by Layla Nash
Simon grinned and winked. "Bet your ass." But then he waved at another corner of the room. "And the walk-in closets should be here. I didn't know how big of a closet you wanted, so I asked Rosie and she said as big as possible. So here's your closet."
"I don't have that many clothes," Zoe said, still wanting to laugh. "Even with everything Tate boxed up and brought out here."
"I'll buy you more." Simon grumbled as he picked her up again and swung her around, pausing only long enough to kiss her hungrily before putting her down and taking her hand again. But he hesitated as he gestured at a small adjacent room, or at least the set of framed walls. "And this is supposed to be — a nursery. If you want. When you want. In case we — you know."
Her breath caught as she looked around at the empty space. A nursery. She hadn't even thought about kids. Hadn't ever thought about kids. She didn't know how to be a mother, but she knew he would be a damn good father. They could learn together, when it came time. So she gripped his hand and nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. This would be a good nursery. But where will the first one go when number two and three come along?"
His smile almost blinded her, and he pulled her in for a rib-cracking hug. Zoe squeezed her eyes shut and wondered if it was possible to die of happiness. To literally just stop breathing from too much joy.
Simon cleared his throat a couple of times before launching toward a basic staircase. "Upstairs, of course. A guest room up here, too, and a couple of bathrooms. So no one fights over the sink. That happened a lot when I was a kid."
Zoe wasn't quite brave enough to test the two-by-four steps, and was glad when Simon didn't insist on showing her everything. Instead, he kissed her, walked her backwards toward the crackling fireplace, and tugged at the front of her jeans.
She laughed and backed up, eyeing him sideways as she played with the hem of her shirt. "What, you build me an amazing cabin and I'm supposed to put out?"
Simon's grin sparked heat all the way through her, until she was pretty sure she must have backed right into the fireplace. His voice got all deep and grumbly as he pulled off his flannel shirt and tossed it aside, large hands flexing as he studied her. "That nursery isn't going to fill itself, babe."
Zoe shivered in anticipation. His intensity still made her nervous, but he went out of his way to be careful with her. Like she was delicate china. Something precious. She swallowed another knot of emotion and his expression softened. Zoe kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her jeans, let them slide low on her hips as she tried to pull her shirt off. She wanted him too, in a sudden desperate surge that flooded through her until every piece of clothing was too much. Sometimes it was the bear, demanding to stake a claim on him again, and sometimes it was her, needing to be touched. The gap between the two narrowed, until some days Zoe didn't know whether it was the bear's idea or her own, and that was just fine by her.
Zoe only got halfway out of her shirt before Simon started to help, tearing the fabric in his determination, and Zoe laughed as clothing flew everywhere and then they lay on the soft pile of blankets in front of the fire, naked together.
He lay over her, running his fingers over her face, and breathed against her mouth for a long moment. "I love you, Zoe."
She lifted her head to kiss him, to taste the warm whiskey he'd been drinking earlier, to feel the heat of his tongue against hers. He gripped her sides and her breath caught. She managed to say, "I love you too," before Simon rose over her and filled her in one smooth thrust.
She sighed and moved under him, always ready to feel him inside her, pressing into her until they were so close she almost lost where she ended and he began. Simon groaned and pushed up on his elbows so he could see her face, and Zoe held on to his arms as their bodies collided. Rapture rolled through her as he kissed her again and Zoe wanted it to last forever. Wanted to be with him forever.
Simon grumbled and slid his hand under the small of her back, then rolled until Zoe lay on top. She pushed upright and shook her hair back, reveling in the way he stared at her, lusted after her, held her hips until bruises formed. He loved when she rode him, and not just because he was a lazy bear who wanted to share the hard work. He couldn't keep his hands off her hips and stomach and breasts, would have kept her naked all the time if Zoe allowed it. He groaned and squeezed her thighs as she rocked her hips against him, rolling and thrusting as her pleasure grew in a tidal wave. Zoe's head fell back as it crested, as she fell over the edge of pure ecstasy, as her muscles seized and she froze, moaning as she tried to move through the aftershocks.
She sighed and leaned forward on his chest, dazed. He chuckled and squeezed her hip before sitting up to hold her closer. "We're not done yet," he said, all grumbly and rough and dark, and desire immediately lit her up.
Zoe worked her hands into his hair to drag his mouth to hers, though she murmured against his lips. "Simon didn't say."
He laughed and nibbled on her shoulder, and Zoe gasped. Simon kissed her deeply before he squeezed her hip, settling closer still. "Yes, I did."
Zoe held on as he started to move. Simon could say just about anything and she didn't mind at all. She could play his game for the rest of her life and not regret a moment of it. She held on to him tighter. She loved him, her bear loved him, and once again she felt content. At peace. At home.
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Layla
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