Page 48 of Firefly Effect

He turns his head, meeting my gaze. “I don’t think you know how much it means to hear that.”

“Well, it’s true. Lucy is very lucky to have you.”

The softness in his gaze tugs at my heart. Those beautiful eyes even appear to tear up slightly, but he looks away before I can confirm it.

“You were really great today,” Lincoln says after a moment. “Thanks for helping so much. I promise, that’s not why you were invited.”

I smile at his profile. “No problem at all. Helping was the least I could do, since you were so busy with your fan club.”

He grins and turns his head back to me. “Good to know you were paying attention. You thinking about joining?”

I feel a deep blush spread through every pore of my body. “I’m not sure I meet the requirements.” I hold up my fingers to count the ways. “I’m not married or rich and I don’t have kids…” When I realize that’s all there is, I shrug and twist my lips in mock disappointment. “Maybe Officer Gabe has a fan club I can look into.”

Lincoln turns his body, propping his elbow near my head, then slips his fingers through mine while narrowing his gaze. “I think fucking not.”

Amused, I regard him with wide eyes. His profanity should not turn me on even more, but it does. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” He looks so serious. The fire behind his eyes blazes bold and bright with zero fear. Zero hesitation.

How does he do it? How does he maintain such confidence when I’m such a mess of doubt?

“Do you want all that stuff?” he asks. “Marriage? Kids?” His nonchalant tone doesn’t mask the depth of the question.

However, I have nothing to hide when it comes to this subject. “I haven’t spent too much time thinking about it. I might be the only woman you know who hasn’t created a Pinterest board for her future wedding.” I smile. “That’s not to say I wouldn’t want to get married if I met the right person.”

I can feel his eyes studying me as I watch the unicorn cloud transform into something else. “If I marry, it will be for the right reasons—love as opposed to money, trust as opposed to fear, commitment as opposed to obligation.” I don't dare to turn my head and meet his gaze. “Then maybe I can think about bringing a child into this world.”

Lincoln’s pinky hooks into mine. “Sounds like the responsible thing to do.”

My chest tightens. “Families are all built differently, and sometimes the unexpected is the blessing we never knew we needed. I know all that. Lucy is the perfect example—what’s meant to be, will be.” I inhale deeply, considering my words. “I just really want to be a good mom, you know? My mom didn’t exactly provide the best example.”

His fingers slowly weave through mine. “You don’t need an example, Evie. I watched you with those kids today. You’re a natural.”

It’s a sweet compliment. “This is just one day.” I finally turn to face him, smiling. “You can’t tell me every day of parenting is like a walk in the waterpark.”

He gives me a genuine smile. “Definitely not, but you’re compassionate and caring, beautiful and driven. Just the fact that you care about bringing a child into this world the right way tells me everything I need to know. Just because your parents were shit doesn’t mean you will be. You had your uncle. Plenty of kids out there aren’t fortunate enough to have a Patrick they can run to.”

“I know I’m lucky.” I nod. “What about you? Would you ever want to have another child? Or marriage?”

He looks away, seeming to give the question some thought. “Would I? Yes. Lucy would have to give her stamp of approval, of course.”

“Of course.” I grin at his profile, loving his love for his daughter.

“And I suppose my wife would have to put up with my very demanding work schedule.”

Realizing he’s being sarcastic, I chuckle. “You mean your nine-to-five job that crosses into after-hours when you visit a certain bar manager?”

He turns to me, narrowing his eyes in consideration. “Good point. She’d also have to put up with my raging crush on a certain bar manager.” He lowers his head, inching ever-so-slowly toward me, barely allowing his beard to tickle my lips.

My heart beats so fast that I can barely think straight. All I can focus on is how sexy Lincoln truly is, especially right now with his darkened gaze, his shirtless and perfectly sculpted body, and his powerful hands that slide around my waist in a secure grip.

“I’ve missed these lips,” he murmurs before closing the gap.

As soon as his mouth lands on mine, all the air whooshes out of my body. Simultaneously, a groan rises from his chest, one so quiet that I might have imagined it, but when twin moans slip past our lips and into our mouths, I know it was real. We’re in lockstep, vulnerable together and wholeheartedly savoring each other course by course. I can’t wait to devour the whole damn meal.

“You have no idea how unbelievably sexy you are,” he rasps between kisses. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you today.”

Desire burns through me as he wraps a leg around one of mine, pulling me closer until his hard length pushes against my center. Fuck me. At least, I hope he does. I can only imagine how we would fit together—his cock buried so deep inside of me that I would never be able to let him go. This is a man who knows how to fuck, I bet my life on it.

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