, especially not our five-year-old son.

“Careful now, son. Be gentle with Mom.” Ace ruffled Charlie’s hair as I squatted down to hug him. He slowly wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.

“I was so scared. Summer said you could die!” My little soldier burst into tears as he buried his head into the crook of my neck, his arms clutching at me desperately. My heart broke in my chest. Charlie was hysterical.

“Summer Danvers, get your little ass downstairs now!” Ace bellowed, bending down to rub a reassuring hand up and down Charlie’s back which was heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

“I’m okay, baby. I’m not going anywhere. I promise you, my sweet boy,” I soothed, looking to Ace for help. Ace just shook his head at me and gently pushed Charlie closer to me. I took a seat on the floor, holding my little boy as close to me as I could to help reassure him that I was very much okay.

Kissing the top of his head, I held his trembling body tightly to mine. He desperately sucked in breaths of air, soft little noises of pain that were barely audible coming from him, tearing my heart in two.

“Yeah, Dad?” Summer padded into the kitchen, trying to sound innocent as she stood in the archway in her I’m a mermaid pajamas.

“Look what you’ve done to your brother!” Ace snapped, causing Charlie to clutch me tighter, his heart rate jumping, beating crazily against my chest.

“I didn’t even touch him this time,” she complained, and I just knew if I looked up, she would be rolling her eyes since, apparently, that’s the cool thing to do to your parents.

“You told him that your mother could die!” Ace bellowed, and Summer winced. She hated it when Ace yelled at her. “He’s only five, Summer—five years old! You don’t say things like that to him, little girl.” I looked up from Charlie to see Ace standing in front of Summer, his arms crossed and his body shaking with anger as she glared up at him, her body language matching his.

Charlie’s cries turned into sniffles, his arms still clutching my neck tightly, his wet cheek pressed against my neck, hiding his face from view.