He’s serious. He’s planning. I simply nod.
“Not too, too far. Close enough where the cousins can play together and know each other, but enough that they call before they come? Make sure we’re not… interrupted.”
“Not so high that people can’t breathe when they visit.”
He nods.
“I’ll start looking. Not going to rush though, Wifey. We have two homes now.”
I don’t add,And no babies.
“I don’t love the idea of you going back to work in two weeks.”
I lift a hand, but he grabs it and plays with my fingers as he speaks.
“But your mission is important and I support that. So, we’ll make it work. I’m monitoring Troy Smith. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble from him. But I am going to chat with the head of security at Platt, seeing as how I know something he should.”
I don’t like that. I don’t like that the head of security will know about a failed bomb threat against me, much less because of a poor dating decision. I don’t want two men talking about me without being present. “I want to be there when you do.”
“Okay, Wifey. I’ll also work on the car situation, but you won’t be able to drive for a while… I don’t even think test-riding would be wise.” He looks toward my torso.
I’ve taken to wearing his tees. I don’t think he likes it. He tends to scrub a hand down his face when I do it, but my smaller things reveal too much and his eyes go hard, so he’s stuck for now.
He lifts the hem and stares at the black and blue marks above my waist. I don’t know how I’ll even wear a bra when I go to work either. Or stand, or do anything besides sit and groan. But I do the same here and at least there, my mind will stay busy. Here it runs amok.
“You were here and then gone.” He snaps his fingers.
“Oh. Yeah, I was quoting a movie in my head. Sorry.”
“So you’re good if I do the test drives or do you want to put that on hold and revisit it in the fall?”
Fall? Well, peanut butter balls. Yeah, it will be after early September before I can go. Dang. “Sure, but there’s no rush. I can’t drive anyway. If you want to narrow it down, though, I’m fine with that. Though you have your own surgery stuff to worry about. I— I want to be with you at the hospital.” I wrap my arm over my belly. “But this complicates everything.”
He leans down and brushes his lips against mine again. “We’ll figure it out. All this is temporary. We’ll make it work.”
“Cars. Tattoos. Job security and needing security at my job. Surgery. Lying flat until I have to pee only to lie flat again. What a honeymoon, right?”
He looks struck.
“I didn’t mean anything by it.” I squeeze the hand that holds mine.
“Not a honeymoon. A honeymoon is where I get to fuck you until you pass out from orgasm or I die, whichever comes first. We’ll have that. That I can guarantee, but this. This is newlywed life. We’ll get there.”
“Okay, William. We’ll get there. Now before you get spun up and can’t fall back to sleep, come lie down. I miss your warmth.” That’s true and that’s a lie. It’s freaking July. It’s as warm as it gets here, even if the nights are more temperate. But I miss him at my side. He’s comforting in a way I never expected I’d ever have.
64
turn and burn
Liam
“Have you seen my phone, Liam?” Lorien calls from the bedroom six very long weeks later. Six fucking weeks. She’s heading to work, and I have an errand but will be home in time to take her to her doctor’s appointment. That is, assuming everything goes as scheduled.
“On the bar,” I holler back from the shower.
She walks in, making a face at the steam and waves her hand in front of her face. Her hair is longer than I’ve ever seen it. She’s “two cycles behind”—her words.
I don’t give a fuck. I like it every way I see it, though framing my cock is my favorite.
