“Whenever I closed my eyes, I could see your eyes, and the way they burned with wanting.” He speared his fingers through her hair as she kissed his abdomen. “When I stood under the shower spray, I could feel the smoothness of your skin.”
“Keep going,” she said, but then her teeth grazed across his abdomen and he stopped being able to talk at all.
Deciding to even things up a little, he rolled so she lay beneath him. She gasped, and he grinned. Surprising Harper was one of his favorite things to do. Then, supporting himself on one arm, he snaked a hand down to the juncture of her thighs, moving in rhythm until she whimpered—another of his favorite things to do.
“Now you tell me,” he practically growled. “Did you think about me?”
Finding his gaze, she nodded. The emotion in her warm brown eyes melted something inside him, and he slowed his hand.
“I was confused,” she said, “because I’d see Malcolm at work and not feel anything, but when I was home, in those moments between sleeping and waking, where my mind wasn’t in control...it was you.” He saw her throat work as she swallowed. “Everything was you.”
Beyond words now, he leaned in and kissed her, less gently this time, and she matched him move for move. Her skin was awash with heat, almost singeing his fingers, and he couldn’t get enough. He was addicted to her.
“Hold that thought,” he said, reluctantly summoning the willpower to tear himself away, and took off at a run for his own room, returning seconds later with a foil packet. Once he lay back beside her, she took the condom from him and sheathed him with efficient movements. His heart kicked into a higher gear.
He entered her in one fluid motion, finding himself home again, unable to stop the groan of pleasure that came from deep within him. She whispered his name, then again, and it was like a vow, a promise, and he whispered her name back, sealing the vow between them. As he moved inside her, he gave himself over to her. Surrendered himself. To Harper. She enveloped him, besieged him, possessed him.
She gripped his shoulders, and the bite of her nails in his flesh made everything more real. It was too much, not enough, too much, then her release took him further, wanting, reaching, then imploding into electric light, floating, happy. With her.
Snuggled together on the bed minutes—or hours—later, she stirred, and he found the energy to rearrange their bodies so she was tucked into his side.
“Nick,” she whispered against his skin. Then she lifted herself onto an elbow and met his gaze. “Stay with me tonight.”
“Don’t ask me that,” he said, his voice gruff.
“Please?” she added softly.
His heart tore in two. Denying her two nights ago had been hard. After what they’d just shared, denying her was close to impossible.
The memory of the horror on her face when she’d witnessed his nightmare still haunted him, and it rose again now, chilling the blood in his veins. What kind of monster would subject anyone, let alone the woman pregnant with his babies, to that kind of torture? He leaned away and prayed for strength. Spending the night in her bed was out of the question. He wouldn’t let her go through that experience again.
The problem was, if he couldn’t stay, and he couldn’t walk away—what other option was there?
“Please, Nick,” she whispered and laid her hand flat over his heart. “Stay with me tonight.”
Maybe it was because it wasn’t the first time she’d asked, or maybe it was the way she’d said “please,” like all she wanted in the world was him, but he couldn’t hold out against her another second. He nodded, and twenty minutes later when they were finally ready for bed, he grabbed the edge of the sheet and slid down beside her, his legs rubbing against hers as he got comfortable.
She sighed as he wrapped an arm around her waist and snuggled her back into his chest a little more. Carefully, he dropped a kiss in the place where her neck sloped into her shoulder, the scent of her warm skin filling his head, wrapping around him, luring him into never letting her go.
But she was pregnant and needed solid sleep, and she wouldn’t get that if he slept, too.
Only one of them could sleep. And no way in hell would he let her be the one to miss out.
Her breathing changed into a soft, steady rhythm, and despite his own sleepiness, he called on all his SEAL training, every ounce of self-discipline he had, and refused to give in to the pull of slumber.
And, as the dark of night eventually gave way to the early morning light, he realized something: holding her all night while she slept might be difficult, but it was also a blessing. He was damn lucky to have an angel like Harper in his life, no matter the complications, and he’d never let himself forget that.
* * *
Harper checked on the tray of cupcakes in the oven and began a batch of pink icing. Nick would be back soon with Ellie for their day together, and she wanted freshly baked treats to greet her. This time she’d be ready, unlike when they’d first met two weeks ago. Sure, it was practically bribery to make the little girl like her, but Harper didn’t mind—if a judge asked Ellie if she liked spending time at her father’s house, she wanted Ellie to have no hesitation.
Since Nick had started sharing Harper’s bed at night, they’d become closer. And their lovemaking had only gotten better, too—her hormones were going crazy, and carrying twins, she had double the amount swimming through her bloodstream.
Even Frank seemed to be improving with Nick’s love. He was more interested in food and had begun to relax when they gave him affection. He still hadn’t made the step of approaching them for attention, but he was making progress, and that’s what counted.
The sound of the garage door opening floated through the house just as she pulled the cupcakes from the oven, and a few minutes later Nick emerged from the internal stairs with Ellie on his hip, one hand over her eyes.
He threw Harper a smile before saying to his daughter, “Are you ready for your surprise?”