****
It was the following morning when Tasha opened her eyes to find Jim still sleeping next to her that she remembered her worries and concerns from the previous evening. She’d slept through until two that morning after Jim had put her to bed and it was only because Connor had woken to be fed that she’d stirred. Once fed and changed, she quickly settled him back in his cot and returned to bed where Jim was sleeping soundly, and now he was still fast asleep proving that the last twenty-four hours had taken its toll on them both. She could still hear Connor's gentle breathing through the baby monitor and seeing it was now six o’clock knew he should be good for another couple of hours after her minor meltdown had thrown his routine off schedule the previous night.
“Morning, baby,” said Jim from behind her before his arms snaked around her and pulled her closer. “How's life looking this morning?” He landed a kiss against Tasha's bare shoulder.
“Better, thank you.” She smiled to herself. “Sorry I was a bit crazy last night.”
“Oh, honey, you're crazy every night, so I'm kind of used to it,” he told her, making her laugh as she smacked the arm lying over her body that was tightening around her, pulling her against him and revealing his erection rubbing against the globes of her behind. “But you're okay, right?” he asked more seriously.
“Yes, I think so. Yesterday was just, kind of everything I should have expected from a meeting with my father, but I'm fine,” she assured him.
“You certainly are.” He nipped a path across her shoulder as he rubbed himself against her once more making her giggle again.
“I love you,” she said sincerely and hoped her behaviour and suggestions about going home and potentially leaving him wouldn't detract from his belief of just how strong her feelings for him were.
“I know you do baby, and I love you too. So much, Tasha.”
“James,” she moaned, pushing back into his body, his erection pressing into her behind insistently.
“What, baby?”
Her token James, already hoarse with desire and need meant they both knew exactly what she was saying, her words only confirming it. “Make love to me, please.”
“Is that what you want, for me to make love to you? Because I will, God knows I need you, honey, but I was thinking that I need to touch you, to make you wet and then to fuck you until you're going crazy with desire, begging to come.”
“Then you should do your worst,” she invited, rotating her behind into his groin and making him laugh against her ear that he was mouthing.
Chapter 23
A month later, Tasha was sitting in her lounge with Abby, Lucy and Amanda who was cradling her new-born baby boy, Isaac, while Skye, Lucy's daughter, was sitting on the floor in a cocoon of cushions in case her new found skill of pulling herself up failed, as it often did. Connor was lying in the middle of a doughnut of brightly covered sponge looking up at the toys hanging above him and gurgling loudly. Tasha felt totally content with her life and was working one day a week, often with Connor for the show in the U.K. for Robbie Newman.
“This would be so much more interesting with alcohol rather than coffee,” moaned Abby as she accepted the cup Tasha offered her.
“Yeah, well some of us are still breastfeeding,” replied Tasha while Amanda nodded.
“And some of us aren't,” countered Lucy, grinning across at Abby.
“Okay,” Tasha acknowledged. “You get my husband to agree to us sipping cocktails before lunch while we're all in charge of babies, or children,” she added, looking at Abby, “and I will hire topless cocktail waiters to mix them, serve them and possibly even use their washboard stomachs to serve them on.”
The others all laughed which made both Skye and Connor laugh too. Leaning over Connor, his mother cooed down at him, “And you need to remember that you are a real momma's boy and Daddy won’t ever need to know what was said here, you got that?” She smiled as she picked him up and kissed him.
“Not a chance,” cried Abby. “Connor will be just like Lizzie and Philip and tell Daddy everything he sees and hears, just like Alexi does. Maybury men make wonderful fathers whose children love them and trust them so they just spill, without even realising it. So make the most of your son being young enough not to know what's going on and unable to repeat what he hears because when he does you are seriously screwed.” Grinned Abby until Lexi appeared with Travis and chastened her mother.
“Mommy, don't say those words. You know Daddy says they're not ladylike,” the little girl said seriously, making the others laugh at their friend.
“Oh dear.” Tasha grinned smugly. “You joining us for lunch, Lexi, or are you and Travis eating with the horses?”
“I thought I might have lunch up here and play with the babies for a while and then Travis is taking me for a ride later,” Lexi replied.
“Well if your mom will watch Connor later I might come out with you, if that's okay?” Tasha looked between Lexi and Travis.
“Yeah, cool,” replied Travis as Abby nodded her compliance with the plan.
“Later then ladies,” called Travis as he left the house and headed back down to the stables.
“If I wasn't very happy with Ryan I could go for that whole cowboy with the southern drawl,” mused Lucy, making the others laugh at her. “What?” She was clearly confused by the other’s inability to understand her point. “He is bloody gorgeous. I can't believe you don't get it.”
“He's my younger cousin, so eww,” said Abby with an expression of distaste.
