Page 42 of Make Your Move

My eyes search his, and my heart expands within the cavity beneath my chest walls. “Okay,” I whisper, nodding as I reach up to wipe away the stray tears.

Lincoln smiles at me. “Okay.” He reaches out, grabs my hand, and gives it a gentle squeeze before he goes to face thedemon. It feels strange, grabbing my keys and walking out of the house while my child is in the middle of a meltdown, but I walk out the front door without looking back.

As I step out onto the porch and shut the door behind me, I feel like I can breathe. I tilt my head back, inhaling deeply as the silence settles around me. This is exactly what I needed. A moment to take a breath. A moment to regroup.

And Lincoln was the one who gave it to me.

With two coffees in my hand and a bag of books on my arm, I walk back up to the front door of the house. The porch light is on, and it shines down from above as I reach for the door handle and let myself inside. It’s much quieter than it was when I left, and a smile touches my lips as I realize how much I craved just a second of peace like this.

I was gone for almost two hours, and it felt like a lifetime. I checked in with Lincoln multiple times until he told me to leave him alone or else he’d be shutting off his phone. He told me I wasn’t allowed to come back before eight o’clock, but he politely added in his coffee order in case I wanted to bring him something back.

I went to our local bookstore and browsed for a while, breathing in the scent of books before paying for the four I had in my cart. Lincoln wanted a black coffee, so I grabbed a drink for each of us and sat there for a few minutes watching the other customers in the store.

Posey’s bedtime is normally seven thirty, and she skipped a bath tonight since Lincoln was here with her. The first floor of the house is empty, and I leave my bag of books and both coffeeson the kitchen counter before heading upstairs to see where Poe and Lincoln are.

As I reach the top of the steps, I round the corner in the hall and hear the sound of soft voices. There’s a glow of light shining from a small crack in Posey’s door, and my footsteps are light as I walk up to the room. Closing one eye, I peer inside, seeing Lincoln sitting on the floor next to Poe as he reads a story to her. The sound of his tender voice drifts across my eardrums.

His sleeves are pushed up to his elbows and his forearm is resting against her bed. Posey’s little head is lying on top of his arm, her face shielded by the book he’s reading. A smile lights up my face, and my throat constricts around the emotion that builds inside. My heart feels like it’s going to explode at the sight of the two of them.

I gently push on the door, slowly pushing it open as I hover in the doorway, still watching the two of them. Lincoln lifts his gaze to mine, smiling as he looks at me from over the book. Posey doesn’t lift her head, and as I walk into the room, I hear the soft sound of her snoring.

“She’s asleep,” I whisper as I stop by his feet.

Lincoln nods as he closes the book. “I know, but I didn’t want her to wake up.” He pauses, his smile transforming into a sheepish one while he gently lifts Posey’s head from his arm and stands up. “I wanted to see how the story ended, if I’m being honest.”

I laugh quietly, watching him as he walks to the bookcase. Posey stirs in her bed, and I tuck her in before I follow Lincoln out of her room. As we step into the hall, I close the gate in her doorway and leave the door cracked. We walk down to the kitchen together, and Lincoln sits down at the island as I stand on the opposite side.

He lifts the coffee cup, taking a sip of the warm liquid as his eyelids flutter shut. “Mmm,” he practically moans and opens his eyes again. “Midday Drip has the best coffee.”

“They do,” I agree as I take a sip of my own drink. “How was Posey?”

“She was good,” he tells me as he sets his cup back down. “I think she needed a break too, you know? She needs you more than anyone else, but I think a fresh face in moments like that can help.”

“I know she was getting frustrated too,” I say, my voice low as I lean against the counter. “When I got pregnant, I didn’t imagine doing this all on my own. I didn’t think Dane and I would stay together, but I didn’t think he would sign his rights over.” I pause, letting out a breath. “A part of me was relieved, and a part of me instantly felt bad for Posey.” I stop again, feeling the emotion building in my chest. “Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m doing a good job. When moments like this happen, I feel so fucking guilty for being frustrated with her. What if I don’t do this right?”

“Nova, no,” Lincoln starts, shaking his head as he abruptly rises from his seat and walks over to me. He doesn’t hesitate, and I don’t object as he wraps his arms around my torso and pulls me flush against him. My ear rests against his firm chest, listening to the steady tempo of his heartbeat beneath. “You are an extraordinary mother, and you are doing great. I don’t know a lot about kids, but I don’t imagine they are easy. We are all human. We all fuck up, we all make mistakes. You do not need to feel guilty. You are giving that little girl the entire world, and when she gets older, she will see that.”

His words swirl around in my head, piercing my brain as a weight feels like it’s lifting from my shoulders. Lincoln pulls away, just enough to slide his hand beneath my chin to tilt my head back.

“You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met, Nova Simmons.”

My lips part slightly, and his gaze drops down to my mouth. Time is momentarily suspended, and he lowers his face to mine. His breath dances across my lips, and my eyelids flutter closed just as his mouth claims mine.

His lips are pillow soft, and he kisses me with a tenderness that has my entire body melting into a puddle on the floor. Lifting my hands, I wrap my arms around his back, holding him close to me as he slides his hand through my hair, cradling the back of my head. His cock pulsates between us, pushing against me as he groans into my mouth.

The front door opens, abruptly slamming shut. My heartbeat ceases, and I pull away from him, my eyes widening as I search his brown irises. “Shit,” I mumble breathlessly, lifting my fingers to my swollen lips.

Lincoln looks down at his dick showing in his pants and lets out a low chuckle as he adjusts himself. “Shit is right.” He steps away from me, walking over to the counter for his coffee as he steps around it, using it as a shield to hide his erection.

“Oh,” Nash says, a little shocked as he walks into the kitchen. He shrugs out of his coat. “What are you losers doing?”

“Nothing,” I offer, my voice sounding higher pitched than it should have been. Nash raises an eyebrow at me, and I resist the urge to glance at Lincoln for some type of help.

Lincoln walks around the counter. “Thanks again for the coffee, Nova,” he says with a smile. “I’m going to go take a shower.”

Nash nods, narrowing his eyes on Lincoln as he disappears from the room without another word. My brother looks back at me, and I swear I can feel the color draining from my face. He knows. He has to fucking know.

His lips part, and I know this is it. He’s going to ask me about it, and I don’t know if I should lie or tell the truth.

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