“Getting any sleep?” Gage asked me from across the table after we’d ordered drinks.
“A little bit,” I said and nodded to Warren. “He gets more than me.”
“Five minutes more doesn’t count.” Warren chided. “Plus, I’d give anything to be able to get up with her more, but she only wants the boobs.”
I laughed at that. “True.”
“It won’t always be like that,” Gage said and smiled down at Lettie who was quietly coloring, then at Ethan—who looked exactly like his daddy—as he chomped away at those cheerios. Bailey reached over and squeezed Gage’s hand, and I couldn’t help but smile at the way our table overflowed with love.
We had created our own family over the past couple of years, and I couldn’t be happier with the people we’d chosen for our inner circle.
Paige handed a wiggling Daphne—all blond hair and green eyes—to Rory before she snapped a picture of Warren wearing our baby, and we all laughed.
“What?” She asked, slipping her cell back in her bag. “It’s baby’s first outing. Things like this must be documented.”
Warren smoothed his fingers over Katherine’s head that peaked out of the fabric, her eyes closed in a blissful daddy-wrap sleep. He was so at ease. Wore the dad-role so handsomely. My heart expanded another size, all at once so full I thought I might cry from happiness.
“Thanks for being here,” he said before glancing at me. “We needed the outing. We’ve been figuring out how to navigate all of this as we go, right?” He chuckled.
“Absolutely,” I said, grinning at him. Wasn’t that what we’d been doing all along? Since the moment he found out about the baby? It’d been one big experiment. One big trial and error run, and we were just lucky as hell that it worked out the way it did.
I had a feeling the next eighteen-plus years would be like that.
A picture took shape in my mind with the thought—Warren and myself in an audience of parents watching kids walk across a stage to earn their diplomas. My eyes snapped to Warren, and my heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t allowed myself to think past the baby being born. Hadn’t really given the future as much thought as perhaps I should’ve.
But looking at him now, at how these past few months had been, I knew I didn’t want to be with anyone else.
I wanted this.
I wanted him.
Our family. Together.
I loved him.
But I hadn’t said it yet.
And neither had he.
Sure, we’d both said it to the baby…but we’d only been together a few months. Was it too soon? I sipped my ice water in an effort to calm my nerves. Everything had happened so fast with us, and I was terrified of making the wrong move and bursting the blissful bubble we’d come to live in. Plus, I hated to admit it, but I wasn’t certain if he’d be the same Warren when the season started.
I swallowed my fears as we ordered lunch and lost myself in the chatter between old friends. There would be time to think about the future later. Time to discuss what our lives were going to look like now that our child had come into the world.
We had time.
For now, I simply was happy to be out of the house. To be among the family we’d chosen as our own. And to watch the man I loved hold our baby with such gentleness it made me swoon.
Three hours later, Warren had secured our baby into the car seat in his SUV, and we waved to our friends as they drove off. Warren wrapped me in his arms after gently shutting the door as to not wake up Katherine.
“That was fun,” he said as I clung to his hard middle.
I nodded against his chest.
He shifted, forcing me to look up at him. “Everything all right?”
“Yes,” I said, my heart so big it was in my throat. The words were ready to burst from me, but I was so, so terrified. I didn’t want him to leave. Didn’t want to spook him. Though, he’d watched me give birth so what harm could three little words do?
“She did good.” Warren glanced behind me through the window, rubbing his hands up and down my back. “We’re lucky,” he said.
“Yeah, we really are,” I agreed.
I tipped my chin upward, brushing my lips over his. Unable to say the words I was dying to.
Instead, I decided to kiss him for all I was worth. I clutched at the muscles in his back, pressing my body against his as if I could mold myself to him right there in the parking lot. I sucked his tongue into my mouth as he cradled my face, taking everything I could from him and giving it all back, too. My blood was on fire with his touch, and I ached for him. We had a few weeks left to wait, but damn it I didn’t want to.
I wanted to feel him again.
All of him.
“Damn, Nine,” he moaned into my mouth, and shivers raced across my skin at the lust in his voice. I loved that just a kiss could get him as revved up as me.
“Warren,” I sighed against his lips. “I—” The words were right there, but I swallowed them. I wouldn’t ruin this with words.
Coward.
His kiss was fierce and strong and consuming, and I trembled within his arms.
He drew back, our chests heaving against each other. A smirk shaped his perfect lips. “You’re impossible, woman,” he said, laughing. “Come on.” He opened the passenger side door for me. “Let’s go home and take a cold shower.”
I smiled. “Together?”
He hissed, his eyes sparking as if he could picture the two of us in the shower, my nipples pert from the icy water. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he shut my door and walked around the car to sink behind the steering wheel.
At the same time, we both turned in our seats to check on our baby, who slept soundly in her seat. We both spun back around as he started the car.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice almost a whisper as he navigated us toward home.
“For what?” I asked, tilting my head.
He shrugged, his eyes distant on the road. “Everything.”
Chapter 14
Warren
“You look like one happy piece of shit,” Rory said, fist-bumping me as we met outside of the small shopping center.
“Thanks, asshole,” I said, laughing as I nodded to Gage.
“Kat still refusing to sleep?” Gage asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I don’t know what it is. She slept perfect the first week of her life, and then a switch flipped.”
“It’ll get easier.”
“So you keep telling me.” I shrugged. This was my first solo outing since she was born, minus the dinner we’d all attended a few nights ago. I felt a little like I’d left an arm back home. “Thanks for meeting me.”
“A
nytime, man,” Rory said. “You know that.” I nodded as he clapped his hands together. “So,” he continued. “What are we here for?” He eyed the area. “I don’t see the beers.”
I chuckled. “It’s not technically a boy’s day out kind of deal.”
“What’s up?” Gage asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Something twisted in my gut, and I took a deep breath. “I want to find the perfect ring for Nine.”
“Holy. Shit.” Rory’s jaw dropped.
Gage simply nodded, an approving smile on his face.
“Finally ready to tell her, huh?”
“Yes,” I said. “But I want her to know I mean it.”
“A diamond can’t hurt,” Rory teased.
“I want them to be mine. Forever. I can’t stand not knowing anymore,” I said.
“I get that,” Rory said.
“It makes sense,” Gage added. “Anyone can tell you’re madly in love with her. And Kat.”
“Right,” I said. “Except Nine. She doesn’t see it. She’s so damn hard on herself.” I sighed. “I’m hoping she doesn’t shoot me down.”
Rory jerked my head in a lock with his arm. “I’ll stock up on the tequila,” he said, releasing me. “Just in case.”
I huffed. “Again. Thanks, asshole.”
We laughed as we made our way into the jewelry store. I knew Rory was just messing around with me, giving me hell for being the last one in our trio to get engaged.
I hoped.
I hated that I didn’t have a clue what her answer would be.
With Gage, and even Rory, I think they knew Bailey and Paige loved them.
Knew they were going to say yes.
But Nine and me?
We’d done everything backward.
Fucked first.
Then baby.
Then love.
And now I hoped marriage.
Holy shit.
I never once in my life wanted to be married. Never thought one woman would ever be enough.
But Jeannine wasn’t just enough—she was everything.
She matched me on every level—pushed and pulled and owned every second of every day. If I got to spend the rest of my life with her…well, I’d be one lucky son of a bitch.