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  Before I know what’s happening, my shirt is gone and I’m flat on my back with him looking down at me. I’ve only got on a pair of panties, and the heat of his stare burns up every inch of my skin.

  Chapter Three

  Thomas

  I look down in shock at the bump of her belly. I’d dreamed of putting a baby inside her, but seeing her like this almost sends me out of control. Yet I’m frozen in shock, staring at her with wide eyes.

  “You’re pregnant,” I manage to whisper, not wanting this dream to dissolve.

  She nods, confirming what I’m seeing and making me the happiest man of the face of the planet. “You’re going to be a daddy.”

  The words are like magic, and I’m pushed into action. Suddenly I’m stripping off my clothes and then pulling her panties off of her. I want us naked, and I can’t think straight until that happens.

  Once we’re both bare, I spread her legs and lie down between them. I press my lips to her stomach and kiss all over her bump. I know every inch of her body, so to see this little new life growing inside her hits me deep in my soul.

  “I love you so much,” I whisper to the baby and then look up at Alice. “I love you, too. Thank you. You’ve made my dreams come true.”

  “You’ve made mine come true, too.”

  I nuzzle her with my nose and then kiss my way down her belly and between her thighs. My mouth waters as I smell her sweet scent, and I think about how much I’ve missed it. I bite the insides of her thighs just a little until she opens them wider for me. I spread her pink lips and give her hard little clit one long lick. She moans and raises her hips, trying to get closer to my mouth. But I’ve been so long without her pussy that I’m not ready to let her have control yet.

  I open my mouth and cover her with my tongue, licking her in long circles. I bring two fingers up and dip them into her wetness while rubbing her G-spot. I know exactly where and how hard she likes it. Her nectar smears on my chin, and I moan at the feel of it. Knowing she’s so fucking turned on she’s dripping onto me only makes me want her more.

  I reach a hand between my legs and stroke my shaft while I eat her pussy. I close my eyes and inhale her scent, wanting to brand the inside of my lungs with her smell. I’ve never tasted anything so fucking good, and I could make a meal out of it. Fuck, how is it possible that eating her out only makes me want to do it more? The more I suck, the more I need to keep sucking.

  “Oh God, Thomas!” she shouts, as her orgasm peaks sooner than we both expect. It comes out of nowhere, but I keep doing what she likes as I run the tip of my tongue in circles.

  “That’s it, sweet girl. Ride it out.” I rub the soft spot in her pussy and draw out another orgasm that’s just as fast as the first. Her hormones must be right at the edge, because right now she’s a quick trigger. One flick of my tongue and she’s over the peak again. “Fuck. I’m going to cum in my hand if you keep getting off on my face like this.”

  I keep rubbing my cock while I eat her because it feels so fucking good. I know once I’m inside her I won’t last thirty seconds. I need to know I’m making it good for her before I pop her on my cock.

  “Stop, I can’t have another one. It’s too much,” she moans, and grips my hair tighter.

  I smile against her swollen lips and lick her pussy again. Fuck, I can’t quit it. I feel her body tremble as I rub my nose against her short curls, just smelling her. But I can’t wait any longer, so I give her one last kiss and then make my way up her body.

  My lips linger on her belly before moving to her breasts that have grown a little. The nipples are hard, and I lick one before moving to the other and sucking it into my mouth. I moan around the hard peak as my cock nudges at her entrance. She pushes her hips down on it, taking an inch of me inside her.

  “We have to be careful,” I say against her breast as I move up to her mouth. “I need to go easy on you because of the baby.”

  She moves lower on my cock, taking another inch inside her, and I moan at the sweet torture. God, I’m not going to last ten seconds now.

  “It’s fine. I promise to tell you if it hurts. I need you, Thomas.”

  I will never deny her anything, so I kiss her softly as I sink even further into her. I glide slowly through her wetness until she’s taken me all the way to the root. When I’m fully seated in her pussy, I raise myself a little so I don’t crush her tummy.

  I can taste her juices as I kiss her, and I inhale, wanting to smell it while I make love to her. I grip her hips and tilt them so that every time the length of my cock pushes back through her folds, it rubs her clit. With just a few strokes, she’s squeezing my shaft and digging her nails into my shoulders.

  “That’s it, sweet girl. Mark me up. Make me yours,” I growl, and press my forehead between her breasts. They brush against my cheeks as we move, and I can’t hold back. “I’m cumming.”

  The pulse of my cock triggers her own orgasm, and I can feel her climax up and down my length as I empty inside her. I lasted longer than I thought I would, but it’s still not enough. I cum, but it feels like I’ve got about a dozen loads left before this beast is going soft.

  Rolling us over, I pull her on top of me and hold her close to my chest. I slowly thrust in and out of her, not ready to stop making love.

  “Again?” she asks in disbelief.

  “I’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”

  “We’ve got forever,” she agrees, and I wrap my arms around her.

  “Damn right we do, sweet girl.”

  Chapter Four

  Alice

  “I should have never left,” he mumbles into my ear. I’m on my side as he absently strokes my baby bump. He can’t seem to stop touching it. “I didn’t want to. I got cornered into it once I found out who was going to be running the mission if I didn’t. I can’t give you all the details, but I’ll give you some.” He pauses for a second. “That’s a lie. I’ll tell you all of it if you ask.”

  “No, tell me what you can.”

  “My sweet girl, never wanting anyone to get into any trouble.” He kisses me below my ear and continues.

  “Young guy, just got married, twin girls on the way. Kid is still wet behind his ears for what they wanted him to do. I trained him. Knew he wasn’t ready for something like this, but they were going to send him anyway, so I volunteered. I thought I’d be fine. In and out. Haven’t done a mission since I got Maggie, but I thought one would be fine. Never again. I even told them that. This was it.”

  He lets out a long breath and kisses me below the ear again.

  “When I was headed over there, I’d realized I’d messed up. I kept picturing you like I always do when I’m not with you, and I was thinking about the last time I’d seen you, telling you that I had to leave for a few days. That was the moment that came to mind, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. You had a lost, worried look on your face. I wanted to kick my own ass for not seeing it. Of course you had that look. I’d spent months trying to make you fall in love with me, months trying to get you to see what family was really like, and then I went and left. You were thinking God knows what, thinking I left you so easily when I knew losing people is what you’re most scared of, why you’ve been fighting us coming out. You didn’t want to hurt anyone or lose anyone. You want everyone else to be happy.”

  He rubs his nose against me. “God, sweet girl, I’m so sorry for that. But I knew in that moment that I had to leave my job as soon I got back. I couldn’t be in a place to even chance it. Chance being roped into a mission or whatever might happen. Chance ever leaving your side because I want to give you that. I want you to know I will always be at your side. I will never leave you.”

  I roll, turning to look at him.

  “I don’t—”

  He cuts me off, taking my mouth in a hard kiss.

  “Don’t say some crap about you should be stronger or that I should keep my job. I don’t want the job. I felt relief about leaving and about spending my time with you, being a dad
again, coming home and making you finally tell everyone what was happening with us, starting a new journey in life.”

  I reach up and run my fingers through his hair.

  “You’re my sweetness, Alice. I love how soft and caring you are. I love that when I get a hold of you that you melt into me. I love that you want to make everyone happy. I don’t want to change that about you. I can be strong if you can be our sweet. I can protect it because a sweetness like yours should be protected.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” He leans in, giving me another kiss.

  “Tell me the rest.”

  “Not much to tell really. Got stuck out in the middle of nowhere and spent my days thinking about you to get me through, thinking of coming home to you, thinking what would happen if I didn’t.” He rubs my belly. “I’ve missed so much already.” He slides down my body to my baby bump. “You’ve been giving your mom a hard time while I was gone.” He kisses me there. I know I won’t tell him how rough it’s been. We both fought our own battle while he was away, and I can see the guilt is still riding him. I won’t give him any more.

  “No, he’s perfect.”

  His eyes fly from my belly to meet my gaze.

  “It’s a boy?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, then I bet you were a handful while I was away, and your mama won’t tell me. Probably just say you were a little angel.”

  I smile at that because it’s true.

  “Your mommy is stronger than she knows. One has to be strong after going through so much rough. Having the world treat her like it doesn’t care about her for most of her life and still be so sweet, still be so kind and put everyone first above herself—most people go hard. Not your mommy, though. She’s strong in ways where others would fall.”

  My eyes fill and a tear escapes. “I don’t know how we got so lucky to get her, but we’ll never let her go, will we, little guy? We’ll show her how much she means to us because she’s our world.”

  Chapter Five

  Thomas

  “I’m so nervous,” Alice says as she paces the floor.

  She’s got on a yellow sundress, and I want to rip it off her and take her right here on the living room floor. Her curly red hair is flowing down her back, and my hands twitch to grip it while she’s under me. I’m trying to control my animal instincts, but seeing her baby bump in the dress is driving me insane. Knowing she’s pregnant, and knowing that I put it there, has my inner caveman beating his chest.

  “Calm down. Come sit next to me.” I pat the cushion on the couch, but she gives me a stare and shakes her head.

  She’s right. If she gets close to me right now, I won’t be able to stop from bending her over the couch and lifting that dress up. I’d be ten inches deep when our company arrived, and we both know that’s a bad idea.

  “They’re here!” she shouts, as if I didn’t hear the door shut outside.

  I called Maggie and Eli this morning and asked them to come over. I wanted to discuss a few things with them, and I wanted all of us to talk face to face.

  When Maggie comes through the door, she goes straight for Alice. It warms my heart to see the love the two of them share, and I’m so happy that Alice has Maggie as a friend. Eli walks over, and we half hug, half beat each other on the back. Once Maggie has peeled herself from Alice, she gives me a hug, too. We all say hello, and then Maggie and Eli take a seat on the couch.

  I reach out, taking Alice’s hand and pulling her down on the sofa next to me, wrapping my arm around her waist. Maggie looks at us for a second and then looks at Eli with a question in her eyes.

  “Yeah, I’ve known, sunshine,” he says, without having to be asked anything. “I could see a man gone crazy for a woman because I’d looked in the mirror a time or two.”

  “I’m so sorry—” Alice starts, but I cut her off.

  “Alice and I are together, and she told me that you know about the baby,” I say to Maggie.

  “Oh my Jesus! It’s yours!” Maggie shouts, and bounces in her seat. “I’m going to be an aunt!”

  “A baby?” Eli says, with pure happiness in his voice. He sounds almost as excited as I did. “This is awesome news. Congratulations, guys.”

  I squeeze Alice to me and kiss the top of her head. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

  “I just didn’t want you to think I betrayed your friendship, Maggie. I love your dad. I have from the second we met. You’ve always been so kind to me, and I didn’t want you to think I was using you.”

  “Oh God, Alice. Never. You’re like a sister to me.” She tilts her head to the side and thinks. “I guess now you’re more like a stepmom to me!” Maggie laughs and jumps up, wrapping Alice in a hug.

  “So, just a few more things are in order,” I say, clearing my throat.

  Maggie moves back to sit with Eli, but she’s clearly about to burst with excitement.

  “Alice and I are going to be staying here. Maggie and Eli, you’re both welcome to live here if you want, but I know Eli has a house now.”

  “We’ll be staying there, sir,” Eli says, putting a possessive hand on Maggie’s leg.

  She’ll always be my little girl, but I’m happy that she’s chosen a good man to take care of her. I couldn’t have chosen anyone better for her.

  “All right, then I guess the big decision is for Alice now,” I say, looking over at her.

  She’s looks at me and then at Maggie and Eli with a confused look on her face. “What do you mean, Major?”

  I slip off the couch, pull the small box out of my pocket, and kneel in front of her. I open the box and hold it out so she can see it while I take her hand.

  “I know I keep saying you don’t have a choice in marrying me, but I want to give you the chance to choose me. I won’t give up until you say yes, and I’ll never stop trying to make you happy. But I want you to know that I choose you, and I’ll never, ever leave you. Because I love you, and I can’t live without you. I want you to choose that, too.” Alice puts her hands over her mouth, and I see tears slip free.

  “Shhh. Don’t cry, sweet girl,” I say, wiping them away. “Marry me, Alice. Make me the happiest man in the world, and make our family grow.”

  “You better say yes,” Maggie says from behind me, and we all laugh. She’s bouncing in her seat, and Eli is practically holding her in a death grip to keep her still.

  Alice nods, and I hear a teary “yes” before she throws herself into my arms. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close as she cries happy tears. I glance over and see Maggie crying now, but Eli is holding her and smiling at us.

  We may be a makeshift family, but we’re family all the same. We’ve got it where it counts the most—in our hearts.

  When Alice pulls back, I slip the ring on her finger, and she looks down at it. I bought it right after we met, knowing that one day I’d get it on her, one way or another. It’s a single carat solitaire on a gold band. It’s simple but beautiful, just like my sweet girl is. Once it’s on, she looks up at me, and suddenly her mouth is on mine.

  The kiss nearly knocks me over backwards, but I hold her close and kiss her back until she’s finished. When we break apart, her cheeks are fiery red, as if just remembering that we aren’t alone. I give her a quick kiss and pull her to me as I stand up and look at Maggie and Eli.

  “Who’s hungry?” I ask, and everyone jumps up.

  “As long as Eli isn’t cooking, I’m down to eat,” Maggie says, and elbows him.

  We make our way to the kitchen and start pulling stuff out of the fridge to eat. Alice leans into me and looks around at the scene.

  “Is it real, all of this? It feels like a dream.”

  “It’s a dream come true,” I answer, kissing the top of her head and holding her close.

  I keep her by my side, where she’ll stay for the rest of our lives.

  Epilogue

  Alice

  Six years later…

  “Good afternoon, Miss Drummond
.”

  “Hey, Seth.” I wave over to our new neighbors’ son. They moved in a week ago, and I’m pretty sure I remember him saying he goes to the local college. I can’t exactly recall. When I’d met them the twins were running circles around my feet and I could only catch half of what they were saying.

  He gives me a giant smile and starts to walk over toward me, but stops and the smile drops from his face. I don’t even have to turn around to know why. I know without a doubt my husband is standing behind me. I just don’t know why I don’t hear our louder-than-life little boys with him. Between the twins who just turned two and our five-year-old son, we are never a quiet bunch when we’re all together.

  “That’s Mrs. Drummond,” Thomas barks.

  I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I can’t even be mad. I love that he’s a beast and crazy jealous and possessive. Once we came out as a couple, he wanted everyone to know. I was surprised he didn’t hire someone to write it in the sky. Even after all these years, he’s still that way. No matter where we are or what we are doing, he’s always got a hand or his eyes on me. No one can miss that I belong to him.

  “Sir,” Seth says in way of greeting. I know Thomas is intimidating. He’s big, and he still carries the aura from having been in the military. People always instinctively call him ‘sir’ if they don’t know him. “I’ve really got to get to my homework.”

  “Then you should go,” Thomas snaps in a hard tone. The order is clear. This time I do roll my eyes. Seth stands there for a moment as if he doesn’t know what to do. “Now!” Thomas barks, and I know it’s one of those ingrained commands that he’ll never shake.

  Seth half jumps and half runs for his house, and I shake my head.

  “Come do your husbandly duties,” I tell him, popping open the trunk to my SUV. I loaded it full of groceries after I left my little shop today.