Page 41 of Trash the Dress

He bends his knees so he’s eye level with me. “I’ll always protect your heart.”

I take his face in my hands and pull him closer until our lips meet. Heat courses through my blood as our hands roam. I don’t know if it’s only the pregnancy hormones making me insatiable for this man, or if it’s him all on his own, but I do know I’ve never been under a spell so intense.

“I need you…now,” I tell him.

“You’ve got me. Tell me what you want, sunshine, and you’ll have it,” he says, voice thick with desire.

“Sit on the couch and I’ll do the rest.”

His brows shoot up in surprise, but he sits on the couch. I slowly strip out of my clothes, not once self-conscious about mychanging body because the way this man is looking at me says everything.

When my clothes are gone, I make my way to where he sits and help him out of his clothes. His hands caress my skin, sending chills all over me. I straddle his hips as he stares in my eyes. “This thing between us—all of it—it was destined to exist,” I tell him.

“I’m glad it does exist,” he says.

I kiss him again and sink down on his length. I grind my center against him as he takes my nipples in his mouth one at a time, swirling his tongue around each tip while his hands grip my hips. I’ve never felt confident enough to stay in this position long, especially in the light of day. But he reinforces my confidence without words. His actions and the look in his eyes tell me all I need to know. And I continue to move, baring my body, heart, and soul to him.

This connection is more than physical. I feel it with everything I am, same as last night. Which is why I ran this morning. But after his plea to give us a chance and his promise to protect my heart, something shifted. The storm lifted revealing blue skies as the sun broke through.

His breath gets heavier and he says, “Fall over the edge with me, sunshine. I need to feel you.”

His words do the trick. I come apart, triggering him too, and we hold one another together. We stay that way, catching our breath before he takes my face in his hands. “I’m falling in love with you, Scarlett. I need you to know that.”

I hold his face in my hands as well. “I’ve already fallen,” I admit.

“Will you consider staying with me? I know your life is here, but can you work remotely, or maybe just come here a few days a week in person? Greendale Valley isn’t that far,” he says.

“Is that too fast?” I ask.

His grin makes me giggle. “What?”

He rests his hand on my rounded belly. “We pushed fast-forward on day one together, sunshine. Besides, I think we need to spend as much time together as we can before this little guy or girl makes an appearance. It’d be good to find steady ground as a couple. Don’t you think?”

I can’t stop the smile that turns up my lips. “You make a compelling argument. How am I supposed to say no?”

He kisses my lips and says, “You’re not. Say you’ll stay with me.”

“Okay. I’ll stay.”

Somehow, the same man who managed to save me by trashing a wedding dress when I was about to drown in heartbreak has saved me again by giving me what I didn’t know I needed. His love and a promise to protect my heart. That happens to be a promise I have no doubt he’ll do everything in his power to keep.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Zander

Scarlett has been here for a few weeks. As the baby grows, so does her sex drive. I can’t complain. I’ve been more intimate with her than I’ve ever been with anyone. We know every freckle, scar, and sweet spot of each other’s bodies. Our hearts are opening a little more every day to one another too.

We only have a couple more weeks until the anatomy ultrasound where we can find out whether this serendipitous baby is a boy or girl. The thought of either makes me nervous in different ways.

If we have a boy, I feel tremendous pressure to be the kind of father and example a son needs and would be proud to call “Dad.” I want to show him how to love and respect a woman in the future by showing him how I treat his mother.

And if we have a girl, I feel an overwhelming sense of protectiveness. No one will hurt my little girl, and I’ll strive to set an example of the kind of man she should one day search for in a partner. And I hope to show her that by how I love her mother.

I love this woman. I love Scarlett. Things have been going so great it’s almost scary. I hate to say it, but I fear being this happy. I know I should just embrace it and not think about ways everything can go from the happiness we have now to disaster.

For Scarlett and the family we’re growing, I’m pushing those doubts aside. I don’t have doubts about her or the way I feel about her, it’s mostly doubts that anything this amazing can last. We both have reasons to doubt lasting love, but I meant it when I said I would keep her heart safe. I just hope she can keep mine safe too.

It’s Friday night and I’m working at the bar. I’m interacting with customers and my employees, but my mind is on Scarlett. I find myself wanting to be at home with her. I’m in the middle of pouring a whiskey when the front doors opens and Scarlett enters.

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