“Thanks. I hope so.” They ate in silence a moment before Kitty started a new conversation. “I still can’t believe you married him twice, and I missed both ceremonies.”
“Maybe later this summer we can have everyone over for a belated fiesta at the ranch.”
“We’ll be there! You don’t know how much I’d love to get away. I have spent so much time in our bedroom the past six weeks. Adam barely let me come down the stairs for meals until the past couple of weeks. He even carried me down to my baby shower, as you know. Just set the date and we will pack up the Montague crew and be there in a heartbeat.”
Excitement bubbled up in Cassie. She was certain Luke would want to share their joy with their friends, too. “Wonderful! Let me talk with Luke about it. And you can stay overnight. I can move into the studio with Luke.”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you two sleeping together?”
Oh, dear. How to explain? She glanced at the simmering fondue pot. “Not yet. Well, we did share a bed in Peru, not to mention your sofa bed at your place last night, so I am certain he plans for us to do so when we return home, too.”
The heat rose into her cheeks and she shook her head. Cassie met her friend’s incredulous gaze. “I need to overcome my fears and aversions first, but this is why I know that touch and intimacy are so powerful. Even though we have not had intercourse, I feel a bond with Luke… And increased desire for him. It will happen when the time is right.”
“Trust me, when you finally do, you are going to kick yourself for waiting so long. Sex with someone you love is amazing.”
Memories of Luke’s hands on her body, igniting embers that had nearly died, made her long to return to him. What would they do tonight when they arrived home? When would the time be right to…
Kitty patted her hand. “I’m sure being at Luke’s place is a great relief after the fire, but how are you handling not having your place in the mountains?”
Tears stung the backs of her eyes. “Not living in the mountains hurts my soul, Kitty, but I have Luke, our animals, and we are surrounded by mountains that I can visit at any time.”
“No chance the owner will rebuild?”
Cassie shook her head. “Her memories were lost in the cabin that burned. She has no desire to rebuild. The only reason she kept the place was because of the sentimental reasons—or perhaps a tax write-off for supporting a starving artist.” Cassie shrugged. “She was there when I needed her, though, for which I am grateful.”
“That’s so sad. I know you loved being up there. I think it reminded you of the good things you missed of home when you were unable to go to Peru.” Kitty probably was right. “But, Cassie, if not for the fire, I’m afraid you might never have discovered your love for Luke.”
“True on both counts. I hid away from the world while there—especially the men of the world. Now I am reconnecting with family and friends. I am sure in the long run this move will be good for me. Even if it hurts. I feel the Goddess has had a hand in this and will help me adapt to my new home.”
“You and Luke love each other and have a whole lifetime to look forward to. It won’t matter where you live as long as you’re together. Everything else will fall into place.”
“I hope so.” She smiled. “I have missed our talks so much, Kitty. Thank you for coming out with me today.”
Kitty stood and walked around the table to wrap Cassie in her arms. “I’m the one who needs to thank you. You and I have a long history together. We need to make sure we don’t let so much time pass between visits. I’m sure the guys will hold down the fort once a month at least for us to do this.”
She held on to her friend, so grateful to have someone like her in her life.
When the server returned to see if they wanted their check, Kitty broke away and insisted on an order of chocolate fondue for dessert. Cassie was not sure she could eat another bite, but while waiting, Kitty picked up her phone. “Oh my gosh! We’ve been here three hours already! Where did the time go?”
“See? Time flies when you are not focused on how much time it takes to achieve something you want.”
“Point taken. I’ll start living in the moment with Adam and quit wishing my life away trying to have what we did before I became pregnant.” She glanced at her phone again. “Adam texted an hour ago that all is fine, but my breasts are so full they’re like rocks. The babies will be ready for another go at me the minute I walk in the house.” She smiled. “Now I need to quit thinking about them or I’m going to soak through these breast pads before I get home.”
Kitty’s mouth formed an O and she reached for her purse on the booth seat beside her. “Oh, dear Lord, I almost forgot!” She pulled out a card in a white envelope and a small, ruby-red box with a white ribbon. “Happy Birthday, Cassie!”
“It is not for two more weeks.”
“I know, but I can’t wait.”
“I cannot believe you had time to buy me something.”
“I had to shop online, but when I saw it, I knew it was meant for you.”
Intrigued, Cassie first read the card. The sentiment about friendships that never die throughout the sands of time brought tears to her eyes. “We are old souls, Kitty. I know we have been together many times, and I am sure our paths will cross many more times.”
“If you say so. But I’m living in the moment, remember.” Kitty grew serious. “You know, Cassie, how close I came to crossing over before I should have. I’m convinced you helped guide me back to Adam and my babies.” She squeezed Cassie’s hand. “Thank you.”
Cassie did not wish to think about ever losing her friend in this lifetime. She nodded and opened the box. Pushing the tissue aside revealed a necklace with a rustic brass chain and three decorative pieces depicting angel trumpet flowers spaced between eight blue-quartz faceted stones.
“When you told me about losing your abuela’s special wedding shawl and how she grew angel trumpets at her house in your village, I thought this would be something you could wear to remember her by.”
A tear splashed onto the black napkin in her lap. “Oh, Kitty. I have no words to express my feelings—in either language. It is so beautiful. And blue quartz. That is perfect for me at this place in my life’s journey.”
“What do you mean?”
“Blue quartz assuages fear, calms the mind, and inspires hope.”
“Wow. I just thought it was pretty.” Kitty shrugged and grinned.
Cassie knew Kitty was not interested in esoteric things, but wanted to convey how perfect this gift was. “It also is a peace and tranquility stone that can promote understanding of one’s spiritual nature. I have been reconnecting with the Goddess this summer for the first time in a long time. She even spoke to me during a meditation in Peru.”
“Wow, Cassie, it’s as if the Universe led me to the perfect gift. That’s…incredible! Who needs Google? I’m so happy I chose this one.”
“All stones represent many things, much more than their surface-level beauty.” She thought of Luke and how he delved deeply beneath the surface to find something he found beautiful in her. “People have so much more to offer when you dig a little deeper.”
“Like you, Cassie. I still remember finding you sophomore year on Columbia’s roommate opportunities board. We hit it off immediately over lunch that first day when checking each other out to decide if we were compatible. Now look how much you have added to my life.”
“Oh, Kitty, it is you who have enriched my life. Not only by being my friend, but without your network of friends, I never would have met Luke.”
Kitty dabbed at the tears in her eyes with her napkin. “I hope you two find much happiness together. No doubt, you both have a lot to learn about each other. Just keep digging away at those layers. And talk. Let him know what you need, what you want, how you feel.”
“I will try, although it is not always easy for me to express my feelings. But I am going to try.”
* * *
“Adam, we need the quin
tessential daddy/baby pic. Remove your shirt.”
He glared at Megan while continuing to rock Paxton to keep him quiet. Pax hadn’t liked having his solo pics taken any more than the girls had. But they calmed down when all were cuddled together in their bed.
“What do you have in mind?” He didn’t like going shirtless, except around Karla.
“I want a photo of you in bed with all three babies sleeping on your bare chest. Looks like you’re broad enough that they’ll fit.”
He groaned inside. He’d let himself go since leaving the Corps. Not nearly as broad as he once was. But he had more important things to do than work out in the gym at the club since moving in here.
She turned to Ryder and Luke and barked more orders. “Guys, be ready to remove their clothes for this one.” The men each held one of the girls like a pro considering neither had kids. Better than Adam had done his first time holding one.
“Here, let me take Pax while you strip for me.” Megan grinned.
“Don’t push your luck.” He handed the now-sleeping baby over and pulled his USMC T-shirt over his head. So far, his favorite shot was when he’d worn his desert digitals, one girl in each cargo pocket with her arms wrapped around her daddy’s thighs and his hands supporting their still-wobbly heads, while Paxton was facing the camera in the baby sling across Adam’s chest. Damn, Karla was going to love these photos of their babies.
Just as he started to stretch out on the bed, Luke announced, “Whoa. I think this one needs a diaper change before that photo is shot.”
Not wanting to inflict a messy diaper on the man his first time out, Adam reached for the baby and headed to the changing table.
The room grew silent behind him as he worked, but soon Megan was clicking away recording for posterity that Adam Montague actually changed a poopy diaper. Whoa! The smell! If the kid ate the same thing all the time, how could one be different from another?
“Just leave the diapers on until we’re ready.” Megan’s voice sounded strange and he turned around to find all three of them staring at him with varying degrees of horror on their faces.
Shit. “No shots of my messed-up back.”
Ryder looked like he was shell-shocked, but asked, “Did that happen in Afghanistan?”
“Most of it.”
The man’s face paled. Would Ryder continue to blame himself for not being there during the ambush? What the fuck did he think he could have done differently?
Megan crossed the room, Paxton still in her arms, and Ryder turned his focus to her. She said something quietly to him, and after a minute Adam watched him visibly relax. He nodded and gave her a kiss. Thank God Megan understood the unseen wounds warriors like Ryder tried to hide from the world. Good thing they’d found each other.
Also good that Ryder hadn’t gone into a panic attack while holding Rori. Adam had been ready to snatch her away but, if anything, when he seemed to be losing it, he’d held her even tighter as though afraid to drop her.
“Let’s get this done. The girls could be home any time.” They’d just passed the two-hour mark, although Adam didn’t think Karla and Cassie would truly catch up that fast. He remembered how Karla lost all track of time when she was with Cassie. He shuddered. The disastrous effect one of his orders had had on her when she hadn’t been able to tear herself away from Cassie’s cabin to make it home in the time Adam had—
Fuck. He reached for his phone. “Luke, hold Kate again. I need to send a message to Karla.” With both hands free, he texted, “Everyone’s fine on the home front. Take all the time you need.” He didn’t want her having another accident.
Pocketing the phone again, he headed for the bed. “Okay, let’s do this.” Adam stretched out, and Megan positioned the three babies on his bare chest. Paxton woke up and started rooting around. “Sorry, buddy. Wrong parent.” He wondered if his dad had ever held him like this when he was little, but pushed the thought aside. He wasn’t going to be like his father with his own kids.
More than half an hour later, he realized Megan had been busy shooting the photos of him ever since the babies had been placed on his chest. She really was professional about this photography business. Unobtrusive, efficient. No wonder, since she’d gone to graduate school to perfect her skills. He couldn’t wait to start their photo album after things settled down a little.
Megan pulled away but continued to rally the troops. “Ryder and Luke, on the count of three, take off their diapers.”
“Whoa!” Adam could just imagine how badly this could go. “You sure about that?”
“Trust me.” She smiled sweetly and set up her camera on a tripod. “I’m going to go with natural light, so I need to be sure I don’t move the camera. You try to stay still, too, Adam. Hopefully the babies will remain laid back until we’re finished.”
The time came for the babies to be stripped and Adam was instructed to feign sleep. Karla had been asking to take a photo like this while he napped with all three, but damned if he trusted himself to fall asleep with them.
This would have to do.
Finally realizing he wasn’t going to get anything from Daddy, Paxton nodded off again. All three of his little angels were snuggled together, arms around each other. His arms covered most of their bare butts. No need to embarrass them later. Adam blinked away the sting in his eyes.
Megan fiddled with her camera, testing it with a few clicks probably. “I think we’re ready.”
On cue, Adam closed his eyes, glad that the photos wouldn’t show his tears. He heard the shutter’s rapid-fire clicks and stayed as still as he could. He’d never expected to be given the chance to be a father to his own little babies—not even one, much less three.
In his musings over how blessed he was, he lost track of time until something warm ran down his left side. Fuck. His first thought was Paxton, but it was on Rori’s side. “Shoot’s over. Somebody grab me a towel.”
When he started handing the babies to the waiting hands, his agitation woke Kate and Paxton who both started screaming. He accepted the towel from a laughing Megan and dried himself off. At least it was only pee.
Surprisingly, Rori joined in the bawl-fest this time. Sweetest sound in the world because she was always so quiet. He stood and reached for her. “Come on. It’s not so bad. Daddy forgives you. When you gotta go, you gotta go.”
She cried louder and he finally figured out all three probably were hungry. When the hell was Karla going to come home? You’d think she’d be leaking milk by now, breast pads or not.
No sooner did he think that than he looked up and there she stood, two wet spots on her shirt. She crossed the room while unbuttoning her blouse, giving the tripod a sideways glance but not asking. Good thing.
He let her settle into the chair while Cassie took Rori and diapered her. Luke and Ryder, unable to suppress their grins, diapered the other two.
“What have you all been doing? Adam, where’s your shirt?”
“Rori peed on me.” That much was true. She could draw her own conclusions. Megan quickly rid the room of her camera and tripod, still laughing that he’d been peed on. He wondered if she’d show that shot to Karla. Probably. They seemed to hit it off and share things he didn’t even want to know about. But he’d better oversee which ones went into the family photo album. God, had he cussed around the babies? He couldn’t remember.
Karla had Rori and Paxton cuddled on her nursing pillow when Cassie announced on her way out of the room, “I’ll warm up a bottle for Kate. I’m sure she’s hungry, too.” He realized Ryder must have helped Megan hide the equipment.
He should have thought of the bottles, but had been too busy with the photos. Where’d the time go? He sure hoped Karla liked the surprise pictures.
When he glanced down at Karla, she had tears in her eyes. What now? He couldn’t take much more today.
She met his gaze. “Thank you for giving me some time with Cassie. I didn’t know how much I needed some girl time.”
“You can thank
Luke, too. It was his idea.”
She turned to Luke. “Thank you. And, Luke, even more important, thank you for loving Cassie, too.”
“Darlin’, it’s no chore to love someone as sweet as Cassie. Now, I think I’ll go help her out in the kitchen.”
Chapter Thirty
Cassie watched Luke working with Picasso in the pasture a week later as she tried to capture the image on the canvas she had set up just outside the corral. His parents had returned home to Texas two days ago leaving Luke spending long hours working with the horses during the day and on some project in the studio at night.
She could not help but think part of what drove him was that they had yet to go all the way, even though they were sharing a bed. She tried the man’s patience so.
Ryder and Megan had come to the ranch for the day yesterday, and the two men had holed up in the studio for hours while she and Megan went down to the stream on horseback to swim nude. Megan was a lot of fun to be with. Definitely a free spirit and someone who knew what she wanted in life. Cassie noticed some surgical scars on the woman’s abdomen, but did not pry.
During their time together, Megan had taken a number of photos of Cassie. The one of her nude body silhouetted by the sun, while not revealing anything to the eye, was very sensual. Next week, she would give a framed print to Luke at their party to celebrate their wedding and her birthday.
She also had begun a sketchbook of her sensual drawings of Luke. She began by drawing his face or hands, but recently had started sketching nudes of Luke while he was at work in his studio. Memories of their first nights in the cabin when she had removed everything but his boxers helped her fill in most of the details. She blushed. Drawing him in that pose excited her even though she had no clue how to share those feelings—or even the sketch—with him.
Perhaps someday soon. In bed last night, they had cuddled and talked about the horses, the alpacas, not to mention how much they enjoyed Ryder and Megan’s frequent visits, while Luke idly touched her in nonsexual, but increasingly bold, ways. He avoided her breasts and groin, but left her aching for more. She understood his frustration, too, now. What was he waiting for?
Nobody's Dream (Rescue Me Saga #6) Page 59