“Of course.”
Sam and the town’s hotshot dentist, Dr. Gregory Post, just got engaged after living together for over a year. He’s a great guy, always happy, which is what earned him his nickname. She’s suffered from night terrors and panic attacks after what Trevor did to her. A few months after her attack, Phoenix police caught the Shadow—an ex-con from Texas who got a rush from beating up women—when he attempted to attack a woman who also held a black belt in the martial arts. The man got a taste of what he’d been putting women through and is now serving a life sentence in state prison. Although Sam was inspired by the woman’s story, she still hasn’t felt safe. Until Dr. Greg insisted she get therapy. Even though she still struggles with the attack, I’ve never seen Sam happier or more settled.
I take a sip of my coffee just as Cody brings in another box, this one labeled Shy’s Desk with a big FRAGILE scrolled on the side.
“Oh, here! I’ll take that.” I reach to grab it, but my brother moves past me and sets it on my desk.
“Nice try,” he mumbles.
I roll my eyes and ignore him, digging into my box.
Cody motions to Sam. “Once you two are done chitchatting, maybe you could start getting some actual unpacking done.” He flashes a teasing smile.
“Eh . . . he’s probably right.” Sam skips off. “I’ll be in my suite if you need me.” She giggles and slaps Cody in the gut as she passes him.
My brother’s footsteps shuffle toward the door, but he calls out, “Be careful,” before he leaves.
“Overprotective much?” I mumble.
“Ha! I’m nothing compared to—”
“Puleaze! Don’t even say it. All you men are equally as bad!” I slide my hands under the box to move it to my seat so that I can pull things out and place them on my desk.
“Who is equally as bad—Whoa!” Firm hands grasp my hips from behind, the touch as familiar as my own. “Put the box down, baby.” Those warm hands slide around my waist to my belly, rubbing circles on the sixmonth baby bump that stretches the fabric of my sweater.
“Lucas, I’m fine. I can lift a box to my—”
“No.” His lips skate up my neck, kissing and tempting, until he nips at my earlobe.
I shiver in his arms and press my thighs together as desire rushes through my veins like a flash fire. His chuckle vibrates against my skin. I tilt my head to expose more of my neck, a silent plea for more. “You love teasing me.”
“Mmm . . .” He moves his attention from my neck to my jawline. “Our baby’s doing beautiful things to your body. I think it’s you who loves teasing me.” He flexes his hips into my lower back and I gasp at how hard he is.
“I think, I wonder, if we could take a break? Ya know, just um . . .” I lick my lips, unable to concentrate past what his mouth is doing against my skin to string together a complete thought.
“Nash is in his office; probably not smart to do dirty things to his daughter with him in the next room.”
“Well . . .” I’m panting now as his teeth run the length of my neck. “As your wife, I will take control of our Netflix membership and torture you with historical biographies every night for the next year if you don’t put out this fire you’ve created between my legs.”
Another chuckle, this one deeper, darker, dangerous.
“Gage . . .” His name falls from my lips on a moan. “Take me home.”
“Like you have to ask.” He swoops me up in his arms and crashes his lips to mine in a kiss that robs me of breath. Our tongues glide together and he sucks at my mouth as if it’s the last drop of water in the desert.
I slide my hands around his nape, fisting the hair that sticks out beneath his ball cap, and moan when he sinks his teeth into my bottom lip. “Home.”
“Fuck, yeah.” He carries me from my office and through the lobby, past my brother carrying a box, and some of the Jennings crew doing some lastminute finishing work.
“Be back in an hour, Dad!” I holler over Gage’s shoulder.
“Hey! Careful going down the stairs with her!” my dad yells from his new executive office. “She’s in a delicate cond—”
“She’s safe on my watch, Nash,” Gage calls back.
“You guys, I’m fine!”
“I thought the honeymoon was over.” I can hear my dad’s grumbled laughter as I’m carried over the threshold and across the snow-covered earth.
“Not even close!” Gage nips at my lips.
I claw his shoulders, pulling myself in tighter to protect myself against the icy cold. My breasts, now bigger and a lot more sensitive, brush against the firm plain of his pectorals and we both groan in anticipation.