Duke climbs over the fence, pulling me into his chest. “Shh, shh. I’ve got you. You’re here with me. I’m not going anywhere.”
He rocks me back and forth slowly. The steady beating ofhis heart in my ear draws me back to reality. I suck in a shallow breath before slowly exhaling it. I grip his shirt in my hand, pressing my face to his chest.
“That’s it, darlin’. Just breathe.”
“You smell good.”
“Do I? I’m sweaty. Been working all day.”
“I like it.”
“Mmm, better watch it with that kinda talk, ma’am.”
“Or what?”
He presses his lips up to my ear. “Or I might have to sneak you into my bed later tonight.”
My core tightens, and suddenly, that’s all I can think about. I’m desperate for a distraction. I’m needy, practically panting into him. I swipe my tongue out and taste his skin. He groans as soon as the salty flavor hits my tongue. I do it again, feeling the rigid length in his jeans harden against my belly. He threads his fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck, scraping against my scalp.
“Do you want that?”
I nod.
“You and the boys should stay in the main house.”
I lift my head back, blinking up at him. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Like what, baby?”
“Like my mess is worth it to you.”
His blue eyes soften. “Because you are worth it to me, darlin’.”
“Mommy!”
I blink back the tears and pull away from him when alittle hand tugs on my arm. I look down at Dawson, who has dirt smeared across his shirt.
“Dutton threw dirt at me!”
“Okay, then I guess it’s bath time.”
Eden insists that we didn’t keep her up last night, but she doesn’t protest too loudly when I tell her we’ll be staying at the main house for the night. I know she’s been having trouble sleeping since she’s nearing the third trimester, and any little peep of sound the boys make can wake her.
Last night was rough on all of us. Both the boys had a nightmare, and I honestly don’t know how tonight’s going to go.
After giving them a bath, where more water ends up on the floor around the tub than in it, I kiss them, say their prayers with them, and tuck them into the bed in the guest room down the hall from Duke’s.
At first, it was a little odd to me that it was Pops’s room before, but they replaced all the furniture and bedding, so it feels like a new space.
“Mommy, please snuggle,” Dutton whines.
I give in way too easily, sliding between the two of them and pulling them up onto my chest.
“Sing, Mommy,” Dawson says, playing with the ends of my hair.
I do my best to sing to them, starting with “You Are My Sunshine” and ending with “Over the Rainbow.”
After a few minutes of singing, I hear the gentle strum of guitar strings. I turn to see Duke playing softly in tune with me. I gulp when my eyes travel down his frame to see the black sweatpants slung low on his hips. His abs flex as he plays the guitar, eyes locked on mine.
