“Need any help?” she asked, stopping by Eric.
“Nope, we’ve got this. Go ahead and jump in.” Eric opened the door for her.
“Thanks.” She smiled up at him and wiggled her way between the two car seats again.
The truck was warm and, this time, both kids were fast asleep.
“When are you due?” she asked Megan when they were alone. She couldn’t remember if it had been mentioned at any of the dinners.
“Not for another month,” Megan answered, rubbing her large belly. “But I was early with both of those two.” She smiled at her sleeping kids.
“So, Lacey mentioned that you two aren’t actually married. I hope I didn’t cause you any discomfort.”
“No.” She sighed. She’d hoped that her little imaginary bubble wouldn’t burst. Megan and Lacey knowing they weren’t really married somehow deflated it a little. “Not at all.”
“Todd and I were married when I was a few months along with Matthew,” Megan answered.
“I hear a little Boston in your voice,” she said finally. She’d been dying to mention it earlier but had never gotten a moment alone with the woman.
“Yes.” She chuckled. “I moved to Pride about a year before, when my brother Matthew died in a car accident.”
Alice sobered. She couldn’t imagine losing her brother Chris. They’d been so close, losing him would be like losing her best friend.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. Megan’s eyes moved to her sleeping son.
“If it wasn’t for that, I’d probably be dead,” she said just as the truck doors opened and Todd and Eric climbed in.
“Telling her the story, eh?” Todd asked as he started the truck.
“I was about to.” Megan smiled over at her husband.
“Story?” Eric asked.
“Of how we met.” Todd chuckled. “Women love hearing love stories.”
“Shush.” Megan waved her husband off and started to tell her the story of how her brother, Matt, had died in a car crash, leaving her the big house and the B and B. Todd had been Matt’s best friend and when she moved into the house, she fell in love with him.
“Of course, we were all set for our happy ever after when her ex showed up and kidnapped her,” Todd added in. “She always leaves out that part.”
Megan frowned and glanced at her sleeping kids. “That’s because that darkness has no part in our bright lives.”
“What happened?” Alice asked, leaning forward as she tried to imagine the very pregnant woman who was sitting in front of her being kidnapped while she was pregnant with the adorable boy sleeping next to her.
“Todd found me and rescued me,” she added quickly.
“I found you, but you saved yourself,” he corrected as he pulled into the parking area in front of the house. “She jumped out a hotel window to escape the bastard.”
“Todd Jordan,” Megan said quietly.
“They’re asleep. They probably will be the rest of the night.” Todd smiled and lifted his wife’s hand to his lips. “Jordan women don’t need rescuing. I knew then and there that we were meant to be.”
“Oh?” Megan laughed. “It was that moment you realized it, was it?”
Alice could have sworn that he blushed, but he jumped out of the truck before she could check for sure.
Chapter 14
Eric finished hauling in the last load of groceries from the truck and set them on the countertop. Alice had put most of the things he’d already brought in away, but when he stepped inside this time and locked the door behind him, she had disappeared into the back.
Toeing off his boots, he hung his jacket and scarf and got busy putting the rest of the groceries away.
It was two days until Christmas and, still, the snow was continuing to fall outside. Some of it had melted during a brief sunny part of the day, but it had been too short-lived to melt much.
He threw a couple more logs on the fire, making sure to pull a few more in from the front porch, before going to look for her.
He found her soaking in a hot bathtub.
“Sorry.” She smiled up at him. “I just couldn’t get warm.” She sighed and rested back. “Want to join me?”
He thought about it for a moment and decided the tub was far too small for him to squeeze into. He was pretty sure they would have to mop up most of the water from the floor if he even put a foot in with her.
“I don’t think I’ll fit.” He sat next to the tub and leaned on the edge instead. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the counter. “How about I wash your back?” And front and… his thoughts disappeared when she chuckled. The soft sexy sounds almost had him jumping into the water, regardless of the mess they’d make.
“Here.” She handed him a cloth and poured soap into it as he held it. Then she leaned forward, exposing her back to his view.
He ran the cloth over her back, enjoying the soft sounds of pleasure she made as he went along. She’d pulled her dark hair up into a messy bun, so when she rested her head on her bent knees, he slowly washed her neck as well, taking his time to move the wisps of hair away so that they didn’t get wet.
Then he cupped his hands and scooped up water to rinse her off, letting his fingertips trail over her skin until he noticed small goose bumps rising on her arms.
“Do you like that?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly.
“Very much.” She glanced over her shoulder at him with a smile. “How about you do my front now?”
He sat back and watched her lie down, the water lapping over her breasts. His eyes were frozen on her.
“Well?” she said after a moment. “Here, let me get you started.” She took his hand and laid it over one breast.
He swallowed hard and closed his eyes for just a second. “Alice,” he said softly.
“Eric, touch me.” Her hand covered his once more and forced it to start moving over her skin. He could feel her nipple through the washcloth and this time he was the one making the sounds of pure bliss.
She rolled her head back and rested it against the tub as his hands moved over her. His eyes moved to the apex of her legs. When he touched her and slid a finger into her, it took all of his willpower to stop himself from pulling her out of the water. Instead, he concentrated on pleasing her, watching her face as he built her up, mesmerized by the way her eyes turned, the way she bit her bottom lip and moved slowly under his hands. The water lapped at the edge of the bath as he bent over her, placing his lips gently over her lips as she cried out his name.
When she went completely lax, he gently picked her up out of the water. He wrapped her in a towel, carried her to the bedroom, and laid her on the bed. When he settled between her legs, using his mouth on her, she arched up and gripped his hair, crying out again.
“Eric,” she gasped.
Chuckling, he lapped at her until she moaned his name. This time, he built her up but didn’t let her fall alone. Instead, he climbed onto the bed after pulling off his jeans. As he filled her, he leaned close to her ear and whispered.
“I love you.”
He felt her arms come around him, holding him to her as close as possible.