She thrusts her hands against my chest hard. “Why don’t you kiss me, Gage? Why don’t you come to our bed at night and do the things to me a husband does to his wife? Why is it the only passion I derived from you was that first night with Skyla watching? Was it all for her benefit?”
“No.” I force myself to soften. I need to get a handle on this shit or Chloe is liable to fly through the ceiling and take all of my rotten plans right along with her. “I’m sorry, Chloe.” I pull her in and hold her a moment, her body slowly melting to mine. “I’m trying, I am. It’s just, I’m not ready yet. But I will be. I just need a little more time.” I dig my fingers into her hair, land my mouth over the top of her head, and I can feel her breathe easy.
She pulls back and nods up at me. “Okay. I’ll give you the time you need, but I want you sleeping in our bed again. I want you to hold me sometimes, too.” Her finger outlines my jaw from my ear to my chin. “I need you, Gage. I love you. We’re not going anywhere.” Her lips curl with her signature dark smile. “We are family.” She hikes on her tiptoes and lands a kiss to my cheek. “And you, Gage Oliver, belong to me.”
She stalks off down the hall and shuts the bathroom door with a bang. No sooner do I get a breather than my phone vibrates in my pocket and I fish it out to find a text from Wes.
I don’t give a shit if you and Coop are buddy buddy. Do not invite him to another event where Laken and I will also be present. I mean it, Gage. I will kick your brand new ass if I see his ugly face again. I’m sick and tired of hearing about Coop.
I stare down at my phone a good long while.
Sorry, Wes. Coop wins this round—and every foreseeable round after that. As for the ass kicking, I might just welcome it. I can use someone to let out all of my aggression on.
The day winds down. Logan picked up the boys about an hour after he dropped them off and I hung out in Eversor until I knew for a fact Chloe had waddled off to bed. I head home to the butterfly room and wait for Rory to show up and shed that Skyla grin my way.
I let out all of my aggression on her beautiful body, one deep-throated kiss at a time.
“My God, Skyla, how I’ve missed your mouth, your body.”
I show her just how much I’ve missed her, all night long.
19
Logan
There was a time in life when it felt as if everything good was disbanding from my life, everything I treasured was melting away.
For so long I thought I was cursed, inflicted with a load far too heavy for me to carry. This was not my destiny. I would not, could not accept it. And then Skyla came back, flew into my arms like an injured dove, and I wrapped my soul around her in an effort to heal her. And here we are, together again, the whole world seemingly right—seemingly because outside of the family we’re building, everything has effectively gone to hell, including the one that we love, Gage Oliver.
Lexy Bakova shakes her head as she shoves her laptop our way. “You should go with fuchsia, Skyla. I’m telling you, it’s the color of the moment.”
Emily grunts out a laugh. “Don’t listen, Mess. Nobody should go with fuchsia. She’s just bitter that she’s not the one marrying Logan, and she’s going to try to turn your wedding into a circus.”
That’s right. Skyla and I somehow let Lex talk us into becoming our wedding planner. The three of us have been huddled at the dining room table in the Landon house for the better part of an hour looking at Lexy’s favorite wedding boards on Pinterest. And, oddly, Emily, Michelle, and Bree have given far more input than either of us has.
Michelle Oliver, nee Miller, shakes her head at her long-time best friend. “Do not listen to the negativity, Lex. You and I are going to be the best event planners this side of China.”
Lex shoots a sly eye her way. “The only business we’re in together is The Enchanted Closet. And right about now, that’s a big regret.”
If looks could kill, Michelle just eviscerated Lex. “The only regret you have has to do with your inability to bag an Oliver.”
Bree thumps her knuckles over the table. “I make a motion for us to find Lex a man. Cooper Flanders is a loose goose. You’ve already been on one date. I say you land that plane, Lexy.”
Crap. I’ll have to warn Coop.
Skyla sheds an apprehensive glance my way. “I do like pink, but maybe something more neutral? Or maybe just touches of pink?”
“Pink is perfect.” I give her hand a squeeze. “You can have polka dots, unicorns that puke rainbows at our wedding—I’m just thrilled you agreed to show up.”
The table breaks out into a choir of coos, sans Lex who seems disgruntled at my proclamation.
Michelle jots down a wash of notes on that bright yellow legal pad she’s toting. “We’re having a joint baby shower for you and Chloe. It’s at her place, your place, whoever owns that god-awful speck next to the Olivers’.”
Bree reaches out and takes ahold of Skyla’s hand before she can respond. “You’re going to love it. Trust me when I say, you will hardly notice the fact Chloe is there.”
“I don’t care.” Skyla musters up a heroic amount of fortitude. “I didn’t even want you to go through the trouble of a baby shower.”
Michelle gives a wistful shake of the head. “So, what are you having? Girl, boy?”
