Page 78 of Deny Me
Charlotte swallowed, then told Becky something she’d never told anyone but her parents and King before. “I can’t have children.” The words were rough, emotional, but she got them out anyway. It was time. With King she was whole; children weren’t an absolute necessity for that. “We might consider adopting someday, maybe. Who knows? For now, though”—she patted Becky’s hand—“we’ve got each other, and that’s enough.”
Not long after, Sophia woke up hungry, and Charlotte and King walked back to their room after reminding Becky to call them for help if she needed it overnight. King closed the door behind them, and the weight of the day dragged Charlotte down to the bed before she could even shed her clothes to be more comfortable. It was King who performed that duty, stripping her to her panties and him to his boxers before climbing into the bed behind her and cuddling up just as he had that afternoon.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” he whispered in her ear, his hands on her ribs and low on her pelvis, holding her close against him. He dosed back off before she could agree.
No, they didn’t need anyone or anything else. Together, just like this, they were enough.
Epilogue
“I’m telling you, Dain,” Saint said, pointing a tortilla chip loaded with queso at his boss. “It’s going to be a girl, no doubt about it.”
Olivia, Dain’s wife, paused with her forkful of enchiladas raised halfway to her mouth. “‘No doubt,’ huh?”
Saint spoke with his mouth full. “That cute little beach ball has to be a girl. Any boy that takes after your husband would be a ten-pounder, minimum.”
“Might want to be careful there, Saint.” Dain set his plate on the table in front of the seat next to his wife, then turned back to the kitchen to grab a drink. “Referring to my wife’s stomach as a beach ball, however cute, could get you benched when she castrates you.”
“But—”
King slapped a hand on Saint’s shoulder, drawing his attention. “Quit while you’re ahead,” he muttered out of the side of his mouth. Next to him, Charlotte giggled. Her first get-together with his entire team and their respective families had been a success from minute one, but the discussion surrounding their bets on the sex of Dain and Olivia’s baby seemed to be especially amusing.
“Yeah, Saint,” Olivia added with a wicked gleam in her eye and a sharp knife raised in the air, “quit while you’re ahead.”
Dain returned, stopping to kiss his wife before taking his seat. “That’s my Livie.”
Deacon turned from wiping his daughter’s queso-smeared mouth and pinned Dain with a look. “As the only one around this table with experience at this, I’m going with Saint—it’s a girl.”
Dain groaned at Elliot’s fiancé. “God would not be that cruel.” His sideways glance at Olivia, both hopeful and resigned, was met with a serene Madonna smile. In other words, she wasn’t tellin’.
Elliot laughed in Dain’s direction. “Yes, she would.”
“I have to admit,” Charlotte broke in, “when King told me you were keeping the sex of the baby a secret, and that his teammates had been placing bets on both the sex and when the baby would arrive, I had one thought: Olivia is diabolical. Good for you.” She grinned when Olivia hooted in response.
“We might be a small contingent of this team family so far,” Olivia said, “but we’re growing and we’re mighty. You do realize, husband, that if this baby is a girl, the scales will be tipped in favor of the women, five to four.”
Dain grinned. Without warning he reached for Livie, pulling her out of her seat and onto his lap, then leaning down to plant a long kiss on her smiling lips. When he lifted his head, she looked dazed. “I’ll be happy either way the scales tip.”
“I think we have enough smartas— Uh…” Saint eyed Sydney, seated between Deacon and Elliot, watching him with wide, curious eyes. “Too-smartwomen…” he finished, “to deal with around here.” He winked at Syd. “Including you.”
“Nice save,” King whispered to his friend. “But I think you’re just jealous because you can’t get one to stick.”
Saint punched him in the bicep hard.
“Daddy,” Sydney asked loudly, “when are we having a baby?”
Elliot spit out the swallow of sweet tea she’d just taken, going pale. The entire table burst into laughter. Sydney frowned, and King could tell from the look in her eyes that she was trying to work out what she’d said that was so funny. When she glanced up at her dad, Deacon gave her a gentle smile while patting Elliot on the back. “We’ll talk about that later, okay, little bit?”
Sydney nodded, Elliot excused herself to grab towels for cleanup, and the rest of them moved to another topic in amused sympathy.
Livie had started these monthly dinners after their team had first been assigned to each other. A way to bring them together. It had been the four of them and Olivia for two years, but now the Brannans’ dinner table overflowed with visitors. Saint was the only one of them without a significant other since King and Charlotte had reunited a couple of weeks ago, but though King watched carefully, he didn’t see any resentment from his friend. The man was the same carefree, happy bachelor he’d been for as long as King had known him. As long as he was happy, King was fine, but he didn’t want Saint to decide he was on the outside looking in.
So far, so good.
After brownie sundae desserts and cleanup, King grabbed his and Charlotte’s coats. Tonight was Charlotte’s first overnight at his apartment, and he had a slight detour planned before they could get there. “Livie, you won’t be having that little one before we do this again, will you?”
“Who knows?” The petite redhead stroked a hand over what really did look like a cute little beach ball of a stomach—not that he’d be stupid enough to say that aloud. “My due date is four weeks away, but Maryann assures me it could be anywhere from two to six weeks. Whatever the baby decides.”
“Well, let us know if you need anything.” He kissed her cheek, called their goodbyes while he slipped Charlotte’s coat on, then ushered his woman out the door.
