Page 23 of Rescuing Carolyn

“Classic slapstick, I think.” I knew it was Zach’s favorite genre. He and the Admiral had been fans of the old-style comedy movies and had watched them together. From what he’d told me, those were some of the happiest memories of his youth.

“Always my first choice in film.” He grinned at me as he took Austin out of his high chair, making my heart flutter. I was reminded of how I’d felt when we were first in love, but there was something more between us. Maybe it was the knowledge of each other. Maybe it was because we’d gotten so much better at talking to and listening to each other. Maybe it was because we shared a child now. Or maybe it was all of that.

“I know.” I smiled at him as I rose and stacked our dishes. “You pick. The DVDs are in the cabinet under the television.”

“You watch slapstick still? And on DVD, huh?” he asked, looking happily surprised.

“You got me hooked,” I said with a shrug, “and Austin likes them. Besides, you can’t find most of these on any streaming apps, so I rather keep the DVDs.”

In the kitchen, I loaded the dishwasher and put together a tray of cookies and milk for a movie-time snack. My boys were already on the couch with the television on and a DVD loaded when I carried the tray into the living room. I placed it on the coffee table and caught Zach’s eye. He dropped his gaze to the cookies, then looked back at me. His face softened as I’d rarely seen it do, and he gave me a tender look, but he said nothing.

When we were engaged, I might have been upset by his silence, but I understood him better now. He was used to concealing his emotions, keeping them inside, and didn’t always know how to express his feelings with words. I knew he appreciated the movie and the cookies because they reminded him of good times with the Admiral, and it seemed right that he would share them with his son. I could almost read his thoughts, and that made me feel warm and bubbly inside.

Once during the movie, Austin jumped off the couch to imitate the antics of the actors, making Zach laugh. Grabbing his daddy’s hand, Austin pulled him up so they could pretend to fall down together. I stayed where I was, watching my guys. My guys. I liked the sound of that in my head.

By the end of the movie, Austin was nodding off in Zach’s arms. Zach no longer asked my permission to put him to bed. It was a task he’d taken over, freeing me to clean up the house or check my email or just pamper myself with a long bath or a glass of wine. But that night, I had work to do. I wanted to bring down some old business files I’d stored in the attic while the store was being refurbished. I was slowly working my way through the papers, determining which documents to shred and which should be scanned for preservation.

I climbed to the attic, entering it through a door in the upstairs hall. As I picked up a box, I looked around the space. Dormer windows faced each direction, and the wide-planked wood floor was sturdy. With a little paint and some furniture, it would make a great playroom for kids. I noticed with a little hiccup in my heart that I’d thought kids. Plural. One wasn’t enough, but the possibility of more children depended on what happened between me and Zach.

With a hopeful sigh, I headed down. I was outside Austin’s room when I tripped over the edge of a rug. Surprised and struggling to keep my footing, I let go of the box. It crashed to the floor, its contents spilling out.

Instantly, Zach was in the doorway of Austin’s room with the sleeping boy on his shoulder. His mouth opened to speak, but I gestured for him to be silent so he wouldn’t wake the baby. I couldn’t help smiling at the sight of this hunky, handsome man holding his sweet baby boy. Something inside me shifted, and I felt a giant swell of love for both of them. My fingers trembled as I picked up the scattered papers while Zach returned to the nursery.

I was blindly tossing papers into the box when one caught my attention. “Dissolution of Business” was printed boldly across the top, causing me to look more closely. The business had been a jewelry store, and my mother’s name was listed as one of the partners. I didn’t recognize the other partner’s name—not surprising, since I saw the date was more than twenty years ago. I would have been just a little girl at the time. Funny that I’d never heard my mother mention this store.

I placed the paper in the box, planning to ask my mother about it, and carried the box downstairs before returning to the nursery to kiss Austin good night. Zach had just placed him in the crib, where he was stretched out, looking happy and peaceful. I touched his little cheek and kissed his forehead before leaving the room. Zach adjusted the lights and followed me into the hall, closing the nursery door behind him.

I smiled at him, letting the emotions I’d felt earlier show on my face. I couldn’t hide how I felt. Zach didn’t hesitate to pull me into his arms. He kissed my lips, my throat, the little spot near my ear, all the places he knew I liked. But kisses were no longer enough. I put a little space between us and pulled his T-shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor.

I ran my hands over his chest, which was even more muscled than I remembered. God, his body was amazing. I hadn’t let myself think about that while we’d been separated. Well…not much, anyway. I traced one finger over a new scar on his left pec, but I didn’t ask how he got it. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but the two of us together at that moment.

“Carolyn?” His voice was soft, questioning.

“My room.” I took a step back, pulling him with me into the bedroom.

“I’ve missed this,” he murmured against my ear as his hands slid under my tank top to unclasp my bra. Shirt and bra went over my head, flying off to a corner of the room. He cupped my breasts, running his thumb over the nipples as he kissed my lips. I moaned at his touch. It felt both familiar and enticing.

“I want you naked,” I whispered against his lips.

He laughed softly. “You always did make your desires clear.”

“Are you complaining?” I trailed my fingers down the taut muscles of his stomach to the button on his jeans. I flicked it open, smiling when he sucked in a breath.

“Not a bit, sweetheart.” The word rolled smoothly from his tongue. He’d always called me that, starting almost from our first date. I’d missed the endearment, the intimacy, but I wouldn’t have to miss it any longer. He was mine again—at least in this way. I lowered his zipper, brushing my hand against his hard length before grasping it between my fingers. His breathing changed, and his eyes half closed as I stroked up and down.

“So good,” he said, but took my wrist, pulling my hand away from his dick. “Enough for now.”

“That’s no fun.” I gave him a mock pout.

“I think we’ll have plenty of fun.” He pushed the elastic waistband of my shorts down, taking my panties with them, before shedding the rest of his clothes. We stood naked, inches apart, not touching for a moment. “You’re so gorgeous.” His tone was almost reverent. I’d been a little worried, secretly, over what he’d think of the changes pregnancy had made to my body. But far from seeming disappointed in the changes, he looked awed. I flushed, loving how beautiful he made me feel.

“Make love to me,” I said. We fell onto the bed together, his hard body covering mine. I fumbled for the bedside table, reaching out to snag a condom from the box Charlotte had gotten me as a gag gift for my last birthday. Thank God I hadn’t thrown them out. There was no way in hell was I waiting for Zach to run to the drugstore to buy supplies. I handed him the condom and he paused to put it on before sliding back in place on top of me. I coasted my hands down his back to his butt, feeling the corded muscles as he trailed kisses from my lips to my breasts in a slow seduction. I didn’t want slow, not this time. “I meant now, Zach.” I lifted my hips, rolling them to cup his length.

“Soon.” He blew warm breath over my nipples as his fingers slipped between my thighs to touch me. Oh, God, I did love that. I nearly melted with pleasure and desire, but I knew it could be even better with him.

“Now.” Wrapping my legs around him, I opened for him. He took my mouth in a searing kiss but held himself away from me, not giving me what I so desperately wanted.

“Not yet,” he whispered. His lips against my cheek had me tilting my head to give him access to my neck. He kissed the secret spot I loved so much, and I didn’t bother to hold back my moan.

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