“I was not comatose.”
“Sweetheart, you were snoring,” he laughs.
“Whatever. Have you already been to the club?” I ask, sitting up in bed.
“Yeah, can’t say it was much more fun than yesterday. There’s shit going on there that I’m completely lost on.”
“Aren’t you the club muscle? Supposed to have your finger on the pulse of everything that’s going on?” I ask, rubbing my tummy. I want bacon and eggs, but there’s no making them here. I sigh out my disappointment.
“The only thing I have my finger on the pulse of lately is your clit,” he mutters, leaning down to kiss me.
“If you’re expecting to hear me complain about that, hot stuff, you need to think again.”
“Hot stuff?” he questions, giving out a startled laugh, as he sits down on the bed.
“Oh please, like you didn’t realize that you’re all that and a bag of chips. If your swagger gets any bigger you won’t be able to fit through the door with that ego of yours.”
“I swear, baby I’m starting to think if you don’t have anything to bust my balls on that you invent shit.”
I shrug, not really able to deny the claim, which just makes him laugh again. It’s a real good thing that I like the sound of his laughter.
“Any word from the realtor?” I ask him, mostly just changing the subject.
“Closing was delayed again. It’s rescheduled for next week.”
“That sucks,” I mutter, and it does. I’m still worried about moving in with Luke fulltime. I mean, at this point, it’s a pretty foregone conclusion that I’m in love with the big dummy. Still, it’s a huge thing to move in with someone when there’s an understanding that what you’re doing is building something long-lasting—especially when there’s a child involved. A child that I’m starting to love as much as her father. If this doesn’t work out, it will truly destroy me and I’m worried that it will hurt Daisy too…
“I know, Red. Trust me, I feel the same. I want out of this place too.”
“This from the man who thought it was fine before,” I mumble, shaking my head.
“That was before I had you in my life and discovered how much I like it when you scream out my name when you come. Something that you can’t do with my girl so close by,” he responds softly, his words wrapping around me like silken lava.
“I didn’t see you complaining this morning,” I murmur, held hostage by the dark promise in his eyes. Jesus, after what Luke did to me this morning you would think my hormones would be in hibernation for the rest of the day.
“Oh, I wasn’t Red,” he replies, his voice a low rumble. “But, I don’t think the pillow can stand much more of your biting.
I was so hypnotized by him that until just now, I didn’t realize that he was holding the pillow I used earlier and clearly the fabric has been stretched and torn where I bit into it.
“I guess we could just not have sex until we—”
“Don’t even finish that sentence, baby. We both know neither one of us can do without it, even for one night let alone a week.” I can’t really argue with him, so I just shrug. He rewards me with a quick kiss on my lips. I sigh because I remember my conversation last night with my mom. I know it’s something I need to discuss with Luke.
“Well, shit. I know that look,” he mutters.
“What?” I ask, surprised.
“Why are you running now, Red?”
“What?” I question again, wondering what in the heck he’s talking about.
“We’ve gone through a quiet spell. It’s been, what, a week since our last argument? Anytime you get that look I know you’re about ready to run on me. So, tell me why and let me get that cleared up before I go wake up Daisy and take you guys out for breakfast.”
“You’re being a jerk right now, Luke.”
“I’m always a jerk. Luckily you like it most of the time,” he replies with a smirk. He’s not wrong, which is annoying.
“This is not one of the times I like it,” I huff.
“Duly noted. So, spill, baby.”
“It’s nothing bad and I’m not running. Mom called last night while you were reading Daisy’s bedtime story.”
“Shit. You didn’t tell me. Did she upset you again? Maybe I need to talk to—”
“Oh, good Lord! Will you stop? My parents aren’t bad people. We may be oil and water sometimes, but the fault lies on all three of us. She called to remind me about Kayden’s baby shower tomorrow. She’d like me to be there and, really, I need to go. I’m not extremely close to Kayden, but I like her and we’re family.”
“Family?”
“Yeah, she’s Uncle Dragon’s daughter.”
“Uncle…Dragon?” Luke snaps and I guess that name clicked in his head. I knew it would, and maybe I should have confessed all of this sooner…