Page 80 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

Troy’s sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looks up when I walk in and pats the spot next to him. I don’t hesitate, curling up against his side and letting out a sigh.

“Jared call yet?” I ask, voice muffled as I rest my cheek against his shoulder.

He kisses the top of my head. “Not yet. You’ll be the first to know, I promise.”

I pull back slightly to look at him. “What if it’s bad news? I just—I want to spend the holidays with you guys. Together. No interruptions. No drama.”

He strokes my arm, his thumb brushing over my skin in slow, soothing circles. “We will, baby. I’ll make sure of it. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Easier said than done,” I mumble, but his calmness helps.

Jamie bursts into the room like he owns the place, rubbing his stomach dramatically. “I’m starving. Someone feed me before I pass out.”

Troy grins.

“I can whip up some pasta. Quick and easy,” I tell him.

“No, no, no.” Jamie waves him off, flopping onto the armchair. “You’ve been on your feet all week. Let’s do something fun. There’s this hotel restaurant I’ve been dying to try out. It’ll blow your mind.”

I glance at Troy. He shrugs, giving me that easy, boyish grin that always makes me melt. “Sounds good to me.”

“Fine,” I say, sitting up and stretching. “Let me go get ready.”

Jamie smirks. “You might wanna hurry. Reservations at places like that don’t wait for slowpokes.”

I roll my eyes but laugh anyway as I make my way upstairs.

In my room, I start rummaging through my closet, pulling out dresses only to toss them aside. Nothing fits right. My belly’s starting to show now, and my ankles are a little swollen—not that I’ve mentioned that to either of them. They’d panic, and I’m not in the mood to deal withthatkind of drama.

Finally, I settle on a loose-fitting dress that doesn’t cling too much, slipping on some comfortable sandals. My hair’s a mess, so I quickly curl the ends and let it fall over my shoulders. It’s the best I can do without spending hours getting dolled up.

When I come downstairs, Troy’s already dressed, looking stupidly handsome in dark jeans and a crisp black shirt. He grins when he sees me, his eyes lingering in that way that always makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

“Where’s Jamie?” I ask, adjusting my dress.

“Taking Pup back to his apartment. He’ll be back in a sec.”

I nod, but something nags at me. “Troy…”

Before I can ask, he steps forward, tilting my chin up and kissing me gently. His lips are warm, soft, and they instantly shut me up.

“You worry too much,” he murmurs against my mouth.

“Do not,” I argue weakly, but he’s already sliding his hands down my sides, pulling me closer.

“Sure you don’t,” he teases, his fingers slipping beneath the hem of my dress.

“Troy…” I start to protest, but his hand moves higher, and any coherent thought flies out the window.

He grins, knowing exactly what he’s doing. His fingers work their magic, and my knees nearly give out as he whispers, “Let me distract you.”

The front door opens, and Jamie’s voice cuts through the haze. “All right, horn dogs! Can we hurry the hell up? I managed to get us a table, but we’ve gotta move!”

I push Troy away, glaring at him as I try to compose myself. He just laughs, totally unapologetic.

Jamie steps into the room, shielding Noah’s eyes with one hand and holding the car seat with the other. “Seriously. There’s a baby present. Keep it PG. I leave you two for one second and you are already fingering her.”

I groan, my face heating up. “You’re impossible.”

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