Eyes locked on their woman, Beck clenched his jaw and slammed deep inside her one last time. “Come now!”
Seth lifted from her breast and pinched her stony clit between his fingers. Heavenly twisted, bucking hard, every muscle tight and trembling.
As she and Beck shattered together in a cacophony of heady shouts, Seth could see their tomorrows so vividly. For the first time in eight years, he felt completely and truly alive.
But as the passion faded, the shadows lurking in his head reappeared. The worry. The fear.
He shoved them aside, refusing to give them more of his energy. This was his future. Fuck the past.
With a gratified groan, Beck withdrew. Heavenly closed her eyes with a sigh, sinking into a satisfied sleep almost instantly. She looked ethereal in the soft lamplight, her pale hair fanning across the sheets, her skin gorgeously flushed. Something fierce and possessive stirred in Seth’s chest.
Mine.
No, ours.
He and Beck exchanged a glance before the surgeon grinned. “That was fucking amazing. Nice not to have to worry about condoms.”
Seth couldn’t argue. “Amen.”
Glancing down at Heavenly, Beck cocked his head as if studying the situation. “Maybe this won’t help, but…”
He shoved a couple of pillows under her hips. Then his grin became a big smile.
Seth scowled. “Are you serious?”
“Hey, why not give our swimmers the best chance possible? A little gravity, and…you never know.”
“You’re bent as fuck.”
“Nah, just hopeful. Speaking of…” He crawled off the bed and donned his robe.
He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he straightened and caught Seth’s eye. With a subtle bob of his head, he motioned toward the door.
Seth wasn’t sure where Beck was leading him or why, but he pulled on his discarded dress pants and leaned down to brush his own kiss across Heavenly’s damp brow. She barely stirred, lost in a deep, thoroughly satisfied sleep.
The primal satisfaction of taking her bare and filling her with his seed was still coursing through Seth’s veins. He’d never experienced anything like tonight. Apparently, he’d been harboring a secret breeding fantasy. Where the hell had that come from? He’d never had that particular kink, even when Autumn had gotten pregnant. But the idea of marking Heavenly so fundamentally, of watching her grow round with their child, ignited something primal in him that he didn’t fully understand.
Beck led him down to his home office, a sleek space lined with medical journals and expensive whiskey. Seth half expected him to pour them a drink or say something about what had just happened. Instead, he unlocked one of his desk drawers.
When he turned around, he was holding a small velvet box.
Seth’s heart lurched when Beck opened it to reveal a stunning engagement ring. The oval center stone had to be at least two carats, surrounded by a brilliant halo of smaller diamonds that cascaded down the band in an intricate pattern. It was beautiful, elegant, and undoubtedly expensive.
“When the hell did you get that?” Seth demanded.
“A few weeks ago,” Beck replied vaguely.
A few weeks ago? About the time Raine gave birth to the twins? When the subject of babies had been uppermost in their minds? When Heavenly had stood at that nursery window with tears in her eyes, clearly yearning for a baby of her own?
Part of Seth was furious that Beck had picked out a ring without him. They were supposed to be partners in their pursuit of Heavenly’s heart. But the other part—the bigger part, if he was honest—understood completely. They’d been chasing her, either individually or together, for nearly ten months. Beck was ready for family and future. Heavenly was, too. Seth couldn’t think of a single reason they should wait for him to untangle his fucked-up head.
“Were you planning to propose without me?” Seth demanded.
“Don’t be a cockbag. I wanted to be ready when the moment felt right. And after tonight…” His gaze flicked up to the ceiling, toward their sleeping angel. “Now that she could be pregnant? I’d say the moment is right.”
Seth swallowed. “You want to do this now?”
“You got a better time in mind?” he challenged. “In the most biological way possible, we just committed to spending our lives together. What the hell are we waiting for?”
