I almost whimper when he pulls away, the cool air of the room hitting my skin like a burst of air conditioning.
Chase moves gently behind me and tenses. “Uh, Gabby?” His voice is small, and maybe even a little fearful.
Glancing over my shoulder, I take in his shocked expression. “What?”
“I didn’t wear a condom.” There’s a look of guilt mixed with anguish on his face.
Sitting up, I reach forward, resting my hand on his cheek. “It’s okay. I’m on the pill.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I should be this careless.”
Needing to move, to comfort, to reassure, I move until I’m straddling his legs, my arms wrapping around his neck. “Chase? Do you recall what you said to me in Harrison’s office?”
His eyes burn with the intensity I’ll always associate with Chase Callahan. He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. “Yeah.”
“You said that you loved me, even though we’ve only been together for about forty-eight hours.”
“I’ve loved you so much longer than that, Gabby.”
I nod. “I’m still figuring out what’s going on in my head, Chase. When I finally say those words, it’ll be because I know in my heart that the person I’m saying them to is the one I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with. I’ve never said them before and I want to know they’re for the right person, for the right reasons.”
“I get that. That’s why I insisted you not say them back,” he says, pulling me tightly against his chest. His cock is already starting to thicken again, which makes my mouth water for a taste. “And just for the record, I haven’t said it before either.”
Something swells in my chest when I think about what he just said. Knowing that Chase has saved those three little words for me means more than he’ll ever know. It also confirms that I need to have my head on straight so when I do finally say them back, they mean just as much to him as they do to me. And yes, I’m certain he’ll be the recipient of my very first love declaration. There’s no other man who makes me this crazy with rage and lust all at the same time. It must be fate.
“My point was that I know you’d never be cavalier with those words, just like I know you’d never be cavalier with me. So don’t beat yourself up on the whole condom thing, okay? I could have stopped us at any point too, to make sure we were covered.”
He seems to sober at my words, understanding the honesty and trust I’ve placed in them. But as quickly as that look of belief crosses his face, it’s replaced by something a bit cockier. “I’m pretty sure you couldn’t have told me your own name, let alone stopped us to put on protection.”
Rolling my eyes, I feel his cock flex against my core. “So cocky,” I tease, rolling my hips and sliding easily against him.
Chase growls, his hands dropping to grip my ass. They flex and squeeze as he rocks his own hips, his hard length applying pressure to my clit. “I’ll show you cocky, Gabrielle.”
Just as I’m about to rise up and take him completely once more, a soft whimper pierces the room, reminding us that we’re not alone. “Shit,” I whisper.
We both still, waiting to see if Milo will return to his dream state. In the silence, I can hear him wiggling in his soft blanket cocoon, and I can already tell this isn’t going to end with the second orgasm I’m hoping for.
The cry is loud, putting an end to naked time. Chase exhales, kisses my forehead, and reaches for his discarded shorts. I scramble for my tank top and shorts, pretty sure they’re on backward and inside out in my hurry to dress. Chase has Milo in his arms, gently rocking him back and forth. When I reach their side, I find the sweet baby wide awake and very much alert. Chase and I share a look, and something tells me this is going to be a very long night.
“A baby shows up on your doorstep, and you don’t think that warrants a call?”
I knew I needed to call Gwen, but just haven’t had time. Nor really knew what to say. Now, there’s no denying the conversation and the important questions I’m sure she’s going to hurl at me like grenades.
Gwen pushes past me at the door, my happy niece, Sophia, perched on her hip. “Come on in,” I mutter, shutting the front door behind her.
My sister puts my niece down in the middle of the living room with a teether and turns my way. “Spill. And don’t leave anything out.”
“Do you want some coffee? It was a long night,” I mumble, noticing it’s barely after eight. Chase left for work at seven after a little argument. He wanted to cancel his day again, but I wouldn’t let him. His income relies on going to the gym and seeing his clients. My work is a little more flexible right now, and I have the ability to log in to the server with Chase’s computer and still get work done. He grumbled a little, hating that the responsibility of taking care of Milo was falling on me, but I was adamant. He was needed there today, and I’m needed here.
“No, I’ve already had three cups,” my sister says, following me to the doorway of the kitchen so she can keep an eye on her daughter in the living room.
I refill my cup, adding way too much sugar and creamer to be deemed necessary, and prop my hip against the counter. “The other night, there was a knock on the door and a baby on the welcome mat. A note accompanying the infant said it was Chase’s.”
Gwen just stares, blinking, as she absorbs the news. “Okay, I got that from my husband, but why now? Why not tell him before?”
Shrugging, I take another sip of sweet coffee. “No clue. There wasn’t much info in the letter, except that she met Chase and Colton in St. Louis at a bar. Apparently, there was naked time in his hotel room, and the result was Milo.”
“Milo?” she asks, smiling. “I love that name.”
I swallow over the lump in my throat. “Me too. Anyway, the woman said she didn’t want to be a mother and was hoping Chase would take him.”
“What kind of woman just drops her baby off at a stranger’s house and leaves?” my sister asks, almost absently.
“I’ve been asking myself the same question. I mean, it’s crazy, but not unheard of. At least she realized she wasn’t fit to be a mother now instead of making his life miserable, right?”
Gwen shrugs. “I guess.” She glances in the living room and smiles. “Come here.”
When I meet my sister at the doorway, Sophia is on her back, swinging her leg and trying to roll over. Gwen grabs her phone and starts to record the moment, most likely going to send it to her husband.
“This is new,” I whisper, a proud auntie smile on my own face as I grab my cell and snatch a few seconds worth of video. Uncle Chase would love to see it too.
“I noticed last night that she was getting close. She kept trying to roll, but wasn’t sure what to do with her arm. I knew it wouldn’t be long,” she says with a smile as her daughter finally gets herself onto her belly. Gwen gets down on the floor and praises Sophia, tears swimming in her eyes as she looks up at me. “So where is this baby?”
I head over to the playpen. Chase insisted on bringing it down before he left for work so I had somewhere to put Milo. Reaching inside, I gently place the sleeping infant in the crook of my arm and return to where my sister sits on the floor. “This is Milo.”
She leans over and touches his chubby little cheek. “Oh my God, he’s adorable. He has Chase’s nose,” she confirms, turning her green eyes on me.
“I know. There’s no denying the resemblance, that’s for sure. In fact, Chase has mentioned a few times that he doesn’t feel like this is his son, but there’s no denying it, right? They look a lot alike.”
Gwen nods. “A lot.” My sister picks up her daughter and holds her close to meet Milo.
My niece reaches for what’s in my arms. “No, no, Princess Sophia. You have to be very careful with the baby.”
She responds by smacking me in the arm.
“Apparently, she’ll need a little coaching on being the big cousin,” Gwen retorts.
“Well, technically, they’re not related.”
Gwen gives me that older sister, “I don’t believe you” look. “You mean to tell me you’re not bumping uglies with my husband’s best friend?”
I gasp. Not because of the accuracy of her statement, but the fact she said bumping uglies. That’s a definite Gabby term. “Listen to you talk.”
She shrugs. “You’ve rubbed off. And apparently, Chase has been doing a little rubbing too, am I right?”
Rolling my eyes, I groan, “Stop. You’re being all weird.”
“And you’re being evasive.”
I look down at Milo, whose little lips are mimicking a sucking motion. “Fine, yes, Chase and I have been… bumping uglies.”
She doesn’t say anything, which forces me to move my eyes from the baby to the woman next to me. “Duh. It’s about time. You’ve been dancing around it for years.”
“I don’t know about that,” I reply, adjusting my arm to a more comfortable position.
“I do. But enough about that, what are you going to do about Milo?”
Again, I look down. “I’m making a few calls today. We’re scheduling a DNA test at the hospital for confirmation, and Chase is reaching out to Jake Rodgers. They went to school together, and Jake is a cop. He’s going to ask for his help tracking down Laura.”
“Speaking of Laura, how did she find Chase? I mean, it’s not like most one-night stands offer up their addresses or anything, right?”
“Right. In fact, when Chase woke up the next morning, he was alone. The letter said she snuck out of his room before he woke.”
“So how did she find him?”
“No clue. That’s one of the reasons we want to find her.”
Gwen shakes her head. “Man, talk about a Maury moment.”
“I know.”
“So, I have news,” Gwen starts, handing the discarded teether to her daughter. “I’m not going back to work.”
“You’re not?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve been back and forth, but the truth is, I want to spend as much time with Soph as I can. She won’t stay little forever, and I don’t want to miss anything.”
“I get it. Then you can get knocked up again quicker,” I tell her, snickering at the look on her face.
“Now you sound like Harrison. If it were up to him, I’d already be pregnant.”
I shrug. “You’re a phenomenal mom, Gwenny. I think you need to listen to him and have a hundred kids.”
She throws me a look of horror. “Are you kidding? I’m setting a three-kid limit.”
“Pssh! I’m sure that husband of yours can change your mind pretty easily.”
Gwen blushes, and I know there’s a lot of truth in that statement. “Maybe.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“So, my point. I’m staying home with Sophia and not returning to school. I don’t know if you and Chase have thought about childcare, but I’d like to offer my services.”
I turn her way, unable to camouflage my own shock. “Seriously?”
She nods insistently, a smile on her face. “Yep. I’d love to watch him for you guys.”
I swallow hard and glance back down at the baby. “Well, I’d have to ask Chase. Technically, he’s the sole decision-maker right now, so it’s up to him.”
Gwen reaches over and pats my leg. “Yeah, but that man wouldn’t make a decision without involving you somehow.”
“Maybe, but still. He’s the father.” It’s hard to breathe over the lump in my throat. It’s the first time I’ve truly acknowledged the fact that he’s Milo’s father… and I’m not his mother. Even though I’d love to be. My heart swells as I glance down at the angel in my arms, my eyes filling with tears.
“Trust me, Gabs. He wants your opinion, even when he doesn’t ask for it. This may not be your biological child, but you’re very much a part of his life.”
“It’s just so new, you know? I mean, one minute we’re boinking like rabbits and then the next a baby shows up. We barely got to post-sexy-time cuddle before an infant was thrown in the mix.”
She shrugs. “So it’s not the conventional way of doing things. Need I remind you of how Sophia got here?” she asks, referring to how her daughter was conceived an hour after Gwen and Harrison’s divorce was final.
I pull a face. “No! I do not want to hear about that. And neither does Milo. Don’t corrupt his perfect little mind with your crudeness.”
Gwen laughs. “That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, sister. Now, let me have my nephew. I can’t wait to tell him all about the time his daddy and Uncle Harrison went streaking down Main Street.”
Chapter 12
Chase
I’ve watched Harrison watch the clock, waiting for it to strike five so he can head home more times than I can count. I remember thinking he’s whipped, and laughed to myself, and sometimes out loud, to him. I knew he loved his wife and daughter, but I never understood the urgency. The need that consumed him to be home with them.
Until now.
I get it.
At work since just before eight, and I feel as though I’ve checked the time every minute since. Not just that, but I’ve been incessantly checking my phone for missed calls or messages. I’d already changed my hours to be home with Gabby. And coming home to her is unlike anything I’ve ever known. Now, even more so because she’s mine. I understand that fluttery feeling in my chest, and the excitement that courses through my veins. I get that laying eyes on her, in our home after being away from her for hours is something to be cherished.
I understand how fucking lucky I am that she’s still there. She could have run the minute Milo showed up on our doorstep, but she surprised me when she stayed. Every moment since then, there has been worry nagging at me in the back of my mind, worry that she can still leave. However, Gabby’s surprised me at every turn. I knew she was strong and fiercely dedicated to those she loves, but this… taking care of my son, well that puts her even higher on the pedestal I have her on. Not because of what she’s giving me, but for her acceptance. And the pedestal, she’s there because of what she means to me.
Love.
I love her. Not the “I love you for helping me out” kind of love. No, it’s the fluttery-butterfly feeling in the pit of your stomach, it’s the increased heart rate every time she walks into a room, and it’s the bone-crushing fear that I might one day have to live my life without her by my side. Now that I know what it feels like to have her in my arms at night, in my bed, I never want it to be any other way between us.
“Chase.” Harrison snaps his fingers, and I shake out of my thoughts and focus on my best friend. “I’m not even going to ask, because I know.” He’s grinning like he just won the lottery. “I’m even going to do you a solid and not mention it. This time.” He holds up one finger. “However, the next time, it’s on. I owe you years of bagging on me about my wife.”
I can’t hold back my smile. “I deserve it and can take whatever you want to throw my way. I get it now.”
“You done for the day?” he asks.
I glance at the clock once again. “Yeah, my four o’clock never showed.” It’s now twenty minutes after their scheduled time.
“Night shift crew is here.” Harrison points over to where the evening shift coordinator is talking to a group of women, early twenties if I had to guess. He’s a young guy, single, and he takes full advantage of that. “Head on home. I’m going to.”
“I’m sure Gabby could use a break.”
“By the way, we need to make plans so I can spend some time with my nephew.”
I nod as a slow smile tilts my lips. “We’re still adjusting, but you tell me when and we’ll make it happen.” With that, I rush back to the office, grab my bag and keys, and head out. I stop and pick up Chinese for dinner, hoping we will both get a break, and maybe get some sleep.
When I pull up to the house, the lights are out. Grabbing our food, I enter through the side garage door and see Gabby’s car. Quietly, I make my way into the house, setting our dinner on th
e island before I go in search of my girl, and my son.
My son.
That’s a hard one to get used to, but with each passing hour, the idea takes root. It’s hard for me to believe he’s mine when I don’t remember that night, but the evidence that he’s mine is there. I feel bad I don’t remember, and equally so for Gabby. I just finished telling her there’d been no one but her for a hell of a long time, and then an hour later, Milo shows up. It’s a slap in the face to her, but she’s been so understanding about it all. Not that I didn’t already know it, my life is better with her in it.
Making my way into the living room, the shades are pulled, but it’s still light enough outside that I can make out their sleeping forms on the couch. Gabby is propped up on a pillow, her hair a mess tied in a knot on top of her head, and there in her arms, her hands resting on his back, is my son.
Something that feels an awful lot like a vise squeezes my chest as I take in the sight before me. They both look so peaceful. Gabby is protecting him, holding him close. She’s protecting my son. Comforting him. Loving him. No, she hasn’t said the words, but I feel it. I see it. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I snap a quick picture to remember this moment.
Crouching to my knees, I lay my hand over hers on his back. Her eyes immediately flutter open at the contact. “Hey, beautiful,” I say, my voice husky.
“Hi.” She looks down at a sleeping Milo in her arms. “He’s been awake most of the day. I finally got him to rest and fell asleep.”
“Thank you for taking such good care of him.” I say the words over the knot forming in my throat. I never knew love could feel like this. This all-consuming need for another human being. And my son… I swallow hard. He’s a miracle I wasn’t expecting, and it’s still hard for me to grasp that he’s mine, but the little guy has his little fist tightened around my heartstrings.
“I brought dinner.” My free hand reaches up and cradles her cheek. “I missed you today.”
“You don’t have to sweet talk me, Callahan. I’m already yours.”
Fair Lakes Series Box Set Page 41