Page 107 of Pieces

“Exactly,” I reply, my voice dropping as I look into her eyes and pull her closer to move us until she's laying down. “Just lie back and let me worship you.”

Her playful expression shifts, her cheeks flushing as she tangles her fingers in my hair and pulls me down to meet her lips. The kiss starts slow, but it doesn’t stay that way for long. It’s full of heat and hunger, all the pent-up longing from the past ten days spilling out between us.

I trail kisses down her neck, letting my hands roam over her curves, and her laughter turns into soft, breathless gasps. My chest feels tight, but it’s not nerves or doubt, it’s her. Everything about her, all at once, and the overwhelming certainty that she’s mine, and though I know she thinks I’m joking, I think I might be in love with my baby mama.

Chapter forty-five

Hudson

20 weeks

“No way, dude, that’s mine. Quinn said so.” I glare at Jay, who’s trying to peel off a corner of my heart-printed washi tape.

“I just need a piece,” Jay says, holding his hands up like he’s innocent, except he’s absolutely not. The tape is still very much hostage in his grip. “Just one bit.”

“You don’t need a piece. Use your own. That one’s mine.” I reach across the table to grab it.

“Quinn!” Jay yells, holding the tape just out of my reach.

Quinn sighs from her spot at the end of the table, where she’s surrounded by an explosion of pastel cardstock and glitter glue. “What now?”

“Tell Jay to give me my tape back,” I whine, pointing at him like we’re five. “You said it was mine.”

Quinn doesn’t even glance up as she continues carefully cutting a frame for her page. “Jay, stop stealing Hudson’s tape. He’s weird about it. You know this.”

“Thank you,” I say smugly, then snatch the tape from Jay’s hand and tuck it protectively into my supplies.

Jay rolls his eyes. “You’re way too attached to craft supplies, man.”

“Crafting is serious business,” I reply, ripping off a piece of tape with my teeth. “You all just don’t appreciate my creativity.” This particular scrapbook is extra special, and I can’t have it without my heart washi tape.

“Hudson whining about tape,” Seb mutters from across the room, where he’s flipping through a stack of stickers. “Does anyone else remember when he was quiet that one time and couldn’t create a damn thing?”

“It was peaceful,” Miles chimes in, balancing precariously on the back legs of his chair while holding a mug of coffee. “He hardly spoke.”

“Peaceful?” Indie snorts from her spot in the corner, where she’s meticulously stamping a title onto her scrapbook page. “Quiet Hudson is a red flag. It’s like when the music stops in a horror movie.”

“Ah, but that was pre-Daphne. She’s brought back his…enthusiastic side,” Jay adds, and I scowl at all of them.

“Sometimes I think you all don’t like me,” I grumble.

“Ilike you.” A voice that I recognize comes from the doorway, and when I look up, I see her. My girl and my baby.

“That’s good.” I grin as she walks over and sits right next to me. “Because you’re kinda stuck with me.” She leans in, pressing a peck to my cheek like it’s the most natural thing in the world and I love it.

Miles laughs, leaning back in his chair. “Hey Daph,” he says before adding, “We love you, Huds. Even when you made us sit in total silence after the CFP semi.”

Seb smirks, jumping in. “We were all mourning that loss. I get it, dude.”

It was a tough loss and one that stung because it was the last time I got to play with Seb. Next year, there’ll be a new captain appointed, and I already don’t like that.

Jay hums in agreement. “Except Seb here was already smiling the next day. Signing with an agent will do that, huh?”

“What can I say?” Seb shrugs, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “It’s not like the scouts forgot how to watch film because we didn’t make it to the final. I’m still good.”

“Good?” Miles scoffs. “You’ve got half the league calling your name. What’s that agent of yours saying now?”

Seb grins, clearly enjoying the attention. “That I better start getting used to interviews. Draft’s still a couple months out, but they’re lining up already.”

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