“But a sex swing? The idea has merit.” I wink at him. Thankfully, he has no idea what I’m talking about.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Trey
For the fifth time in ten minutes, I pull back the curtain from my front window and look outside. The only vehicles in my driveway are my pickup and the Harley. I snatch my phone off the end table and scan for messages. Nothing. Get a grip. She’s only five minutes late.
It’s ridiculous I’m this keyed up about her arrival, but I’m unable to rationalize it or stop the anxiety from eating at me. The entire day at work, I was an ass. I spent the day envisioning Natalie disappearing.
I yank the curtain back again. No movement in the yard. “Shit.” Across the street, a little boy rides his tricycle up the driveway.
As I drop the blind, I see an SUV slowly inching its way down the street. Thank God. The tension in my back and neck disappears.
At some point, I’m not going to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, but right now, I’m nervous as hell. I’ve barely been surviving for years – never allowing myself to get close to a woman because none of them were her.
My gaze sweeps over the living room. Will she like it? Besides family, she’ll be the first woman I’ve allowed inside. She hops out of the vehicle and stands still in the front yard, taking it all in. I’ve spent years fixing every board by hand. My labor of love for her.
I drop the curtain, and yank open the door. When she sees me, her eyes light up. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“It had to take you forever to fix it up.”
I shrug. It was rough by the time I’d purchased it after completing college. “I had plenty of time. I’ve been waiting for you to come back.”
She runs up the stairs and jumps into my arms, knocking me back a few inches. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” She splays her hands over my face and presses her soft lips against mine.
All the worry and fear vanish. She’s home where she belongs. I twist the knob, and she wraps her legs around my waist so I can carry her inside.
Her eyes are wide in amazement as her attention darts from one wall to the next. I spent months meticulously bringing the hardwood floor and original fireplace back to their glory. She gasps, “It’s spectacular.”
After she hops down, I lace my fingers through hers and start the grand tour.
“How many bedrooms does it have?”
I waggle my eyebrows. “Four.”
She drops my hand and starts counting on her fingers. “Two beds per room. Besides ours. That’s six kids.” She presses her lips together. “Unless you want one for a playroom.”
“For the kids?”
“Nope.” She rubs her hands over her jeans like they’re sweating. “For us.”
“Oh, really? Now, I’m intrigue
d. What brought on this idea?” I wrap my arms around her, relieved to see the playful woman who’s replaced the sad and apprehensive.
“Something Lillian and Colton said.” She leans against me and stands on her tiptoes. “They have a sex swing.”
“Have you seen it?” My brow furrows. Not that I’m getting excited about her sister and brother-in-law getting it on, but I wouldn’t mind using one with Natalie.
“No, but now I kind of want to.” She giggles and then runs her lips along the column of my neck.
My eyes roll back into my head, and I groan. God, I love the naughty side of her. Although, she may kill me.
“When they went out last night, I might or might not have searched the house for their playroom.”
“Red or purple?”