“Lots of light,” I murmur.
“I love the layout,” Carla says.
We venture through the ground floor, then go upstairs.
The moment we walk into the third bedroom, Carla shrieks, “Yes! This one is perfect. Plenty of closet space and the wide windowsill is just what I wanted. We can arrange all the stuffed animals on it. I can ask Aria to paint raspberries and ladybugs on that wall.”
I just stare at Carla as she shares her plans for the room, then she turns to me, asking, “What do you think?”
I shake my head. “That we’re probably taking this house before seeing the rest of it?”
She lets out a burst of laughter. “We can fix everything else, but this room needs to be perfect for Raspberry.”
“Yeah? So this is the house you want?” I ask to make sure.
Carla gives me a pleading look, which melts my heart. Smiling at her, I do my best to mimic Olaf from Frozen, “Some people are worth melting for.”
Instead of laughing her ass off, Carla slams into me, kissing the living shit out of me. I stumble back against the wall, gripping her tightly so she doesn’t fall.
When she breaks the kiss, she murmurs, “If we were at the suite, I’d give you the ride of your life right now.”
“I didn’t think Olaf would be a turn on for you,” I chuckle.
“It’s not Olaf. You were cute.” She presses another kiss to my lips.
“Cute?” I grumble against her mouth, then I shake my head. “No, I’m never cute.” I switch our positions, so Carla’s against the wall, and then I remind her why cute is the last word to associate with me.
CARLA
Since the shooting, Noah’s been super protective of me, and I’m not going to lie, I love all the attention. Raspberry is growing fast, and at twenty-two weeks, it looks like I swallowed a volleyball.
I tighten my hold on Noah’s hand as we walk through the furniture store. We’re looking for a lounge suite and entertainment system, then we’ll be done with all the purchases for the first floor. I’m leaving Raspberry’s room for last.
Suddenly I feel a flutter, and it makes me stop dead in my tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Noah asks.
I quickly press his hand to my stomach, and when I feel the flutter again, a wide smile spreads over my face. My gaze darts to Noah. “Did you feel the flutter?”
“Was that Raspberry?” he asks.
I nod, and then we feel her move again. We let out happy chuckles, and then Noah wraps his arm around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. Moving my arm around his lower back, we continue to walk.
It takes us a good twenty minutes to agree on a charcoal leather suite. I leave it up to Noah to decide which entertainment system to get.
The moment we’re done, I ask, “Can we have dinner now?”
“Yeah, what are you in the mood for?”
“Pizza and ice cream.”
Noah lets out a burst of laughter as we leave the store. After we’ve had dinner, we head back to Trinity. I can’t wait until we can move into our house. Just one more week.
After I’ve showered, Noah rubs the stretch mark lotion all over my body. When he’s done, he lies down behind me and starts pressing kisses to my shoulder and neck.
“What about Catelynn?” I ask as his hand moves between my legs, and he begins to softly caress my clit.
“I’m not feeling it,” he murmurs against my neck before he sucks on my skin.
Noah pushes his right arm under my head and wraps it around me. Lifting my hands, I take hold of his forearm as heat pools between my legs.
“Amelia,” I breathe while grinding down on his fingers, working their magic on my clit. Noah enters a finger inside me, drawing a moan from me.
The bigger my stomach gets, the gentler Noah becomes in bed. As if he’s scared that he’ll hurt Raspberry.
It doesn’t mean the sex is any less great. Hell no, Noah still blows my mind.
Using his leg, Noah pushes my legs apart, and then I feel his cock at my entrance. He enters me slowly until he’s deep inside of me. It feels so good a tremble rushes through my body.
He keeps his thrusts slow and deep, and soon it becomes delicious torture until an intense orgasm seizes my body, drawing a satisfied gasp from me. Then only does Noah speed up, making my release intensify as he finds his own.
When we’ve both come down from our highs, and Noah pulls out, I say, “I need to pee. Help me up.”
Noah lets out a chuckle as he scoops me up in his arms. Carrying me to the bathroom, he sets me down in front of the toilet before he leaves, muttering, “The words every man wants to hear after making his woman orgasm.”
I relieve myself while laughing at his comment.
When I’m done, I walk back to the bed, and lying down, I snuggle with the pregnancy support pillow Noah got me.
When Noah’s arms wrap around me from behind, he says, “What about Haley? We can nickname her Haleybug, and it kinda rhymes with the ladybugs you want all over the nursery wall.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I stare at Noah as I try out the name, “Haley West.” A wide smile spreads over my face. “Haleybug. I love it.”
“Yeah?” Noah grins at me.
I nod as he leans in to press a kiss to my mouth.
Chapter 28
NOAH
“Carla, where do you want the dresser?” I call out.
She comes into the room, glances around, then points at the wall near the window. “There, please.”
Kao and I lift it and carry it to the spot she wants it, then we step back.
“Perfect,” she grins at us. “Thanks, guys.”
Carla darts back out to finish up in the guest room with Fallon.
All our friends are here today to help us move in, which I’m grateful for, otherwise, I don’t know when we’d get it all done.
“So…” Kao begins. “Why didn’t you hire a moving company?”
I let out a chuckle as he reminds me of the question I asked him when he and Fallon moved into their home. “Carla wanted to do it this way. If it were up to me, I would’ve hired a company to help us.”
Kao lets out a burst of laughter. “She has you wrapped around her little finger.”
I shake my head but then admit, “Yeah, she does.”
We walk out of the room and head down the stairs to see what else there is to do.
Forest and Aria are busy in the kitchen, unpacking the sets of plates and cups Carla got.
“Noah?” I hear Carla call.
I move to the entrance, then glance up the stairs. “Yeah?”
“Have you seen the bedside table for the guest room?”
“I’ll check down here.” Searching, I find it in the dining room and quickly take it to Carla. After setting it down next to the bed, I move to Carla’s side. “When are you taking a break?”
“Now,” she replies while rubbing her side.
Moving her hand out of the way, I begin to rub her lower back. “You should lie down for a bit. I’ll finish up.”
“Yeah, Noah’s right,” Fallon says. “You’ve been on your feet all day. Go take a nap.”
Carla shakes her head. “I’m fine, guys. Besides, we’re almost done.”
“When are you decorating the nursery?” Fallon asks.
“Aria’s going to paint a wall for me. She said it would take her two weeks. I’ll wait until then,” Carla answers. She lifts a hand to the back of my neck and pulls me down for a kiss before she says, “Let’s get back to work. The sooner we’re done, the sooner we can relax.”
Leaving the women, I go look for Kao. Finding him out front where he’s busy placing empty boxes in the U-Haul we hired, I begin to help him.
“Only fourteen weeks to go, right?” Kao asks.
“Yeah.”
“Do you have a due date yet?”
“Dr. Wells says Haley should come around May 12th,” I answer Kao. “It’s just an estimation, though.�
��
After passing my degree with flying colors, my days are filled with working at Indie Ink while my nights are spent with Carla. It feels like we’re settling into a routine, and I don’t feel so restless anymore.
I glance back at the house we’ll call home from now on, a smile curving my lips up.
Things are falling nicely into place.
My gaze moves up to the second floor, and my smile widens when I see Carla staring down at me from the window.
She blows me a kiss before she turns back to whatever she’s busy with.
Three years back, something similar happened where I caught Carla watching me from her bedroom window. Then it filled me with apprehension, but now… it fills me with happiness.
It’s funny how life throws curveballs that at first seem like the worst possible thing, only to turn out to be the greatest blessing.
Once we settled into our new place, Carla decided it’s time to get our parents together for dinner.
So here we are, the kitchen going up in flames and the fire alarm going off because Carla just had to try cooking.
“I’ve got it,” I say as I extinguish the fire.
“My roast,” Carla whimpers.
I open the windows and back door so the smoke can get out, and then I turn off the alarm.
Walking to a distraught Carla, I wrap my arms around her and say, “Don’t worry. I’ll order in. We still have time.”
Carla’s chin quivers as she glances up at me. “But I wanted to prepare the meal.”
“I know.” I press a kiss to her mouth. “There’s always next time. Okay?” I turn her around and push her out of the smokey kitchen. “Let’s draw you a bubble bath, then you can soak and relax while I get everything ready.”
Carla nods as I usher her up the stairs to the bathroom. I make sure the water’s temperature is right before I press a kiss to Carla’s forehead. “Relax. Okay? By the time you’re done, I’ll have everything ready.”
Carla tilts her head, a look of wonder washing over her face. “You’re perfect.”
The corner of my mouth lift. “Only to you.”
She shakes her head. “Nope. You’re the closest thing to an angel if I’ve ever seen one.”
I pull her into my arms and press a tender kiss to her mouth. Since the shooting, I find it hard to let her out of my sight. It sent my protective side into overdrive.
It also made me realize Carla is irreplaceable in my life. She fills every heartbeat with happiness and love.
“You’re the angel for carrying our child,” I murmur. I nudge her toward the tub. “Take your time.”
The instant I pull the door shut behind me, I make a run for the kitchen while pulling my phone out of my pocket.
I place an order with a nearby restaurant, and then I begin to clean up the mess. I light scented candles to help clear the smell of smoke from the kitchen.
By the time I’m done in the kitchen, the restaurant delivers our order.
I’m busy opening the containers and transferring the food over to glass bowls when Carla comes back into the kitchen.
“Oh my gosh, Noah. How did you manage to get this done so fast?” Her eyes widen at me. “Do you have superpowers I don’t know about?”
I let out a chuckle as I place the food in the oven to keep it warm. “Do you feel better?”
“Yeah. All thanks to you.” Carla comes to take my hand, and then she pulls me out of the kitchen. “Your turn to get cleaned up. I’ll set the table.”
I let out a breath of relief as I head to our bedroom.
As long as Carla’s happy, I’m happy.
CARLA
We finished decorating the nursery today and glancing around the room, I’m so happy I could burst.
The ladybug and raspberry theme gives color to everything.
Noah picks up a nursery rhymes book and goes to sit on the rocking chair. Patting his lap, he grins at me.
I carefully position myself on his lap, then wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder.
Noah opens the book to the first rhyme and begins to read. “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. I still don’t get why an egg would sit on a wall, but okay.” He continues to read the rhyme, and it has me letting out a burst of laughter.
When Noah is done reading, he says, “A while back, there was a controversial thing about Humpty Dumpty.”
I begin to laugh again, and patting his chest, I mutter, “Why am I not surprised you know that?”
Noah sets the book down, and then he takes hold of my jaw, lifting my face to his. “Yeah, but you still love me.”
“With all my heart,” I whisper. Staring into his eyes, I think about how far we’ve come. “To think, a year ago, you wouldn’t even talk to me unless you really had to, and now you’re reading me nursery rhymes.”
Tilting his head, a loving expression softens his features. “Yeah, look at us now.”
I let out a chuckle as I brush my fingers through his hair. “I knew you’d end up being mine.”
“Yeah? How?” He asks, his hand brushing over my stomach.
“I could just feel it deep in my bones,” I admit. “It’s like you’re ingrained in my heart.”
Noah’s mouth curves up. “You’re the epitome of emotion… of love and life, to me.”
His words make emotion flood me until it feels as if it will leak from my eyes.
“I love you, Noah West.” Leaning forward, I press my mouth to his, and soon we’re lost in a kiss filled with everything we feel.
Because my due date is in May, the academy is allowing me to speed up my studies so I can write my exams before I go into labor. It means that I’ve been studying my butt off. Luckily, the notes Noah made for me make it easier to remember everything.
Closing my eyes, I mutter, “Will I even use any of this in the real world?” Haley stretches, and it instantly makes me smile. Rubbing a hand over my stomach, I whisper, “Just eight more weeks, Haleybug.”
I hear footsteps come down the hallway, and then Noah walks into the room. He tugs off his tie and drops it on the foot of the bed before he crawls onto the mattress. Leaning over me, he presses a kiss to my mouth.
“How was your day?”
“Okayish,” I say, gesturing to the laptop. “How was yours?”
Noah brushes a hand over my stomach, pressing a kiss to it, then he answers, “Long.” He drops down beside me, then snuggles into my side. “I just want to shower, eat, and then hold my girls until I fall asleep.”
Lifting my hand, my fingers caress the line of his jaw. “Go shower while I get the food ready. We can relax afterward and watch a movie.”
Noah pushes himself up again. “Sounds good.”
I scoot off the bed and walking to the kitchen, I warm the steaks and vegetables I brought from the campus restaurant. I’ll have to learn how to cook at some point, though, but I thought I’d wait until I’m done with my exams.
As I’m placing the plates on the island in the kitchen, Noah comes in. The sweatpants he’s wearing hang low on his hips, giving me a yummy view of his abs.
He opens the fridge, asking, “What do you want to drink?”
“A tall glass of you,” I mutter. Noah lets out a chuckle, glancing at me from over his shoulder. “Just water is fine.”
When we sit down and begin to eat, I notice Noah frowning. It has me asking, “Is everything okay at work?”
Noah swallows the bite he took, then he lets out a sigh. “There’s a new receptionist. She started a week ago, and… she just annoys me.”
Tilting my head, I set down my cutlery. “Why does she annoy you?” I ask, not wanting to jump to conclusions.
“She’s not my assistant, yet every damn morning she brings me coffee. The way she looks at me makes me uncomfortable.”
My eyebrows dart up. “Have you told her you’re in a relationship?”
Noah shrugs. “Everyone at Indie Ink knows.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she kno
ws,” I mutter.
Noah’s eyes lock with mine. “So I should tell every woman that crosses my path I’m in a relationship?”
I let out a heavy breath. “No, that would sound arrogant.” I reach for his hand and give it a squeeze. “I’ll bring you lunch tomorrow. Okay?”
A smile tugs at Noah’s lips. “That would be great. Saves me from having to deal with her.”
“I better not catch her ogling you,” I grumble, a possessive twinge in my chest. Then my gaze drops to his chest. “Cause only I get to drool over you.”
Noah closes the distance between us, pressing a hard kiss to my mouth, then he murmurs, “I love this side of you. It’s a turn on. Finish dinner so I can take you upstairs.”
Chapter 29
NOAH
The second there’s a knock at my door, I frown. Before I can answer, the door opens, and Olivia walks in with the damn coffee.
If we weren’t at work, I’d tell her to go to hell, but now that I’m the director of finance at Indie Ink, it changes how I deal with these things.
She’s halfway to my desk when I mutter, “I don’t want coffee. Don’t bring me any again.”
She smiles way too sweetly. “Everyone needs coffee. Besides, I don’t mind.”
“I mind,” I grumble, my frown turning into a scowl.
“I added extra sugar to turn that frown upside down,” she almost fucking sings, annoying the shit out of me.
The door to my office opens, and the second my eyes land on Carla, I’m up from behind my desk. I wasn’t expecting her until twelve o’clock.
“Ah… you can’t just walk in here,” Olivia talks down to Carla.
I move to Carla’s side, then say, “Olivia, meet my girlfriend, Carla Reyes.”
Olivia’s eyes widen with shock, and then her face pales. “I’m so sorry, Miss Reyes. It didn’t show that Mr. West had an appointment.”
Carla tilts her head, a look of warning tightening her features. “You’re not his PA, right?”
Olivia quickly shakes her head.
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