Page 52 of Fall Twice

Reid pulls back with a devilish smirk before tapping my nose. “Oh, you know it. But I promise, when we move in together one day, I won’t give her a key.”

“Wonderful.” I slide my eyes away from his gaze. My heart jumps every time he talks about a future.

Funny silence dances around us, and I draw my attention back to Reid with a curious look on my face.

“They know,” he confirms.

“About you and me?”

Reid nods as he drinks from his coffee and then sets his mug back down. “Call it my mother’s sixth sense, and I couldn’t deny it.”

I wave him off. “It’s no big deal. Another step for us.”

“I like that.” He quickly steals a kiss on my lips, before sinking back in the chair to enjoy the rest of his coffee. “Dealing with the eggnog latte okay?”

I study the contents in my hand. “I guess it’s our second chance at love. I mean, I wasn’t a fan of the drink before, but this time around… I don’t know, maybe the latte and I have a thing now.”

A smirk plays on Reid’s lips. “Subtle.”

“Might be a very large thing.” I try to hide my laugh, but I can’t because these are our days—constant smiles that keep us in an elated mood.

He’s quick to tickle me and wraps his arm around my middle. Our eyes catch and we enjoy the moment between us.

Then he does my favorite thing and glides the pad of his thumb along my jawline, his gaze keeping me captive. “I love you,” he whispers.

My face freezes as my entire heart jumps out of my chest, and surprise hits me in a wave. He’s never said those words to me, and even when I felt long ago that I could say it, a fact hits me.

I now believe if I had told him how I felt all those years ago, then it wouldn’t feel the way it does in this very moment. It’s completely right, as if the key clicks into a lock. And call me old-fashioned but he said it first which makes me feel even more confident and safe when I reply.

“I love you too.”

Our lips search for one another and land in a perfect angle for a kiss to seal us together. The taste of coffee lingers on his lips, not pumpkin, but at least there is fucking nutmeg, ginger, and a hell of a lot of heart.

I guess winter won’t be that bad.

EPILOGUE: REID

2 YEARS LATER

Dropping my keys onto the tray by the front door, I breathe in and recognize that the house is quiet. I take an extra-long inhale because I know what I am walking into. But this is what we want.

I head up the stairs and see that our bedroom door is slightly ajar. Should I knock or not? Nah, play it casual. It’ll be less stressful for us all.

“Lena, I did the drop-off. Oscar is with his dad now for the weekend,” I say as I enter the room. Then stop in my tracks when I see that the mood in our bedroom is completely different.

“I guess we got lucky with timing,” she nervously tries to joke.

My eyes scan the scene before me. The lights are dim, candles all around, and I’m positive Lena burned some herbs from Prudence, and Lena is lying before me in dark green lace that shows a lot of cleavage that is damn distracting and may sidetrack us. Then there’s the fact that the fabric barely covers the tops of her thighs, but that’s the point.

I begin to unbutton my cufflinks as I survey Lena splayed out on the bed with her hips on a mountain of pillows. I took Oscar to his dad’s while Lena took one of those test things that told us it’s turkey baster time—her words, not mine.

Not going to lie, I may have hit the accelerator on my way home because we have a window of opportunity.

Rolling up my sleeves, I ask, “So, we’re doing this?” I need to double-check, even though I know the answer.

Her eyes narrow in on me as she sits up on her propped elbows. “If you’re on board then I’m ready.” She smiles confidently and wiggles her fingers against the mattress.

I scoff a sound before a grin forms on my mouth. Because I’m not only on board, I’m leading the ship. I threw out the idea a few months ago because the idea of Lena carrying our child hasn’t left my mind.

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