He drops my feet and sits on the edge of the swing. Scrubs his hands through his hair. “I didn’t realize there was a conversation to be had. I told you I want to be with you more than having kids. Adopting Lena is enough…”
“Is it?” I grab his hand to interrupt him. “I mean because I think I do. Want to have a baby, that is.”
He looks over at me, skeptically. “You’re not just saying that?”
I play with his fingers. They’ve always been a bit calloused because of his drumming. Now, they’re rugged because of all the work he does around the ranch. “I was young. Immature. Scarred from my parents’ divorce and how long it took for me to forgive my dad. Back then, I wasn’t sure that you actually wanted to be with me. I just…things are not even remotely like before. We’re engaged. We already have one kid…”
“You said after we get married. Do you want to set a wedding date? You haven’t brought it up since we got engaged.” He sucks in a breath of air.
I’m genuinely confused because I was thinking the exact thing. “What do you mean?”
“Let’s go to Vegas. This weekend. We can even bring Lena.” He stands and walks to the edge of the porch. Looks out toward the stable.
In a flash, I’m by his side. “Are you being serious?”
“What if I am? I just want us to be married.” He shrugs.
I’m shocked, though. “But Vegas? Really?”
“Yeah…” He drags his answer out like a question.
I hate the idea with a passion. I can’t believe that’s how he wants our wedding to go down after his epic proposal. So, I deflect. And fib. Like an asshole. “If you don’t want to have a real wedding, you know there’s no pressure from me. We’re already married in spirit.”
He grips my shoulders and peers down at me. “You said that before I proposed. Tell me. What does ‘married in spirit’ even mean?”
“Uhhh.” I have no answer. It seemed like a cool, nonchalant thing to say, though.
“Oh-kay. So, could you give me some indication as to what kind of wedding you want? It doesn’t matter to me. We can get married on horseback here at the ranch. Fly to some exotic location like Zane and Fiona. Elope like Connor and Ronni. If you tell me what kind of wedding youdreamabout, I’ll make it happen.”
“My gawd, you are such a closet romantic.” When I make a move to pull away, the stupid cramps take my breath and the topic of a wedding is forgotten. I can’t help but wince and plop back down on the porch swing.
“You’re still hurting?” He scans my body. “Should I try the cure?”
“I don’t think it’s going to work. They’re so bad today.”
He holds out his hand. “C’mon. Lena’s fast asleep. I’ll at least give it a try.”
Jace leads me into the bedroom. We kneel on the bed. He strips off the blue-checked plaid shirt I’m wearing, which is actually his. His thumbs stroke my collarbone and jawline. “I love you.” He nuzzles my cheek as he unfastens my white bralette.
“I love you too.” I smooth his hair from his face. Our lips meet. Tongues tangle. It’s sweet. It’s gentle. A stabbing pain slices through my lower belly causing me to crumple to the bed.
“Poppy, I hate seeing you like this so much.” His face is scrunched up with worry.
I’m in the fetal position, my knees nearly touching my chin. “Please. Please try to make it go away.”
Jace unfurls my legs to pull down my jeans and panties. He settles between my legs and savors me. Takes his sweet, sweet time. Wiggles his tongue on my clit. Inserts one, then two fingers inside me. Every muscle in my body feels atrophied from bearing the intense pain. When the pleasure begins to register it’s like waves of warm water allow my limbs to loosen. Replaced with delicious, sparky, shivering sensations making me forget about the cramps.
“That’s it,” he murmurs against my lower lips when my legs fall slack against the sheets. Then he goes to town. Jace’s skills at eating me out have been honed to perfection. He knows exactly when to lick and exactly when to suck to drive me to oblivion. Soon, I’m lazily thrusting against his mouth while he curls his fingers inside me and rubs my G-spot hard.
I clutch the sheets on either side of his head, writhing from the ecstasy. The buildup of the impending orgasm blessedly pushes the pain away. I begin chanting, “Oh gawd. Oh sweet gawd,” when Jace presses his tongue against my clit and swirls. Hard. Harder.Holy fucking shit.I’m annihilated by the orgasm. It’s so powerful, my entire body quakes.
Seconds later, Jace drives into me. One knee shoved under my thigh, which he holds open with his palm. We’re a grinding, slapping, bucking whirlwind, until I’m convulsing from another powerful release. Abruptly, he pulls out and flips me on my stomach and pulls my hips up. Slams into me from behind. He fingers my clit and angles himself so his dick hits my hidden spot. Relentlessly. My entire body explodes with pleasure again. And again.
“I fucking love you,” Jace moans as he gushes inside me moments later. We collapse on the bed, a panting, sweaty mess.
It’s hard not to smile.
There’s nothing to worry about, Jace and Iaremarried in spirit, whatever that means…