“Yes, Mum. This isn’t like the time she and I did our drama pact to get matching iPhones, I promise.”
“I’ll call Jax and see if he can do anything,” Hatch said.
“Is he the FBI man?” Poppy asked.
“Yes.”
“Okay, thanks, Hatch.” Poppy smiled as she turned and walked away.
I faced Hatch and groaned. “Don’t let her strong arm you into anything you don’t feel comfortable doing.”
“She’s not. I already asked Jaxon to see if he could find something. If he does, he may have some sway over child protective services or getting her in with family.”
I sighed. “I need to watch out for you, huh?”
“Can’t get anything by me,” he said. “Keep that in mind.”
“I’d never try to get anything by you,” I retorted. “Keep that in mind.”
“Love that, Sunshine.”
I stared up at him. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for Poppy to think she can manipulate you, though.”
“Baby, let her have this one. She’s been dealt a shit sandwich. We can work on her attitude at a future time, but for now, just let her do her thing and once the trial is over, you’re fully healed, and we’re in a normal schedule with whatever we’re doin’ relationship-wise, we can lower the hammer. She needs to feel like she’s in control of something. I’m fine with her “controlling” me for the moment.”
I poked at his chest. “Do not let her hear you say that.”
“Okay, baby.” Hatch chuckled. “She’s worried about her friend and if we can help, we will. From what you’ve told me, it’s not always a good situation, so if Jax can step in, he will.”
“Okay.” I hugged him tighter. “Did you thank him for his help today?”
“Why would I?”
I frowned up at him. “Really?”
“Babe, just drop it. He and I know where we stand.”
“Well, then if I write him a thank you note, will you deliver it?”
He dropped his head back and swore.
“Hatch.”
“Yeah, Sunshine, I’ll deliver it.”
“Thanks.” I kissed him again and he smiled.
“Let’s figure out what I’m cookin’ for dinner.”
“You’re going to cook for us?” I asked, my stomach rumbling.
“Unless you want to make your brother go grab take-out.”
“Is it too soon in this relationship to tell you I love you?” As soon as I said it, I gasped, slapping my hand over my mouth. “Sorry. That was really dumb.”
Hatch’s arms came gently around me and he kissed my forehead. “Don’t do that, Maisie. Don’t censor your thoughts. Nothing you say is dumb.”
“It’s the Vicodin.”
“Okay, baby, it’s the Vicodin.”
But it wasn’t the Vicodin and I knew it as I settled my cheek against his chest. I was falling in love with him. Maybe it was too soon to confirm that earnestly out loud, but this man, this man who dropped everything to take care of me and my daughter when he hardly knew me, was everything to me, and the thought of him not being near me even for a night bothered me. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was.
“You could always show me how to make one of those jam things,” I said to his chest.
“PB&J?”
I nodded.
“So you liked it?”
I grinned.
“So all that drama before was just ball bustin’?” he accused.
“I really had never had one before,” I said. “But I couldn’t very well tell you I loved it right off the bat, could I? You would have won.”
“What exactly would I have won, Sunshine?”
“I don’t know. Something.”
“You’re a fuckin’ nut, baby.”
“Guilty,” I agreed, kissing him gently.
“Did you and Cricket coordinate tomorrow?” Hatch asked, breaking our moment.
“Yes.” I pulled away. “She’s going to be here at ten.”
“I’ll swing by and pick up Poppy at the normal time, then give you the day.”
I followed him out to the family room. “That works.”
He smiled at me over his shoulder. “You can call me, you know.”
“Oh, stop. I will survive without you for one night, Connor Wallace.”
We walked into the family room to find Beckett with his laptop settled in front of him and Poppy sitting cross-legged on the sofa watching television.
“Homework status?” I asked.
“Done,” she said.
“Great,” I said. “Let me have a look at it while you help Hatch with dinner.”
“Do you need a third?” Beckett asked.
My mouth dropped open. “Since when do you do anything domestic?”
He set his computer aside and rose to his feet. “You’ve been gone a long time, big sister. Lots of things have changed.”
My heart hurt. “Direct hit, Becks.”
He frowned. “Sorry, sausage. I didn’t mean for that to be a dig.”
“Poppy, why don’t you grab your homework and take it out to the island for your mom?” Hatch suggested, and ushered Poppy out of the room.
Hatch and Poppy left the room and I slid into my brother’s hug. “I’ve been really slack in keeping you in the loop.”
“Yeah, you have,” he confirmed. “I miss you, Maisie.”
“I miss you, too. I’ll be better, I promise.”
“You need to come home,” he whispered. “Not forever, but for a little while. It’s like Niall died and you disappeared, physically and emotionally.”
I sighed. “I know.”
“Lecture over, saus. Love you.”
“I love you too.” I smiled up at him. “I really do.”
Feeling more settled than I had in a while, I followed Beckett to the kitchen and joined in in the domestic bliss of homework and dinner and all around joking amongst ourselves as we bonded closer together. By the time Hatch left, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but I also felt the pit in my stomach knowing he wasn’t going to be close in the middle of the night. It didn’t matter that he’d been sleeping on the sofa. Now that I was back in my own bed, he’d been within shouting distance and I’d come to cherish it.
With one final kiss, he walked away and I locked my door and joined my family, settling in to watch a movie and call it an early night.
* * *
Hatch
Hatch walked through his front door to find Cade sitting at the kitchen table, beer bottle lifted to his mouth, computer open in front of him, and some weird-ass furball thing sittin’ on his lap. “What the hell is that?”
Cade set the beer down and grinned. “This is a dog.”
“That is not a dog.”
The furball yipped at him and Hatch frowned. “Seriously, Cade, what the fuck.”
“Got out to the site this morning to find them dumped—”
“Them?”
“Dad!” Devon called.
Cade turned in his chair. “Yeah, bud?”
“I can’t keep them in the box.” He rushed in the room, carrying three matching puppies. “They keep escaping.”
“Fuck me,” Hatch ground out. “You brought them here?”
“We couldn’t leave them there to die,” Cade said.
Hatch felt something on his leg and looked down to see a little white fluff of fur tugging with its teeth on the hem of his jeans. The furball growled, baring his teeth. Hatch dropped his head back and took a deep breath, only to be brought out of his attempted trance by a little bark. He looked down again at the fuckin’ cutest pair of puppy eyes looking up at him and begging to be picked up. Well, shit. He bent down and scooped the little guy up, receiving a face full of puppy tongue for his efforts.
“Can’t resist the little fucker, huh?” Cade said.
Hatch held the puppy closer. It really was cute. “Some asshole just dumped five puppies?”
“In a paper bag, yeah, but
there should be six.” Cade rose to his feet. “Cullen, you got one?”
“Yeah, man,” he called back. “Little shit just pissed on me.”
Hatch chuckled. “Like ’em already.”
“Dev and I stopped by the pet store and grabbed food and bowls for ’em, but we’ll probably need to take ’em to a shelter or somethin’ tomorrow.”
“Knight can look ’em over,” Hatch said. Knight was a vet and would be able to hook them up with an adoption service as well. “He’ll probably be able to take care of their shots, then get them farmed out or whatever.”
“We’re not keeping them?” Devon asked.
“What are we going to do with a fru-fru dog, Dev?” Cade asked.
He pulled his three close to his chin. “I don’t know, Dad, love it?” he replied, sarcastically.
“We’ll talk about gettin’ a dog when we have a place of our own, sound good?”
Devon frowned. “Whatever.”
Hatch dropped his keys on the counter and carried his puppy out to the back yard where he set it down. His brothers and nephew followed, and six little cotton balls waddled around marking their territory.
“I’m gonna go change,” Cullen said, and walked back in the house.
“Where’s Cam?” Hatch asked.
“Chick,” Cade answered. “What about you? Seems like you’re gettin’ in deep.”
Hatch nodded.
“Does that mean we’re gonna meet this Maisie woman?”
“Yeah, man. Soon.”
Cade grinned. “Like that, Con.”
Over the next few hours, Hatch caught up with his brothers, checked out the house Cullen was lookin’ to buy, and took a longer than normal shower to release some of the tension created by Maisie and her mouth. The mouth he wanted wrapped around his cock. Fuck! He needed to find a way for them to be alone. Hatch was pretty sure this was the longest he’d ever gone without sex since he’d hit puberty.
His phone buzzed just as he stepped out of the shower, so he wrapped a towel around his waist and answered it. “Hey, Sunshine.”
“Hi honey. Is this a bad time?”
“Just got out of the shower. It’s all good.”
“Bloody hell,” she whispered. “Does that mean you’re all wet?”
He grinned, his cock hardening. “Yeah, baby.”
“Not fair, Connor.” She whimpered. “I miss you already and it’s only been a few hours.”
“Miss you too.” He chuckled.
“I have something to talk to you about.”
Hatch stretched out on the mattress. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“I need to go home.” She sighed. “Home, home.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “Like for good?”
“No. Nothing like that. But I am going to have to go for a while. Maybe a month. Probably over Poppy’s school holidays. Mum’s birthday’s in August, as is Poppy’s, so we were thinking we might go then.”
Maisie’s arm would probably be good to go by then.
“What about the trial?” Hatch asked.
“I’m hoping there won’t be one, but if I’m gone and can’t be here to testify, maybe I can force her getting a reduced sentence.”
Hatch sighed. He didn’t like that.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I… um… I’ll be gone for a while… so, I… I’m not sure… well, if…”
Fuck, she was ending it. “Just fuckin’ spit it out, Maisie,” he snapped.
“Why are you mad?”
“If you’re gonna dump me, just do it.”
“Dump you? I’m not going to dump you! I want you to come with us.”
“Come again?” He sat up.
“It’s too soon. You’re right. It was dumb,” she said. “You also have a job you can’t just up and leave. I just assumed you’d… that… God, that was so insensitive. You know what? Forget I said anything. I’m sorry, Hatch. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She hung up.
Maisie
WHAT THE HELL is wrong with me? I’d known Hatch for less than a month; of course he wasn’t going to fly all the way to England with me! Granted, we’d be going on several months by the time we’d be heading there, but still, it was a lot to expect from someone. God, I’m such an idiot.
Feeling totally embarrassed and dejected, I climbed into bed and turned off the light. Poppy had helped me take a shower and wash my hair earlier, which had been easier than expected. She’d even gone so far as to blow dry and braid it for me which was probably why I had the false sense of confidence to call up my boyfriend—or whatever the hell he was—and ask him to come home with me. Idiot.
I probably shouldn’t have hung up on him, but then again, he didn’t try to call me back. Feeling remorseful and wondering if I could still salvage the situation, I’d tried to ring him one more time but no luck. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to overanalyze, waffling between ringing him back again and digging myself a hole so I could avoid him until I felt like less of an idiot. It was past eleven and I knew he was with his family, and since I’d already interrupted him… Gah! This was driving me nuts. I hoped he wasn’t mad at me. He’d done so much for me and the thought of doing anything that might offend him, gutted me.
The door to my bedroom opened and I craned my head and whispered, “Poppy, you okay, love?”
“It’s not Poppy,” Hatch whispered back, and closed the door.
I heard the lock click and then he stretched out beside me and gently pulled me into his arms. I sighed as he covered my mouth with his and kissed me until I was sure I might melt.
“I’m sorry I hung up on you,” I whispered against his lips. “And I’m sorry I asked you to come home with me. It’s too soon—”
His mouth covered mine again and he stroked my cheek. “I’d love to come home with you, Sunshine.”
“You would?”
“Yeah. And if you call yourself dumb or stupid one more time, I’m gonna get a little pissed off.” His hand slid over my cami, around my back, and down, cupping my bottom.
I scooted closer to him. “You didn’t need to come all the way over here, love. You could have called to growl at me.”
His hand dipped under the waistline of my panties. “Not as much fun, though.”
“My brother and daughter aren’t far away,” I warned.
“Then we’re gonna have to be really, really quiet,” he whispered.
I bit my lip and nodded, gasping as his fingers slid between my legs.
“Really quiet, Sunshine,” he whispered close to my ear. “Can you do that?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
He grinned and pushed himself off the bed, turning on the side lamp.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, reaching to turn it off again.
“No. I want to see you, Maisie.” He flicked the light back on, then reached behind him and pulled off his T-shirt and I swallowed at the sight of his bare chest. Good lord it was delicious. He was muscular with very little hair and his pecs were covered in tattoos. As were his upper arms. I couldn’t wait to play trace the lines with my tongue.
“Roll on your back, baby,” he directed.
I did as he instructed and he cradled my bad arm on a pillow. “You feel pain, you tell me to stop, yeah? I’m gonna go as easy as I can.”
I nodded and he slid my panties down over my hips, grinning as he threw them in the corner. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt heat flood my face. God, I couldn’t believe we were doing this with the lights on. Niall and I never did it this way.
“Eyes, Maisie,” he ordered.
I looked at him, but my hand flew to the stretchmarks on my belly. He quickly moved my hand away with a shake of his head and I swallowed convulsively. He leaned over me and kissed one stretchmark, then another, then another, running his tongue down my belly and to my very private area.
His arms wrapped around my upper thighs and pushed them apart, then he leaned down and covered my core with his mouth. I arched i
nto him as my body came apart. His tongue swirled around my clit and then he sucked gently and I bit my fist to keep from crying out. I lost his mouth and stared down my body to see him removing his jeans. I shivered as he knelt between my legs, slid on a condom, and then hovered over me with a grin. “You okay?”
I nodded because I couldn’t speak.
“You in pain?”
I shook my head.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he demanded
“Because I just had the most incredible orgasm of my life. I need a minute to process,” I hissed.
“Of your life?” Hatch grinned. “Really?”
“Oh, stop it,” I sassed. “Wait. No, don’t stop. Keep going. More of that. Whatever that was.”
He chuckled quietly, sliding my cami up over my breasts and drawing a nipple into his mouth, sucking it into a tight pebble. “Your body’s fuckin’ beautiful, Sunshine.”
“Yours is too.” I reached up and slid my hand along his jaw. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“You’re mine, Maisie. You get that right? After tonight, no one else’s. Forever mine.”
I blinked back tears. “I’m super okay with that, Connor.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. I like you here. In my space, in my life. In Poppy’s life. I want to take you home to meet my family and show them that I’m finally okay.” I stroked his cheek. “I never thought I’d ever feel peace again. Never thought I’d feel joy. It was my new normal to just exist and live within that existence. You walk into a room and my stomach flutters and I’m so excited to see you even if you just came from the kitchen.” I smiled, running my thumb along his lips. “I think about you when you’re dropping Poppy off at school and can’t wait to see you when you go to pick her up. I wonder what it would be like to…” I bit off my sentence.
“To what, Sunshine?”
I took a deep breath. “To have your babies.”
His breath hitched.
“Is that stu—?”
He frowned.
“Sorry,” I rushed to say. “It just all feels so alien to me, you know? I’m almost thirty-six and before you, I had no interest in more children, but I keep having these dreams of little boys in tiny leather vests running around terrorizing Poppy and it makes me feel excited.” I giggled. “God, I’m such a girl.”
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